A season ago at the Rose Bowl, Cal featured a dynamic running back that gashed the UCLA defense for a number of big plays and rushed for more than 100 yards. The Bears also had Jahvid Best.
While Best ““ a 2009 Heisman candidate and later a first-round pick of the NFL’s Detroit Lions ““ generated all the headlines with his dazzling play, the Cal backfield also boasted then-sophomore Shane Vereen, who rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown in the Bears’ 45-26 victory over the Bruins last season.
Now the unquestioned guy in the Cal backfield, Vereen has set out to be, well, better than Best. The junior is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has six touchdowns on just 76 touches.
“He’s really shifty,” redshirt junior linebacker Steve Sloan said. “Best had the breakaway speed, but Vereen’s a better overall back.”
“He’s quick,” redshirt junior defensive lineman Nate Chandler added. “He can cut, he finds his holes. He’s a good all-around player and a guy that we’ve got to watch for.”
Vereen struck early in the meeting between the two teams a year ago; he ripped off a 42-yard touchdown run to give Cal a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. That score set the tone early, as the Bears went on to score five touchdowns of 40 yards or more.
“If you take away big plays, we’re right in the game,” Chandler said. “We’ve got to protect the deep ball and the long runs, and play our gaps and be more physical.”
Vereen will be the best running back UCLA has faced since the first week of the 2010 season, when Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas picked apart the Bruins’ defense for 234 yards in leading the Wildcats to a victory.
To avoid a repeat of that game, the onus is on the Bruins to improve upon what was a mediocre tackling performance.
“We’ve improved a lot at tackling,” Sloan said. “We’ve been really focusing on that in practice, and that’s really helped us a lot as a defense.”
That defense has undergone some personnel tweaks since the Kansas State matchup.
The UCLA coaching staff announced that freshman Owa Odighizuwa would be starting at defensive end, with Chandler sliding inside to defensive tackle.
“We’re trying to create some more depth there,” coach Rick Neuheisel said.
“Trying to create some more energy up the field, more athleticism. We’re going to continue to compete there and see who can give us the best four, and spell them as often as we need to.”
Half Nelson
Junior wide receiver Nelson Rosario left the Washington State game with an injured ankle and did not return. Rosario was wearing a large boot at Tuesday’s practice and was walking around on crutches.
Neuheisel sounded less than optimistic about the status of the wideout, who leads the team in receptions and receiving yards.
“Hopefully he can get back (for the Cal game) and be ready, but I’d say questionable at best right now,” Neuheisel said.
More optimistic was the prognosis for quarterback Kevin Prince, who looked strong after missing Saturday’s game with an injured knee.
“I thought he looked terrific,” Neuheisel said.