Riley McAtee/File

The race may be down to two.

On the fourth day of practice, quarterback Austin Hinder seemed limited in number of reps, while Jared Goff and Zach Kline got the majority.

And in the reps he did get, he didn’t look that impressive. Hinder overthrew a couple of passes and was sacked at least twice.

Coach Sonny Dykes, however, did not confirm that the race may now be down to just Goff and Kline.

“Yeah, it was just kind of what we did today,” Dykes said about Hinder’s limited reps. “We’ll evaluate it tomorrow and come out with a plan tomorrow.”

Kline and Goff, meanwhile made the most of their fourth day. Kline had a pass that should have been intercepted by Damariay Drew, but overall, he did not look off of his game. He also had a scramble in 11-on-11s that went for nearly 20 yards.

And Goff got the most action. He had a few beautiful deep passes that showed off his touch and sense of timing. Goff also rolled out on a few plays and was able to complete passes while throwing on the run.

“They’re both anticipating throws better,” Dykes said. “The more reps they get, the more they see things clearly.”

Right now, it looks like Goff and Kline are in a tight, two-horse race. But Hinder is still getting reps and is not out for the count just yet.

Today was also the first day that the players competed in “shells,” or shoulder pads and helmets while still wearing shorts. In previous practices, the players had only worn helmets, and the increased padding immediately led to an increased physicality in the practice. Though tackling was still not allowed, there were a few big hits. One in particular, between Kameron Jackson and Jonah Hodges, stood out.

In a typical 11-on-11 drill, Hodges caught a short pass and immediately collided with Jackson. The hit featured an audible boom that was heard throughout the stadium. Fans gasped, but neither was injured on the play.

Dykes plans on using those kind of big hits as an opportunity to teach his players how to hit properly. New NCAA rules have placed greater restrictions on how a defensive player can hit an opponent.

“We’ll look at it and see, but based on what I saw, it could have been targeting,” Dykes said. “We’ll pull it off tape, show it to our players and use it to teach.”

Speaking of Kameron Jackson, the junior cornerback has received high praise from his colleagues. Wide receivers Bryce Treggs and Jack Austin both called him the best cornerback they have had to go against.

“He isn’t a big guy, but he’s very quick, he has great hands, he gets up in your face when he needs to and, even when he’s off the ball, he’s pretty hard to fight with,” Austin said. “But I feel confident going against him.”

With the physicality heightened, defensive players were able to finally show their teeth. Things will only get more aggressive when fully padded practices begin on Sunday.

The post Cal football training camp: Aug. 8 recap appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Riley McAtee/File

Twenty-two. That’s the number of positions Cal coach Sonny Dykes said are unsettled after the third day of practice. The entire roster is up in the air.

And nowhere is the position more up in the air than quarterback.

Austin Hinder began the day and immediately threw an interception to Jalen Jefferson. Ouch.

“Very first play — I loved it,” Jefferson said of his interception. “I almost had three today.”

Hinder probably didn’t love it quite as much.

The interception didn’t rattle Hinder, as he came back to make some tough throws later in the practice. Unfortunately, he threw another pick later in the day. Though his performance wasn’t bad by any stretch outside of those two interceptions, they put a damper on his day and definitely did not help him in the race.

Zach Kline also had two picks throughout the day, breaking his goal of having no turnovers throughout camp on just the third day. But Kline was able to make some other big throws, including several that were threaded between tight defensive coverage.

“Kline is showing off his arm strength, and he’s also showing touch on his pass,” said wide receiver Bryce Treggs. “That’s something I feel he didn’t have in the spring.”

Jared Goff, meanwhile, easily had his best day of camp and hit Chris Harper and Bryce Treggs on some downfield throws. The true freshman also showed off his running ability when he scrambled for about a 10-yard gain during 11-on-11s.

“Today was probably Goff’s best day,” Dykes said. “He looked more comfortable today than he did the other two days.”

Dykes also had words of praise for Hinder and Kline too, so don’t think that the race is any closer to its conclusion because of Goff’s performance.

Meanwhile, on defensive, it was Jalen Jefferson’s turn to shine. He had the aforementioned pick from Hinder and generally seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

“He is just playing so fast right now,” Dykes said about Jefferson, whom he named as one of the players that stood out to him.

On the offensive side of the ball, it was Bryce Treggs’ show. The sophomore receiver caught several deep balls and was constantly breaking away from defensive backs.

“I’m always looking for ways to improve,” Treggs said. “I do want to be a game changer.”

Chris Harper, the other star receiver on the squad, also made some big plays. He had a one-handed diving catch in the corner of the end zone that drew cheers from the crowd of about 50 people at the practice.

Meanwhile, two skirmishes that broke out between the offense and the defense put a damper on the practice. One happened during offensive and defensive line drills, and the other occurred during 11-on-11s. This is the third in three days — including one that broke out on Monday.

It’s unclear who started both, but Dykes is not worried about them yet, because the skirmishes — which haven’t been serious enough to call full-blown fights — prove that the players care.

“I’ve been places where I was begging them to fight,” he said. “No one was competitive enough to fight.”

Contact Riley McAtee at rmcatee@dailycal.org

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Riley McAtee/File

“It’s time. It’s the second day. Expectations are tripled!”

Those are the words that defensive backs coach Randy Stewart used to fire up his players as day two of Cal’s training camp got under way. Those words may even have embodied the mentality of the entire Cal roster — even if tripled expectations were not the reality.

The quarterback battle was under way once again. Zach Kline got the most reps today, as it is the coaching staff’s plan to rotate who gets the spotlight each day. Kline looked good when he threw a couple of pretty passes for touchdowns, but no quarterback has separated himself enough yet to allow the race to become any clearer.

“Hopefully someone will set themselves apart from the others and make the decision easy,” said coach Sonny Dykes after the practice.

No one has done that so far.

With that battle still raging, the attention turns to other areas of the field.

On defense, Chris McCain looked as explosive as ever. McCain is making the move from linebacker to defensive end, and he didn’t seem out of place for a minute. The junior was constantly in the backfield as the defensive and offensive lines squared off near the south end zone. The story was the same in 11-on-11 drills when McCain put pressure on Hinder.

Meanwhile, the linebackers worked on drills that tested their lateral movement. They were without Nick Forbes, who skipped this practice with a nagging, but ultimately not serious, back injury. Dykes says that he should be back in limited action tomorrow.

Brennan Scarlett, the defensive end opposite McCain, also was injured. He had a red jersey on that indicated he was not to take contact from any player, but he did still participate in formations and basic drills.

Khairi Fortt, who was required to sit last year after transferring from Penn State, was the star linebacker on the field. But without pads on, the linebackers were unable to truly shine.

“Khairi is one of those guys that will show up a lot more once he gets the pads on, because he’s a physical guy,” Dykes said.

Regardless, Fortt was excited to finally be back on the field.

“I’m just elated,” he said after the practice. “I’m glad I made the change.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Brendan Bigelow was taking full reps again in practice. He caught a few balls and generally looked about the same as yesterday — like a back who isn’t quite at full speed but still looks like one of the top talents on the field. However, the two practices have started to catch up with him.

“I’m sore — really, really sore,” he said. “But it’s my second day. I can’t expect too much from myself.”

Those words aren’t just true for Bigelow — we can’t expect too much from anyone. Though Randy Stewart’s expectations may have been tripled, it’s unreasonable to hope for too much on just the second day. Ultimately, what was on show was exactly what one would expect — some promising signs, but nothing definitive enough to blow anyone away.

Contact Riley McAtee at rmcatee@dailycal.org

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Come September, fans will have an opportunity to get an inside look at Cal football.

Cal and Arizona State will be featured on “The Drive,” a new series that will air on Pac-12 networks beginning Sept. 11.

“The Drive” is similar to HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which follows NFL teams during the offseason and gives viewers a closer, more personal look at the teams it covers.

The show will air in 14 30-minute segments each Wednesday of the season. The episodes will feature footage that ranges from practices to meetings and everything in between.

“This show will be a great chance for people to get to know our coaching staff and players and will provide a unique perspective on what happens with Cal football on a day-to-day basis,” said Cal coach Sonny Dykes to Cal Athletics. “The more people know about the way we run our program, the more proud they are going to be of Cal football.“

Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde suspended for game against Cal

Though Cal football’s 2013 schedule is one of the most difficult in the country, things just got the slightest bit easier.

Cal will not have to deal with Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde when the two teams meet on Sept. 14.

Hyde was recently suspended for “at least the first three games of the 2013 season,” according to Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.

Hyde’s suspension is due to an alleged altercation in a nightclub that led to a police investigation. Hyde will not be charged after police decided to close the case against him. However, he will still serve a suspension with the school for his conduct, which Meyer called “unacceptable.”

The 242-pound Hyde ran for 970 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Buckeyes last year and was the team’s leading scorer. He also missed last year’s game against Cal with a sprained MCL.

Though the news improves the Bears’ chances, it will still be a tall order to knock off the No. 2 team in the nation, especially when that team previously beat the Bears without their starting running back last year.

400 medley team disqualified at World Championships

Missy Franklin may have dominated, but things did not go so well for Cal alum Nathan Adrian at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona.

Team USA was disqualified from the the 400-meter medley relay on Sunday after Kevin Cordes took off 0.04 seconds early. Cordes is just 19 and was competing in his first World Championships ever.

The team put in a 3:30.06 time that looked like it would be good enough for first place. But the disqualification stunned Team USA and awarded France the gold medal with a 3:31.51 finish.

The kicker in all this is that the rules state that a swimmer is allowed a 0.03 second leeway — meaning Cordes took off just 0.01 seconds more than is allowed. In addition, the United States has never lost the 400 medley except when the team has been disqualified.

“That’s like a punch in the gut right there,” said Team USA coach Bob Bowman.

The post Sports in brief — August 5, 2013 appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Michael Tao/Staff

Football season is close at last.

Cal football released the schedule for training camp on Friday. Practices begin on Monday and will be held every day from Aug. 5 to Aug. 24, and all will be open to the public.

Dates and times for each practice are listed below. Fans are welcome to attend by entering through the north gate of Memorial Stadium at the stated time. However, they are asked to not take photos or videos.

• Monday, Aug. 5 (5 p.m.): Helmets
• Tuesday, Aug. 6 (5 p.m.): Helmets
• Wednesday, Aug. 7 (5 p.m.): Helmets
• Thursday, Aug. 8 (5 p.m.): Helmets
• Friday, Aug. 9 (5 p.m.): Helmets
• Saturday, Aug. 10 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Sunday, Aug. 11 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Monday, Aug. 12 (9:30 a.m.): Freshman Developmental Practice
• Monday, Aug. 12 (4:30 p.m.): Pads
• Tuesday, Aug. 13 (4:30 p.m.): Pads
• Wednesday, Aug. 14 (9:30 a.m.): Freshman Developmental Practice
• Wednesday, Aug. 14 (4:30 p.m.): Pads
• Thursday, Aug. 15 (9:30 a.m.): Freshman Developmental Practice
• Thursday, Aug. 15 (4:30 p.m.): Pads
• Friday, Aug. 16 (9:30 a.m.): Freshman Developmental Practice
• Friday, Aug. 16 (4:30 p.m.): Pads
• Saturday, Aug. 17 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Sunday, Aug. 18 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Monday, Aug. 19 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Tuesday, Aug. 20 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Wednesday, Aug. 21 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Thursday, Aug. 22 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Friday, Aug. 23 (4 p.m.): Pads
• Saturday, Aug. 24 (11 a.m.): Pregame Simulation/Helmets

For information on the quarterback battle and other major story lines to watch for during the camp, check out the Daily Cal’s fall training camp preview here.

See the full press release by Cal Athletics here.

The post Cal football releases training camp schedule appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Michael Tao/Staff

On the bright side, Sonny Dykes and company certainly will have plenty of chances to prove themselves next season.

The first USA Today Coaches’ Poll of 2013 was released yesterday, and Cal will have one of the toughest schedules in college football.

The Bears face No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Stanford, No. 21 UCLA, No. 22 Northwestern, No. 24 USC and No. 25 Oregon State. That’s seven games against top-25 opponents — among the most of any team in the country.

Four of those games will take place at home at Memorial Stadium, while the other three — Oregon, Stanford and UCLA — will be away games.

Cal’s schedule is so tough that it was recently ranked the No. 3 toughest schedule for 2013 by Phil Steele — behind only Florida and Oklahoma.

The Bears, of course, begin their season by hosting Northwestern. As a team on the edge of the rankings, Northwestern will provide the perfect litmus test for the Bears. Even keeping the game close would be a statement after Cal’s 3-9 season last year, in which the only ranked team that the Bears knocked off was then-No. 25 UCLA.

The tough schedule reflects both the strength of the Pac-12 and the challenges that Cal has made for itself in its nonconference scheduling. The Pac-12 is tied for the second-highest number of ranked teams with the Big 10 at five. The SEC, with six ranked teams, has the most.

Cal was not among the top 25, nor was it a team that ranked outside of the top 25 that also received some votes. However, Pac-12 foes Arizona, Washington and Arizona State did receive votes. Cal plays Arizona and Washington in 2013.

The Coaches’ Poll is based on the rankings of 62 FBS coaches, most of which are from the major football conferences.

Although the numbers look daunting, facing ranked opponents is the easiest way to catapult a team into the top rankings itself.

The full list of rankings is given below. The number of first-place votes for each team are placed in parentheses.

1. Alabama (58)
2. Ohio State (3)
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Georgia
6. Texas A&M (1)
7. South Carolina
8. Clemson
9. Louisville
10. Florida
11. Notre Dame
12. Florida State
13. LSU
14. Oklahoma State
15. Texas
16. Oklahoma
17. Michigan
18. Nebraska
19. Boise State
20. TCU
21. UCLA
22. Northwestern
23. Wisconsin
24. USC
25. Oregon State

Source: USA Today

Contact Riley McAtee at rmcatee@dailycal.org

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It’s a cliche, but games really are won in the trenches.

Cal experienced the importance of good offensive line play last year. Or, to put that more accurately, Cal experienced the consequences of bad line play. Last year, the Bears ranked 115th out of 120 teams in sacks allowed with 3.42 per game.

Cal is looking to avoid a repeat of 2012.

The good news is that there are new players on the squad. Freddie Tagaloa and Jordan Rigsbee are sophomores who make up the left side of the line at tackle and guard, respectively. Rigsbee started last fall, but Tagaloa is new. Tagaloa played off the bench for the Bears last year — the first true freshman to do so since Brian Schwenke did in 2009.

Speaking of Schwenke, the senior was drafted by the Titans last spring, leaving a hole at center. Matt Cochran looks to be the man to step in, as he started with the most snaps at center during the spring.

Center will be the most key position, as the center is responsible for calling out protection patterns in Dykes’ system. If Cochran the definite starter, his chemistry with whoever is starting at QB behind him will be crucial.

The other two positions on the line — right guard and right tackle — are currently slated to be taken by Alejandro Crosthwaite and Bill Tyndall. Both did not start in 2012.

With Cal’s 2012 campaign fresh in mind, it’s clear that how these new players fit in with Sonny Dykes and Tony Franklin’s new system could be even more important than who starts at quarterback.

The post Fall training camp preview: offensive line must improve appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Michael Tao/Staff

In all the talk about the new offensive system, don’t lose sight of the defensive overhaul that is nearly as substantial.

This year, defensive coordinator Andy Buh is switching Cal from a 3-4 to 4-3 system.

The big change will lie with Chris McCain and Brennan Scarlett. The juniors will move from linebacker to defensive end, where they will be committed to rushing the quarterback on nearly every play.

But McCain and Scarlett are not the only new players to the defensive line. In fact, Deandre Coleman, at defensive tackle, is the only starter to return. Last year, he played defensive end, so he is also experiencing a position change.

Mustafa Jalil, who fills the other defensive tackle slot, played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2011 but was hampered by injuries last year. Jalil is the only starter on the defensive line that is in the same position as last year — although he is new to the starting role.

If the line feels a little thrown together, that’s because it is — Coleman is the only starter of more than 300 pounds in what seems like an undersized group of players.

“If you’re a defensive football coach, you want to dictate the style of play that occurs in football,” said Sonny Dykes at the Pac-12 media day on Friday.

Unfortunately, this lightweight defensive line looks like it won’t be dictating much of anything. But if these players can translate their skills effectively into their new positions, they may be able to do just enough to let Dykes’ high-octane offense take charge.

Contact Riley McAtee at rmcatee@dailycal.org

The post Fall training camp preview: defensive line sees transition to 4-3 appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Emma Lantos /File

With little over a month before Cal opens the season against Northwestern, the team still does not have a starting quarterback. Right now, there are three candidates vying for the spot — Austin Hinder, Jared Goff, and Zach Kline. Each has a very different play style and would take the offense in a different direction from his competitors. When Fall camp opens on Aug. 5, look for one of these three to take the starting role.

Austin Hinder

• Redshirt junior
• Height: 6 feet, 4 inches
• Weight: 200 pounds

Austin Hinder’s strengths lie in his legs and his leadership.

He’s the most agile quarterback of the bunch and the most likely to move the chains with a well-timed scramble. In the spring game in March, he ran for 37 yards on just four carries. He’s listed as a pro-style QB, but with the way he moves on his feet, he could easily be seen as a dual-threat one.

It would make sense for Sonny Dykes and Tony Franklin to make him the starter in the fall, as they have both stated that they want a quarterback who can move in the pocket and make throws on the run the way Hinder can.

It would also make sense from a leadership perspective — Hinder is the only upperclassman in the mix for the starting job. Though he doesn’t have a start under his belt, he still has the most experience out of the three.

While his throwing ability doesn’t look to be as polished as that of Kline or Goff, his other abilities may push him over the top come August.

Jared Goff

• True freshman
• Height: 6 feet, 4 inches
• Weight: 205 pounds

Jared Goff is the youngest of the three, but don’t count him out.

Goff is a true pocket passer, and during spring training his passes looked crisp and on target. While accuracy and timing are his main strengths, alo working toward Goff’s advantage is a familiarity with Dykes’ system, as he ran a similar spread-style offense in high school.

The concern with him is that as a true freshman, he may need more time to develop to compete at the college level. He may also need to put on more weight — though he is listed at 205 pounds now, he was listed at 185 pounds just a few months ago and looks much smaller in pads — making injuries a concern.

An investment in Goff would be a major investment in the future for Dykes and company. Due to his youth, it may make more sense to redshirt him and bring him out in a few years, when he has developed his game more. But if he proves to have the most talent, there is no reason to not start him now.

Zach Kline

• Redshirt junior
• Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
• Weight: 200 pounds

Zach Kline’s abilities begin and end with his arm. He’s a gunslinger in every sense of the word — able to make the big throws but not without the occasional struggles in his accuracy.

He may be the best passer of the three vying for the starting position. Kline threw for 124 yards, the most of the three in Cal football’s spring game in March.

But there are two major concerns with Kline. The first is consistency, which he has struggled with during practices and in camps. He’ll make an amazing play just to come back with an errant pass the next. But if he can solve that issue, he’ll be lethal.

His other major concern is the offensive system he is being put into. Kline was recruited by Tedford, who ran a pro-style system similar to what Kline ran in high school. Under Dykes’ spread style, things will be very different, and Kline will be forced to adjust.

But if he can adjust to the fast new system and continue to make those great throws with better consistency, he may just be the most talented of the bunch.

The post Fall training camp preview: quarterback race is on appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Kore Chan/Staff

The Daily Cal sports staff looks back at the last year in Cal sports, and its most memorable moments.

Gracie Malley/File

1. Jeff Tedford let go following 3-9 season

He is the winningest coach in Cal history. His 11-year tenure restored the football program to a level of respectability not seen since the 1950s.

But in December, Cal Athletics decided to let Jeff Tedford go after a 3-9 season — his worst ever.

His firing seems justified, as the team has been overflowing with NFL-level talent that has not translated to wins on the collegiate gridiron in years.

As November rolled into December and 3-4 turned into 3-9, two words began to be whispered on the lips of Cal faithful everywhere: “It’s time.”

Time for Tedford to go.

But while his legacy is still sour right now, in time, he may very well be known as the man who restored Cal football.

After all, he took the team to eight bowl games. We won the Axe five years in a row. Nine of his 11 years featured winning seasons. And, most importantly, Tedford made the $321 million dollar renovation to Memorial Stadium possible.

Tedford may have been the architect of his own demise, as the expectations that exist now only came after his dominance in the early half of the decade. But in the end, he leaves the program with a greater chance at long-term success than it has had in decades.

— Riley McAtee

Gracie Malley/File

2. Cal athletes take home 17 medals at the Summer Olympics in London

When people think about Cal, they think, “No. 1 public university in the world.”

As seen from last summer’s 2012 London Olympics, however, this title encompasses Cal’s international prowess not only in academics but also in athletics.

Cal sent 38 athletes to compete at the London Olympics — the most for a public university and just two athletes shy of leading USC and Stanford — and in the span of 18 days, the Bears garnered 17 medals, 11 of which were gold.

The Bears showcased what is arguably one of the greatest Olympic performances across the nation in school history.

Every four years, Cal’s Olympians have been showing improvement over their previous performances at each of the summer Olympic Games. Since taking home seven medals in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Cal has either equaled or increased its medal haul, with 17 medals tying for the most they have ever won in Cal history.

Among those who earned medals in 2012 were former Cal athletes swimmer Nathan Adrian and soccer star Alex Morgan. While Adrian won three medals and two gold ones in London, Morgan led Team USA to a narrow 4-3 semifinal victory with a game-winning header, after which she earned her first gold medal in a 2-1 win over Japan.

If the trend persists, the Bears will continue to make a name for themselves on the international athletic totem pole in years to come.

 — Janice Chua

3. The Cal women’s basketball team makes an improbable run in the NCAAs

With Cal football faltering sans a bowl bid and Cal men’s basketball unable to leave a mark in the postseason last year, the Cal women’s basketball team’s historic season comes as a cathartic gust of fresh air to anyone parched to see the Golden Bears represented on national television.

Last season was a season of many firsts for Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad. On March 2, the Bears clinched their first Pac-12 title in program history. Four weeks later, they advanced to their first Elite Eight appearance and, soon after, their first Final Four appearance.

Between these three big shots of Cal athletics, we haven’t seen such levels of success since the men’s basketball team’s last Final Four appearance in 1960. Fifty-three years. That’s a long time for anyone to endure a triathletic drought.

And the best part is that this just might be start of something better. While the key seniors have left, this current squad is young and talented. While a Final Four encore in 2014 might be premature, the Bears look like they are reloading for another deep run in the March Madness in the next few years.

 — Seung Y. Lee

 Tony Zhou/Staff

4. Memorial Stadium reopens after 21-month long renovation

It’s good to be back.

After a year of football in AT&T Park, California Memorial Stadium finally reopened for the beginning of the 2012 season.

The historic stadium was vastly improved in a renovation effort that took nearly two years.

The facade was restored. The concourse was widened. The field was lowered to allow the first few rows to have a better view. Wheelchair seats were added. Wooden bleachers were replaced with aluminum ones. A new press box was built, and the list goes on.

But the most important improvement is one that fans will not readily see. The stadium sits on a major fault line and, thanks to remarkable engineering, is now earthquake-safe for fans. Essentially, three completely separate structures make up the stadium, allowing each piece to move freely in the event of an major earthquake.

Hopefully, nothing too drastic happens — but in any event, the stadium is prepared.

Of course, there was — and still is — controversy. No plan worth $321 million could come without it. And there are doubts that Cal Athletics’ funding plan will be able to cover the long term cost.

But right now, it’s just nice to not have to cram onto BART cars to make it to AT&T Park by noon.

 — Riley McAtee

5. Sonny Dykes hired as head football coach

A poor 3-9 season and a brand-new football stadium is certainly not a good mix. It ultimately cost Jeff Tedford his job, opening an opportunity for Daniel “Sonny” Dykes to move from Louisiana Tech to Cal as the next head coach.

Hired Dec. 5, Dykes is set on not just improving the record for the upcoming football season. He’s committed to scrapping the old, pro-style offense under Tedford for a new, unconventional air raid offense and to changing the culture of Cal football entirely.

A little more than a month removed from his Cal debut against Northwestern on Aug. 31, only a few things are certain about Sonny Dykes so far.

First, he’s a pretty likable dude. He has more personality than Tedford in front of the public. Second, his zany offense — “Bear Raid”, “Air Bears” or whatever other moniker it has earned from the fans — will be fun to observe. It’s safe to assume the scoreboard will be kept busy for next season.

But to win the collective heart of the Cal fanbase, it’ll take more than likeability and offensive potency. There’s only three words Dykes has to remember:

Just win, baby.

— Seung Y. Lee

6. Missy Franklin commits to Cal

If Cal women’s swim wasn’t already enough of a threat on the national leaderboard, now the team will have five-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin to call its own.

On Oct. 20, 2012, the teenage swimming star committed to Cal after deciding between other top national swimming programs like USC and Georgia, which finished seventh and first, respectively, at the NCAA Championships this past year.

One month later, Franklin solidified her commitment to the Bears after signing the National Letter of Intent to join the Cal women’s swimming team this fall.

The impressive 18-year-old showcased her talent in the pool at the 2012 London Olympics last summer, winning a total of five medals, four of which were gold. Franklin swept the 100 and 200 backstroke events for Team USA, and the Colorado native will only add more natural talent to Cal’s deep swimming lineup.

Franklin will be joining other U.S. national swimming teammates, like Rachel Bootsma and head coach Teri McKeever.

Although the recent high school graduate turned down the opportunity to go professional straight out of high school, Franklin plans to compete on the collegiate scale for only two years, after which she will turn pro and train for the 2016 Olympics.

 — Janice Chua

Abel Barrientes/Courtesy

7. Rugby falls on final play of Varsity Cup

When you watch BYU’s Jonathan Linehan’s buzzer-beating, title-clinching drop-kick goal against the Cal rugby team in the National Championship game on tape, there is an eerie similarity to South African Joel Stransky’s extra-time kick in the 1995 Rugby World Cup finals.

In historical significance, Linehan’s kick pales in comparison to Stransky’s game-winner, which inspired countless documentaries and a movie starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman.

But in a dramatic climax, they stand as near equals. Both games featured a David and Goliath. (Cal and New Zealand played the latter.) Both came down to the wire for an emotional finish that concluded in a drop-kick goal.

The loss was a bitter pill for Cal rugby and its fans; after three decades of unmatched domination, the Bears aren’t familiar with losses. Usually, no team takes the Bears to crunch time on a tied score.

But can you really say you didn’t appreciate seeing one of the finest endings in American collegiate rugby in recent history? Maybe, if you are a staunch Cal loyalist.

If that is the case, just look at the tape.

— Seung Y. Lee

Cal Athletics/Courtesy

8. Cal Athletics unveils massive redesign

New coach, new team, new era.

In April, Cal Athletics undertook a massive rebranding of Cal’s athletics — including a new logo, new font and new uniforms for nearly every team.

The theme for the redesign was “Respect the past, represent the future.” As such, the new update does not stray away from the traditional Cal script or blue and gold colors.

But that did not stop Cal Athletics from taking the look in a bold new direction. The new Bear logo is a snarling behemoth that is a definitive change from the more mild logos of Oski or the walking bear that Cal has used in the past. And the football team unveiled a new color, gray, which has never been used before.

Though the design is not loved by everyone, it accomplishes Cal Athletics’ primary goals of featuring a look that is universal and consistent among Cal’s various sports as well as being modern and well recognized — a trait that Cal Athletics argues could influence recruitment.

Despite any controversy, the Bears will charge into the next year with a new brand and updated identity.

 — Riley McAtee

9. Men’s golf upset in NCAAs after record-breaking season

The Cal men’s golf team amassed arguably the greatest season in collegiate men’s golf history this past year.

But the Bears finished the year without a national trophy.

After winning 11 out of 13 tournaments — breaking a record that has been in place since the 1970s — and topping the ranks at No. 1 for a majority of the season, Cal narrowly dropped the NCAA Championship semifinal match against Illinois after the 20th hole.

Then-senior Max Homa putted the ball standing seven feet away from the 20th hole, but failed to land the ball into the cup. The No. 5 seed Illinois took down the top-seeded Bears that weekend, 3-2, to end the Bears’ historic campaign. The NCAA Championship trophy eventually went to No. 3 Alabama, who defeated Illinois, 4-1.

Because the NCAAs were run on a match-play format, which emphasized individual performance on each day, instead of the normal stroke play, the Bears struggled more than usual.

But despite losing out on the title they were essentially working toward all year, there’s no doubt that the Bears compiled their greatest season ever.

“If it leaves a dent, it should be a very, very small one,” Homa said after the tournament. “We should be considered the best team of all time.”

 — Janice Chua

10. Cal football’s graduation rates and APR scores rank last in Pac-12

Maybe it was the nail in Tedford’s coffin. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

In 2012, the football team’s academics hit rock bottom. The Bears’ 47 percent graduation rate was the worst in the Pac-12.

Jeff Tedford tried to claim that the reason for the subpar rate was the many players that his program sent to the NFL each year. While there is some truth in this, it hardly tells the entire story.

In June, the NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate scores, and again, Cal football was in last place on the list. Since the APR report only takes into account academic standing — and doesn’t penalize programs for players who turn pro — it was clear that the academics of the football team were hurting.

The scores were so poor that the team is currently treading dangerously close to NCAA sanctions.

It is one thing to be terrible on the field, but in the classroom too? Ouch.

There is rampant speculation that those poor marks were a leading reason for Tedford’s dismissal in December, but we will never know for sure. At any rate, they certainly didn’t help.

 — Riley McAtee

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