https://collegesportsmaven.io/cal/news/cal-football-expectations-for-bears-defense-are-sky-high-are-they-too-high-aG2xhIR1h0mC4GHQiAd8pg/

No doubt the hype for the Bear's defense is good and deserved based on last season. Opponents team rosters have changed, and we lost our top tackler. We got a lot of good defensive stats since the D was on the field so much last year. I think we may find out after game #2 (UW), but the D could even be better with some offensive cushioning allowing us to take some different shots. I am not that confident we will be "as good" if we don't get some balance from the offense.

If our offense is a joke like last year, opposing teams will be fine grinding it out the whole game until our defense wears out and we're toast.

Strykur said:

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If our offense is a joke like last year, opposing teams will be fine grinding it out the whole game until our defense wears out and we're toast.

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I don't about that since I just counted the LBs on the roster, including 3 or 4 guys I've never heard of who could be walk-ons? I count 19 LBs and approximately three-quarters of that number are experienced players. I think we are set with some real talent at LB.

I think the defense might actually be a bit underrated.

I firmly believe that the two best playmakers on defense this year will be guys who didn't even play last year (well one game).

I hope our defense plays the whole game and shows our offense how to score touchdowns........

ducky23 said:

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I think the defense might actually be a bit underrated.

I firmly believe that the two best playmakers on defense this year will be guys who didn't even play last year (well one game).

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Who's the other after Goode, Deng?

The defense is stacked and is probably looks as good as it has been in years, looking forward. The problem at Cal is that we can be 11 or 12, or 15 good, but unlike the USCs of the world we are not super deep. As I look forward to the year I am excited about the D, but worried about injuries (especially the DLine). No injuries, great hope.

CalPaTroll said:

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I hope our defense plays the whole game and shows our offense how to score touchdowns........

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I wonder if Beau ever considered a quick kick on third down.
It was a staple in the good old days. It would avoid a pick six on 3d and long. And would give the Defense the benefit of defending a really long field.
(OK I am kidding. Or maybe only half kidding)

72CalBear said:

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https://collegesportsmaven.io/cal/news/cal-football-expectations-for-bears-defense-are-sky-high-are-they-too-high-aG2xhIR1h0mC4GHQiAd8pg/

No doubt the hype for the Bear's defense is good and deserved based on last season. Opponents team rosters have changed, and we lost our top tackler. We got a lot of good defensive stats since the D was on the field so much last year. I think we may find out after game #2 (UW), but the D could even be better with some offensive cushioning allowing us to take some different shots. I am not that confident we will be "as good" if we don't get some balance from the offense.

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If there is "regression to the mean" on both sides of the ball, the D would not pile up stats as the same rate as they did in 2018 and the O would be more effective. In essence, I don't expect the defensive stats to be as gaudy but I do expect the D to be more efficient.

GivemTheAxe said:

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CalPaTroll said:

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I hope our defense plays the whole game and shows our offense how to score touchdowns........

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I wonder if Beau ever considered a quick kick on third down.
It was a staple in the good old days. It would avoid a pick six on 3d and long. And would give the Defense the benefit of defending a really long field.
(OK I am kidding. Or maybe only half kidding)

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Should have done that in that crappy Cheezit bowl.....

CalPaTroll said:

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GivemTheAxe said:

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CalPaTroll said:

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I hope our defense plays the whole game and shows our offense how to score touchdowns........

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I wonder if Beau ever considered a quick kick on third down.
It was a staple in the good old days. It would avoid a pick six on 3d and long. And would give the Defense the benefit of defending a really long field.
(OK I am kidding. Or maybe only half kidding)

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Should have done that in that crappy Cheezit bowl.....

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We win the UA game with a second half of quick kicks.

Based on past experience, my fear is that, for whatever reason, the D seriously underperforms. During my Cal fandom, it's a recurring theme that players/positions/phases of the game that are expected to be our strength utterly fail, after an off-season of hype.

My first experience of that was with Rich Campbell. A preseason Heisman hopeful, we were 2-5 when he went down at USC with a season-ending knee injury. We only won one game after that, but it was the Big Game. Thank you, J Torchio!

But I digress. I hope the defense ignores the hype and plays hungry all year long.

Fyght4Cal said:

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Based on past experience, my fear is that, for whatever reason, the D seriously underperforms. During my Cal fandom, it's a recurring theme that players/positions/phases of the game that are expected to be our strength utterly fail, after an off-season of hype.

My first experience of that was with Rich Campbell. A preseason Heisman hopeful, we were 2-5 when he went down at USC with a season-ending knee injury. We only won one game after that, but it was the Big Game. Thank you, J Torchio!

But I digress. I hope the defense ignores the hype and plays hungry all year long.

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Early JT showed us that expectations can be met if the talent matches those expectations. However, more often than not, history tells us that the talent at Cal has not measured up to the expectations of their fanbase. This, of course, is not an unusual occurrence. In general, sports fans have extraordinarily unrealistic expectations about the teams they follow.

It'll be all about the injuries. We only lost one starter on defense last year. If we can keep it to that kind of level, our defense will be stout. If on the other hand we suffer injuries at a level similar to our offense last year, then even with our depth it will be hard for the defense to perform like it did last year.

71Bear said:

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Fyght4Cal said:

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Based on past experience, my fear is that, for whatever reason, the D seriously underperforms. During my Cal fandom, it's a recurring theme that players/positions/phases of the game that are expected to be our strength utterly fail, after an off-season of hype.

My first experience of that was with Rich Campbell. A preseason Heisman hopeful, we were 2-5 when he went down at USC with a season-ending knee injury. We only won one game after that, but it was the Big Game. Thank you, J Torchio!

But I digress. I hope the defense ignores the hype and plays hungry all year long.

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Early JT showed us that expectations can be met if the talent matches those expectations. However, more often than not, history tells us that the talent at Cal has not measured up to the expectations of their fanbase. This, of course, is not an unusual occurrence. In general, sports fans have extraordinarily unrealistic expectations about the teams they follow.

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It's not just the fanbase. There is media hype, fed by our own SID. Plus, in cases such as the amazing Rich Campbell, his talent matched the hype. But cruel fate always seems to intervene in Bear Territory.