Golden Bears at a glance

2001 schedule Sept. 1 vs Illinois Sept. 8 vs BYU Sept. 15 at Rutgers Sept. 22 at Washington St. Sept. 29 vs Washington Oct. 13 vs Oregon Oct. 20 at UCLA Oct. 27 at Oregon St. Nov. 3 vs Arizona Nov. 10 vs USC Nov. 17 at Stanford 2000 results (3-8, 2-6 Pac-10) Utah W 24-21 at Illinois L 17-15 at Fresno St. L 17-3 Washington St. L 21-17 at Arizona St. L 30-10 UCLA W 46-38 at Washington L 36-24 at USC W 28-16 Oregon St. L 38-32 at Oregon L 25-17 Stanford L 36-30

Dynamic junior RB Joe Igber has his weight up to 200 pounds yet has increased his 40 speed to the mid-4.4s. Igber ranks as one of the more effective cut-back runners in the country. Last year he rushed for 116 yards against Washington, while posting 181 yards on just 15 carries against Arizona State. Expect Igber to carry the ball 20 to 25 times a game, with power backs Joseph Echema and Saleem Muhammad available to spell Igber and give defenses a different look. By the way, after wearing No. 6 last year, Igber has switched to No. 30 this season.

At WR, Derek Swafford and Geoff McArthur figure to open as the starters, although I'm told the coaching staff has been excited about the play of senior Sean Currin. The 6-0½, 190-pound former walk-on is coming off an outstanding spring. Swafford, who missed the first three games last season due to a sprained back, still managed to lead the Golden Bears in receiving. Chase Lyman, an angular 6-4, 200-pound sophomore, is also in the mix.

If there is an area on offense that needs to be answered positively in the fall, it is TE. Currently, things are up in the air at this spot. Entering fall practice, inexperienced junior Tom Swoboda appears to have a slight edge over Terrance Dotsy for the starting job.

Making things a great deal easier for Boller and Igber will be a Golden Bear offensive line that has the potential to be outstanding. In the spring, a key move was the switch of senior Brandon Ludwig from guard to center. Ludwig could rank as one of the top pivot men in the country. Another key performer is huge, 6-8, 335-pound LT Langston Walker. After missing the final seven games of the 2000 season with an ankle injury, Walker will be looking to establish himself as a top-flight NFL prospect this season. Sophomore RT Mark Wilson and junior RG Scott Tercero are solid returning starters, while LG Nolan Bluntzer also has plenty of experience.

DEFENSE
Defensively, Cal has to replace just three starters -- but one of those is dominating DE Andre Carter, who elevated the performance level of the entire front four. Moving into that spot could be redshirt freshman Tosh Lupoi, but he'll have to hold off talented juco transfer Tom Canada. Canada has moved from DT to DE, with his non-stop motor and superior intensity level allowing the 6-3, 265-pounder to garner a great deal of positive commentary. At DT, Josh Beckham and Daniel Nwangwu are the projected starters heading into the fall, but in August all eyes will be on heralded freshman Lorenzo Alexander. The 6-3, 280-pounder recorded 17 sacks at the prep level last season, ranking as a potential All-American in the Andre Carter mold. At the other DE spot, Tully Banta-Cain qualifies as the Golden Bears' top returning defensive lineman. The former OLB registered 13 tackles for loss last season, including 5½ sacks.

At LB, Cal has excellent overall depth, with six to seven players in the mix for serious playing time. The by-product of all this strength in numbers should be improved play from the kick-coverage units. The primary headliner is OLB Scott Fujita, an athletically gifted 6-4½, 250-pounder who came to the Golden Bears as a safety. An exceptional student, Fujita could become an intriguing NFL prospect with a productive final campaign.

Even though he was held back in the spring with a hamstring injury, junior CB Jameel Powell could rank as one of the top players at his position in the Pac-10. Last year, he broke up 16 passes in nine games. The 6-1, 185-pounder also intercepted four passes while setting a school record by averaging a whopping 18.2 yards per punt return last season. At the other CB spot, James Bethea came out of spring practice as the starter, edging out LaShaun Ward and Atari Callen. Junior Nnamdi Asomugha returns to his FS position after leading the Golden Bears with 76 tackles last season. At SS, Bert Watts and Dewey Hale split time last year.

SPECIAL TEAMS
On special teams, the major concern is whether the Golden Bears will be able to adequately replace punter Nick Harris, who has moved on to the NFL. Last year Harris meant so much to the Golden Bears, consistently pinning the opposition deep in their own territory. Redshirt freshman Tyler Fredrickson will have an opportunity to win the job during fall practice.

Overview: After four straight losing seasons, Holmoe appears to have the talent necessary to garner a bowl invitation. With Borges now running the offense, the Golden Bears hope that Boller will continue to show the necessary improvement when the bell rings. With Igber running behind a top-flight offensive line, Cal should be able to establish a consistent ground attack. And don't forget that Echema and Muhammad can spell Igber, providing another dimension with their power and tackle-breaking ability. While there may not be a super blue-chipper at WR, this group should be OK.