Tavecchio Bags POW Honors

Giorgio Tavecchio was selected as a national Placekicker Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards for his performance in Cal's 16-13 loss to Washington on Saturday in the final game of the current configuration at Memorial Stadium. Tavecchio was honored by the CFPA for the second time in his career having previously picked up honorable mention honors for the same weekly award earlier this season on Oct. 23.

Defensive lineman Cameron Jordan and linebacker Mychal Kendricks added honorable mention recognition from the organization at their respective positions. Jordan earned honorable mention honors for the award for the second time in his career, with his previous selection three weeks ago on Nov. 6. Kendricks was recognized by the organization for the first time in his career.

Tavecchio connected on his two longest field goals of the season against the Huskies, kicking a career-long 53-yarder on the final play of the first half to put Cal ahead 3-0 at the break. The kick was the longest field goal by a Cal player since a school-record-tying 55-yarder by Tom Schneider in the Big Game vs. Stanford on Dec. 2, 2006. Tavecchio also had a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter that put the Golden Bears ahead, 13-10. His previous career long was a 51-yarder at Arizona State on Oct. 31, 2009.

Jordan scored on a 21-yard fumble return in the third quarter to give Cal a 10-7 lead in his final game for the Bears. He had six stops and 2.0 tackles for loss against the Huskies to wrap up his best season at Cal, finishing with career highs of 62 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, a team-high-tying three forced fumbles and four pass breakups, while adding 5.5 sacks that were just a half-sack fewer than the career-high 6.0 he posted as a junior.

Kendricks continued to make big plays on Saturday, with career-high-tying totals of 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss among his eight tackles. He finished the season as Cal's leaders in both categories, recording career-highs of 7.5 sacks and 15.0 tackles for loss. He was also Cal's leader with three fumble recoveries, while ranking fourth on the team in tackles (66), and adding an interception and a quarterback hurry.