The offensive line is perhaps the most critical area on the team where they have to get production. The offense really lives and dies with whether the offensive line can do a good, consistent job. If Cal fans remember back to 04', yes, we had rodgers, we had jj, we had marshawn, but the biggest reason for the success of that offense was the line. Rodgers got all day to throw and they opened up huge holes for jj and marshawn. That line was stacked, it was so good that future first round pick Alex Mack was a backup.
This year's offensive line must improve upon last year's performance but the positive thing is that our line was young and inexperienced last year. Hopefully with experience the line will improve as Cal brings back 4 out 5 starters, only losing Mike Tepper to the NFL. The line looks like this:
Matt Summers-Gavin should start at left tackle. Summers-Gavin is moving from guard to tackle and is a very solid, very talented offensive lineman. Cal went 7-1 when Summers-Gavin played. Hopefully, this season he can stay healthy as he may be the most important piece on the O-line.
Brian Schenke should start at left guard who is very talented and played in all 12 games as a freshman last season and should benefit from the year of experience he has under his belt.
Chris Guarnero was an All Pac-10 honorable mention last year and did a above average job replacing Alex Mack last season. Guarnero who is a senior will be called on to anchor the middle of the offensive line and Cal with their tradition of having good centers in the Tedford era has another good one in Guarnero.
Justin Cheadle will start at right guard after starting all 12 games at right guard last season. Cheadle is a junior and was voted the most improved lineman on the team last year by the team. Cheadle is a solid right guard and will hopefully improve again this season.
Mitchell Schwartz is also a returning starter at right tackle that started all 12 games last season. Schwartz was also recognized as an All Pac-10 honorable mention last season. If improvements are made in his pass blocking it will make life much easier on Riley this season.
This Cal line does have decent depth but possibly lost Charles Ragland for the season due to academic issues but may possibly transfer back from San Mateo community college before the season starts if he can get his grades up to par. Redshirt freshman Charles Siddoway should compete for the backup job and Coach Tedford was quoted as saying that Siddoway was actually further along than Ragland in competing for playing time after spring. Donovan Edwards has been used as a spot starter and will backup all 5 of the offensive line positions. Dominic Galas and Mark Brazinski were both getting looks during the spring at center and should provide depth at center and guard. Galas also played in all 13 games last season as well so he experience. Brazinksi redshirted as a freshman last season and came in as a 4 star center by rivals.com and certainly has the talent to provide depth. Sam Demartinis and Richard Fisher round out the rest of the returning backups that will provide depth on the line.
Cal also had a pretty good year in recruiting on the offensive line as well. Alex Crosthwaite and Chris Adcock are both 4 star offensive linemen on espn.com and Geoffrey Gibson is a big offensive lineman from Nevada. It is likely that all of the O-line recruits will blueshirt, however, if called upon they certainly have the talent to fill in.
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