Sitting at 6-1 and just outside the top 10, the University of Utah will look to keep their momentum going against a stout Cal Bears defense—but a team that has struggled as of late. Golden Bear Report’s Trace Travers, was kind enough to give Ute Nation an in-depth look, heading into the matchup:
Two and a half seasons into the Justin Wilcox era, are the fans happy with the progress?
Yes and no, though I think the yes is much louder than the no at this point. Cal is having success against some of the tougher teams in the conference, and there’s a feeling generally that Cal will be in every game that they play (with a few exceptions over the past two years). The defense is night and day from the end of the Sonny Dykes era.
That said, the offense hasn’t been up to the level Cal fans hoped for since the hire of Beau Baldwin at the beginning of 2017. While this year has been marred by injury and inconsistency, the lack of consistency with the group has kept the Bears from achieving at a higher level.
That said, Wilcox has a solid foundation in place for the future from the culture standpoint.
How different would this season be if Cal has a healthy Chase Garbers?
I don’t think you’d be asking me the same questions if Garbers had remained healthy. Cal might be sitting at 6-1 with Garbers healthy, and College Gameday would probably be in Salt Lake City, much like it was in 2015. Garbers was turning the corner, coming off his best performance on the road in Mississippi, but with his first half injury in the Arizona State game, the rest of 2019 for the Bears turned into a what-if.
To be frank, I do believe that Cal would have a much better chance with Chase Garbers in this game than they do without, but there’s still offensive line issues that have stymied the Bears (including two of their projected OL starters being out after game one, and three of them likely out for this contest)
Wilcox has always been a defensive mastermind, but just how important is Evan Weaver to the success on that side of the ball for the Bears?
Very. Weaver puts out a lot of fires for the Bears on the defensive side of the ball, and he’s on pace to break Cal’s single season tackle record. He’s probably the most impactful defensive player the Bears have had in two decades.
His biggest improvement from year to year may be his coverage skills. While he hasn’t turned into a great man coverage player, he’s improved in zone coverage to the point where he’s a potential 3-down linebacker at the next level.
Who are the names for Ute fans to watch on Saturday and outside of the usual cast of characters, who is maybe someone under the radar?
There’s a handful:
QB Spencer Brasch: If Devon Modster can’t go, you’ll be seeing the true freshman from the state of Arizona. Similar skillset to what the Utes saw in Jayden Daniels a week ago. Quick release, can run, only college experience is 9 reps last week
RB Christopher Brown Jr.: A big back, runs similar to Zach Moss, tough to bring down with just one guy, has been banged up throughout the year.
S Ashtyn Davis: Probably Cal’s top NFL draft prospect. Four-time all-American on the track (110m hurdles), hits well, covers a lot of mistakes when he’s playing the middle third in a cover 3 defense
ILB Kuony Deng: 6’6” linebacker from Last Chance U. Starting to turn the corner as Weaver’s running mate.
OLB Cameron Goode - 3rd in the conference in sacks. Has shown flashes of what he did before an injury took away his 2018 season (where he was Cal’s best defender in fall camp)
WR Nikko Remigio - Cal’s leading receiver so far, a likely target for Brasch in the RPO game if the Bears can get that going.
What would you scheme up to stop the Cal offense?
Follow what Oregon State did a week ago and what the Utes did to Arizona State. Bring a pass rush, force the Bears into one on one matchups on the outside, and make a likely first time starter in Spencer Brasch into thinking even faster than he has to.
Admittedly, I’m willing to bet some of this is in Morgan Scalley’s gameplan, though he doesn’t need my help to stop what has been eminently stoppable this year.
How would you attack the Bears’ defense?
Spread to run with Moss, run quick game in the passing attack, stuff to grind away the defense for chunks at a time. Cal hasn’t done as well at stopping the run this year as they’d have hoped, though they’ve rushed the passer better than they did a year ago.
Cal doesn’t allow much over the top, as stopping explosive plays has been the top priority of the defense, so grinding away is the best bet for the Utes, especially with an experienced offensive line and the best running back in the conference.
What’s your prediction for the game and why?
It’s Pac-12 after dark, and usually something dumb happens in Pac-12 after dark. Cal’s done better on the road this year as opposed to at home, so I think Cal will cover. I think that the defensive weakness Cal has against the run will be the biggest determinant in this game. It’s not going to be a blowout, but I expect a Utah win.
24-10 Utes
