The California Golden Bears were on the way to Nowheresville at the beginning of this decade. Tom Holmoe took over a program that had floundered since Bruce Snyder left for Arizona State, and he made things worse than they already are. It all bottomed out in a dreadful 2001 season that culminated in a 1-10 record. As they say, it’s always darkest before the dawn, and a new day was born when Cal hired former Oregon and Fresno State offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford as the new head coach. He changed the attitude of the players, and a senior laden team enjoyed a 7-5 season which included wins over Washington, UCLA, Arizona State, and hated rival Stanford. 2003 brought a young team, and expectations for the Bears around the conference were low. However, Tedford showed the conference and the nation that he could coach with an unexpected successful campaign.

California was competitive in their season opener against heavily favored Kansas State. The Golden Bears were poised to take a 14-10 lead, but they were stopped at the KSU one yard line. The Wildcats ran away and hid, and although Cal did move the ball, they never got within a 13 point deficit, losing 42-28. The bears managed 440 total yards, but gave up 535 against an explosive KSU offense. Cal bounced back at home in the next game with a dominant 34-2 win over Southern Miss, who eventually won Conference USA. The Bears erupted for 20 points in the second quarter, and held the Eagles to a mere 277 yards. However, Colorado State dealt the Bears their second loss of the season, 23-21, on a late FG by Ram kicker Jeff Babcock. CSU dominated the game from a statistical standpoint, and led 20-7 at one point, but QB Reggie Robertson led a fourth quarter comeback that gave the Bears a brief lead before the late FG. California was dealt another setback five days later, a 31-24 loss to Utah in Salt Lake City. The Bears played a very tight game with the eventual Mountain West champs. However, with the score 24-24 late in the game, Tedford chose to try a 54 yard FG. Tyler Frederickson missed the kick, and Utah took over with good field position and drove to score the winning TD with about a minute to play. Once again though, Cal plugged forward after a loss to defeat Illinois on the road, 31-24. The Bears led 31-14 going into the fourth quarter, but Illinois rallied with ten points, and had the ball at the Cal eight yard line before Wendell Hunter saved the game with a sack. Once the non-conference season was over, Cal had a 2-3 record, and it looked like they would have the growing pains type of season that many expected.

That all changed when the Bears dealt USC a shocking 34-31 triple OT loss, the Trojans’ only loss of the season. Cal raced to a 21-7 lead, only to be caught 24 to head to OT. In the third OT, Frederickson won the game with a 38 yard FG after Ryan Killeen had missed a short FG. Cal won the game on the ground, rushing for 143 yards and holding USC to 99. This was the kind of win that could turn around a season, but the Bears still had some inconsistency to battle through. The very next week, Oregon State pummeled Cal in Berkeley, 35-21. Oregon State unleashed RB Steven Jackson on the Bears, and he ran for 227 yards. QB Aaron Rodgers suffered through a poor day, going 9-34 for 52 yards and an INT. Then they lost to UCLA the next week, 23-20, in a game that Cal dominated. The Bears had almost twice as many yards as the Bruins, but they were done in by four missed or blocked FGs, including one to end the game in OT that hit the upright. Where was the team that beat the Trojans and whipped Southern Miss? They finally showed up against Arizona, when Cal hammered the Wildcats 42-14. The Bears rushed for 327 yards against the hapless Arizona defense, and the game was never in doubt. Then Tedford returned to the scene of his most impressive win in 2002. Just as they did the season before, the Bears pasted the Sun Devils 51-23. Cal blasted the ASU defense for 41 points in the first half, and ended up with 539 total yards. Finally over .500 with the win, it was time for Tedford to take on his former team, the Oregon Ducks, for the first time.

Unexpectedly, the game turned into a bit of a defensive struggle. Neither team could get untracked offensively, and the score was 10-7 at the half. It stayed that way until Cal broke through in the fourth quarter with an 18 yard TD pass to TE Garrett Cross. Oregon answered with a TD pass to get within three, but the game turned with under four minutes to play when Tedford got conservative. Three straight runs, including one on third and long, forced a punt, and Oregon got the ball at the Cal 43. A few moments later the Ducks scored on a one yard TD run to take their first lead, and the lead stood for a 21-17 final. That was a game that Cal should have won. The Golden Bears didn’t dry over spilled milk, and they came home and humiliated the Washington Huskies, 54-7. Cal had an amazing 729 total yards in that game, and both JJ Arrington and Marcus O’Keith eclipsed 100 rushing yards. California capped the regular season with their second straight victory over Stanford, 28-16. A sloppy, turnover-laden started forced an early 10-0 deficit for the Bears, but they came alive in the second half, scoring 28 unanswered points to seal the win. Then in the most exciting bowl game of the season, they defeated Virginia Tech 52-49 in a game that featured 1081 yards of offense, three ties, a double digit deficit erased by each team, and a 35 yard FG by Tyler Frederickson as time expired to win it. California, picked by most to finish eighth in the Pac-10, finished the season 8-6, 5-3 in the Pac-10, good for a fourth place tie.

The expectations for the 2004 season are as high as they’ve been since Snyder was the coach. California won their first bowl game since 1993, and strung together back to back winning seasons for the first time since Snyder was coach. They have a ton of starters back, and will be picked my most to finish second or third in the Pac-10. Now the challenge is greater for Tedford and his staff. The Bears will marked men this time around, and in order to reach the level of success expected for the season, they will need to be more consistent, especially in conference play. Under Tedford, Cal has not won more than two conference games in a row. After the win over SC, they were beaten by OSU and UCLA. After the win over ASU, they lost to Oregon, a game they should have won. In 2002, after beating UCLA they lost to OSU. After shocking the Sun Devils in Tempe, they lost at home to a horrible Arizona team. Cal can definitely take the next step to conference power under Tedford, but to do so, they will need to play better defense and be more focused. That includes Tedford. His decisions in the KSU, Utah, and Oregon games contributed to losses. He is an outstanding coach, but he needs to be a little better in the snap decisions that come on gamedays. He is more than capable though of learning from past mistakes, and I consider him to be a close second to Pete Carroll as far as Pac-10 coaches.

The offense was the strength of the team the past two seasons, especially in 2003. Only USC and Oregon State scored more points (32.6) and had more yards (433) per game. Some thought there would be a drop-off here when first round draft choice Kyle Boller graduated, but Tedford proved his mettle as a quarterback guru again. Junior Aaron Rodgers had a couple of rough points in 2003, but he blossomed toward the end of the year, and he is a big time pro prospect at QB. He’s got good size, pretty good mobility, and a cannon for an arm. As the season went on, he learned to read defenses better, and he was a polished player by the end of the season. He and Matt Leinart will be dueling to be the Pac-10’s top passer for the next two seasons if both stay in school. Rodgers completed 62% of his passes for 2903 yards, 19 TDs, and only five INTs. Only Leinart had a better season. He also rushed for 210 yards and 5 TDs. He had surgery in the offseason to repair his shoulder, and did not compete in the spring. Senior back-up Reggie Robertson was the starter at the beginning of the season, and he was no slouch. He completed 63% of his passes for 797 yards, nine TDs, and three INTs, and those numbers gave him a higher QB rating than Rodgers. He put the finishing touches on the USC victory. He also started two games in 2001 when Boller was hurt. The Bears are in good hands even if Rodgers gets hurt, and Cal should improve on their passing numbers.

A big reason for an improvement will be Cal’s quality depth at wide receiver. Senior Jonathan Makonnen had a good season in 2002 (54 catches, 682 yards, seven TDs) and was poised for big things in 2003. He only played three games due to a broken leg, and was forced to redshirt. All that meant was that senior Geoff McArthur would have to step up, and he did just that. He led the team in most receiving categories with 85 catches for 1504 yards and 10 TDs. He was a big play guy for the Bears, and should be the man this year again. Cal also has an experienced slot receiver in senior Burl Toler. He caught 48 passes for 609 yards and 3 TDs. Senior Chase Lyman averaged a team leading 21.3 yards per catch. Redshirt freshman Sam DeSa had a good spring, and he could be a factor as well. That’s not even mentioning some of the recruiting coups that Tedford has landed in his brief time at Cal, including redshirt freshmen Devin Stearns and Noah Smith. Cal is loaded at wide receiver when just a couple of years ago they had no playmakers here. As a result, they will use a lot of three wide receiver sets. At tight end, senior Garrett Cross will be the starter. He had 16 catches and three TDs, including one against SC. He is injured though, and there is a little concern that he might not be ready for the start of camp. Redshirt freshman Craig Stevens would be the starter if Cross can’t go. This group will give Rodgers plenty of throwing options, and the passing game should be lethal as a result.

If there is a slight concern with Cal, it is their running game. The Bears led the conference in rushing at 168 yards per game. However, the team did lose Adimchinobe Echemandu to graduation, and he rushed for almost 1200 yards and 13 TDs last season. He finished second in the conference in rushing behind Steven Jackson, and did so despite missing some time to injury. Senior J.J. Arrington and junior Terrell Williams will battle for the starting job, and will probably split the carries unless one of them gets hurt. Williams did not play last year, and hasn’t had extended playing time since he was true freshman, when he rushed for 688 yards. Arrington was the #2 guy last year, running for 607 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and five TDs. Williams is a slasher, and Arrington is bulkier and more of a straight ahead runner. It will be tough to get the kind of production that Echemandu gave them last season. Sophomore Marcus O’Keith played a little last season and did well with his limited carries. True freshman Marshawn Lynch could also be a factor, and a lot of schools were on him before he chose California. The Bears return junior Chris Manderino at fullback. Chris is a versatile player who helps out in the passing game and with lead blocking. Sophomore Byron Storer and true freshman Frank Summers, who played very well in the spring, will fight in out for the #2 position. The Bears will likely not run the ball as well as they did last year, but they don’t need to with Rodgers and the WR corps. They do need to do enough to keep teams from ignoring the running game, pinning their ears back, and going after Rodgers.

The real concern is less the backs and more the offensive linemen. Three starters are gone, including all conference selection Mark Wilson. The spring gave the Bears no time to come together as a unit because four likely starters were out with injuries, and Cal could not really have effective scrimmages because they were so short on offensive linemen. There are some worries that one or two of those injuries could stretch into fall camp. At this point, all are expected to be back before the season starts. Senior left guard Jonathan Giesel is the most experienced of the bunch. Before last season, he had 13 starts, and he has played on the right side as well. Junior center Marvin Philip also started last season and was a starter in 2000 before going on a Mormon mission. Junior Aaron Merz, a walk-on, is slated to start at right guard. Junior Ryan O’Callaghan should be the right tackle. All four of these players missed the spring, so cohesiveness could be a problem, especially with three starters gone from last season. Sophomore Andrew Cameron will likely win the left tackle job. This is where Cal might take a hit from the scholarships that they lost. Their depth chart is dotted with walk-ons, and injuries here could really hurt. It would be a plus for them if junior college transfer Bryan Deemer can crack the line-up or at least provide depth. Injuries here would hurt the Bears big time. The line was an integral part of the offensive success last year, as the Bears gave up only 29 sacks and ran for 4.3 yards per carry. A hiccup at this position could throw the whole thing of kilter. However, Tedford rebuilt offensive lines well in the past, and the quick-throw style of the offense will likely minimize sacks. It’s the running game that could take a hit.

The offensive line is a minor concern relative to the defense, which was mediocre last season for the third straight year. Cal was sixth in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 385 yards a game. The Bears gave up 134 yards rushing per game in a passing conference, and were victimized on the ground by KSU, CSU, Utah, OSU, and Virginia Tech. In just about every game they lost, they were torched on the ground. If Cal wants to join the elite teams in the conference, run defense is where they must improve. Teams averaged 3.7 yards per carry, up from 3.0 in 2002. The front seven needs to play much better, starting with the defensive line. Senior Lorenzo Alexander is the stud of the group. He requires offenses to double team him. He is more run stopper than pass rusher, and he has the talent to be an all conference player, if he can go full bore on every play. Like many good defensive tackles, he often takes plays off. Senior Tom Sverchuk will return at the other tackle spot. He was just as productive as Alexander last season, but saw far less double teams. He’s solid, but not spectacular. Sophomore Brandon Mebane and redshirt freshman Matt Malele, big recruits from the last class, provide depth, but they are green. The ends are serviceable. Senior Ryan Riddle made an impact on passing downs with 6.5 sacks, but at 240, he isn’t the best run stopper. Senior Tosh Lupoi will start on the strong side, and he did a solid job after switching from tight end. The depth is sketchy. Senior and former USC signee Raymond Tago played little last season. It’s likely that true freshman Phillip Mbakogu could get some playing time. JC transfer Justin Johnson could figure in as well. This defensive line returns four experienced players, but the Bears often got pushed around up front in 2003. If they are going to make the jump from good to excellent as a team, this is where that jump will have to take place.

Cal should have a good linebacker corps. Five experienced players are back, and they are led by senior Wendell Hunter, who played well in 2003. He was second on the team in tackles, tied for the team lead in tackles for loss, and led the Bears with seven sacks. He is the best athlete of the starting linebackers, and can make plays sideline to sideline. He could garner all conference consideration. Senior Joe Maningo was outstanding in the spring of 2003, but some minor injuries kept him from reaching his full potential at MLB last season. He was dinged up again this spring. Senior Francis Blay-Miezah wasn’t too bad on the side opposite Hunter. Seniors Bryan Tremblay and Sid Slater played a lot last year, so they can provide depth at any position. The Bears were a pretty good pass rush team at times last year because they do like to blitz, and Hunter is especially good in this capacity, but they could be a more consistent. This is not the biggest or the fastest group of linebackers in the world, so they need the defensive line to play better so that they can have a good chance of stuffing the run.

The secondary remains a source of concern. Cal gave up 251 yards passing per game last season, and their young corners often got beat for big plays. In the Virginia Tech game, Cal made the spotty Brian Randall look like Brett Favre. Opponents threw 25 TD passes against 14 INTs. Sophomore Daymeion Hughes played well for a true freshman, and he is the team’s best cover guy. He has good size at 6-2, and could become one of the conference’s best in the coming years. He had two INTs, but only one pass break-up last season, so he’s still learning. Junior Harrison Smith was a whipping boy last season. Opposing offenses went after him, and he often paid the price. Someone could step forward and take his spot if he does not improve. Sophomore Tim Mixon played some last season, but he also struggled. Redshirt freshman Thomas DeCoud had a good spring, and he is another big guy at 6-3. Someone needs to step up opposite of Hughes, and if Daymeion gets hurt, Cal is in trouble. The safeties are led by the team’s best defensive player (and Venegas family friend), junior Donnie McCleskey. He plays close to the line of scrimmage on most downs, and he has a nose for the football. He led or tied for the team lead in tackles, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, INTs, and pass break-ups, and he added 5.5 sacks from the strong safety position! He is a special player who came out of Bishop Amat High School as a running back, and he could be an all conference player this year. The free safety spot is a question mark though. Senior Ryan Gutierrez is good in run support, but he did not have an INT last season. Senior Matt Giordano will battle him for the spot, but he is not a speed demon either. If the Bears can get better play up front, they will be able to play McCleskey behind the box more, and that will help their coverage. The main priority in the secondary though is not moving McCleskey back, it’s finding a second CB who is competent enough to keep offensive coordinators from picking on him all game.

The special teams is in flux right now, with many of the main contributors exhausting their eligibility. The maddeningly inconsistent Tyler Frederickson, who was the hero of the USC and Virginia Tech games but made only half of his 30 FG attempts, is gone. Senior Lucas Everett will get the chance to be the new kicker. He came in last season as a junior college transfer, where he made 75% of his FGs. Everett could also take over as the punter. He punted the ball six times last season, averaging 34 yards per punt, but in JC he averaged 45.2. Australian-born JC transfer David Lonie will also compete at both positions. New returners will have to be found to replace James Bethea, and little Vincent Strang. Arrington and Mixon could be the new guys on the job. Sam DeSa will get a chance as well. Cal did a decent job in coverage last season. The Bears also blocked three punts last year. The one thing Cal will have to shore up is their FG protection unit. They had five blocked FGs last year, but many of them were the result of low trajectory kicking by Frederickson.

The Bears have a chance to be very good in 2004. I think the offensive line will gel, because Tedford has been good in the past with high turnover offensive lines. The offense should be just as good or better than last season with an experienced, talented QB and a bevy of options to throw to. The defense is experienced, but they do need to play better than they did last season to meet higher expectations. (Cal is ranked #14 by Athlon to start the season, and will almost assuredly start the season ranked in the AP and Coaches Polls.) There is some pressure to win this year because next year Cal will lose nine starters on defense, all of their core wide receiver group, their likely starting RB, and maybe Rodgers if he decides to leave early. The schedule again is tough, especially early. California plays four of their first five on the road. They start the season at Air Force, who beat them in Berkeley in 2002. After a breather against New Mexico State, they’ll travel to Southern Miss, who will be ready to exact some revenge. Then to go to Corvallis to play the Beavers, who have beaten them five straight times and 11 of the last 17. Then it’s off to L.A. to meet an angry USC team. The back end of the schedule is manageable.

I think that Cal will be the best team that USC plays in 2004. Their record may not reflect it early because of the schedule, but Tedford is an outstanding coach, and the Bears have a great offense. Even if the defense struggles at times, Cal can weather the storm in an offensive conference by fighting fire with fire. If the defense does make a big jump due to experience, the Bears could challenge USC for the conference crown. Either way, the Bears will go bowling again, and don’t be surprised if they’re in San Diego at the end of the year for the Holiday Bowl, where they will make problems for an unsuspecting Big 12 school.

Questions, comments, or info? Contact me at tvenegas@msn.com.