By: Ethan Horner
(Photo/Jake Villorente- The Mojo Network)
The California Golden Bears look to improve this upcoming season with brand-new head coach Tosh Lupoi. Lupoi is a Golden Bear alum, as he played on the defensive line for Cal from 2000-2005. Lupoi spent the last few years as the defensive coordinator at Oregon, where he helped lead the Ducks to the No. 3-ranked defense in the country and a Big Ten Championship.
The biggest key for the Golden Bears this season was the fact that they were able to keep freshman phenom quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. JKS lit up the ACC as a freshman for Cal last season, throwing for 3,454 yards and 18 passing touchdowns. With JKS at the helm, I expect the Golden Bears to be a competitive sleeper in the ACC this upcoming season.
Cal also has a favorable conference schedule, as they avoid playing both Miami and Louisville. If Sagapolutele can take another step forward in his sophomore season and Lupoi can bring the same defensive success he had at Oregon, the Golden Bears could surprise some teams and make a serious push in the ACC.