Cal Football Countdown: 100 Days Until Bears Open Against UC Davis
Today is May 23rd, which marks 100 days until Cal football returns. In light of that, we're starting a countdown series to answer questions, profile and highlight players in their expected 2019 roles, and analyze the Bears until they return to the field against UC Davis in the season opener.
The first question of this series:
Can the Cal Defense Be as Good or Better Than What it Was Last Year?
In a word, yes.
In many words, let's take a deeper dive.
What does Cal return from 2018?
8 out of 11 regular starters:
DL: Luc Bequette, Zeandae Johnson
OLB: Tevin Paul
ILB: Evan Weaver
DB: Elijah Hicks, Cam Bynum, Ashtyn Davis, Jaylinn Hawkins
Cal also returns Traveon Beck (who started four games in 2018), Cam Goode (who looked like the Bears top defender coming out of fall camp last year before getting injured game one). They also return
- 615 out of 896 total tackles
- 51 out of 77 tackles for loss
- 20 out of 21 interceptions
- 17.5 out of 31 sacks
The Bears did lose one of their emotional hearts in Jordan Kunaszyk, two consistent starters in Chris Palmer and Alex Funches, and a handful of role players in Quentin Tartabull, Evan Rambo, Rusty Becker, and Malik Psalms, but the returners are in their third year in Tim DeRuyter's defense, including the entirety of the defensive backfield and Evan Weaver in his third year at inside linebacker.
The Bears also have:
- Zeandae Johnson in his second year back from a knee injury
- Tevin Paul in his second year at outside linebacker
- Proven depth at DB with Trey Turner, Josh Drayden and Daniel Scott in the wings
What Cal Added
- Got Cam Goode back
- Added Kuony Deng
Goode is going to reclaim the outside linebacker spot he abdicated in 2018 due to injury. He's retained his quickness and put on weight to effectively set an edge (coming in at 235 lbs).
As an inside linebacker, Deng makes it much harder for quarterbacks to throw up the seam with his height. As a pass rusher, Deng's length can take on offensive linemen and shed off blocks. Together, Goode and Deng should give the Bears something they didn't have in 2018, a pass rush off the edge.
Cal also has a handful of guys that showed improvement in spring ball, including:
OLB Nick Alftin
ILB Evan Tattersall
NG Siu Fuimaono
DE Lone Toailoa
OLB/DE Chinedu Udeogu
OLB/S Deon White
And they add the 'unstoppable force,' DE Brett Johnson in the fall.
Admittedly, quantifying 'better' than a year ago is hard to do, but the big area is yards per play. Cal dropped from 5.8 to 4.6 yards per play from 2017 to 2018. A drop of that magnitude is unlikely, but if the Bears can shave even .3 yards per play off in 2019, that puts them at a top 5 level.
Last year, Cal allowed 4.59 yards per play, the vaunted Michigan defense allowed 4.58. The defense isn't far away from being elite, and it has a chance to cement that moniker starting August 31st.