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California Football: Golden Bears look to build off strong 2019 season

By Aaron Gershon

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: (L-R) California Golden Bears defensive player of the game Zeandae Johnson #44 and offensive player of the game Chase Garbers #7 celebrates after California defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini 35-20 in the RedBox Bowl at Levi's Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: (L-R) California Golden Bears defensive player of the game Zeandae Johnson #44 and offensive player of the game Chase Garbers #7 celebrates after California defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini 35-20 in the RedBox Bowl at Levi's Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 30: Chase Garbers #7 of the California Golden Bears running with the ball fights off the tackle of Ayo Shogbonyo #52 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half of the RedBox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 30: Chase Garbers #7 of the California Golden Bears running with the ball fights off the tackle of Ayo Shogbonyo #52 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half of the RedBox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Cal looks for Chase Garbers to stay healthy, lead offense

California’s offense finished among the worst in the nation last season as they finished 117th in the nation and dead-last in the Pac-12 by averaging just 328.5 yards per game.

This has the potential to improve greatly if they can keep quarterback Chase Garbers healthy. As a sophomore last season, the Golden Bears were a perfect 7-0 when Garbers played for more than a half and went 7-2 in his starts. In games which he did not start, California posted a 0-3 record and went 0-5 in games he did not play at least a half.

The signal-caller threw for 1,772 yards and 14 touchdowns with just three interceptions while rushing for 223 yards and three scores. In California’s Red Box Bowl win over Illinois, he won offensive MVP honors after completing 71 percent of his passes for 272 yards with a career-high tying four touchdowns. When healthy, he is among the most dominant quarterbacks in the conference and should provide Cal a huge boost if healthy.

Elsewhere, the Golden Bears will return one of the league’s top running backs in Christopher Brown Jr. Brown ran for 914 yards with eight rushing touchdowns while hauling in 22 catches for 166 yards and four scores. He will be joined in the Cal backfield by Marcel Dancy, who ran for 248 yards and two scores as the No. 2 running back last season.

At wide receiver, Cal will bring back their leading receiver from a year ago in Nikko Remigio, who made 38 catches for 513 yards and three touchdowns. Makai Polk will also return after a strong freshman season in 2019 that saw him haul in 19 catches for 295 yards and two touchdowns placed third on the team. Finally, tight end Jake Tonges also returns after hauling in 13 catches for 262 yards and a score last season.

With nearly all o California’s top skill-position players from a year ago returning, the key to offensive improvement will simply be keeping Garbers healthy and effective.

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