What do we know about Cal?

[GadValleyUte]

I haven’t paid much attention to them since we last played.

I gather they throw the ball a lot and tend to score a lot. What type of offense is it exactly?
How mobile is their QB? How good is their O-line?

Is their defense any good?

[Jumpmasterute]

They gave up 14 to Grambling, 7 to SDSU, 44 to Texas and 24 to UW. Don’t know how many points may have been from special teams or pick 6’s.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Jumpmasterute.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Jumpmasterute.

[Puget Ute]

Cal had two Pick 6s vs Grambling, and nothing since. None of their opponents have a Pick 6.

They give up a TON of yards on PR and KR (giving up multiple 30-40+ yard returns), but only seem to manage very small kick returns when they receive.

They have an excellent passing game. Their defense seemed to stop UW’s passing game, but couldn’t stop the power rushing game (which UW seemingly abandoned after the first drive). Texas put up 268 yds rushing and 382 yds passing on Cal, but Texas could only manage 160+ yards TOTAL vs a stout defense (Notre Dame).

Utah could absolutely lose this game, especially if we have a few mistakes/fumbles/picks or bad penalties or ‘ball didn’t go in hoop’. But the likelihood of losing this game is low. Booker and Wilson could both put up career rushing numbers.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Puget Ute.

[TheJuggernaut]

Goff will probably be the first QB taken in next year’s NFL draft (if not the first he’ll be the second after Connor Cook), and he has legit NFL receivers (plural) to throw to. Our D is going to have its hands full, it will be a full team effort to stop their offense – our Dline is going to have to get pressure, blitzes will have to be well timed, and the secondary is going to be tested all game long.
Their D is better than Oregon’s, but not by much. I expect Booker and Wilson to be able to run almost at will.

[oc_ute]

i would call them this year’s oregon with an asterisk….. * – their O is good but it’s not mariotta-esque. we should play em just like we played the ducks. i believe the utes physicality (is that a word?) will be the biggest difference. our OL and DL were man-handlers last week. when you win the trenches, you usually win the game. aside from SC, i think we’ve got the best OL and DL/LB’s in the conference. the elevation edge helps too.

FWIW, i think we’re screwed next year : )

[TheJuggernaut]

Actually depending on how well we replace our three SR LBs our D could be even better next year. Aside from LBs Paul, Whittingham, and Norris we only lose Fanaika and Carter as far as defensive starters. If LBs Masina, Drews, Tauteoli, and Barton can get up to speed our D is going to be just as nasty next year as it is this year.

On offense we only lose one OLineman, center Siaosi Aiono, and there’s little dropoff to his backup, Hiva Lutui. I’m quite a bit more upbeat about next year after watching our freshmen receivers in the Oregon game, granted Covey is mission bound, and we lose Scott and Poole. Watching Tyrone Smith and Caleb Repp gives me confidence that the offense can be pretty good next year. Joe Williams looks like he’s going to be the front runner in the race to be Utah’s next great RB, and we’ll have Troy McCormick back from injury. If Chase Hansen can live up to the hype we could be pretty good.

TL/DR I think we’ll be pretty good next year. Playoff good? Maybe not quite that good, but in the PAC anything can happen.

[Puget Ute]

I was also thrilled to see our underclassmen WRs play so well last week. Tarzan Smith had at least one very nice play plus some excellent blocking, and True FRs Covey and Repp had a pair of TDs a piece.

I hope Whitt allows Repp to stay as a WR rather than throw him over to DE. I know he wanted Nate Orchard 2.0, but can we please leave a FAST (4.5s 40, 47.6s 400m), strong, big (6’4″) baller with good hands at TE/WR? Please??!!

[TheJuggernaut]

I was under the impression that the decision to keep Repp at receiver had already been made – he’s too good at catching the ball to move to defense, is what I heard.

[oc_ute]

dude has great hands for sure. reminded me a little bit of jake murphy

[89ute]

Tarzan (Alfred) Smith transfered. I think you mean Ty Smith.

Utah signee Alfred Smith transferring to Tech

[Puget Ute]

Yes, sorry. Ty Smith.

He had a nice diving catch in the game that would have been a TD, but he stepped out of the back of the end zone. 4″ closer and he would have done it.

[Rick]

That’s what I thought when I was reading his post.

[Hockeybeard]

We lose Steve T and Seni – don’t underestimate what those guys have done for the solid interior line play.

[TheJuggernaut]

True, I just quickly glanced at starters we’re losing.
Utah seems to have an endless supply of defensive linemen though, I’m much less concerned about those losses than I am the LB losses.

[salUTE]

Stevie T is only a Junior – he should be back next year.

We only lose three Seniors from the D Line this year:

Jason Fanaika
Seni Fauonuku
Clint Shepherd

[Homer Crimson]

Which is why we have to win everything possible this year. Next year is going to blow.

[Anonymous]

Cal will have to decide what they want to do. Allow Wilson or Booker to run all over them. Wilson I believe has demonstrated his ability to carve up defenses that cheat on coverage. I think Special teams could have a huge game against Cal. Cal is going to have a tough time offensively. I don’t think Utah’s defense is a fluke. They have demonstrated to me enough this year to call them elite. Goff is very good and can punish Utah.

Right now I am leaning towards 35-24 Utah.

[TheJuggernaut]

Agree Beehive, I think this is a 10-14 point win for Utah.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by TheJuggernaut.

[Onlyu]

Goff is the real deal for Cal and they are improved for sure. Their offense probably gives us the most matchup problems as anyone because of the 5 receiver sets. Norris can’t really run with a TE or a back in space and neither can Whittingham. Paul can which helps and Thomas as the nickel is a stud. Our safeties are solid so we have to worry about “back out” and the inside wideout. A lot of time to prepare fortunately and Whit will install a great game plan so we should be fine. Puget Ute hit it on the head with turnovers…more than a couple and we are in trouble

Cal shouldn’t be able to stop the run consistently and if the bring 8 up Wilson is good enough (finally) to see the field and make them pay. We have to continue to protect him so he doesn’t panick like in years past but if he is protected we win going away. 8 PM start helps us as well…good crowd, electricity, etc.

There is depth on this team and youth that will develop next year. Already JC Impact kids committed so we’ll plug and play as always. Gotta find an impact backer but Whit always seems to do that, O-line will be solid and so will the D-line. Corners and safeties will be a strength next year with plenty of depth after Carter leaves. Wideouts won’t be worse and McCormick and Williams give us plenty of options in the run game. Hansen will be a key but he just has the look and feel of a gamer so I expect him to figure it out quickly and lead us well for 3 years!

[rbmw263]

Goff may be the best quarterback in the nation. Any time you can say that about an opposing QB, a win is never easy

[GadValleyUte]

Does Goff run or mostly pocket passing?

[Puget Ute]

Jared Goff has -15 rushing yards on the year, so he doesn’t really run all that much. But he is very good at scrambling to avoid sacks. He is a lot like Aaron Rodgers that way. He is a legit Top Ten pick in the draft next year and will probably be the first QB chosen.

[THEeyepatch]

That Goff could be the #1 draft pick overall.
That they have a great RB but an average O-line.
That their ‘D’ is average to below average.
That they haven’t played anybody yet and that continues this week! Yeah, they went into Texas and won but their ‘D’ folded in the 4th and if it wasn’t for a missed FG, they lose.

IF California wins this week against Wazzu, and heads to Utah with a top-20 ranking… I see it for both teams as a ‘Contender or a Pretender’ game. We already know the Utes have USC on the road and UCLA at home but this cross-conference game for both teams on the rise is very important, probably even more for Cal?

[Tacoma Ute]

I was skeptical of Cal early on because of the fact that they lost their last 6 of 7 last year and 5 of those games were at home. I’m a believer now. They’ve convinced me.

I too expect a 10 to 14 point Ute victory in a game that is probably still in doubt going into the 4th.

We certainly can’t afford to overlook them though. This was a perfect time for a bye to let the team get over the euphoria of the Oregon beatdown and refocus.

[GadValleyUte]

Sounds like we have our work cut out for us on the defensive side of the ball. In terms of our offensive approach I wonder what will happen. I know its been a long time and coaching and players have all turned over since, but didn’t Cal beat us and stack the box on us when we went there in 2011? Didn’t John White have a terrible day? I know our O-line is good, but we need a complete offense to reliably move the ball. How good are their defensive backs?

[MTM]

Our game there in 2011 sucked.
But then we beat them by 3 touchdowns in 2012 at Rice-Eccles. Of course we had 1 TD by the defense and two KO returns for TDs.
Besides Special Teams I think the key will be getting pressure on Goff. I don’t think he’s effective under pressure.
If you look at the games they lost last year it was against teams that had good front 7s that put pressure on him.
That and their defense isn’t very good.

[Anonymous]

This may be crazy but I see the special teams scoring another touchdown against Cal. I still couldn’t believe they kicked to Dunn that year. Freaking idiot coaching at the school for so long.

[MaxHallsLeftNut]

Jared Goff is a poor man’s Duncan Lebowitz. I can only imagine the atrocities that he was subjected to as a youth in Sarajevo.

[Texasute]

Watched the Cal – Texas game. The final score was not inductive of how well Cal played on defense for 3 quarters. They had a 21 point lead going into the fourth quarter and started celebrating early. Texas came roaring back when their QB started scrambling around and ran for large gains. Cal should of won that game going away. They are a good team. Goff is scary good.

[Brettski]

I just want to see the same offensive confidence from the Oregon game and a solid pass rush with 4 against Cal.

[UteStuckInSeattle]

^^^THIS^^^. The D-Line needs to play for pocket compression and lane integrity, not over-pursue trying to get the sack, and keep the pressure on Goff.

If they can do that, I like our chances very much.

[Puget Ute]

The LB who Travis Wilson decleated last time is no longer with the team (either retired or graduated). I was wondering whether he would try for a bit of revenge in this game…

[Puget Ute]

I just thought of one more thing. Our brand-new turf field will likely be slippery for at least the first game. How badly will that hurt a team which relies on receivers running precise routes? I have to think a relatively slippery field condition might help a team who has a power run game and hurt a passing game.

[AZswayze]

I wonder if Utah practices on it beforehand to break it in so to speak.