An improved pass rush would help, and mixing up the play calling.

agreed. QB play is going to be a large part of how successful this season will be.

The coverage on the website has been going downhill for a long time.

They may just be understaffed. The baseball coverage is an absolute joke. If you read one of the game recaps it even admits they used an automated content generator. Weird, repetitive articles that don't follow any kind of logical progression.

heartofthebear from Cal site: ". I expect some will be disappointed in the defense because, using the magical thinking typical of most fans, they will think somehow the coaches should be able to overcome the loss of 2 starting DL and one key backup. I think the loss of Johnson alone cements my claims of a less than 5 win season."

Their fans believe they have young, explosive, unproven talent at offensive skill positions.

Cal Frosh OL, 6'3", 335#, 2 deep.

https://bearinsider.com/s/3278/bear-insider-video-cal-og-sioape-vatikani/2

Bear Insider: "As much as the team is excited to get out there, they also recognize that Davis is a solid team that will not likely be a pushover.

“They just don't make many mistakes,” Wilcox said. “They’re going to play really hard, they run to the ball on defense to limit the big plays, offensively they can stretch you and create issues with different formations and motions. And then they have good players. We know what kind of players they have.”

Having worked with Dan Hawkins, the UC Davis Football coach, Wilcox knows a little bit about what the team can expect, and how their offense can potentially challenge the Bears.

“They are going to be well coached,” Wilcox said. “Offensively, they’re going to give you issues with perimeter and motions and formation. They do a really good job with their offense, and defensively same thing. I mean they know what they're doing and as you could expect from any team coach Hawkins is involved with, they're going to be really good on special teams.” "

https://bearinsider.com/s/3276/cal-football-saturday-827-report

They no doubt have talent, but they’re going to be a little unsettled because of the change of personnel.
Davis is a lot more settled in that we have a lot of guys who’ve played together. The only big uncertainty with Davis is quarterback.
In the 2010 game a Cal freshman wide receiver playing in his first game dominated the game. So experience isn’t everything,

Like our last meeting, getting a turnover or two would be helpful. Young Hawkins has a challenge.

Cody has three offensive assistant coaches who have been passing game coordinators in previous stops.

Dan's reluctance to name a starting QB in the press conference makes me wonder if it was one of the dark horses that was selected; Dixon or Faulk. I mean, Hastings was kind of the de facto incumbent coming into the season even if he wasn't spectacular last season, but if he were the guy I don't see why it wouldn't have been made known. It's not usually a secret when your "starting" QB returns.

Hawk doesn't even name one's.

Cal’s got to plan that it Hastings because they don’t have film on anyone else.
I wonder to what extent we’ve changed our offense to fit what Dixon does well. Dr. Mike indicated a few months back that he heard Dixon was a front runner. Hastings did some things well, like two minute offense, but he made some bad interceptions. It’s tough that when he got to play we were playing a tougher set of opponents. None of our QBs would have won one of our last three games, too many other shortcomings.

Faulk nimble.

Well I hope whoever got selected is ready to jump into the shark tank. We got to get back to the up tempo offense that Maier was able to run. We looked too asleep at the wheel far too frequently last year.

“ Improved depth is never a bad thing, but I think this season rides or dies on if the QB play can take a step forward. It just wasn't where it needed to be last season.”

Yep, that. BTW, wasn’t it Randy that was thrown in against Cal as a freshman?

No inside info, but I’m still thinking Newman is going to get the start.

Yep, that was Randy. I still don't know if it's a mistake or what, but Newman isn't listed on the game day roster in the notes.

Miles Hastings is not going to start against Cal. My guess is Dixon

I believe all Hawks practices are closed. But maybe someone could get a student concessions person to grab a quick look to see which QB is with the first unit. Or use a drone. Maybe a silly idea!

I think so too, hence my wondering if we’ve changed the offense some for Dixon to maximize whatever his strengths are.

Is there a requirement that a planned suited player be listed on the week before notes?

Preview

https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/davis-aggies-preview

Last season I had an insider but didn’t want to post any info as it might get him in trouble. He’s moved on to a different job now.

I grew up a big Cal fan, since both my parents attended UC Berkeley and my father got his MA there and took me to some of the games. In fact, I got to see the 1958 Rose Bowl team lose to Pacific when Dick Bass ran all over the Bear defense. When the Aggies play them, I feel very torn, but as a loyal UCD alum, I have to root for the Ags. Only time I ever root against the Golden Bears. Ags had a real shot at an upset in 2019 but I don't see it happening this year.

Game notes are pretty obviously not official as many of us have noted errors. I don’t know if there is any ncaa regulation that requires staff to release personnel info to the opposition. With all of the HIPAA stuff, seems like everything is much more secretive. SIDs I would think handle this stuff.

My father told me all about that game and Dick Bass.

Dick Bass from Vallejo High. Great runner. No shame losing to him

I don't know about game time, but I just looked at a weather app and the predicted high for Berkeley on Saturday is 85. Meanwhile Slack State just moved their Saturday kick-off from 6:00 to 7:30 in light of the predicted heat wave this weekend.

A little late on the uptake here, but I get Comcast in Sacramento and the on-screen guide has the game being broadcasted on Pac-12 Bay Area.

As does a press release on the Davis website: https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2022/8/30/uc-davis-football-heads-to-cal-for-season-opener.aspx

85 no problem for us. Bears maybe. I read a long time ago that the “sure way” for a FBS team to defeat an FCS is to: sub a lot in the first 3 quarters and then lay it on the line in the fourth quarter using all the starters against an exhausted and reduced sized FCS team. The one thing that this leaves out is the heart left in the FCS team in the 4th Quarter. I want to believe Hawk will bring this out in our guys. I am not at all pessimistic about next Saturdays game. We could do it.

That strategy is not as sure to work in this situation. First, because of the short distance the whole team can go. 2nd, the COVID extra year results in more experienced players. This helps the FCS team more than the FBS team due to the law of diminishing returns, you can only play so many guys. Finally, one thing proved last year is that our players are fit, and usually owned the fourth quarter.
In 2010 we got beat in a lot of ways, but one was by a five star freshman who we couldn’t run with, in 2019 it was a big back playing power football.