Wildcat Radio: Jahvon Quinerly’s commitment plus Cal and Stanford football previews

Listen to the latest Wildcat Radio Podcast

Wildcat Radio covers Arizona Wildcats news including the commitment of Jahvon Quinerly to Arizona basketball and football camp updates. Also previews Cal and Stanford football heading into the 2017 season.

Listen to the Wildcat Radio Podcast by playing below, or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, TuneIn Radio, Google Play, or any other podcast player.

Remember to pick up your copy of the 95 page, Completely Uncalled for 2017 Pac-12 Preview: http://ift.tt/2hHaciS

Our Pac-12 Preview Includes:

— 95 pages

— 12 full team previews

— USC coaching jokes

— Depth charts

— UCLA coaching jokes

— In-depth 2016 player stats including defensive statistics

— Over/Under Win total predictions

— A breakdown of the assumed breakfast habits of Kyle Whittingham

— All Pac-12 Team

— Regular jabs at bad coaches

— Predicted conference standings

— Lots of frowney faces in the Arizona sections

— A focus on 2017 rather than rehashed 2016 information

Enjoy a sneak peak of Cal below...

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Overview

The Sonny Dykes era must have been hard on Cal fans, all 14 of them. Sonny Dykes had his name tag on the right side of his blazer, he wore his power tie, and as he was shaking their hand at the networking event, he was looking over their shoulder for the more interesting people in the room. Also, Cal suddenly decided to care about academics. Gross.

The decision to hire Justin Wilcox as Dykes’s replacement was curious. He had mixed results at previous stops, particularly at USC. But, sweet Moses, he put together a good staff. Bringing on Eastern Washington’s head coach as Cal’s offensive coordinator was a sleazy move. Just ask Mike Leach and Mike Riley. Wilcox also picked off Oregon’s former offensive and defensive line coaches. They are good and he is going to need them.

Cal returns an impressive group of skill players but their offensive line must be completely rebuilt, their front seven couldn’t pressure the quarterback, Sonny Dykes didn’t recruit particularly well, and whoever starts at quarterback will have little to no experience other than shredding Cal’s bad scout team in practice. Also, LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULE – WHO HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA TO PUT THAT TOGETHER?

It could be a tough year for Cal. Bless Justin Wilcox’s big heart for taking this job.

Quarterback

It is possible that Sonny Dykes was too busy googling college football coaching vacancies to remember to give his backup quarterbacks valuable playing time. Starting quarterback Davis Webb threw 620 of the 621 pass attempts for the Golden Bears in 2016. And that was the secret to Cal’s magical, undefeated season. Cal went 5-7. They started a senior graduate transfer and didn’t have the foresight build for the future. That’s inexcusable.

The joke is on junior Chase Forrest and sophomore Ross Bowers, two unheralded quarterbacks with, basically, zero game experience. “Well,” you say, “They've been playing in live practice situations.” True, but DID YOU WATCH CAL’S DEFENSE LAST YEAR? They were (almost) worse than ASU.

Bowers and Forrest will fight through the end of Fall camp. Both quarterbacks have similar skill sets and similar size. Forrest saw the field in spurts during the 2015 season but the coaching change and player turnover make the intervening two years seem like a decade.

Coaches have highlighted Forrest’s poise in the pocket and his ability to move when needed. Then he threw two interceptions, completed 50% of his passes, and lost 21 yards on 6 rushing attempts in the spring game. Still his quick release and his ability to move in the pocket are a draw for the staff. Bowers, who has the stronger arm and can also get the ball out quickly, had a stronger Spring game. He finished 18 of 29 for 168 yards, threw three touchdowns, and had ten rushing yards. He also looked more skittish in the pocket than Forrest.

It could be a rough year for Cal if these guys don’t figure it out quickly.

Grade: C

@WildcatRadioAZ Projected Depth Chart:

Ross Bowers, Sophomore: Warmed up in 2016 when Davis Webb took a breath

Chase Forrest, Junior: 10 completions – 18 pass attempts | 55.6% completion rate | 162 passing yards | 9 yards per pass | 1 td | 1 int – in 2015, did not play in 2016

Running Back The departure of four-year staple Khalfani Muhammad will be offset by returning running backs Tre Watson and Vic Enwere who bring the stereotypical thunder and lightning attack. Watson, a 5’11, 205 lb, senior, was basically a co-starter with Muhammad last year. He racked up 709 yards, averaged nearly 5 yards a carry, was fast enough to return kicks, and is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. Enwere is a pure bruiser. At 6’0, 245 lb (!!!), he rumbled forward for 336 yards and five and a half yards per carry.

Behind Watson and Enwere are two juniors, Patrick Laird and Bobby McCrary who saw limited minutes. They will fend off challenges from unproven underclassmen to see the field.

Overall, this is a decent and proven unit that should see more action under Beau Baldwin who wants to put more focus on the running game.

Grade: B

@WildcatRadioAZ Projected Depth Chart:

Tre Watson, 5’11, 205 lb, Senior: 143 carries | 709 yards | 4.9 yards per carry | 4 td | 21 catches | 241 yards | 11.4 yards per catch | 4 td

Vic Enwere, 6’0, 245 lb, Senior: 61 carries | 336 yards | 5.5 yards per carry | 2 td

Others in the Mix:

Patrick Laird, 6’0, 200 lb, Junior: 8 carries | 59 yards | 7.3 yards per carry | 1 td

Bobby McCrary, 5’11, 210 lb, Junior: 6 carries | 39 yards | 6.5 yards per carry | 0 td

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