Welcome back to another installment of the Cal Bears countdown, where we’re taking you all the way to kickoff against UC Davis with our takes on everything happening in Strawberry Canyon.

Today, we’ve got a quick post-spring look at Ole Miss, with the Bears getting ready to travel into the heart of SEC country in September. The first game of this home and home was actually two years ago, when a Ross Bowers and Cam Goode led team defeated the Rebels 27-16.

Spring Indicator #1: Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Two years is may as well be an eon in college football – and in this case, it’s been enough to graduate many of the faces that were key in the last Cal-Ole Miss matchup. Evidently, coaches are included, because the Rebels will be breaking in two new coordinators, with Mike McIntyre and Rich Rodriguez on defense and offense, respectively (Phil Longo was hired out by Mack Brown’s UNC, while Wesley McGriff was let go after helming the nation’s 123rd ranked defense last year.)

For reference, here are Justin Wilcox’s encounters with both guys:

Rodriguez:

2017 – 45-44 2OT Loss in Berkeley – the last big game Khalil Tate had that year, which Cal eventually fell when the 2-point conversion to win was dropped.

McIntyre:

2017 – 44-28 Loss in Boulder – a game when Montez and the Buffalo wide receivers ran roughshod over the Takers, rumbling to 350 yards and three TDs through the air.

2018 – 33-21 Win in Berkeley – revenge was paid back in full, though, when the Bears picked off Montez three times in the return trip, then hung on with just enough production for the offense.

We're intimately familiar with both teams and schemes, to say the least.

Spring Indicator #2: The Receivers Are Gone

It’s too bad AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, and DeMarkus Lodge all graduated or left for the NFL, because this would be a matchup to watch – the fully evolved Takers against “Young Thanos” and company. (Hey, that’s Alexander’s nickname, not mine.) In 2017, Metcalf and Lodge got the early edge in this matchup off some coverage breakdowns, then were held quiet the rest of the way as the Bears frustrated Patterson.

In 2019, Cal has the projected advantage against the new Rebel receiver corps of Braylon Sanders (who was injured in spring), Tylan Knight (a converted RB who took to the switch) and Elijah Moore (the one that’s drawing the best reports in camp), and that’s before factoring in that they will be breaking in Long Beach Poly alum Matt Corral at quarterback as well.

Spring Indicator #3: To the 3-4

McIntyre moved the Rebels away from a 4-2-5 base played under McGriff, and based on what happened at camp, the linebackers that were once ends seem to be transitioning pretty seamlessly. Ole Miss added the JUCO sack leader to their roster this spring in Sam Williams, and then recorded four sacks in a 29-25 against the offense in the spring scrimmage (albeit against a somewhat limited offensive line). For what it's worth, the Ole Miss offense was scoreless on 12 of 17 drives, after reaching the red zone four times in their first five tries.