T’s Cal Football Preview - Special Teams & Coaches

Finally, it’s time to talk about the third, oft-ignored but vitally important unit of the team. While it is easy to focus on gaudy offensive statistics, arguably the two most important differentiating factors to winning in college football among evenly matched teams are turnover margin and special teams play. The Bears excelled at both last year, and were terrible in these two areas the previous year when they went 1-10. Coincidence?

Last year, Cal was led by an All-Pac-10 performance by Junior rover #25 Mike McGrath on kick-off and punt coverage and exciting kick-off and punt returns by athletic wide receiver LaShaun Ward. With Ward having graduated, the punt return duties are open to competition, with corner #22 Tim Mixon and second-string receiver #85 Vincent Strang leading for the punt returner position and nickel-back #3 James Bethea and backup running back #30 J.J. Arrington currently holding down the kick-off return spots.

The Bears also hope to continue to be at least decent in the kicking department. Currently, last year’s starting punter, Senior #16 Tyler Fredrickson, holds down both punting and place-kicking duties, but he may be challenged by incoming JC transfer #5 Lucas Everett in both areas. Third-string defensive lineman #99 LP Ladouceur will be the long-snapper, backed up by second-string defensive tackle #57 Josh Beckham, while backup quarterback #14 Richard Schwartz is the holder for place-kicks.

Conversely, in defending kicks last year, Cal’s special teams blocked four punts and three field goal tries last year, and hopes to continue that success by means of the young athletic depth available on the squad.

Projected Starters: Fredrickson or Everett at punter and place-kicker, Mixon at punt-returner, Bethea and Arrington at kickoff-returns, Ladouceur at long-snapper and Schwartz at holder

Coaching Staff

“A key for us will be to fly around, to play from snap to whistle, to make mistakes at full speed.”
-- Jeff Tedford on the transition from fall camp to game 1 against Kansas State

If one were to perform a scientific experiment to demonstrate the difference in quality between two coaching staffs, it would be hard to construct one that is more clear in its divergent results than the 2001 and 2002 seasons were for Cal. The 2002 Bears were quietly confident, disciplined, resilient, and played with controlled aggression and superior execution. With mostly the same players, the 2001 Bears under the previous coaching administration were quietly disorganized, predictable, and played with a startling lack of purpose. Coaching is key in college football, and Cal’s apparent strength in this area under Jeff Tedford will be critical to a successful season.

For most Cal fans, Tedford deservedly receives the lion’s share of the credit and accolades for the Bears’ turnaround thus far, and should they falter this year, he may start to get much of the criticism. While the credit is warranted to this point, it is important not to forget the entire staff that Tedford has assembled, who collectively do their job much better than the previous staff did across all facets of college football coaching: motivation, execution, judging talent, game-time leadership, and recruiting.

The entire Cal coaching staff for the 2003 season is as follows. In addition, Cal Athletic Director Steve Gladstone should be commended for his clarity of vision in putting the right folks in charge of Cal Football starting after the 2001 season.

Jeff Tedford – Head Coach
California 2002+ (Head Coach)
Oregon 1998-2001 (Offensive Coordinator)
Fresno State 1992-1997 (Quarterbacks Coach)
Calgary Stampeders (CFL) 1989-1991 (Offensive Assistant)
CFL 1983-1988 (played as quarterback)
Fresno State 1979-1983 (played as quarterback)

Bob Gregory – Defensive Coordinator
California 2002+ (Defensive Coordinator)
Boise State 2001 (Defensive Coordinator)
Oregon 1998-2000 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Willamette 1991-1997 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Oregon 1989-1990 (Graduate Assistant)
Washington University, St. Louis 1987-1988 (Defensive Backs Coach, Defensive Coordinator)
Washington State 1982-1986 (played as linebacker and defensive back)

George Cortez – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
California 2002+ (Offensive Coordinator)
Calgary Stampeders (CFL) 1998-2001 (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach)
Calgary Stampeders (CFL) 1997-1998 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Southern Methodist University 1995-1996 (Quarterbacks Coach)
Calgary Stampeders (CFL) 1992-1994 (Offensive Line Coach)
Ottawa Roughriders (CFL) 1990-1991 (Defensive Line/Special Teams Coach)
Lamar 1987-1989 (Running Backs, Offensive Line Coach)
Montreal Alouettes (CFL) 1984-1986 (Running Backs, Defensive Line Coach)
Rice 1979-1982 (Offensive Line Coach)
King High School (TX) 1973-1978 (Assistant Coach)

Ken Delgado – Defensive Line Coach
California 2002+ (Defensive Line Coach)
San Diego State 1994-2001 (Defensive Line Coach, Defensive Coordinator)
Utah 1993 (Defensive Line Coach)
San Jose State 1986-1992 (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line Coach)

Justin Wilcox – Linebackers Coach
California 2003+ (Linebackers Coach)
Boise State 2000-2002 (Linebackers Coach)
Oregon 1995-1999 (played as defensive back)
J.D. Williams – Defensive Backs Coach
California 2002+ (Defensive Backs Coach)
Fresno State 2000-2001 (Defensive Backs Coach)
San Jose State 1999 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Cal Poly 1998 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Fresno State 1997 (Graduate Assistant)
San Francisco 49ers 1996 (played as defensive back)
Carolina Panthers 1995 (played as defensive back)
Arizona Cardinals 1994 (played as defensive back)
Buffalo Bills 1990-1993 (played as defensive back)
Fresno State 1985-89 (played as defensive back)

Jim Michalczik – Offensive Line Coach
California 2002+ (Offensive Line Coach)
Oregon State 1999-2001 (Offensive Line/Special Teams Coach)
Montana State 1992-1998 (Offensive Line Coach)
Miami 1990-1991 (Offensive Line Coach)
Arizona Cardinals 1989 (played as offensive lineman)
Washington State 1984-1988 (played as offensive lineman)

Ron Gould – Running Backs Coach
California 1997+ (Running Backs Coach)
Boise State 1993-1996 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Portland State 1992 (Defensive Backs Coach)
Oregon 1990-1991 (Graduate Assistant)
Los Angeles Rams 1988 (played as defensive back)
Oregon 1987 (played as defensive back)
Wichita State 1986 (played as defensive back)
Scottsdale Community College 1984-1985 (played as defensive back)

Eric Kiesau – Wide Receivers Coach
California 2002+ (Wide Receivers Coach)
Utah State 2000-2001 (Running Backs Coach, Wide Receivers Coach)
Oregon 1999 (Teamwork Coordinator)
Glendale Community College (Assistant Coach)
Moorpark High School (Assistant Coach)

Pete Alamar – Special Teams/Tight Ends Coach
California 2003+ (Special Teams/Tight Ends Coach)
Eastern Michigan 2000-2002 (Offensive Coordinator)
Arizona 1993-1999 (Wide Receivers, Special Teams, Tight Ends, Inside Linebackers Coach)
James Madison 1991-1992 (Tight Ends Coach)
Co-owner or Mirage Racing Products 1989-1991
Cal Poly 1987-1988 (Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator)
Cal Lutheran 1985-1986 (Offensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coordinator)
Louisiana-Lafayette 1984 (Graduate Assistant)
Cal Poly 1983 (Graduate Assistant)

Coming soon: OneKeg's Predictions

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