Grading Cal at the Quarter Turn of the Schedule

After Saturday’s 49-7 victory over Wagner College, Cal coach Tosh Lupoi was deconstructing the start to the Bears’ year so far: A 2-1 record, 1-0 in the ACC, actually one-fourth the way through the regular season schedule.

“It’s crazy how fast it goes,” he said.

So, does that mean we can mathematically project what’s to come?

— Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele will grow his seven touchdown passes to 28

— Adam Mohammed’s 285 rushing yards will swell to 1,140

— Kingston Lopa's NCAA-leading five interceptions will mushroom to 20

Obviously, it doesn’t work that way. The numbers for JKS and Mohammed may not be far-fetched; Lopa’s projection would obliterate the single-season NCAA record.

In any case, the schedule going forward will be a big step up from Wagner, starting Friday night at Memorial Stadium. Clemson and ESPN arrive on campus and Lupoi said he will be “extremely disappointed” with anything less than the Bears’ second capacity crowd of the season.

Sagapolutele posted a career-best 413 passing yards but we’ll leave his evaluation for another time and place. Otherwise, it’s worth assessing the good and bad through Cal's first three games:

Don’t compare Mohammed to him, but . . .

Mohammed, who came to Cal this year from Washington, has been everything and more the Bears hoped he would be. After compiling a 4.0 grade-point average during summer classes, Mohammed has earned straight A’s with the offense.

He has totaled 423 yards of rushing and receiving, virtually 33 percent of the team’s total offense. That puts him at No. 3 in the ACC in all-purpose yards at 141 per game.

Lupoi said he doesn’t mean to compare Mohammed his former Cal teammate and future NFL star Marshawn Lynch . . . then pretty much does just that. At least in one sense.

“He had a unique ability to ignite the defense,” Lupoi said of Lynch. “That’s what I think Adam can do at times (with) the physicality he runs with, and pumping his legs through contact and breaking tackles.”

Cool note: Mohammed has carried 60 times and not once been thrown a loss.

Who is Mohammed’s relief?

Four other Cal running backs, aside from Mohammed have totaled 23 rushing attempts for 65 yards. That works out to a contribution of less than 22 yards per game at 2.8 yards per attempt.

Will UC Davis transfer and projected backup Carter Vargas return soon — or at all — after going out of the opening game with an injury? And if not, will someone else make the leap to become the productive No. 2 the Bears need?

Grading the offensive line

They appear to have taken a step up from a year ago when Cal ranked last nationally in rushing yards while allowing 32 sacks. The Bears are still last in the ACC in rushing yards at 106.7 yards per game, but Sagapolutele has been sacked just four times. Given the tougher schedule ahead, the jury is still out.

Run defense a work in progress

Acknowledging that the numbers are a bit skewed because UCLA ran for 277 yards in the opener, the Bears are 14th in the ACC defending the run. Opponents are gaining an average of 5.3 yards on each run — highest number in the conference.

The schedule provides something of a break: The Bears don’t face Miami, Duke or Louisville — the ACC’s top three rushing teams so far.

They’re not yet special teams

As dominant as the Bears were against FCS-level Wagner, there were issues in the kicking and return game. They allowed a 51-yard kick return, muffed a return try on a Wagner punt, booted a kickoff out of bounds and missed a 35-yard field goal.

“Most likely the first thing I’m going to be watching is that phase,” Lupoi said of his routine of reviewing every play of the game.

Cal, which didn’t need to punt Saturday, is 15th in the ACC in net punting average. The Bears rank last in the league in punt return average and are just 3 for 5 on field goals.

Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter, Facebook and Bluesky

Add us as a preferred source on Google