Some tough news for the Bears, who’ve already been hit once this season with tight end injuries. Their promising true freshman tight end will miss the rest of the 2010 season. Jonathan Okanes reports.
Cal coach Jeff Tedford said freshman tight end Jacob Wark broke his ankle last Thursday in practice and is out for the season. Wark should get a medical redshirt.
With Jarrett Sparks still recovering from an ankle injury from the first week, a very strong position for the Bears coming into the season has now been reduced to a two-deep unit in Anthony Miller and Spencer Ladner.
Of more immediate concern is Mike Mohamed’s status, which is still unresolved. He continues to sit out practice with a sprained toe. Okanes gives his take on how much Cal needs him for this game.
One thing is for sure: The Bears need him to play in this game. They need him to play in every game, but especially this one. Not only does he have the speed to counteract Nevada’s pistol offense, he has the experience and intelligence to digest what the Wolf Pack are trying to do on offense.
The Bears not only need him to play, they need him to be 100 percent. Nevada is not the kind of offense you can face at half-speed. And that will be something to watch because a sprained toe can really limit a player. It may not seem like much, but athletes will tell you that a sprained toe is one of the toughest injuries to play through because you need it to push off. All of Cal’s defensive players will need that burst to be on top of what Nevada will throw at them.
Mohamed’s lack of practice time usually isn’t a concern, but the fact that Cal will be playing a completely new unit is of major concern. His experience could go a long way from turning a tight matchup into a decisive outcome.