Cal Bears Name Starting Quarterback Ahead of Season-Opener with UNC

With the Cal Bears’ season-opener on the horizon, new head coach Justin Wilcox named his starting quarterback ahead of the matchup with UNC.

With just a few days before they open the season at Chapel Hill against the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Cal Bears have named their starting quarterback for the opener. In Justin Wilcox‘s debut as the head coach of the Golden Bears, redshirt sophomore Ross Bowers will be making his debut as Cal’s starting quarterback.

Bowers has yet to throw a competitive pass for the Bears despite playing two games for them, but beat out some stiff competition in training camp to earn the right to be starting quarterback. Among those he beat were junior Chase Forrest and freshman Chase Garbers. Brandon McIlwain was also in camp, but as a transfer player South Carolina, he must sit out the 2017 season, though he will have three years of eligibility upon his return.

The line in front of Bowers was also settled, with the starting five officially being named. Addison Ooms returns as the starting center one season after starting all 12 games, making him the only returning offensive player with 12 starts in 2016. Patrick Mekari will line up as left tackle, making him the only other starting lineman with previous starting experience. Mekari started four games in 2016, two at right tackle and two at left tackle.

Filling in around those two will be Jake Curhan at right tackle, Valentino Daltoso at right guard, and Kamry Bennett at left guard. Curhan is a redshirt freshman, and Saturday’s game will be his first college experience.

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Daltoso, a junior, is a transfer from Oregon who came over along with Steve Greatwood, his former offensive line coach with the Ducks who took the same job with Cal. Daltoso isn’t required to sit out a season because he was an un-recruited walk-on with Oregon. Bennett has college experience, as the junior has played six games with the Bears, all off the bench.

Bowers has big shoes to fill with the quarterback play that Cal has gotten in recent years. Jared Goff became a record-setting signal caller with the Bears before being taken first overall in the 2016 draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He holds Cal school records for completions (977), pass attempts (1,568), passing yards (12,195), and touchdowns through the air (96). In 2016, he set single-season Cal records with 4,714 yards and 43 touchdowns as he led Cal to an Armed Forces Bowl victory before declaring for the draft a year early.

Last season, graduate transfer Davis Webb had a huge year. He completed 382 passes in 620 attempts (both of which are single-season school records) worth 4,295 yards and 37 touchdowns. The New York Giants made Webb a third-round pick (87th overall) last year.

Bowers, a classic pro-style passer, is an unexperienced quarterback, but will have some good weapons at his disposal. His top two receivers will be sophomores Demetris Robertson and Melquise Stovall, both of whom were big contributors in 2016 as freshman. Robertson caught 50 passes for 767 yards and seven touchdowns, while establishing himself as a big-time downfield threat. Stovall was more of a slot/possession receiver, making 42 grabs for 415 yards and three scores.

They will also have some threats out of the backfield as well. Tre Watson is back for his senior year after rushing for 709 yards and four touchdowns as a junior. Vic Enwere, the bruising power back, is also back as a senior after rushing for 336 yards and two scores before a broken foot ended his 2016 season after six games.

Next: Ooms and Hudson on Preseason Watch Lists

Returning offensive contributors include Vic Wharton, Jordan Duncan, Brandon Singleton, Raymond Hudson, and Malik McMorris

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