BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — With a freshman quarterback, a new coaching staff and overhauled systems on both offense and defense, California comes into its season opener against No. 22 Northwestern on Saturday night with the element of surprise on its side.
Whether that will be enough for the Golden Bears to get off to a fast start in the first year under new coach Sonny Dykes after a disastrous 3-9 campaign under Jeff Tedford a year ago remains to be seen.
Northwestern has extensively scouted last year’s Louisiana Tech offense run by Dykes and new Cal coordinator Tony Franklin as well as tape of the Bears’ spring game in order to get up to speed but coach Pat Fitzgerald is prepared for some new wrinkles.
