Tuesday Practice Report: Bears Continue Big Game Prep

Just four days away from the 121st edition of the Big Game slated for this Saturday at 4:30 in Memorial Stadium, the Bears took to to the field to prepare for one of the nation's oldest and most storied rivalries.

Following practice, offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin and running back Patrick Laird, who was named one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy given annually to the top player in college football who began his collegiate career as a walk-on, addressed the media.

Comment highlights from today’s media session:

Beau Baldwin:

• On how the team responded to being down 14-0 at halftime: “It was huge. There wasn’t a lot we were doing right in the first half. It went by quick and we didn’t really run a lot of plays. That can be tough mentally. We expect to win. That was our mindset. We went down there expecting to win. It’s one thing if you have a lead on the road and hang on to win. It’s a whole other thing to come back from 14-0 and then find a way to come out on the first two drives and score. And obviously, the defense continues to do great things with turnovers and short fields. We’re able to play off of that with our ball control.
• On the offense successfully burning the clock in the last 4+ minutes of the game:  “It’s been fun to kind of find things you can hang your hat on as a team. Because that’s who we’ve kind of evolved to as a team -a team that maybe doesn’t have as many possessions and maybe a little slower or a little quicker at times. It sometimes comes down to situational football, when you talk about BYU, when you talk about UDub, USC. We’ve been very pleased with the grit and mental toughness to be there in minute 56, 57, 58, 59 and get it done.
• On what he sees in Stanford’s defense: “They just play so well together. You don’t earmark this person or that person. You look at them as a group and how they play together. They react well. When they see something once, they’ll make adjustments to it. They understand their assignments, their leverage, where they’re supposed to be. They do things technically right. You know you’re in for a 60-minute fight.”

https://youtu.be/zYl4oswJpMM

Patrick Laird:

• On having so many walk-ons on the team earn scholarships and starting roles (RB Laird, FB Malik McMorris, C Addison Ooms, TE Kyle Wells, OG Valentino Daltoso, S Ashtyn Davis): “I think it shows the character of the team. On that final play, we kind of looked back on that and there were five walk-ons on our side and a couple players that weren’t that highly-recruited. And then on the other side, you have USC, who’s known to have the 4 and 5 star players. We just had a lot of determination to get the first down and seal the game.”
• On potentially becoming one of the few back-to-back 1,000 yard rusher in team history: “I wouldn’t say I’m chasing it. I think I’m kind of far off still (771 yards so far). It would be cool. I think it’s Russell White and Marshawn Lynch. I do know the statistic about the guys who have done it multiple times. Russell White did it three times. I won’t be able to do that but maybe Chris Brown can accomplish that. It would be cool but I’d rather get eight wins than rush for 1,000 yards and get the best bowl game that we can.”
• On reflecting on the team’s success: “I think it’s going to be all of us 20 years from now looking back on this team -whether we were seniors or freshmen. And I think we’ll feel something special that’s starting to brew here in Cal football. But it’s not done yet, for sure.”

https://youtu.be/hIRJQFO6ywE