Cal vs. Minnesota Football 2009
Saturday Game Showcases Bears' Jahvid Best, Gophers' Eric Decker
Sep 14, 2009
The Minnesota Golden Gophers face the California Golden Bears that day in a college football game matching a pair of 2-0 teams.
Cal will carry a No. 8 national ranking into the Noon EST matchup, which is scheduled to be telecast by ESPN. The game will be the second played at TCF Bank Stadium, Minnesota’s new 50,800-seat venue.
Both teams are led by a nationally renowned offensive player. Cal features running back Jahvid Best, and Minnesota has wide receiver Eric Decker. Both were named to ESPN’s preseason All-America team.
Cal will hit the road for the first time this season after two one-sided victories. Coach Jeff Tedford's Golden Bears trounced Maryland 52-13, then ran over Eastern Washington 59-7.
Minnesota’s had to take a different route, coming from behind for both of its wins. The Golden Gophers defeated Syracuse 23-20 in overtime, and topped Air Force 20-13 for its winning start under coach Tim Brewster.
Cal’s Best Averaging More Than 10 Yards Per Carry
Best has rushed 27 times for 285 yards and three TDs in two games, averaging 10.4 yards per carry. The dazzling 5-foot-10, 195-pounder also has four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.
The junior, who’s being hyped for Heisman Trophy candidacy, has rushed for 100 or more yards in six consecutive games dating back last season. During that span, Best has raced for 1,097 yards and 12 TDs on 100 carries, averaging 11 yards per attempt.
But the Bears have won so easily this season, they’ve managed to rest Best, and give the ball to their other running backs. Redshirt freshman Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson is the team’s second-leading rusher with 20 carries for 146 yards and a TD.
And sophomore Shane Vereen actually has more TDs than Best. Vereen has carried 22 times for 93 yards and four touchdowns, and caught four passes for 46 yards and a TD.
Best and Vereen are tied for second on the team in receptions, behind sophomore wide receiver Marvin Jones (6 catches, 103 yards, 1 TD).
Cal quarterback Kevin Riley has also feasted on the outclassed opposition. The junior’s completed 30 of 46 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. His passing efficiency is a sparkling 182.53.
The Golden Bears are averaging 524.5 yards per game, including 293 yards rushing.
Sophomore Kendricks Leads Cal Defense
Sophomore linebacker Mychal Kendricks is leading a Cal defense that’s giving up just 269 yards per game – just 75 on the ground.
Kendricks has made 26 tackles – twice as many as the Golden Bears’ second-leading tackler. That happens to be another sophomore linebacker, D.J. Holt, who has 13 tackles and two pass breakups.
The Bears have applied a heavy pass rush thus far, coming up with 10 sacks. Linebacker Mike Mohamed, sophomore tackle Ernest Owusu and linebacker Jarred Price lead Cal with two sacks apiece.
Mohamed also ranks third on the team with 12 tackles. Defensive backs Brett Johnson and Devin Bishop have also reached double figures, with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Things could get a bit tougher on Saturday, when the Bears try to contain the best offensive player they’ve faced this season.
Decker is Dependable Weapon for Gophers
Decker is Minnesota’s all-time leader in receptions with 196 receptions, and this season, he already has 19 for 296 yards.
A 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, Decker boasts speed and strength, along with dependable hands and a penchant for finding soft spots in opposing coverages.
Decker is also a star outfielder for the Gophers baseball team who could potentially land in the major leagues if he decides not to pursue an NFL career.
What he hasn’t done yet this season is score a touchdown. He has 19 TD receptions during his four seasons at Minnesota, but in 2009, Minnesota’s only scoring pass has gone to Troy Stoudemire (7 catches for 56 yards in 2009).
The TD was thrown by Gophers quarterback Adam Weber, who’s completed 39 of 71 passes for 467 yards with one interception. Minnesota’s moved the ball OK through the air, but it’s been a different story on the ground, as the Gophers are averaging just 110 yards per game.
Two sophomores have carried the load and been moderately effective. Duane Bennett has run 23 times for 105 yards and a TD, and DeLeon Eskridge has 15 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. But overall, the Gophers are averaging less than four yards per carry.
Gophers Linebacker Triplett Racking Up Tackles
Minnesota’s defense is yielding 321.5 yards per game – 175.5 on the ground and 156 thru the air. Air Force’s tricky running game managed 261 rushing yards vs. the Gophers, but Syracuse only had 90.
Like Cal, Minnesota has a linebacker who’s averaging 13 tackles per game. Senior Nate Triplett had 17 tackles against Air Force and has 26 on the season. Triplett also has an interception and a pass breakup, and he scored on a 52-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Two other Gophers linebackers have 20 tackles this season – Lee Campbell with 24, and Simoni Lawrence with 20. Defensive back Kyle Theret has added 16 tackles.
Although Minnesota’s offensive and defensive units have put together successful efforts, placekicking is what’s pushed the Gophers into the win column.
Kicker Eric Ellestad is Minnesota’s leading scorer. He’s 5-for-6 on field goal attempts – including a game-tying 26-yarder and winning 35-yarder vs. Syracuse. The junior also booted a crucial 39-yarder that pretty much wrapped up the win over Air Force.
Cal Looks to Maintain Series Lead
The Golden Bears hold a 3-2 advantage in their series with the Gophers. Their last meeting came in 2006 in Berkeley, when Cal won 42-17.
Both teams are looking to take a 3-0 record into conference play.
After meeting Minnesota, Cal will head to Oregon for its Pac-10 opener Sept. 26. Minnesota is slated to open Big Ten play the same day, playing Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.
