Davis Webb (7) is Cal’s new starting QB. Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The improvement Cal football has seen over the past three seasons under coach Sonny Dykes will continue only if the Golden Bears’ new leaders make an immediate impact.
Cal must replace quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick of the Los Angeles Rams in this year’s NFL draft who guided the Golden Bears to their first winning season in five years as a junior. Now the Air Raid offense is in the hands of Davis Webb, a senior quarterback and graduate transfer from Texas Tech.
“Davis’ maturity and knowledge of what we’re trying to do put him a little bit ahead of our other quarterbacks,” Dykes said, according to the East Bay Times. “He’s new to our program, but he came in with three seasons of experience at Texas Tech running this style of offense.”
The wide receivers are mostly brand-new too, but true freshmen Melquise Stovall and five-star recruit Demetris Robertson will be making highly anticipated Berkeley debuts.
Cal’s biggest question — which remains from the Goff era — is how an ultimately unproven defense can stifle prolific Pac-12 offenses.
Veterans will be sparse on that side of the ball, and Cal must lean on senior defensive back Cameron Walker, who had 38 tackles and an interception last autumn.
Still, Cal has reason for optimism. Since Dykes’ 1-11 debut in 2013, the Golden Bears have built to 5-7 in 2014 and 7-5 in 2015 and an Armed Forces Bowl win over Air Force. Cal opens the season a long way from home, on another continent, in fact. The Golden Bears face the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Aug. 26 in Sydney, Australia.
NOTES, QUOTES
SPOTLIGHT ON SEPTEMBER: Cal opens September with a bye after its Australian voyage and the travels to Mountain West heavyweight San Diego State on Sept. 10 before hosting Texas in its home opener on Sept. 17 to cap nonconference play. The bears defeated Texas for the first time in program history last September when Goff threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns and Khalfani Muhammad rushed for 164 yards and a TD. The Golden Bears open Pac-12 play against Arizona State on Sept. 24 in Tempe, Ariz., a year after outslugging the Sun Devils 48-46 in Goff’s home finale.
KEYS TO SUCCESS: The Pac-12 is the opposite of an ugly NFL playoff game in January snow. Defense is not the reality for most teams here. Warm weather and points are. For Cal to turn in another winning season and qualify for another bowl game, the Air Raid offense must soar again behind Webb. Dykes brought in Jake Spavital, formerly of Texas A&M, to be offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Muhammad, Vic Enwere and Tre Watson return to run the ball, and that balance might ascend to another level behind an experienced offensive line. That line is bolstered by center Jeremiah Stuckey, who also transferred from Texas A&M. Three-year tackle Steven Moore could be the veteran anchor that the group needs. A new coordinator, a new quarterback and freshmen receivers could mean some early hiccups, but the Golden Bears’ offense has a chance to succeed quickly.
AREAS OF CONCERN: The Golden Bears’ already depleted defense suffered a big blow when veteran linebacker Hardy Nickerson Jr. went to Illinois to play for his dad, Hardy Sr., who was hired by head coach Lovie Smith as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Walker, a nickel back, has to be a stopgap for Cal’s secondary, especially against offenses like that of UCLA and sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen (at home on Nov. 26). The leading returning tackler is senior safety Damariay Drew, who had 56.5 tackles and two interceptions last year. But Drew suffered a knee injury in the spring and may not return. Fellow starting safety Griffin Piatt has medically retired due to a knee injury.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Fans are going to see a very confident quarterback who likes to take control of the game.” — Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital on new quarterback Davis Webb, who is succeeding No. 1 NFL Draft pick Jared Goff as the Golden Bears’ starter. Webb racked up 5,557 passing yards during three seasons in Lubbock, Texas.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
HEAD COACH: Sonny Dykes, fourth year at Cal, 13-23 record at Cal, 35-38 as a head coach (22-15 from 2010-2012 at Louisiana Tech)
MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Davis Webb — Davis was a backup at Texas Tech in 2015, completing 22-of-41 passes for 300 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also posted two rushing touchdowns. But he was the starter in 2014 before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury in October and losing his job to Patrick Mahomes. Webb completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,539 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions before suffering the injury. Webb and future Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield split time as the starter in 2013 with Webb delivering 2,718 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine picks. Backing up Webb will be redshirt sophomore Chase Forrest and redshirt freshman Ross Bowers.
BREAKOUT STAR: WR Chad Hansen — While the fan focus is likely to be on star freshman recruit Robertson, Hansen is the top returning receiver. He posted 19 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown last autumn, averaging 13 yards per catch. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound transfer from Idaho State is listed as the starter at the outside “Z” wide receiver position on the preseason depth chart. It is Hansen’s time to thrive, after the six most productive receivers last season had their college eligibility end.
NEWCOMER TO WATCH: WR Demetris Robertson — Robertson made waves in May when the five-star recruit out of Savannah Christian Prep in Georgia selected Dykes and the Golden Bears over his home-state Georgia Bulldogs. The explosive Robertson (5-11, 175) was the third-ranked player from Georgia and was ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation. He comes from a run-heavy offense at Savannah where he delivered a 1,000-yard rushing season as a senior.
ROSTER REPORT
–Starting S Damariay Drew missed the majority of the spring season after suffering a knee injury. Drew is one of the Golden Bears’ top returning defensive players after posting 56.5 tackles and two picks last season. “We’re not going to have him early, in hopes that we might have him late at some point,” Dykes told the San Jose Mercury News. “But chances are we’re probably not going to have him at all during the season.”
–S Griffin Piatt is medically retiring due to a knee injury. Dykes said that Piatt was slated to start at safety: “It’s a big loss for us,” Dykes said.”Griffin is a really good football player and a guy that has meant a lot to our program, just incredibly mature.”
–WR Carlos Strickland is moving back to his home of Dallas to be near his ailing grandfather. Strickland plans to play for a team that’s closer to Dallas. He was second on the depth chart at the “Z” wide receiver position this preseason.
–WR Austin Aaron, a redshirt freshman, has quit football.
–NB Caleb Coleman is medically retiring from football after sustaining multiple concussions.
–OL Michael Trani is also medically retiring due to chronic back problems. Trani hadn’t played a snap with Cal since coming aboard in 2014.
–CB A.J. Greathouse underwent shoulder surgery in July but is expected to be out for just a few weeks.
