The Cal Football Fan

Hughes, Jackson AP All-Americans

In their yearly All-Americans list, the Associated Press selected Daymeion Hughes as a first-team cornerback, and DeSean Jackson as a first-team all-purpose player. Cal was the only Pac-10 team with two selections on the first team, with one player from each USC and UCLA being selected.

Pac-10 Review and Forecast

Next year looks to be an outstanding year for the Pac-10. While the Pac-10 looked rather mediocre this season and failed to meet the preseason hype of projected national rankings, the outlook for next season seems to point towards one of the most competitive for the Pac-10 in recent history. Some listed points to consider:

• Seven teams welcome back their starting quarterback (not Oregon State, Washington and Stanford). Experience at quarterback is critical for any team, but particularly in the pass-happy Pac-10.

• The top 15 rushers are all scheduled to return (though Cal junior Marshawn Lynch figures to enter the NFL draft).

• Only three of the top 10 receivers are seniors (though USC junior Dwayne Jarrett figures to enter the NFL draft).

• USC, California, Oregon and UCLA should be ranked in the 2007 preseason poll. Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon State will receive votes.

• If Lynch and Jarrett don’t return, USC quarterback John David Booty, Oregon tailback Jonathan Stewart, Cal quarterback Nate Longshore and Cal receiver wide receiver DeSean Jackson will be leading Heisman Trophy candidates.

In his analysis of the current season, Ted Miller also gave his MVP award to Marshawn Lynch, and Newcomer of the Year award to DeSean Jackson:

Most Valuable Player

	Lynch

Running back Marshawn Lynch, Cal

Lynch didn’t become the Heisman Trophy candidate he was touted as during the preseason, but he led the conference in rushing (1,245 yards) and all-purpose yards (1,657). He scored 13 touchdowns (nine rushing) and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He piled up those numbers while battling a pair of sprained ankles, so his toughness deserves a tip of the cap as much as his talent.

And it was hilarious when he drove that golf cart onto the field after the Bears nipped Washington.

Newcomer of the Year

DeSean Jackson, Cal

Jackson, who led the Bears in receiving last season as a true freshman, has spectacular speed and athleticism — comparisons to Reggie Bush don’t evoke sarcastic snickers — making him the conference’s most dangerous player during his sophomore campaign.

He led the nation in punt returns, averaging 18.2 yards per return with four touchdowns. He also caught 54 passes for 979 yards and nine touchdowns.

With two or possibly three Heisman Trophy candidates, a competitive Pac-10, and an opening home game against Tennessee, next season should be quite exciting for the Bears.

Jackson, Hughes SI First Team All-Americans

Released earlier today, Sports Illustrated’s All American list includes Daymeion Hughes at DB and DeSean Jackson as a punt returner. Also being listed as honorable mentions are Marshawn Lynch at running back and DeSean Jackson again as a wide receiver.

Cal to play in the Holiday Bowl

Earlier today, Cal accepted an invitation to play in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. This is the team’s fourth straight bowl game appearance, a feat never before accomplished in Cal’s history. The Holiday Bowl kicks off on Thursday, December 28th at 5pm in Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. While it is yet to be known who the Bears will face, the opposing team will be from the Big 12 conference, most likely No. 22 Texas A&M.

Lynch, Hughes Pac-10 Players of the Year

With only three total Pac-10 games left to be played out, the Pac-10 awards and all-conference teams have already been announced. Marshawn Lynch has been named the offensive player of the year, while Daymeion Hughes has been named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR MARSHAWN LYNCH, TB, CALIFORNIA: Lynch, a junior from Oakland, Calif., leads the Pac-10 in rushing and all-purpose yards and is co-leader with teammate DeSean Jackson in touchdowns scored. A unanimous All-Pac-10 selection, Lynch has rushed for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns, becoming just the second player in California history to post two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He has posted a school-record 16 100-yard rushing games. His averages of 6.3 yards per carry and 107.1 yards per game both lead the Pac-10. In addition, Lynch has 286 yards and four touchdowns receiving and 101 yards in kickoff returns to give him 1,565 all-purpose yards, an average of 142.3 yards per game. Lynch is just the third California player to be selected Pac-10 offensive player of the year and the first since quarterback Mike Pawlawski in 1991.

PAT TILLMAN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR DAYMIEON HUGHES, CB, CALIFORNIA: Hughes, a senior from Los Angeles, Calif., leads the Pac-10 in interceptions by a large margin with eight, which ties him for second in the nation in picks. Included are two returned for touchdowns. A unanimous All-Pac-10 selection by the league’s coaches, Hughes has 15 career interceptions, second all-time on the Cal list. Hughes also leads the Pac-10 in passes defended with 19 and ranks second on the Cal squad with 62 tackles. Hughes becomes just the second California player to be selected Pac-10 defensive player of the year, following cornerback Deltha O’Neal in 1998.

Also making the First Team list are WR/PR DeSean Jackson, OL Alex Mack, DL Brandon Mebane, and LB Desmond Bishop. TE Craig Stevens, OL Mike Gibson, DL Nu’u Tafisi, P Andrew Larson, and ST Byron Storer were named to the All-Pac-10 Conference Second Team. Honorable Mentions also included OT Andrew Cameron, OLB Zack Follett, WR Lavelle Hawkins, WR Robert Jordan, QB Nate Longshore, OLB Mickey Pimentel, and OG Erik Robertson.

Hughes semifinalist for Jim Thorpe Award; DeCoud fine; other news

Daymeion Hughes has been named as one of the 11 players as semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, an award given annually to the best defensive back in the nation. Last year’s winner was Michael Huff of Texas, who was drafted in the Oakland Raiders’ first draft pick. The other semifinalists include Michigan’s Leon Hall, LSU’s LaRon Landry, Fresno State’s Marcus McCauley, Florida’s Reggie Nelson, Pittsburgh’s Darrelle Revis, Texas’ Aaron Ross, Ohio State’s Antonio Smith, Utah’s Eric Weddle, Notre Dame’s Tom Zbikowski, and Arizona’s Antoine Cason. With the upcoming Cal-Arizona game, the Tucson Citizen ran a feature on Hughes and Cason.

Some additional articles to read:

Rose Bowl hopes depend on Cal’s defense Contra Costa Times:

However, as frustrating as it is to see Cal’s defense playing so “soft” with so much individual talent on the field, perhaps there is some magic to defensive coordinator Bob Gregory’s madness.

Pac-10 Crown, not NFL draft, topping Lynch’s agenda Contra Costa Times:

On Tuesday at Memorial Stadium, Lynch said he hasn’t decided what his future holds. He remains firm about the task at hand, which is winning the Pac-10 title.

However, certain clues indicate Lynch, the Pac-10’s leading rusher at 109.8 yards per game, will do what everyone expects, enter the NFL draft.

Lynch’s game plan is runnin’, chillin’ Inside Bay Area.

Q. Is it difficult on campus, dispelling the notion that you’re just a jock?

A. Yeah, but I try to get away from that. If you’ve ever seen me outside the stadium, and you didn’t know who I was, you probably wouldn’t think too much of me. You never see me dressed up in my Cal sweats. I always have on street clothes, trying to blend in but just being me, being comfortable with what (clothing) I’m in.

Q. Do you try to converse with non-student athletes?

A. Yeah. People would probably think that because I play football, and I’m all over everything (publicity wise), that I would be hard to approach. After people have a conversation with me, it’s “Ah, he’s cool. I wasn’t expecting him to be like that.” But I’m just me. Solid.

DeCoud out of haze — and studying The Hit San Francisco Chronicle.

Coach Jeff Tedford knew safety Thomas DeCoud was fine by Sunday morning.

“I found him in here watching replays of the hit,” Tedford said. “I think he had to watch it, because he didn’t remember it.”

Vote for Cal’s Game-changing Performance

For the second time this season, DeSean Jackson and the Bears have been nominated for Pontiac’s Game-Changing Performance. Both nominations have been for punts returned for touchdowns; first an 80-yard return against Arizona State, this week for a 72-yard punt return against UCLA. The punt return, made possible by a crushing block by Thomas DeCoud, put the Bears up 28-10 late in the 3rd quarter.

Cal still #10 in BCS

The new BCS rankings have been released, and Cal is again ranked #10, still slightly ahead of Tennessee and closer than last week to #9 Notre Dame. Despite a drop in Cal’s averages in both the Harris and Coaches polls, in which they are now ranked 11 and 12 respectively, Cal improved in the computer rankings, moving past Auburn into 5th. In the AP Poll, which is no longer used to calculate the BCS rankings, Cal has also dropped back to #12, leapfrogged by Clemson with their blowout win over Georgia Tech.

Despite win, Cal drops in AP poll; first BCS poll ranks Cal #10

Despite yesterday’s 21-3 win over WSU, Week 8’s polls have Cal gaining votes, but moving down a spot in the AP and staying the same in the Coaches poll. Cal dropped to #11 in the AP this week, as Auburn jumped back up to #8 after their win over Florida. Cal also dropped from #9 to #11 this week in the ESPNU rankings, while FoxSports has ranked Cal #6, one ahead of USC.

Despite dropping in the AP, in the first release of the BCS rankings, Cal is ranked #10, slightly edging out Tennessee. With the AP pulling their poll out of the BCS last year, the new BCS rankings are now based off the Coaches Poll and Harris poll, both of which have Cal ranked at #11, and the computer rankings, which also factor in strength of schedule. With USC ranked at #2, Tennessee at #11, and Oregon at #14, Cal’s computer ranking this week was ranked at 0.760 out of a maximum 1.000, making it #6 in the computer rankings behind USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, and Auburn.

Bears’ defense stands firm in 21-3 victory over WSU

In their first win in Pullman stadium since 1979, the Bears’ defense shined on an uncharacteristically low-scoring offensive day. Despite three trips into Cal’s red zone, WSU was limited to scoring only one field goal. Marshawn Lynch also played well, rushing for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries. Special Teams also came up big, blocking a first quarter punt that set up one of Lynch’s touchdowns.

Some Recap Articles:

• AP/ESPN: “Lynch, Cal breaks Martin Stadium curse”
• Contra Costa Times: “Sack leader can’t get past Cal line”
• Daily Cal: “Defense Takes Over to Ensure Victory for Cal”
• Los Angeles Times: “California Puts and End to Streak”
• San Francisco Chronicle: “Cal bumbles, fumbles — but wins”
• Scout.com: “Cal vs. WSU: Offense Struggles, Defense Excels”

During College Gameday Recap, Analyst Desmond Howard’s Top 5 picks included Cal at #4, just ahead of USC:

To me, Cal is the most impressive 1-loss team in the country, and they’re playing great football.