On Saturday, Sonny Dykes probably will win his first game as Cal’s head coach. Against FCS opponent Portland State, the Bears’ backfield will most likely run the ball down the Vikings’ throat, and freshman quarterback Jared Goff will have a chance to perform even better than he did against Northwestern in his Cal debut.
Yet nothing good can come out of this game for Cal.
I don’t buy into the belief that a highlight-filled win this week will give the team the confidence it needs to win upcoming games against No. 3 Ohio State and No.2 Oregon. This is a Bears team that put up 30 points against a ranked opponent in its first game under a brand-new offensive system. Right now, the Bears don’t lack confidence.
After torching the Northwestern defense, it’s evident that the starters don’t need any extra time together on the field on Saturday. With the exception of the running game, the Bear Raid offense is gelling just fine. And while the Bears will put up good rushing numbers against the lowly Vikings, I wouldn’t expect any drastic long-term solutions to be found. Even if Cal’s offensive coaching staff has worked out the kinks in the offensive line on the practice field this week, coaches won’t know whether the adjustments have worked after playing a relatively woeful Portland State squad.
There’s only one aspect of Saturday’s game against Portland State that matters: the injury report. Having already lost safety Avery Sebastian for the season and with multiple starters battling lingering injuries, Cal can’t afford to lose any more of its key contributors.
If the Bears walk away from Saturday’s contest with no names added to their injury list, then consider it a victory for Cal. But if the Bears suffer another casualty, you might as well count it as a loss, no matter the score of the actual game.
Dykes is already on the record saying that all of his players who are healthy will play on Saturday. But wouldn’t you rather have an injury-prone Brendan Bigelow — currently dealing with a head injury — sit out this week to ensure he’s ready to go against No. 3 Ohio State? Wouldn’t you rather let backup quarterback Zach Kline get some live-game experience while Goff sits comfortably on the bench in the second half?
If I were Coach Dykes, I would treat this game the same way NFL teams treat their third preseason game. Barring some sort of miraculous upset by Portland State, I would not send Goff onto the field after halftime. I wouldn’t even let Bigelow dress for the game.
One unlucky hit could result in a head injury for Goff, which would put his appearance against Ohio State in jeopardy. One awkward twist of the knee, and Bigelow could be looking at another extended period of leave.
After the loss to Northwestern in the season opener, a 1-3 record to begin the Sonny Dykes era is looking more and more likely.
The only chance Cal has of avoiding three losses in its first four games is staying healthy. Nothing else matters this Saturday.
Sean Wagner-McGough covers football. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @seanjwagner.