California Bears

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Brennan Boesch, who will be a junior outfielder this spring for the California baseball program, has been named a first-team preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America (NCBWA), it was announced Tuesday.

Boesch, who earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2005, has also been selected to be on the watch list for the 2006 Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top collegiate player. Last season, he batted a team-leading .355 (fifth in Pac-10) with 21 doubles (fifth in Pac-10), two triples, seven home runs and 33 RBI for the Golden Bears. He also finished with a .567 slugging percentage (10th in Pac-10) with 77 hits and 123 total bases. Boesch’s 21 doubles were third on the Cal all-time single-season doubles list, and he hit .367 (22-for-60) with runners in scoring position.

Boesch, a 6-5, 215-pound left-handed center fielder, is the only position player from the Pac-10 to be named a NCBWA Preseason All-American. He joins Oregon State’s right-hander Dallas Buck and USC’s right-hander Ian Kennedy as Pac-10 representatives on the NCBWA preseason first-team.

BOWL AT A GLANCE: California vs. Brigham Young, Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 22 — Ironically, the athletic director for BYU is Tom Holmoe, the former coach for the Bears whom Jeff Tedford replaced.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Marshawn Lynch — A year ago J.J. Arrington rushed for over 2,000 yards. The sophomore did well as a replacement, finishing fourth in the league with 117 yards per game.
WR DeSean Jackson — The true freshman should have a breakout season next year when the Cal passing game has a chance to get back on track, but he has done some good things as a rookie, too. He has 32 receptions for 471 yards and five touchdowns this season.

LB Mickey Pimental — The JC transfer has been a great addition. He topped off the regular season with 3.5 tackles for losses, including 2.5 sacks against Stanford. He has 8.5 tackles for losses, two interceptions and forced a fumble this year.

C Marvin Philip — For the second straight season the senior was selected as one of six finalists for the Dave Rimington Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top center

PRO POTENTIAL: FS Harrington Smith — The sure tackler and speed corner made huge strides during his career. After finishing the regular season with 59 tackles, and six pass breakups, he could become a top four round draft choice.

SS Donnie McCleskey — As one of the team’s most reliable tacklers throughout his career, the 5-10, 195-pound strong safety has a chance to become a late round selection.

ROSTER REPORT: Quarterback Nate Longshore, the starter at the beginning of the season, is taking a few snaps for the first time since breaking a leg in the first game. Defensive end Tosh Lupoi will not be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl after suffering a broken foot against USC on Nov. 12. Offensive lineman Mike Tepper is unavailable for bowl action. Taking part in bowl practices were previously injured receiver Noah Smith, fullback Chris Manderino and offensive tackle Scott Smith.

BEST ATTRIBUTE: California coach Jeff Tedford usually has the first-round type of quarterback under center. That has not been the case, but the Bears haven’t needed him because of two of tailbacks as good as any in the Pac-10. Marshawn Lynch is 11th nationally at 117 yards per game, while Justin Forsett averages 87 yards. California’s linebackers are a force, with Donnie McCleskey, Desmond Bishop and Mickey Pimental making big plays all season.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: The Bears cannot turn the ball over and expect to win. California suffered from turnovers all season, ranking 98th nationally in turnover margin with a minus .73. Cal threw 17 interceptions, and picked off only 13. The Bears also recovered only 10 of their 22 fumbles, while recovering only six made by their opponents.
GAME OF THE YEAR: California never could recover from a 47-40 loss to UCLA on Oct. 18. The Bears not only blew a comfortable second-half lead, they also lost their momentum and dropped three of their next four games. It was the lone game of the season the Cal defense had no answers down the stretch.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: California CB Daymeion Hughes vs. BYU quarterback John Beck — The Bears’ passing efficiency defense is ranked 21st nationally. It will be up to corners like Hughes to stay close enough to the five-receiver sets BYU likes to use because Beck is seventh nationally in total offense, averaging 307 yards per game.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Really, if you can keep a (spread) team to three touchdowns, you’re doing pretty well.” — California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said when talking about BYU’s offense.

The Bears are taking their practice time seriously, with a great deal of attention and focus on BYU’s spread offense.

California was torn apart a year ago in the Holiday Bowl, losing 45-31 when Texas Tech’s spread attack dismantled the Bears defense, passing for 520 yards, 30 first downs and completing 39-of-60 passes.
“We will learn from that experience,” California coach Jeff Tedford said.

The Bears had better as they prepare to take on BYU in the Dec. 22 Las Vegas Bowl.

Unlike a year ago, California has seen forms of the spread offense much more. There is a familiarity with it after playing New Mexico State, Illinois and Oregon. All three run a form of a spread attack.

California defeated New Mexico State and Illinois and lost 27-20 to the Ducks.

“We’re proven at it,” California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory told the San Francisco Chronicle. “There are things we can do better, hopefully we will.”

One of the biggest obstacles Cal is finding with BYU’s form of the offense is how Cougar quarterback John Beck takes snaps five yards back in a shotgun and then drops back another three steps.

An eight-step head start makes it tougher for any defense to put pressure on the quarterback.