Cal Football Countdown: 69 Days to Go

The Cal Football Countdown marches on, with 69 days left until Cal takes on UC Davis. In honor of Bill and Ted's favorite number, we're taking a look at one of the nicest players in Cal football history, one of the unlikeliest Pro Bears, and one of the hardest workers you'll ever meet, and that's former Cal kicker, the Italian Stallion (his Wikipedia page says his nickname is 'Italian Ice') Giorgio Tavecchio.

Tavecchio came to Cal unconventionally. Originally slated to go to UC Davis on a soccer scholarship, Tavecchio, who took up football at nearby Campolindo High School, walked on to the team five days before the 2008 season opened against Michigan State. Five days later, Tavecchio was lining up to take the first kick against the Spartans. Tavecchio would then split time with David Seawright that year, then Vince D'Amato the next at the placekicker spot. His most notable moment in 2009 was a game winning field goal at Arizona State, giving the Bears a 23-21 victory.

2010 saw Tavecchio take the starting place kicker job and earn a scholarship. He even knocked down a then career long of 53 in the final game of the year against Washington, but had one of his lowest moments in a Cal uniform.

An aside: At the time, I was working for the football team as a video assistant. I knew Giorgio as a buoyant personality, happy all the time. I knew him as a guy that came to our dorm room, turning on a public access show on our TV that had a bunch of ungainly looking people dancing. To this day, I do not remember what the show or what channel it was on, but Giorgio was so excited about showing it to us.

Back to the lowest moment, that came against Oregon, who went on to the National Championship that year, and was ranked number one. Cal had a chance to go up by 1, as they'd been holding Oregon to their lowest output of the year (thanks to playing tight cover 0 and some faked injuries). Tavecchio lined up for a 24 yard field goal, but flinched before the kick. False start, move it back 5 yards. Tavecchio missed from 29, Oregon ran out the clock, and that was that.

But like most things involving Giorgio, he bounced back, having a solid senior year, which led to a sad Pro Day, where he kicked in the rain without an NFL scout watching. Tavecchio persisted, got signed by the 49ers. Then he got waived. The next year saw him sign with the Packers to compete with Mason Crosby. Then he got waived again. The cycle continued, next with the Lions and the Raiders two years in a row. All not making it to the season.

Through all this, Tavecchio came back to work at Cal, with a smile on his face. He'd say hello to everyone, worked with the kickers (including his heir apparent, lefty Matt Anderson), and worked out in silence. The Raiders came calling again in 2017, this time it was for real. Tavecchio supplanted Sebastian Janikowski, and in his first game, went 4-4 on field goals with 2 extra points in a 26-16 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Now, Tavecchio's an Atlanta Falcon, taking over after Matt Bryant got hurt a year ago. The Falcons declined Bryant's option, so Tavecchio will, for once, have the frontrunner role at the kicker spot. It's well earned.