noodlz2

home is where the heart is

[2024] Golden Nation: 3 Former Golden Bears Drafted + 2024 Official Schedule Is Released 2024 Official Schedule Week 1vs. Kansas State The Golden Bears start their season off at home with an exciting match up against Kansas State. After last year's double overtime thriller, Shane Kruse leading the helm on offense heads to Berkeley seeking revenge. Both programs saw a turn around in their programs with Cal finishing 8-5 and the Wildcats finishing 7-6. Cal's young talent on offense has big footprints to fill, hopefully the nerves are gone early on as they make their first appearance on a national level against a BIG XII opponent. Expect this one to come down the wire just like last year since both teams have guys at positions on both sides of the ball, who have gained a decent amount of playing time through smaller roles. Week 2 @ Washington There's a big question the Golden Bears coaching staff won't find out until Week 2, and that is how potent will the Huskies offense be without Jake Davis? Last year he got the job done in a close one, but there's a new face starting at the quarterback position who will get his first start and face his first PAC-12 opponent to open the season. True Freshman Anthony Holmes can take a sigh of relief knowing that he has a top notch group of receivers at his disposal. The Huskies made a trip to the CFBHC Playoff last season and are going to do everything they can to make another appearance. Both of these high powered offenses will set the tone for their conference play in what is expected to be a high scoring game in Seattle. Week 3 vs. UNLV First year Head Coach @ChizDippler and the Rebels will attempt to startle the Golden Bears on the road. With inexperience at positions such as quarterback, the Golden Bears are at risk of finding themselves in a game they rather not be in. Will Bronson Willingham be able to lead the Rebels to victory on the road against what could be a very hot California team at home? The Golden Bears stable of running backs, Raekwon Elam and Naiquon Barner, would love to show out in front of one of the MWC's best running backs. If all goes well the Golden Bears will be able to make some crucial adjustments before heading to Los Angeles the following week. Week 4 @ UCLA Last year's win against UCLA was evidence that Cal was ready to compete in the PAC-12. After heading home with a sour taste in their mouth, the Bruins must have this match up circled in the locker room. There's going to be a lot of future big names in the PAC-12 that will see the field in this game particularly on the UCLA side of the ball. Both programs are home to some of the conference;s top talent looking to make a name for themselves, which is going to lead a very exciting ball game. Head Coach @cultur3's recruiting expertise has allowed the Bruins to fill positions with young, but extremely talented athletes. It'll be interesting to see how the tides turn in Los Angeles when these two programs go at it. Week 5 vs. Auburn Berkeley will be home to an PAC-12 vs, SEC showdown in a stadium that is expected to be packed for this one. The SEC powerhouse with an arsenal weapons on both sides of the ball will aim to silence the Golden Bear hopefuls. Senior running back Israel Coleman will aim to show the Golden Bears stable of backs what experience at a top tier program looks like. Will the Golden Bears defense led by one of the nation's best defensive ends Jamal Dorsey be able to slow down this Auburn offense and give one of the PAC's top offensive teams a chance to win? The Golden Bears will be the underdogs in the match up and are going to do everything their control to shock the nation. Week 6 vs. Washington State Redshirt senior Bradley Hassan will lead this Cougar offense in a mid-season showdown. Last year the Cougars faced off against a very hot Golden Bears offense. At this point of the season both teams will have hopefully worked out the kinks, producing quality football on all sides. This is going to be the Golden Bears first obstacle on their way to another bowl appearance and hopefully PAC-12 Championship Game. Cal is going to have to make sure that there are very few errors on the field, and just like last year the run game is going essential to winning for their offense. Week 7 vs. Oregon State The Beavers showed the Pac-12 that there was some life to the program again last year. Despite finishing the season 4-8, expect the Beavers to show up in week 7. They have an experienced offensive line with some serious talent. Offensively for Cal, Max Lauer is going to be getting to the point in the season where he is completely comfortable in the offense. The run game is only going to get the Golden Bears so far and they are going to have to test this Oregon State defense. Another must win game in the schedule if Cal plans on going to another bowl game this season. Week 8 vs. Colorado Colorado faced a rough rebuilding period last season despite the success they had in 2022. This year Colorado's offense looks competitive and they see a lot of key talent returning with a full season under their belt. Redshirt senior running back Johnny Hough is going to need to have a huge day to help open up the passing game for Mike Naylor, who the Golden Bears coaching staff expect to be a headache. Defensively the Buffaloes have some weaknesses that the California offense plans to take full advantage of. Will the Golden Bears come out of this 4 week home game stretch with a positive record? Week 9 @ Arizona Cal doesn't have a good history with their conference foes in Arizona. They are going to be facing off against last year's Pac-12 North favorite who played Oregon for the conference championship. Arizona boasts one of the Pac-12's toughest defense's, which will be firing on all cylinders in order to give their offense a chance to make a statement.Senior defensive end Gabriel Darwin-Turner is going to look forward to challenging Jamal Dorsey for the All Pac-12 spot at the position and he's going to be excited to stop Cal's offense in it's tracks.These two programs didn't play each other in 2023, so it'll be exciting to see the chess match between these two ball teams unfold. Week 11 @ Oregon It's a great thing that the Golden Bears received a bye week during week 10, because playing the winners of north and south divisions back to back would not have been an easy task. The Josh Allman, Martin Cage, Benjamin Solomon trio is going to be in peak form by this time of the year, and will be ready to give Cal everything they can handle. Head Coach Noodlz2 is going to have a monumental task at hand trying to stop arguably the Pac-12's best offense. This is one of those games where the Cal pass game has to be productive if they plan on coming out on top. Week 12 vs. USC Talk about a tough last three games to end the final season, with Stanford the following week, the Golden Bears are going to have to dig deep if they still want to argue they're the best ball team in California (assuming Cal wins @ UCLA). USC's defensive line is arguably one of the most complete in the conference and they also have two very talented safeties with redshirt sophomores Chase Clemons and Ryan Smiley over the top. Two big questions for Cal's offense are where do they attack this USC defense, and how can they shutdown USC's offense again this year? Week 13 @ Stanford Head Coach Noodlz2 is off to a 2-0 start in the Big Game rivalry against the Cardinals during his tenure at Cal. This year Stanford's defense returns an immense amount of talent is actually quite frightening on paper. Redshirt sophomore strong safety Adalius Poole, Redshirt cornerback Damani Driver, Junior defensive tackle Kofi Hyde, are just a handful of names starting for the Cardinals defense looking to turn the tide in the Big Game. If they are able to stop Cal's offense this year, it may get real ugly for the Golden Bears. Golden Bears picked in 2024 NFLHC Draft This year the Golden Bears sent three players to the NFLHC Draft, with CB Shaq Kimbrough (7th round), RB Zachary McFadden (5th round), and WR Spencer Sharpe (3rd round). Zachary McFadden had a phenomenal combine bolstering a 4.39 40-yard dash, and Spencer Sharpe went in the first three rounds which is a huge accomplishment. Shaq Kimbrough's departure is a tough hit to the Golden Bears secondary, but his versatility at both the free safety and corner back position and combine numbers earned him a spot in the big leagues. Cal now has the ability to show next year's recruiting class that you do have the potential to play professionally if you play here. The three of the former Golden Bears have left some big footsteps to fill this year, hopefully the Golden Bears impact players can perform well enough this season to earn themselves a spot at the next level.

Week 1: vs @Swipet Week 3: vs @ChizDippler Week 5: vs @Rome

[2024] Golden Nation: Cal Spring Game Standouts + Projected Depth Chart Photo: Senior Wide Receiver Oscar Burr during pre-spring game photo shoot The Golden Bears Find Their Field General Photo: Max Lauer taking a snap against the first team defense Max Lauer is officially named the starting quarterback for the 2024 season. Lauer had a good day completing 19/26 of his passes for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns. The offensive chemistry showed as he connected with his veteran targets Marcus Hightower and Kahiau Alama for scores. His play style is very similar to Nick Ellison's last season showing off his accuracy and taking minimal risk. In Cal's offensive system the quarterback is an accessory to the run game, let the run game develop and take what the defense gives him from there in the pass game, and if the pass game is slow to develop then he becomes a third instrument to the run game. The 2 running backs accompanying him in the backfield allowed Lauer to focus on the gaps in the defense that open up in attempt to stop the run. A big question mark that was answered for the Cal coaching staff was whether Lauer and his receivers would be able to work together, and they did. It'll be exciting to see him play in his first start of the 2024 season. The Two Headed Beast Photo: Raekwon Elam on his first hand off the day It's obvious Raekwon Elam was dying to get back after being redshirted for the 2023 season. Head Coach noodlz2 made the decision with McFadden set to graduate and Naiquon Barner joining the program he knew Elam and Barner could be a great combination. Which the two running backs proved in their spring game one Tuesday. The two backs were set rotate with Elam getting the start and Barner playing the third down back role. Raekwon Elam accounted for 148 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 20 attempts breaking one for 28 yards. While Naiquon Barner rushed for 107 yards, had 1 TD, and showcased his speed that we saw a glimpse of last season breaking one off for 41 yards from scrimmage. After scoring a 5.6 OL rating, you can tell that this experienced offensive line that is returning is ready to go. If the offensive line continues to perform like this these two should have some room to work with this season. Young Standouts Photo: Coleridge Beverly on defense against Gold Team A few players caught the attention of the Cal coaching staff earlier this week in their spring game. True freshman OLB Ned Morin absolutely dominated the 2nd team offense accounting for 7 tackles and 1 TFL, while redshirt freshman SS Coleridge Beverly made 4 tackles against the first team offense and had 84 yards returning kicks. Redshirt freshmen DeMarcus Williams and Marc Crawley brought themselves some attention as well. Williams accounted for the only interception on the day, despite it being against the 2nd team offense, and Marc Crawley had 6 tackles and 1 TFL against the first team defense. The first team offense exposed some weaknesses in the Cal defense that need to be addressed heading into the season. Expected Positions in 2024: OLB Ned Morin - Rotate OLB Marc Crawley - Start SS Coleridge Beverly - KR (Start) SS (Rotate) CB DeMarcus Williams - Dime Projected 2024 Depth Chart Offense QB Max Lauer 6-5 202 (Jr) De La Salle (Concord CA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Scrambling] RB Raekwon Elam 5-8 201 (Sr) College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita CA) 4.5 of 4.5 [Power] RB Naiquon Barner 5-11 211 (So) Desert (Edwards CA) 3.5 of 5.0 [Power] FB Lorenzo Shearer 5-9 229 (Jr) Valley Christian (San Jose CA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Run Blocking] WR Marcus Hightower 6-3 192 (Jr) Glendale (Glendale CA) 5.0 of 5.0 [Speed] WR/TE Kahiau Alama 6-3 212 (Jr) El Dorado (Placerville CA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Receiving] WR Oscar Burr 5-10 160 (Sr) Acalanes (Lafayette CA) 3.5 of 3.5 [Speed] LT Philip Engel 6-2 301 Sr Golden Valley (Merced CA) 5.0 of 5.0 [Run Blocking] LG Walt Anders 6-1 272 (So) Williams (Williams CA) 3.0 of 3.5 [Pass Blocking] C John Eubanks 6-1 268 (Sr) Temecula Valley (Temecula CA) 4.5 of 4.5 [Run Blocking] RG Philip Barber 6-4 324 (Sr) Mammoth (Mammoth Lakes CA) 4.5 of 4.5 [Run Blocking] RT Jude Schmitt 6-1 310 (So) Galileo Academy (San Francisco CA) 3.0 of 3.5 [Run Blocking] Defense LE Jamal Dorsey 6-7 250 (Jr) Southwest (San Diego CA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Blitz] DT Adam Gibson 6-3 331 Sr Horizon (San Diego CA) 4.0 of 5.0 [2-Gap] RE Sincere Brinson 6-6 240 So Hayfork (Hayfork CA) 3.0 of 3.0 [Contain] LOLB Marc Crawley 5-11 228 (Fr) Galileo Academy (San Francisco CA) 2.0 of 3.5 [Coverage] ILB D'Andre Phillips 6-4 252 (Sr) Mission San Jose (Fremont CA) 4.5 of 4.5 [Mike] ILB Ben Wray 6-0 244 (So) El Dorado (Placerville CA) 3.0 of 3.5 [Will] ROLB Phillip Randall 6-3 217 (So) Justin-Siena (Napa CA) 3.5 of 4.5 [Will] CB Jamie King 6-0 172 So Justin-Siena (Napa CA) 3.0 of 3.5 [Zone Coverage] CB Zachary Riggins 5-11 202 (So) Argonaut (Jackson CA) 2.5 of 3.5 [Zone Coverage] CB Nicholas Ragland 5-10 188 (Sr) Glendale (Glendale CA) 3.0 of 3.0 [Man Coverage] FS Quincy Sterling 6-1 200 So Chula Vista (Chula Vista CA) 2.5 of 3.5 [Zone Coverage] SS Joshua Parris 6-0 179 (So) Avenal (Avenal CA) 3.5 of 3.5 [Zone Coverage] Special Teams K Chris Darnell 5-8 159 Jr Southwest (San Diego CA) 3.5 of 5.0 [Accuracy] P Chris Darnell 5-8 159 Jr Southwest (San Diego CA) 3.5 of 5.0 [Accuracy] LS Jayson Whipple 6-3 256 Jr Vernon Kilpatrick (Malibu CA) 3.0 of 3.5 [Traditional] KR Coleridge Beverly 5-10 195 (Fr) Chula Vista (Chula Vista CA) 2.5 of 4.0 [Man Coverage] PR Rafael Anaya 6-4 226 Sr Valley Christian (San Jose CA) 4.0 of 4.0

Our offensive line had a good season last year this season is looking to be even more promising. Naiquon and Raekwon had phenomenal day. Max Lauer did exactly what I needed him to do and took care of the ball well. Not sure if our defense managed to get worse since last season or our offense is just that much better.

Our rematch this year is going to be just as wild as last year’s matchup

Wait you mean I'll actually beat ASU this year?? Best of luck at Indiana!

Golden Nation: Spring Game News Coaching Staff Announces Max Lauer as Starting QB Photo: Max Lauer flirting with Rivals reporter after spring practice Expectations are high for the 6'5 223 pound junior this season. Finishing 8-5 last year, the Golden Bears caught a decent amount of national exposure breaking into the top 25 for a decent amount of the season. What helped lead last season's team to success was it's volatile offense that dictated games through the run. Once the offense opened up the run game, Nick Ellison connected with his receivers when the defense was vulnerable. Max Lauer is going to ease into the pass game this year, with Raekwon Elam returning for his last season and Naiquon Barner back after being an additional spark for the offense last year. Working with an experienced but experimental group of receivers it'll be exciting to see how Max Lauer performs in Cal's spring game. Lauer's Targets For Production Photo: Marcus Hightower in 1 on 1s This Spring List of WR Marcus Hightower 6-3 192 (Jr) Glendale (Glendale CA) 5.0 of 5.0 [Speed] WR Oscar Burr 5-10 160 (Sr) Acalanes (Lafayette CA) 3.5 of 3.5 [Speed] WR Threston Dean 5-10 190 Fr Hayfork (Hayfork CA) 2.5 of 3.5 [Speed] TE Kahiau Alama 6-3 212 (Jr) El Dorado (Placerville CA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Receiving] TE Benjamin Anthony 6-3 194 (So) Jordan Valley (Jordan Valley OR) 3.0 of 4.0 [Receiving] Cal's offense is going to be interesting this year with the loss of Spencer Sharpe split wide, this offense is now in search of someone to lineup by the numbers with Marcus Hightower. As of now it is looking like it'll be 6'3 212 pound receiving tight end Kahiau Alama who had 23 catches for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns at tight end and the slot last season. The #3 and #4 spots in this receiver corp are really up for grabs, chances are those positions change each week based on who the Golden Bears are playing. Hightower will be exciting to watch this season, the redshirt junior will be relied on heavily to make plays in the pass game this season. It's the perfect opportunity to show NFL scouts that he can play against some of the best defensive backs in the country each week. Benjamin Anthony will also be interesting to watch. With his build he has the opportunity to move out wide instead of the heavier, yet more experienced Alama. Barner and Elam: Sharing the Workload The workhorses: RB Raekwon Elam 5-8 201 (Sr) College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita CA) 4.5 of 4.5 [Power] RB Naiquon Barner 5-11 211 (So) Desert (Edwards CA) 3.5 of 5.0 [Power] Head Coach noodlz2 has come to the decision to rotate the two running backs going in to their spring game. Coach noodlz2's reason for the decision was to keep both of them fresh throughout the game, his goal by doing this is to wear down the opposing team's front seven and force teams to leave their secondary vulnerable. Cal may have lost some it's speed out of the backfield by losing McFadden, but they double down on force with this new double power back combination. Will True Freshman Threston Dean Start Against Kansas State? Photo: Threston Dean in Practice last Friday Threston Dean 5'10 190 pound true freshman rated at 2.5 of 3.5 [Speed] is listed as the starting kick returner and 5th receiver for the Gold Team which consists of the starting offense. He will start as the #1 receiver for the blue team as well as the Cal coaching staff aims to get him as many targets as they can. When Golden Nation asked Head Coach noodlz2 what his thoughts were on Threston Dean he said "Well, his ability to make plays in the slot in practice against our starting defensive backs makes us excited.", he also added "He's also just as fast as Oscar Burr and sits at 190 pounds more than him. We're hopeful his performance in the final spring scrimmage earns him a spot on the field against K-State.".

Cal is ready.

ASU n that Mich State bowl loss hurt

Coach Noodlz2’s response: “cal’s athletic program is currently focused on winning in a real sport, not shooty hoops” He also added: “with our offenses speed last season, i should’ve also coached track.”.

Congrats on the W @Time #P6

Golden Nation: What To Watch For In 2024 Rough Finish Finishing the season 8-5, the Golden Bears came up short against the Michigan State Spartans in the Holiday Bowl. It seemed as though Cal had control of this game early going into the half 17-7, but Spartans receiver Samuel Hare saved the day. The stars unfortunately forgot to shine that night with Zachary McFadden being held to under 100 yards rushing, and Nick Ellison completing only 17/30 of his attempts after being such an accurate passer all season. It was an disappointing finish to the 2023 season after the what this team was able to accomplish this year. With Ellison declaring early for the draft and McFadden preparing for the draft as well, the Golden Bears are left with some pretty big shoes to fill heading into the 2024 season. Photo of Holiday Bowl end zone celebration Who's Here, Who's Not? With many of the stars on offense gone and Shaq Kimbrough leaving the Cal secondary on defense, who's next up? The good news is every starting member of the offensive line unit that exceeded last season's is returning next year. On the defensive side of the ball this year's starting front seven may is going to see some new faces, depending on Ned Morin's showing in spring camp the true freshman outside linebacker has a shot at proving he can fill Phillip Randall's role. If that is the case next season he will be joining redshirt freshman Marc Crawley at the opposite outside linebacker position. Until then, Ben Wray is projected to step up at the will linebacker spot and leave Randall on the outside. At the starting safety positions Quincy Sterling will ready to take the reigns again at free his sophomore season and Joshua Parris at the strong spot will also be ready to roll for his redshirt sophomore year. It'll also be interesting to see if the exciting Rafael Anaya will have another record setting season at the Punt Return position. Also expect to see a lot of rotation between Tight End redshirt sophomore Benjamin Anthony and true freshman Threston Dean at the #3 and #4 spots in the receiver corp. Will Max Lauer be able to start off on the right foot, and can Raekwon Elam return from redshirting and be the work horse for this experienced Cal offense? Photo of Quarterback Nick Ellison after his final home game of the 2023 season Offensive Starters Leaving QB Nick Ellison (Early Draft Declaration) RB Zachary McFadden (Graduating) WR Spencer Sharpe (Graduating) Photo of Raekwon Elam catching routes during regular season practice 2024 Projected Offensive Starters (9 Returning) First Start - QB Max Lauer (Jr) Redshirted - RB Raekwon Elam (Sr) 2022 stats: 14 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD Returning - FB Lorenzo Shearer (Jr) Returning - WR Marcus Hightower (Jr) 2023 stats: 69 catches, 933 yards, 9 TDs, 66.64 YPG Returning - WR Oscar Burr (Sr) 2023 stats: 28 catches, 391 yards, 2 TDs, 35.5 YPG Saw Snaps - WR Benjamin Anthony (So) 2023 stats: 1 catch, 5 yards Returning - TE Kahiau Alama (Jr) 2023 stats: 23 catches, 292 yards, 2 TDs, 32.44 YPG Returning - OT Philip Engel Sr Returning - OG Walt Anders (So) Returning - C John Eubanks (Sr) Returning - OG Philip Barber (Sr) Returning - OT Erik Oliva (So) *4.72 OL rating in 2023. Offensive Skill/Pot Avg: 2023: (3.477/4.083) 2024: (3.683/4.088) Defensive Starters Leaving OLB Mamadou Holloway (Graduation) CB Shaq Kimbrough (Graduation) Photo of Cal defensive backs at practice during Stanford week 2024 Projected Defensive Starters (8 Returning) Returning - DE Sincere Brinson So 2023 stats: 4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR Returning - DT Adam Gibson (Sr) 2023 stats: 13 tackles, 1 TFL, 4 sacks Returning - DE Jamal Dorsey (Jr) 2023 stats: 44 tackles, 8 TFL, 14 sacks, 2 FF First Start - OLB Marc Crawley (Fr) Returning - ILB D'Andre Phillips (Sr) 2023 stats: 36 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 PD, 1 FR Saw Snaps - ILB Ben Wray (So) Returning - OLB Phillip Randall (So) 2023 stats: 29 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 FF, 1 FR Returning - CB Zachary Riggins (So) 2023 stats: 5 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 TD Saw Snaps - CB Jamie King So Saw Snaps - CB Nicholas Ragland (Sr) Returning - SS Joshua Parris (So) 2023 stats: 27 tackles, 1 PD Returning - FS Quincy Sterling (So) 2023 stats: 12 tackles, 1 PD Defensive Skill/Pot Avg: 2023: (2.767/3.821) 2024: (3.089/3.803) Photo from official visit photo shoot UCLA week Notable Signees #31 OLB Ned Morin 5-11 226 Fr Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland CA) 1.5 of 4.5 [Coverage] #41 DT Constantine Holland 6-6 314 Fr Justin-Siena (Napa CA) 1.0 of 4.0 [1-Gap] #47 DT Graham Whipple 6-2 285 Fr St. Cloud (St. Cloud FL) 1.0 of 3.5 [2-Gap] #92 DT Ben Berg-Briggs 6-6 283 Fr Elmira (Elmira OR) 1.0 of 3.5 [2-Gap] *Class rank: 108 The Void Recruiting! Despite all of head coach noodlz2's efforts regarding on field performance, this year's recruiting class is definitely below Pac-12 standards, and lacks the addition of depth at many positions in need. Rumor has it that oddly enough the Golden Bears head coach did not know he had access to players from the G5 pool in this year's class. If Cal wants to maintain the respect they earned on the field this season, they are going to have to be able to bring in talent that can do that. The defensive tackle and outside linebacker position groups will receive the best additions from the 2023 recruiting class with Constantine Holland a Napa, CA native and Ned Morin out of Bishop O'Dowd in Oakland. On paper it looks as if they both will be receiving a redshirt this season, but Ned Morin's spring camp performance could earn him a spot on the field in 2024. The bar is going to be set high for the Golden Bears coaching staff and their recruiting efforts next year. Hopefully, this defense can fill in the pieces from last year, can Max Lauer and Raekwon Elam keep Cal's offensive attack going? Head Coach Noodlz2 has a lot to focus on this spring camp to make sure Cal is prepared for next year.

Mountain West P6?