With fall camps just around the corner for each Pac-12 team, we're going around the conference to look at each team's most pressing issues and storylines. We've already looked at Colorado, Washington State, Utah and Washington. Up next, Cal:
1. How good can Zack Maynard be?
Last year, Cal fans and college football experts loved to use words like “streaky,” “inconsistent” and “erratic” to describe the Golden Bears then-new starting quarterback Zach Maynard. When you look at the Bears' nine conference games last season, you’ll see that while Maynard did show some inconsistency, he was a pretty good game manager. In games where coach Jeff Tedford had Maynard throw the ball 29 or fewer times -- i.e. manage the game -- Cal went 4-1, with the only loss coming to Stanford in a game where Maynard statistically outplayed Andrew Luck. On the other hand, in games where Tedford put Maynard in a spot where he had to air it out -- 30 or more pass attempts -- the Bears went 0-4.
It seemed that as the season wore on, Tedford figured out how to use his transfer quarterback. If Maynard continues the improvement he showed last season, he may have a higher ceiling than projected. Cal fans will keep their fingers crossed that the Maynard who threw seven combined interceptions in losses to USC and UCLA last year doesn’t show up in 2012. Maynard's ability to perform this year will also be largely affected by the play of a revamped offensive line.
2. Which incoming freshman will emerge as the No. 2 wide receiver?
Cal’s quarterbacks weren’t throwing passes to themselves during spring practice, but wide receiver depth was an issue this past spring. Depth was such a problem that when Tedford released the post-spring depth chart, there were no backup wide receivers listed. The depth problem will be solved on Aug. 4 when the Bears’ five new freshman wide receivers report for camp. Tedford said all five incoming freshmen -- Bryce Treggs, Kenny Lawler, Darius Powe, Cedric Dozier, Chris Harper -- could see playing time this season. “We’re going to have three of them, if not all of them, play this year,” Tedford told the San Jose Mercury News. Someone from the quintet will need to step up quickly so opposing defenses don’t triple team Keenan Allen all season. Allen was ninth in the country in receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,343) last season.
3. How will special teams hold up?
Thanks to graduation, Cal will spend fall camp breaking in new specialists. The pressure of replacing three-time first team All-Pac-12 punter Bryan Anger will fall on incoming freshman Cole Leininger. Leininger, who averaged 45 yards per punt his senior year in high school, is the only punter on the roster. On the placekicking side, Vince D’Amato will take over for the departed Giorgio Tavecchio. D’Amato, a senior, does have some game experience: He hit 7 of 12 field goals and all 31 of his extra-point attempts during a nine-game placekicking stint in 2009.
4. Will the Bears get a Memorial Stadium boost?
After spending 2011 at AT&T Park in downtown San Francisco, the Bears will return to Berkeley this year and Tedford said his team is ecstatic. “AT&T did a great job of hosting us last year, but it just didn’t have the same feel that Memorial Stadium has. Our players are really fired up about getting back home,” Tedford said.
It’s good the players are fired up to get back home because the team’s home schedule could make or break the season. Cal’s three biggest Pac-12 North games this season -- Stanford, Washington and Oregon -- are in Berkeley. If the Bears can put together a 6-1 record in their earthquake-proof, newly renovated, $321 million stadium, then they can contend for the division title.
5. Can the linebackers live up to their hype?
The bad news: The Bears lost two starters, including Pac-12 defensive player of the year, Mychal Kendricks. The good news: the team added some surprise depth on July 30, when Tedford announced that he was reinstating outside linebacker Cecil Whiteside. Whiteside had been previously dismissed for violating an unspecified team rule back in May. The sophomore pass-rusher becomes an instant contender for playing time at outside linebacker. The good news got even better Wednesday, when Penn State linebacker Khairi Fortt announced that he was transferring to Cal. Fortt plays the same inside linebacker spot that Kendricks and the departed D.J. Holt played last year and will contend to start right away. It shows how much can change in 48 hours. Two days ago, linebacker depth was going to be a possible issue in camp, however, with the addition of Fortt and Whiteside, the unit becomes one of the defense's strengths.
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