Cal Football: 7 Items on the Golden Bears 2011 Summer "To Do" List

The California Golden Bears had a terrible season last year.  Finishing ninth in the PAC-10 only better than the atrocious Washington State Cougars, the Bears need some change this off season.  

They have some key returning players in Mychal Kendricks and Mitchell Schwartz, but other Golden Bears are going to have to step up.

If coach Jeff Tedford plans on returning to Berkeley next season, he needs to lead Cal to a very good season.

7. How Are the Bears Going to Attract Students to At&T Park Next Year?

Next season, the Golden Bears are going to be playing their home football games at AT&T Park in San Fransisco.  It is a 13 mile drive from Berkeley and should take about 25 minutes with no traffic and if you live anywhere near the bay area, you know that there is ALWAYS traffic. 

This will end up being a 45 minute drive most days and I’m curious if the Cal students will make the trek.  I think Cal should have some sort of promotion for the students or free student tickets so that students find a ride to AT&T Park to make it feel like a home game. 

I was at the Cal vs. Miami game a couple of years ago played at AT&T Park and it felt awkward with no feeling of a football game.  The Golden Bear fans are going to have to do something to change the environment of the baseball stadium.

6. Must Incorporate Talented 2011 Freshman Class

Cal’s 2011 recruiting class was one of the best they have ever had.  There should be at least two if not three freshman starters on defense in 2011. 

Viliami Moala is the third best defensive tackle according to Scout.com and is an absolute beast on the inside.  Todd Barr is another defensive tackle that is small enough to move to defensive end in a 3-4 and he is the sixth best defensive tackle in the nation. 

If Cal wasn’t lucky enough to sign two bruisers on the interior, they signed the sixth best safety in the nation, Avery Walls.  He is a great athlete and it was a huge surprise that he ended up signing with Cal. 

5. Who Should Be the Place Kicker in 2011?

Place kicking was a huge problem for the Bears last season, costing them a chance to win at least one if not two games against ranked opponents. 

Giorgio Tavecchio went 11-16 last season (69 percent).  He missed two field goals against Arizona in which the Bears lost 10-9. 

The Golden Bears also lost the Oregon Ducks 15-13 when the Ducks were the number one ranked team and Tavecchio missed a short field goal to give the Bears the lead in the fourth quarter.  My solution is to make Brad Anger double up and have him kick field goals as well in his senior year. 

He is an unbelievable punter and if he were to practice this summer, would be a much better place kicker than the current starter.

4. Jeff Tedford Must Modernize His Offensive Schemes

Jeff Tedford was considered a genius in the early 2000’s with his slow, methodical offense and his shut down defense.  In the year of 2011, the two tight end formation and run-between-the-tackles style isn’t as effective as it used to be. 

Cal’s offense is extremely predictable by normally running on first and second and throwing on third and long; and it is making opponents more successful than they should be. 

Jeff Tedford needs to incorporate more shotgun spread formations and mix up his offensive sequences while driving down the field. 

3. Who Is Going to Replace the Loss of Chris Conte at Corner?

After the first team all PAC-10 corner Chris Conte graduated, Cal has a huge hole to fill at corner.  Junior Marc Anthony and Steve Williams are the two likely starters. 

Steve Williams has been called the fastest corner Cal has ever had and Marc Anthony is a solid lock down guy.  There is an outside chance that freshman Adrian Lee or Joel Willis will play. 

Either way, let’s hope that Steve Williams starts to give Cal some speed to compete against the fast receivers of USC and Oregon next year. 

2. Who Will Be Cal's Backup Running Back to Help Carry the Load?

For the first time in a good six years, Cal doesn’t have one of the best running backs in the PAC-12.  Isi Sofele is going to start at running back, but he will not be able to carry the load all by himself. 

He only ran 69 times last year for 338 yards; a solid 4.9 yard average, but he didn’t score a touchdown.  He is a small running back at 5’7’’ which is why there is a need for a second running back to carry the load in between the tackles. 

The logical choice is true freshman Brandon Bigelow with the possibility of Daniel Lasco.  Both of these running backs have zero college experience and will probably both share time at the backup position. 

Regardless of who backs up Sofele, he will have to produce a 1000+ yard season to give Cal the production that many running backs have done in previous years. 

1. Is Zach Maynard the Real Deal?

This has been a problem at Cal for the past two years and the 2011 season is going to be just as much of a crap shoot.  The Buffalo transfer, Zach Maynard, came out of Spring as the starter going into summer workouts. 

He is a duel threat quarterback and could be the spark that Cal needs.  If Maynard doesn’t prove himself worthy in the first few games though, Brock Mansion and Allan Bridgford are waiting for their chance. 

In my opinion, Jeff Tedford would be crazy to ever let Mansion take another snap at center after last year’s output: 646 yards, a 48.9 completion percentage and two touchdowns along with five interceptions. 

Bridgford has never thrown a college pass and should be the logical option to start if Cal needs him too.  This is definitely Cal’s weakest part of their team and it chould be a rollercoaster next season.