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Cal Bears win Armed Forces Bowl
By Joseph Cronin December 31, 2007 |
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The California Golden Bears used overall size and speed to dominate Air Force. The Bears got a good look at the option offense, and it took the first half to master it. Assistant Coach Bob Gregory was quoted as only seeing this offense "rarely". The Bears were down 21-0 by early in the second quarter. The masterful Gregory then adjusts the Bear defense, and Cal outscores the Falcons 42-15 to win the game The Air Force has three extremely talented offensive players: QB Shaun Carney, TB Chad Hall, and RB Jim Ollis. They combined for nearly 200 rushing yards, using the option offense. Carney got the first score with a 1 yard run, Carney then threw 7 yards to TE Travis Dekker, and the third Air Force score came after a pooched kickoff the bounced off a Bear and was recovered on the Cal 40. Carney, Hall, and Newell got it to the 8 and Jim Ollis ran it in for the score and a 21-0 lead. About this time Cal head coach Jeff Tedford replaced QB Nate Longshore with redshirt freshman Kevin Riley. On the next possession Riley hit DeSean Jackson with a beautiful 40 yard bomb to make it 21-7. Cal stopped the Falcons and moved back down field where Riley hit Lavelle Hawkins from 8 yards away, making it 21-14. It began to look like Cal had a chance. The second half began by Air Force moving down the field to a 29 yard field goal by Ryan Harrison making the score 24-14. Cal got it back where Riley passed 18 yards to Robert Jordan, and it was 24-21. The next series was what turned the game. Air Force moved down the field. With third and goal from the one, Shaun Carney carried the ball and got hit by two Bear defenders, where his knee was wrenched. With Carney's departure, the Falcons saw their option offence much more difficult. Air Force booted the field goal, making it 27-21. Cal ran the kickoff back to their 44. Riley passed 52 yards to Jordan to the five. Forsett scored the TD from one yard out and the Bears led for the first time 28-27. The third quarter ended that way. Cal stopped the Falcons and came roaring back. Justin Forsett scored from 21 yards and Cal was then on top 35-27. To its credit, Air Force didn't fold its tent. Without Carney, they didn't move the ball very well, but they got a 47 yard field goal to make it 35-30. After stopping Air Force, Cal moved down to score again. Cal was first and goal on the two where Riley went around the pile and it became 42-27 with 6:13 in the game Cal stopped the Falcons, got the ball back. Forsett fumbled on the 37. Air Force moved down to score with Hall going the final four yards. That made it 42-36. The Air Force coach went for two, and didn't make it, resulting in the final score. Why he went for two, no one knows, but he did. The resulting onside kick was recovered by DeSean Jackson, and the Bears ran the clock out. The game MVP was Kevin Riley who was 16 of 19 for 269 yards. Makes one wonder why Riley wasn’t used more before by head coach Jeff Tedford. Justin Forsett carried 23 times for 140 yards. Riley's performance should set up a QB controversy next summer. The Bears played well enough to win to make Bear fans happy. |
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