Football: Keenan Allen's career at Cal likely done

The most prolific receiver in Cal football history, Keenan Allen, may have played his last game for the Golden Bears.

The Bears will be without their star junior when they host Washington in the first-ever Friday night game at Memorial Stadium, his injured left knee adding to a litany of bad news this season.

Coach Jeff Tedford, whose Bears (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) must win their final three games to become bowl eligible, said Allen injured his posterior cruciate ligament during an onside kick try late in the 49-27 loss at Utah last Saturday. He will not require surgery, Tedford said, and will be sidelined 2-3 weeks.

“He’ll recover just fine. It’s nothing major,” Tedford said after practice Thursday. “If you see him walking, he looks fine. But walking and running (pass) routes are two different things.”

Considering what’s at stake for Allen — regarded as a near-certain first-round NFL draft pick if he is healthy — it’s hard to imagine him risking his future with a premature return to action.

Click here to read the rest of my Cal-Washington game preview.

CAL VS. WASHINGTON

RECORDS: Cal 3-6, 2-4 in Pac-12; Washington 4-4, 2-3

KICKOFF: 6 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Berkeley

TV: ESPN2

RADIO: 810-AM

SERIES HISTORY: Washington leads 49-38-4. Washington won 31-23 in 2011 and has won three in a row and four of the past five meetings. Prior to that, Cal won five in a row.

STORYLINES: Cal must win its final three games in order to secure longshot bowl eligibility. … Junior wide receiver, who owns Cal’s career receptions record with 205 catches, injured his left knee in the loss to Utah and is out Friday, likely for the season. … This is the first Friday night game in the history of Memorial Stadium. … Washington’s appearance marks the return of three former Cal assistant coaches, including once-popular defensive line coach and top recruiter Tosh Lupoi, a Cal grad, whose sudden departure last January stirred strong fan reaction. … Cal is looking to avoid another slow start after managing just three field goals in the first half of one-sided losses to Stanford and Utah.

INJURY UPDATE: Cal — OLB Brennan Scarlett (broken hand), OLB Chris McCain (ankle) and WR Bryce Treggs (ankle) are probable; DL Viliami Moala (ankle), ILB Jalen Jefferson (concussion) and CB Marc Anthony (concussion) are questionable; WR Keenan Allen (knee) is out. Washington — RB Jesse Callier (knee), DE Hau’oli Jamora (knee), RB Deontae Cooper (knee), WR James Johnson (wrist), OL Erik Kohler (knee), OL Colin Tanigawa (knee) and DL Lawrence Lagafuaina (leg) are out.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: Cal front seven vs. Washington quarterback Keith Price. The Bears are hobbled up front and have been forced to utilize less-experienced players along the defensive line and at linebacker. They must deal with Price, who has struggled this season behind an injured-riddle offensive line, but has the ability to throw, run or throw while on the run.

STATS THAT MATTER: QB Zach Maynard has moved to No. 10 all-time on Cal’s total offense list with 5,189 yards. Cal kicker Vincenzo D’Amato has made his past nine field goal attempts. … Washington’s defense ranks 11th in the Pac-12 against the run, allowing 185.1 yards per game. … Washington sophomore Austin Seferian-Jenkins leads all FBS tight ends with 40 receptions.

wehofx

Is it just me or as this season has gone down the toilet, is JF showing more humor, more snark and more of himself in his writing?

I have always enjoyed reading jf but this year I’m enjoying his writing more. Great work, jf.

With KA out just more of a chance for treggs, harper, powe and rodgers to shine. Yeah, I know, that assumes the ol will protect and zm can get them the ball.

Go Bears! Beat udub! Put sark, wilcox, kiseau and the ‘ho back on the hot seat.
Steve W

How pathetic is it that KA is on the on-side kickoff team with a minute left in the game and Cal hopelessly out of reach in a 20-point blow-out? Tedford has been criticized throughout his career for playing it way too safe, but here he is trying to make a slaughter look less like a slaughter and perhaps save his job. In the process, he loses his best player. Again, pathetic. How soon can this guy make his exit?
daredevilfan

Time to get some young guys a lot of snaps to benefit next year!
CalBearister

A sad headline that should be followed shortly by “Jeff Tedford’s career at Cal also likely done.” What kind of idiot puts a NFL-caliber wide-out in for an onsides kick when the game is completely out of hand?

This is why I’m so disgusted with Tedford – he demonstrates absolutely no brains in his gameday coaching. Going for it on 4th and 1 against Ohio State when the game is tied, your kicker is having a horrid day, and the other team has an explosive offense? That’s a risk that makes sense (big upside, little downside). Yet Tedford doesn’t take it. But an onside kick in a blowout, and you put in the only WR that your latest in a long string of ineffective QBs can throw to?

Stupid stupid stupid. Stupid.
Dan

Eric – if that piece of wonderful news is indeed true, Tedford has a chance to exit with SHRED of decency and respect – IF – he’s not leaving with the entire contract value as an exit package. If he negotiated most or all of the dollars remaining on his contract, good for him I guess – but he will leave with no appreciation or respect from me. And Sandy Barbour can follow him right out the door if that’s the best she can do. It should be the final nail in her coffin.
covinared

Keenan is the best all around receiver in my Cal history. Not as explosive or elusive as D Jackson, but a bigger target, better in traffic and blocking. I only saw Wesley Walker in highlights. Sean Dawkins and Steve Rivera are up there as well.
covinared

Chase Lyman could have been up there without the injuries.
Eric

@Covina – agreed, Chase Lyman had the goods, and just think if he hadn’t been injured in the U$C game in 2004. I’m not good at judging any Cal receivers prior to 1990, but since then, I think it is hard to argue against Keenan or DeSean. Very different receivers, but both were superlative at what they could do. Douglas and MacArthur (hey, that is a funny combo, yes?) were terrific possession receivers, and they took a lot of punishment, but they were not game breakers.
MoreNCsarecoming

Daddy said his favorite QB of all time will be honored at the game tonight. Barkosti is to receive some kind of award and Daddy said they should put a uniform on him and let him play. Even though he is 60 years old he could play better than Sack Wayward.

HAHAHAHAHA
MoreNCsarecoming

I feel very badly for this kid. He will likely opt for the draft (or at least he should). Next year Lee and Woods will opt and they are much better than Allen so he should leave this year.

He should have played at Alabama. He would have received national media attention, competed every year for the natty, made All American and been a household name.

He comes to UC East Bay and he is out of sight and out of mind east of the Truckee River. The best bowl game he played in was the only one – a complete beatdown by Texas in the Holiday Bowl. He blows out his knee on an onside kick with the game out of reach. That’s what happens when you play for a mediocre program with no tradition for winning.

Let all future recruits beware of playing for this program. Look at Moala. He has turned into a nothing of a player when he was being hailed as the next Haloti Ngata. Eddie Vanderhos from Placer High knew better and that is why he signed with SC. And look at the rest of the highly rated players from this area. John Boyton from Napa signed with Oregon, Shaq T signed with UW, Hutchings from DLS signed with SC, etc.
Easy Ed

Cheeto Kid! Maybe Reggie Bush should have gone to Alabama then his parents could have gotten a less expensive house down south. “Daddy” was so drunk at the Club the other night he couldn’t enunciate “Bartkowski”. Please make something out of your life and save “Daddy” from the bottle.
Steve W

Sean Dawkins and Brian Treggs were the best wide receiving tandem on that great 91 team. They get my vote even though the Jackson/Hawkins/Jordan trio were more talented as a group in 2007. Can anyone imagine how good that 07 team would have been with an effective QB all season? With Aaron Rodgers?
Easy Ed

Wesley Walker was pretty good.
Larry

…and hopefully Maynards career is over too.

Football: Keenan Allen’s career at Cal likely done

Jeff Faraudo