In 2004,1 called Cal my #2 surprise team in the country and forecasted that they would go from 8-6 to a potential 10 or 11 win season. The Golden Bears were nearly f/iesurprise team in the country in 2004 as in a road trip to USC, Cal had 28-12 FD and 424-205 yard edges but came up short failing to score on 1 st & goal from the 9. They fell 6 points short of winning the Pac 10 Title and getting to the National Title game. The Bears amazingly outgained Pac 10 foes in 2004 by 158.5 ypg and outscored them by 23 ppg, even better marks than the Trojans! Tedford's first 3 years were the most successful 3 year run for a Bears HC since Pappy Waldorf took them to 3 straight Rose Bowls in '48, '49 and '50. They had 8 players make 1 st Tm Pac 10 in '04 and Tedford was given a 5 year contract extension. At one point they were #4, their best ranking in 52 years. Cal was very inexperienced last season with just 8 starters back and had to replace 1 st and 2nd round DC's, their top 3 receivers and top 6 tacklers. Having to replace Aaron Rodgers was expected to be tough but Tedford had signed PS#6JC Joe Ayoob. Unfortunately he did not live up to his VHT billing. Nate Longshore won the starting QB job but was lost in the opener and Ayqob and former FB Steve Levy took turns at QB. They trailed Illinois after 3Q's but rallied for the win and got off to their first 5-0 start since 1996. They were ranked #10 vs UCLA and Cal had a 26-17 FD and 545-395 yd edges but lost, Cal did not recover from that loss the next week and were outgained by Oreg St 377-315 in Berkeley and lost. They trailed Wash St 38-28 in the 40 but managed a win. However, vs an Oregon team without their starting QB, they lost in OT, 27-20. When they beat BYU in the bowl, they finished 8-4, their 2nd best mark under Tedford, despite their first negative TO margin (-6) under him. They finished #25 in the polls (#9 in '04) which was the firsttime since '50-'51 that Cal has finished the season ranked in back-to-back years. Lastyear Cal avg'd 32.9 ppg which was the 4th highest scoring average in school history but just the 3rd best in Tedford's four years. With 7 starters back, including all of their top RB's and WR's, and much better play from the QB position, Cal will be more potent in 2006. In 2004 Cal had 8 starters back on D and allowed just 16.0 ppg, their best since 1979 (reg ssn). Last year with just 3 starters back, they played better than expected (21.2 ppg). This year, with afierce defensive front 7 and both starting CB's back, Cal may have their best D yet under Tedford. |
