Cal vs Washington State

Let us hope that we never have another October like that. 0 for the 10th month is no way to go. It is very discouraging.

Here's hopeing that our November is a little better.

As the post-Halloween Christmas Decorations go up at the Malls, and the season starts it's last third, it is time to go out swinging. I think Washington State is just what the Doctor ordered. This is a team that can not play defense to save it's life (last week vs UCLA an aberation based on the fact that they did not have a QB who could walk properly). This is a team that has lost it's top two running backs.

They have a good passing game, and Alex Brink is a senior. However, he has nothing else to work with.

If the Bears have any hope of getting something out of this season, they need to win and big.

So, what are the issues:

1) Who will start for us? I think the answer is Longshore. I think Tedford will take him out and start Riley in the second half, no matter what. For example, if we are ahead, why not start Riley? If we are behind, why not start Riley. If we are in a shootout at the OK Corral, why not start Riley? I do not think that Tedford will embarass Nate by benching him. But I sure think he needs to be benched a bit to see how Kevin Riley does. And taking him out at the start of the second half, partularly if we are ahead is a good way to get KR out there.

2) How will our running game do? No matter who starts for us, if we do not rush over 200 yards I would consider this game a failure. Here is why: the game plan against this team needs to be about rushing the ball. We need to keep our defense off the field. They have an atrocious rushing defense - 9th in the Pac 10 and 99th in the country. Our offensive line needs to get some confidence in blowing people off the line. They have moved to a 3-4 set, which is actually good for us in terms of Justin Forsett in hitting the hole quickly and getting to the backers, for about 4 or 5 per carry. And if you can break one into the secondary you move that to 6 or 7 per carry. That is what we need. And we need to keep Brink off the field. So they will run tomorrow. But here is where I also think it makes more sense to put Riley in: he is a much more mobile threat than Nate, and putting him in the second half where we can run the option, sprint outs, etc will put a bunch more pressure on the defense, and will enable us to run the game out. Just like JT likes.

3) What will our defense look like? They have no running game. They have a very good quarterback, and some good receivers. Will we blitz all day long? If it were me, there would be no doubt about it. This is a game where I would give up the run to protect against the pass. If they want to run and shorten the game, that hurts them more than us. If I were them, I would want this to be a 5 hour affair with 90 plays per side. That is how they can win this. I would be rushing 5 or 6 per play. We really need to get Brink out of synch. That being said, we probably will not do so. I hope I am wrong. But Gregory's one comment was that thier third string running back is a "really good football player". That is a load of crap. If Slocum was starting tomorrow for Cal, I can pretty much be sure that Washington State would be bringing the heat on Nate. And that is what we should be doing.

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All that being said, and all of the horrors of the last three games running through my mind, we are still a very good football team. I know I am a homer, but let's face the facts: we won when we won the turnover battle, and we lost when we lost the turnover battle. If not for INTs and Fumbles, we are the number 1 team in the land. And, barring a major catastrophe, we will win tomorrow.

I do not think anyone is looking ahead to USC at this point (by the way, is College GameDay coming?) Or the slim mathematical hope of a Rose Bowl berth. This game will be the focus tomorrow.

Last week, I actually thought we played well, but Nate crumbled and you just can not have that against a top 10 team. So we lost to a very good ASU team. This week, I think JT has a short hook, and we will dominate anyway. ASU has lost by an average of 32 points on the road. Here is hoping we can move that to 35 by the end of the day: Cal 52, WSU 7.

GO BEARS!!!