A rock-bottom spot in the Pac-12 standings and a 1-4 start to the Sonny Dykes era have proved antithetical for the Cal offense’s love letter to high-flying offenses and quick passes.
With the hiring of Dykes as head coach in the offseason, Cal became one of the nine teams in the Pac-12 jungle to field some variation of a spread offense. The Golden Bears’ frenzied, pass-heavy offense, nicknamed by some as the Bear Raid, forges an identity based on speed and simplicity. The Golden Bears have run a nation-high 97 plays per game on a playbook that, according to Sports Illustrated, consists of about 20 plays.
For Dykes, the proliferation of wide-open and spread-out offenses within the NCAA in recent years accounts for defenses playing worse, at least on paper.
“I think that’s a little bit a sign of the times. I don’t think anyone’s particularly good on defense, in terms of numbers, because of the way the game is being played,” said Dykes, who also believes that increasingly fast offenses help to account for the fact that five Pac-12 teams rank in the top-20 in terms of yellow flags earned.
Cal’s version of the spread offense features unconventional vertical-set pass blocking techniques that attempt to slow defenses down while keeping up a steady barrage of passes taking one to three seconds to throw. Guards and tackles line up a yard behind the center and at the snap of the ball, the whole line retreats further into its own backfield.
Linemen then stand square, shoulder to shoulder, having sacrificed ground for the sake of taking leverage and explosion away from defenders, who often stand upright when required to run before engaging with blockers. The scheme allows for Cal’s blockers to get a better view of pass rushers and gives the line the look of perpetual pass blocking, though each pass is “packaged” with options for freshman quarterback Jared Goff to run or handoff the ball on any given play.
UCLA coach Jim Mora said that Cal’s unconventional tactics won’t give his team problems, though the quality of Cal players, especially the Bears’ starting offensive tackles, may.
UCLA fields personnel that, on paper match up well against Cal and has found success against more conventional blocking. Agile linemen like redshirt senior defensive end Keenan Graham can expose weaknesses in Cal’s blocking techniques by quickly getting through blockers with their speed. Graham owns four sacks on the year, tying for the conference lead in the category.
Graham said that his quickness and technique help him out considerably, even when he lines up as an interior lineman. Fellow lineman senior Cassius Marsh is tied for fourth on the team’s tackle list, thanks in large part to his ability to cover space quickly.
Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos said that, despite a clear commitment to passing the ball to what he called the best receiving corps his team has seen this year, Cal’s offense is multifaceted. It features several personnel changes, plays that get balls into the hands of running backs involved and plays that take advantage of Goff’s skill at throwing vertical routes.
Though Spanos and Mora both had praise for Goff, complimenting the true freshman’s mettle beyond his years, Mora said he is not necessarily impressed with the quarterback’s passing yardage. Goff ranks fifth in passing yardage within the Football Bowl Subdivision, but the quarterback leads a team that has had a habit of playing catchup, being outscored 225 to 139 during a 1-4 start.
“When you throw the ball as much as they throw the ball, they’re going to get some yards. That’s just the way it is,” Mora said. “(The defense is fine) as long as they’re empty yards … yards that don’t result in touchdowns, or long drives that result in points. That’s all that matters: points.”
Points do not look to be at a premium this weekend, with Mora and his Bruins taking on an injury-decimated defense that retains just one projected starter from spring football practices. Last year’s meeting between the UC rivals saw then-No. 25 UCLA fall 43-17 in a loss that Mora took responsibility for, claiming that he did not keep his team focused.
“College football is different than the pros. You can’t slip up one time,” Mora said. “Not many teams go undefeated. Every game is so damn meaningful, and you can’t get off track. Ever.”
Former player to donate $1 million toward football training facility
UCLA’s athletic department announced in a press release Thursday that the football program has received $1 million toward the construction of a new training facility adjacent to the Bruins’ practice field. Former UCLA football player Andy Meyers and his wife Shannon are providing the donation.
“It is an honor for Shannon and I to give back to UCLA. UCLA afforded me not only a great education but access to a great Bruin family in business,” Meyers said in the press release. The former third team All-American guard and NFL player is now a chief executive officer of Shangri-La Construction.
Plans for the training facility, which has been proposed to include a locker room, training area, strength and conditioning facility, as well as team meeting rooms and coaches’ offices, was announced on Sept. 24. The project is expected to cost $50 million.