Defense Steps Up Patchwork Linebacking Corps Helps Hold Cal Offense To 238 Yards

In the preseason Washington State’s James Price was asked what happens if one of the linebackers gets hurt? “I don’t think any of us will,” the junior responded.

Well, in one week Price (hand) and starting middle linebacker Champ Simmons (shoulder stinger) were both injured. And what happened was that a walk-on freshman Mike Isaacson got his first start. Freshman Al Genatone got his first start. Junior linebacker Serign Marong got his first playing time of the season after being out of practice all fall because of a bad back. And in what maybe the surprise of the season, the rag-tag linebackers held together and held Cal to 238 yards.

“I appreciate how they played,” said Raonall Smith, the only regular starting linebacker. “Isaacson, first game his eyes were as big as could be. Genatone came in and played well. Serign, I know his back was hurting.

“It was a team effort as far as the linebackers were concerned,” Smith said. “You just knew that if you were down, you had someone there to back you up.”

The stats reflected that. Smith finished with seven tackles, including two for losses. Alex Ngaue, to this point a little used JC transfer, had six tackles. Marong had five tackles.

“I didn’t even know that I was going to travel until Thursday before practice,” said Marong. “At that time I thought maybe I would play Sam (strong-side linebacker), but with Champ out I had to learn the Willie (weak-side).

“The whole defense since we were facing a lot of adversity and had been down, it was like a wounded animal,” he continued. “We had to come out fighting.”

In all, the Cougars’ defense, which was 97th in the nation in defense (418 yards per game) coming into the game, limited the Bears to 238 yards. Cal only had one drive of more than 60 yards. And WSU did it by keeping things simple.

“It was more base than anything,” Marong said. “Just a few blitzes in there. It was not real complicated.”

Kicking game

All week, Alan Cox had heard about how great Cal punter Nick Harris was. All-American this. Ray Guy that. On Saturday, it was Cox, the first-year Cougars punter, stealing the superlatives. Cox averaged 44.8 yards on six punts. Coming into the game, his average was 37.7.

His longest punt came at the most crucial time of the game. Backed up at the 1-yard line, Cox was forced to punt from the back of the end zone. He knocked it 59 yards, his longest as a Cougar.

Harris had four punts for 31.8 yards. And those are the ones he made contact with. Once, Harris missed the ball completely. Another time, he was tackled after a bad snap. And then WSU’s Erik Coleman blocked a punt.

Special teams coaches Kasey Dunn and Jeff Banks had timed the release on Harris’ punts this week. They decided that if the Cougars could line up in return formation, but then change and come after the punt, it would confuse Harris.

“When he (Harris) looks at them (the return team) and sees that they are not going to rush then he would hold the ball a little more,” said WSU coach Mike Price. “It worked perfect.”

Basement banter

Washington State and Cal have battled in the basement of the Pac-10 in the past two, going on three, seasons. But, despite the fact Cal is the only Pac-10 team WSU has beaten since 1997, the Bears do not take kindly to being compared with the Cougars.

“I know other teams look down their schedule and think, `OK, we can beat these two teams, Cal and Washington State,”’ Cal senior Reed Diehl told the Oakland Tribune. “Other people look at us in relation to Washington State. That doesn’t sit well with me.”

Raymond out for season

Senior offensive lineman Reed Raymond was lost for the season when he tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Raymond had been a mainstay on the offensive line for three years. The 6-foot-8 300-pound Raymond was a large part of why the Cougars had so much success running the ball to the right side of the field this season.

“Guys like Josh Parrish are going to have to step up,” said Price.

Freshman Billy Knotts could also see some more playing time on the line.