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Athlon ranks Cal’s RBs #2 and D-line #1
Posted by Eric | July 4, 2006 at 9:31 am | In Ranks/Predictions | 2 CommentsAthlon Sports has given Cal the honor of the number 2 running backs in the nation and also the number 1 defensive line in the nation for the upcoming season. These are in their 6th Annual Athlon Awards for the best units in college football. They write:
2. California (Running Backs)
California returns players who accounted for 98 percent of its rushing yards last fall, most of it in the persons of Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. The 5’11”, 223-pound Lynch rumbled for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games and most of another with a hand injury. Forsett, at 5’8″, 183, darted for 999 yards at 7.6 per carry with six scores. They enter their junior year with a combined 2,922 career yards and averaging over seven yards per carry. Lynch, in fact, averaged 8.8 yards on 71 carries with eight touchdowns as a 2004 freshman backing up J.J. Arrington. Marcus O’Keith also returns after averaging 11 yards on 22 carries in ’05, including a 71-yard touchdown run against Washington.
1. California (Defensive Line)
Tackle Brandon Mebane is an Athlon preseason first-team All-American. Mebane broke through the line in ’05 for 9.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Matt Malele and Mika Kane both bring in excess of 300 pounds and extensive experience to the tackle rotation. Nu’u Tafisi, a second-team all-conference honoree, and Phillip Mbakogu combined for 20 tackles for losses and nine sacks and return at the ends. Abu Ma’afala started four games after sitting out 2004 following his transfer from Hawaii. He is as ornery against the run as he is rushing the passer and is available at both tackle and end.
Georgia is the one RB unit that placed ahead of ours. I can’t see how any group (especially Georgia?) could be considered better than the combination of Lynch, Forsett, and O’Keith.
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I love Cal, but Lynch is the only superstar on the roster. Forsett is more than solid, but he amassed his stats mostly against pansy run teams (nmsu, washington, illinois, and ucla). O’keith has never been able to rise above third string, for whatever reason. I’m not sure Georgia has better running backs, but I’m sure some school somewhere in the country does. I also think the DL is somewhat unproven, and that the #1 is a lofty ranking. The only bonifide superstar is Mebane, although I think he’ll be a monster. I’m not sold on the other DT – Malele is coming off an ACL injury, and Kane got pushed around quite a bit last year as a true frosh (see OSU game for exhibit A). I think MBak will have a breakout year, and I’m hoping Tafisi will have a Ryan Riddle-esque leap this year though.
1. Comment by Albert C. — July 5, 2006 @ 3:14 am #
True, Lynch and Mebane are the only superstar players out of the players mentioned. However, I do think that both units are deserving of the praise they’re getting. Like you pointed out, I expect both Lynch and Mebane to be utter monsters. The units are also heavily stacked behind their respective stars with potential starters at other teams, which gives them real depth. They also have an incoming class of highly touted recruits that will fill out the units even more.
While I’ll agree that cautiousness of all this preseason hype is probably wise, starting high in rankings will only make it easier to maintain a BCS spot. I’d rather see this than see Texas leapfrog us into the Rose Bowl again.
2. Comment by Eric — July 5, 2006 @ 3:19 pm #