SportsLine wire reports
April 8, 1999

LINCOLN, Neb. -- California football coach Tom Holmoe thinks his defense might be good enough this fall to carry his team into a late-season run at the Pac-10 Conference title.

It's his offense that he's worried about, and it's easy to understand why.

The Golden Bears, in a similar situation to their Sept. 11 opponent, Nebraska, will probably head into fall camp without a clear picture as to who will lead the offense at quarterback.

Holmoe said he'd like one of two inexperienced signal callers to emerge this spring and claim the job.

SOPHOMORE SAMUEL CLEMONS IS EXPECTED to be the leading candidate, he said, because he has more experience than his competition, freshman David Page. Clemons was the backup in 1998 for Bear starting quarterback Justin Vedder, who has graduated.

Holmoe said Clemons, a 6-2, 210-pounder, would be a greater threat throwing the ball than would Page.

"He is big and strong and has a very strong arm," Holmoe said. "He has pretty good speed, but I wouldn't call him an elusive runner."

Page on the other hand, he said, has "great speed and mobility."

Cornhusker fans should already know who they'd rather face of these two young quarterbacks.

The Huskers return a secondary that should rate among the country's best, and a linebacker core that could prove to be among the nation's fastest.

A SUCCESSFUL GAME PLAN AGAINST THE NU defense would seem to need a quarterback who can create yards outside of normal execution of plays.

Holmoe said Page is the type of player who can break the hold of the Blackshirts' 4-3 defense.

By Holmoe's account, the 6-0, 190-pound redshirt freshman sounds like a more complete college-style quarterback than does Clemons.

"David's a very good runner, very elusive, hard to tackle," Holmoe said. "He also has a very good arm, very good accuracy and throws the ball well down field. And he's dangerous running around out there."

NU Coach Frank Solich said defending a quarterback with the ability to scramble naturally worries an opposing coach.

"Everybody has problems with a mobile quarterback," Solich said. "Those kind of guys are tough to defend because they can take off on a drop-back pass and have the ability to make big plays running in that manner."

HOLMOE SAID IT WAS TOO EARLY TO SAY if either young quarterback has an edge, and the Bears likely wouldn't have decided on a starter heading into fall camp.

That might be because of two heralded incoming freshmen who are expected to make an impact on fall drills - Kyle Boller and Ryan Sorahan.

Holmoe said he plans to take a serious look at both.

"We'll give those two guys the opportunity to jump in and see what they can do," he said. "They are very good players. And based on what they did in high school, they deserve a chance."

Fortunately for the Bears, they return 16 starters, most of them coming back on defense from last year's 5-6 campaign.

When Solich was asked to make an early assessment of Cal, one answer came quickly.

"We know this: They were definitely an excellent football team last year," he said.

THE CAL DEFENSE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED a hobbled Nebraska offense last year in its 24-3 home loss to the Huskers. California held NU to 177 yards on the ground, well below the Huskers' season average of 253.8 yards a game.

"We had some pretty good success on defense last year and we'd like to build on that foundation," he said. "Our defense might have to carry our young offense for a little while." Holmoe said while the Bears' defense should be the strongest part of the team, it will have to give a top effort to stop the Huskers in Lincoln next season.

The second-year coach said that whether the California wins or loses, playing a team of NU's caliber can only help its chances in conference play.

"Nebraska's going to be one of the most physical offensive teams you'll ever play," he said.

"If you don't come with something, come back somewhat physical, they'll have their way with you sooner or later."

Holmoe listed Arizona, UCLA and USC as the early favorites to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl next January. However, he said the Pac-10 race should be "fairly wide open," and the Bears will list the conference championship as a team goal.

"To go into a season and not have that as your goal would be criminal to me," he said.