2012-13 Football Previews – (Pac 12) – Cal Golden Bears
2011 could be coined the year of mediocrity for the Cal Golden Bears. The team wasn’t all that bad in any one area, but they also didn’t have any great strengths as a team. California finished 7-6 and just 4-5 in the PAC 12 Conference in the 2011 season.
PAC 12 Conference 2012-2013 College Football Previews: California Golden Bears
Head Coach: Jeff Tedford
2011 Record: 7-6
Cal Gambling Odds from BetOnline to win BCS Championship: +8,000
Cal Gambling Odds from BetOnline to win PAC 12 Conference: +1,200
California Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2012 Schedule –>
Jeff Tedford’s team hasn’t been any better than average of late, and he’s starting to get more pressure from the Golden Bears fan base.
Cal’s best player last year was linebacker Mychal Kendricks. Kendricks was the PAC 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but he is now in the NFL. The Golden Bears must find a new defensive leader. On the offensive end, the Golden Bears must be more consistent. Can the team move up a step this year or will they stay in the middle of the pack?
Team Strengths:
Isi Sofele may not be as well-known nationally as he should be, but the Cal coaching staff knows how good of a running back he is for this team. Sofele ran for 1,322 yards last season, which was the sixth best season in Cal football history. Sofele is a versatile back who has great vision of the field. C.J. Anderson is stepping up in the offseason, and I expect him to be a solid backup for Sofele.
The secondary has a lot of experience that should help them a great deal in 2012. Josh Hill is a very underrated safety who has a hand in almost every play. Marc Anthony is a veteran cornerback who will be given the task of slowing down the opposing teams best wideout each game.
Team Weaknesses:
Cal’s linebackers go from a major strength to a weakness with the loss of Kendricks. Cal has several young guys who will get plenty of time at the linebacker spots, but none of them are even close to the player that Kendricks was. You won’t see the Golden Bears in the opponents backfield nearly as much this year.
Keenan Allen is a terrific receiver, but behind him the Bears don’t have much depth at all. Allen has been dealing with injuries during the offseason, which doesn’t bode well for the team. After Allen, Cal will have to rely on several youngsters who have no real experience on the field.
2012-2013 Cal Golden Bears Football Prediction: 6-6
One guy who was notably absent from this season preview article so far was Zach Maynard. Maynard will be Cal’s signal caller again. He could be considered a strength or a weakness, depending on your viewpoint. Maynard is a terrific athlete who makes some amazing plays, but he turns the ball over too much and makes silly mistakes. If this team is going to have a good season, they need Maynard to make a lot of progress from last year.
In the end, I expect another mediocre season from the Golden Bears. It wouldn’t shock me to see them below .500, but I’ll put them right at .500 for my official prediction.
2012 Cal Golden Bears Schedule
9/1/12 TBD NEV
9/8/12 TBD SUTAH
9/15/12 12:00 PM ET @OHIST
9/22/12 TBD @USC
9/29/12 TBD ARZST
10/6/12 TBD UCLA
10/13/12 TBD @WSHST
10/20/12 TBD STAN
10/27/12 TBD @UTAH
11/2/12 9:00 PM ET WASH
11/10/12 TBD ORE
11/17/12 TBD @OREST
