Blue Ribbon Preview on ESPN
Posted by Eric | July 9, 2007 at 4:35 pm | In DeSean, Ranks/Predictions | 
DeSean Jackson is on the front page of ESPN’s College Football site, as ESPN has put up Blue Ribbon’s team preview for Cal. The preview has some decent analysis and insight about the Bears this upcoming season. Take a look, as it’s currently available as a “free preview” without ESPN Insider.
Blue Ribbon gives Cal the following grades:
Offense: A
Special teams: A+
Defense: B
Intangibles: A-
They also sum up their article with the following mixed praise:
That said, this offense is every bit the equal of USC’s, and at least on paper, Cal should score more points than the Trojans. And the special teams units of the Bears might be ranked tops in the nation. So why aren’t the Bears favored over USC, which is expected to be a near-unanimous preseason No. 1?
Defense, defense and yes, more defense.
USC placed six players on Blue Ribbon’s preseason All-Pac-10 first team, while Cal had none.
But much to Tedford’s credit, Cal’s season starts in terms of the national title picture on Sept. 1 when Tennessee visits Berkeley on the back-end of a home-and-home. If the Bears win, watch out — the hype could build for more than two months before the USC game on Nov. 11. If those two teams enter kickoff undefeated, that likely becomes the game of the regular-season, not only in the Pac-10, but in the nation.
However, the Bears are going to find themselves in a few fourth-quarter shootouts, especially early as the secondary gains experience. Trips to Oregon, UCLA and Arizona State won’t be easy, but they should be entertaining. Actually, with Jackson, every Cal game should be entertaining.
We see Cal as a top-10 caliber team capable of defeating just about any opponent in the country. Just not USC. The Bears should cruise to 11 wins and a second-place Pac-10 fin-ish this season, perhaps even find themselves in a BCS game, but they’re not winning the Pac-10. At least not this year.
Thanks Jonah K for the heads-up.
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boy does Desean look nice splashed across the site like that, how many PR for TD this season you think?
1. Comment by Brian G — July 10, 2007 @ 8:28 am #
ESPN seems a little biased in our favor, which might set us up for a let down. Essentially, this is the same team from ‘06 MINUS Lynch, Mebane, Hughes, and Bishop. The only improvement may be Longshore’s experience. Yes, DeSean is back, but can he possibly be improved? Not that he needs to be, but the point remains that the team hasn’t improved–on paper.
I’m afraid to admit it but I put us at #3 in the PAC-10 behind UCLA (20 returning starters, and one of the best D’s in the country = trouble). Possibly #4 if Oregon plays to its potential.
In short, I don’t see how we can better last year’s results, especially with a depleted secondary. I’d prefer it if we were underrated right now.
Either way, it’s Put-Up or Shut-Up at home against Tennessee. I’m still embarrassed about that horrible train wreck in Knoxville last year…
2. Comment by ryanlopes — July 12, 2007 @ 7:22 am #
dont get me wrong though. i’m looking forward to a good year and hope that some new players break out..
go bears.
3. Comment by ryanlopes — July 12, 2007 @ 7:53 am #
NC State Basketball has and always will be my first love, but Bears football is a close second.
4. Comment by ryanlopes — July 12, 2007 @ 10:50 am #
apparently we have a hacker
5. Comment by ryanlopes — July 12, 2007 @ 12:48 pm #
I hear ya ryanlopes. Cal’s defense will have to surprise in order for them to make a serious run in the Pac10. some of the weaker teams in the conference from the past few years are catching up.
6. Comment by ken joyce — July 12, 2007 @ 12:59 pm #
Thought you’d maybe want to see this cal football coverage:
http://clog.dailycal.org/547/desean-for-heisman-the-clog-reviews-our-schools-shiny-new-d-jax-site
http://clog.dailycal.org/541/bears-receive-straight-asalmostfrom-blue-ribbon
7. Comment by Jim — July 13, 2007 @ 6:19 am #