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Season review — defensive line
By Jonathan Okanes
Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm in off-season stuff.
When the Bears decided to go with a 3-4 base scheme this season, it not only was because they had a deep corps of talented linebackers, but because that’s exactly what they didn’t have with their defensive line.
Or so we thought.
Turns out the defensive line was pretty good. That’s partly because of improvement by certain players, and partly because you don’t need quite as much depth when you only have to field three players at a time instead of four.
The working framework with the 3-4 is to let the down lineman eat up blocks so the linebackers can make plays. That seemed to be a pretty smart idea given the talents of Cal linebackers Zack Follett, Anthony Felder, Worrell Williams and Mike Mohamed, among others. But the Bears’ defensive lineman made their share of plays as well.
Junior Tyson Alualu made 62 tackles — including six sacks — and earned All-Pac-10 second team honors. HIs sacks were the most of any down lineman. Sophomore Cameron Jordan had 47 tackles and four sacks, earning all-conference honorable mention and starting to show glimpses of his untapped potential. Rulon Davis had four sacks despite missing four games with a broken foot. Mika Kane and Derrick Hill each held their own manning the nose tackle spot.
Surely, Follett’s 10.5 sacks were aided by the work being done by the defensive line. The Bears usually were able to get pressure on the quarterback when they only rushed four guys (the three lineman and a linebacker). Unlike 2007, there weren’t many times when it seemed the opposing quarterback was able to just consistently stay in the pocket with all kinds of time to throw. That usually only happened when the Bears only rushed the three down lineman.
The unit should be strong again next season. Jordan and Alualu could form one of the Pac-10′s best defensive end combinations, and Hill is ready, if he’s healthy, to assume the heavy workload in the middle. Keith Browner, Kendrick Payne and Trevor Guyton are around to provide quality depth. And other young players like Aaron Tipoti or perhaps incoming freshman DeAndre Coleman could make an impact as well.
2008 DEFENSIVE LINE GRADE: A
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January 12th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
A as in amen brother – the big guys on the DL rocked. How about Tosh Lupoi in his first year too!!
January 12th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Alualu and Jordan were freaks…they were flying around and making tackles that lineman have no business making…their pressure, with help from linebackers, made it possible for the d-backs to roam around and pick-off many a pass…go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Alualu and Jordan combining for 10 sacks on a 3-man line is huge given they were supposedly just line fodder.
Looking forward to a monster ’09 with these guys. Go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Alualu was the man. Watching the games on reply he constantly beat 1 on 1 blocking in both the run and passing games and was a disruptive force on every play. IMO he should have been All Pac 10.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Love me the Alualu, dude is a monster
January 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
JO:
Can you verify that Keni Kaufusi is a Bear. Base on the report from Rival, He chose the the Bear this afternoon.
He looks like a under the radar monster DT.
Go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Kaufusi sat out last year because he didn’t qualify the previous year…but he did commit to Cal today
January 12th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Great news! He has a good report on the Rival.com
And, from looking at his record, he will be pushing all the opponent OLs around and harrassing the QBs in the next few years. And, look at his build on Scout, he looks like the incredible hulk.
9 sacks, 20 tackle for lost and 57 tackles. The defense is in good shape.
Go bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
ToparchiBears Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Great news!….And, look at his build on Scout, he looks like the incredible hulk….9 sacks, 20 tackle for lost and 57 tackles. >>>>>Nice stats and nice tats. He also has a heck of a rap sheet too.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
You just shut up Moron. Did you read the story before you comment. Everyone gone through life some where with a hickup. If knowing to turn around, he deserves a second chance. And, I am pround that Cal is giving him that chance.
Read the story yourself before you throw shit on the table. That is why you are so anoining and get no respect from us, Cal fan.
Go Bears!
Go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
BTW I have it from a good source that Kennard will be playing for…
My source is a coach and we went to the same church.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
And, Don’t tell me you don’t have any trouble or hickups in your life. From what you have been so sick in here to many of us, you maybe are still going through hell in your life right now. You response to my comment so quickly, and grudgefully to any good things out from Cal. You really need to go see a Psychiatrist to see what kind of devil is eating your brain.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Hope Keni is for real
This was issued today by Scout.com
Date: Jan 12, 2009
The Salt Lake City (UT) Cottonwood duo of offensive lineman Percy Taumoelau (6-6, 300) and defensive tackle Keni Kaufusi (6-2, 280) leave impressed with what they found at the University of Arkansas.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
OMG, you are a church goer, and, you should be so ashame of being a christian if you are, because, you don’t sound like one. Jesus taught us not look down on people like you just did.
BTW that is what you said about Kennard about a few weeks ago. And, has he decided, no. Get lost, my friend, your source of info. ummm???????? sucks…
And, when he decides, we will all know. And, You don’t have to be so stuck up that you think you know some thing that we don’t know.
Now, that from what you said, I wish he will go to any where else beside SC.
Go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
TA, relax!!! Amy is delusional. She doesn’t even know the definition of rap sheet. Law school, my arse! Keni wasn’t convicted of any wrong doing. He was being foolish and covering for a friend who had a gun in the car. Who here hasn’t learned from the school of hard knocks in one way or another? Obviously, he’ll never blindly support a “friend” in the future.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I don’t know for sure, that is why I asked J.O. to verify. However, Scout just revise the Bear’s commit list that includes him as the newest commit with a 3 stars rating.
Now, I hope that Kennard with Randall Carroll loved their visit to Cal on the big game day to win them over to Cal is sweet. That is my wish list for the year of 2009.
Go Bears! Go Bears! Go Bears!
January 12th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I find it funny that an $C fan is talking about rap sheets, given the history of their players…
January 12th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
So far Cal got the QB, the RBs, the DBs, the OLs, the DTs, now just missing are the DE and the WRs. If Carroll and or Adam Hall and DE Kennard commit will complete the great year of 2009.
And, my wish list for the year of 2010 is that Cal play on the first of January in Passadena.
Go bears!
January 13th, 2009 at 12:07 am
And my wish is that they play on the 8th of January in Pasadena..if you know what I mean!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Good news.
Taylor Mays has decided to return for his fourth and final season.
Bad news.
A couple of your WRs may call in sick before their game with us. Some of those hits by TM in this year’s game are still getting ESPN prime time.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:50 am
It would be unfortunate if Mays is returning, because his helmet to helmet hits he likes to use (finally caught in the bowl game) may cause real damage to someone. Hopefully, Tedford plants the seed with the refs early because, once that is removed from Mays’s game, he becomes a fairly pedestrian safety.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Eric Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Hopefully, Tedford plants the seed with the refs early because, once that is removed from Mays’s game, he becomes a fairly pedestrian safety.>>>> 2 time All American…enough said.
January 13th, 2009 at 8:00 am
why are you guys giving that douche a response at all…do what you do with children—ignore them
January 13th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Chuck, it’s a knee jerk response.
January 13th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Banned on the Scout boards!
Banned on the WeAreSC boards!
Punked by his own fans.
Moron can talk about SC all he wants — SC has disowned him and punked him.
Pity him. This blog is all he got.
Be careful what you wish for, Amy.
January 13th, 2009 at 9:59 am
The only way he can post on Scout is to hide who he is. Morencsarecoming is effectively neutered.
Wanna put up some more pictures on your scout profile, amy? Bwahahahahahahahahaha.
January 13th, 2009 at 10:51 am
did you all see that Stan Hasiak switched up from ucla to Cal? go Bears!
January 13th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Of course Mays was going to stay, he’s already a paid athlete at $C. Carroll has already bought his parents a nice house, rented him a limo, etc.
January 13th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
GB, I believe Amy is on the WeAreSC board as Cal hater. Give her time to show her true colors.
January 13th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Opps… GB, Calfootballsucks is the correct name, as what other SC fan would hate Cal football?
http://wearesc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67717
January 13th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Jesus F#$% Christ, Mays is coming back. That dude hits like a truck. Good thing Best will blow by him on a TD run or two…