Unsuccessful Debut of Spread Offense for Cal Football

KNOXVILLE, Tenn-There was plenty of anticipation over how the No. 9 Cal football team would combine new offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar's spread offense with coach Jeff Tedford's prostyle formation.

As it turned out, the Bears used the shotgun snap over half the game against No. 23 Tennessee. However, the results were far from what Dunbar was accustomed to in the past four seasons as Northwestern's offensive coordinator.

Cal finished with 336 total yards for the game, though much of that came against the Volunteers' second-team defense. The Bears managed just 86 yards at halftime.

One of the main reasons Tedford decided to implement the spread offense was to fully utilize Cal's talented batch of skill players and give them more space in more open field. However, none of the Bears' standouts turned in notable performances against a traditionally strong and fast Tennessee defense.

"We're trying to complement the styles of play so we can be diverse and maximize our guys," Dunbar said. "We work really hard on this stuff. Maybe I gave them too much. That's my responsibility. Maybe there's too much new, that's something we have to evaluate."

Junior Marshawn Lynch tallied just 74 yards on the ground and 22 yards in the air-his lowest total output since last season's game against Oregon State.

Sophomore DeSean Jackson caught just four passes, though he reeled in a 40-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

"We have talented young kids, and it's my responsibility to give them a chance to demonstrate those talents," Dunbar said.

Last season, Dunbar engineered a Wildcats offense that averaged 500.3 yards per game, which was fourth in the country.

Cal quarterback Nate Longshore has been getting used to the new playbook ever since Dunbar was hired before spring practice. Though Longshore looked particularly sharp the final week of practice, he ended his first contest completing 11-of-20 passes for 85 yards, without a touchdown.

"This is not by any means on Nate's shoulders," Tedford said. "He did a pretty good job of running the offense."

In addition to playing in a raucous environment and being pressured on almost every passing play, there were several dropped balls by Cal receivers at crucial junctions.

Robert Jordan, Lavelle Hawkins and Lynch all dropped potential first-down passes in the first half.

"Those are some of the best hands in the country," Longshore said, "so I'm positive that won't continue."

"I know we could move the ball," Longshore said. "We had guys open. We were just shooting ourselves in the foot. When you play a good team you just can't beat yourself, and that's what we did."

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