3^rd quarter

5:01: Schwartz whiffs on a 2^nd level block.

4:49: Schwartz with a good run block.

4:21: Schwartz can’t handle Chase Thomas’ quickness, allows pressure.

4:14: Schwartz pancake block on the edge.

2:47: Schwartz technically allows a sack, but the quarterback held the ball for a long time on 4^th down. Schwartz was asked to block for a really long time.

2:21: Guyton whiffs on a tackle for loss, but his teammates clean the play up for a loss of 3.

1:28: Guyton has his spin move stood up, then bites on a play fake, gets double blocked by the tackle and the back and can’t do anything.

1:11: Schwartz struggles on a run block.

0:01: Schwartz with a nice 2^nd level block on a big run for a first down, ball fumbled and lost, however. Delano Howell plays to the end, good effort to get the recovery on an overturned call.

4^th quarter

13:25: Guyton gets in on a tackle from the outside on an inside run on 4^th and 1, Stanford doesn’t convert.

13:10: Schwartz helps plow open a hole on a run, matched up with Chase Thomas.

10:36: Guyton overpowers to get in on a tackle for loss.

10:00: Guyton gets into the backfield quickly, but tripped up.

9:31: Guyton gets push against the run, helps California create a pile on the line of scrimmage.

8:58: Guyton matched up with Martin, has his side run at on 3^rd and 1, Stanford converts. Martin manhandled him.

0:00: California has a couple of mid round prospects on their defense, Mychal Kendricks and Trevor Guyton. Guyton was the one I focused on in this game. Guyton played most of the game, though he sat a few plays out with a minor injury. Guyton played left end for most of the game for California, so we didn’t see him matched up with Jonathan Martin much. When he was on the right side, Martin got the better of him except for a play or two. This doesn’t, however, answer any of the questions surrounding Martin’s ability to stay at left tackle at the next level as Guyton is not a speed rusher.

For most of the game, Guyton was on the left side in California’s 3-4 defense. He was matched up one on one with Stanford’s right tackle often and won most of those matchups. He’s got a great bull rush and is solid against the run at 6-3 280. On the season, he has 39 tackles, 11 for loss, and 5 sacks in 11 games. He had one of those tackles for losses in this game, bursting into the backfield with pure power. He was in the backfield a lot, but didn’t have the toughest matchup either.

Mychal Kendricks had one of California’s two tackles, both coming from the left side of the defense. Jonathan Martin had another good game in pass protection, but was not tested. He looks like a top-15 pick still. David DeCastro played well again, but he wasn’t really tested either. Kendricks plays inside and outside at linebacker in California’s 3-4 with 87 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks on the season. He looks like a mid round pick as a 3-4 inside linebacker or 4-3 outside linebacker at 6-0 240.

On offense, California’s left tackle Mitchell Schwartz is another mid round prospect. He spent a good portion of the game matched up with Stanford rush linebacker Chase Thomas. The 6-4 239 Thomas came into the game with 44 tackles, 14.5 for loss, and 6.5 sacks. He’s widely considered a 2^nd round prospect as a 3-4 outside linebacker, but I question his ability to match up with left tackles at the next level because he’s not overly big and doesn’t have the quickness to make up for it. He really struggled against USC’s Matt Kalil and had a poor overall game against Oregon. He couldn’t handle their speed.

Thomas didn’t have a good game here either. He held his own with Schwartz, but Schwartz is like a 4^th or 5^th rounder. Thomas should have had a better game, but he didn’t. He had 2 total tackles and that was it. Schwartz had a bit of trouble with his quickness, but overall won the battle with Thomas in pass protection and dominated him in the run game. Thomas looks like he’ll have to move to 4-3 outside linebacker or 3-4 inside linebacker at the next level, which puts him in the 4^th round in my book. He’s an above average blitzer, but can’t consistently take on tackles at the next level. Once a blocker gets their hands on him, he’s had trouble disengaging.

Andrew Luck had a typical Andrew Luck game. It wasn’t flashy, but he won and once again he did it with crap at receiver. His leading receivers were fullback Ryan Hewitt, tight end Coby Fleener, and blocking tight end Levine Toilolo. Even Toilolo missed time with injury. Luck was 20 of 30 for 257 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a pick.

He struggled early, but led Stanford to a 31-28 win in a game that California gave them all they did. Cal quarterback Zach Maynard had his best game of the season going 20 of 30 for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns, but Luck still led Stanford to victory with strong 2^nd half play. He also did it mostly himself as Stanford’s running game wasn’t nearly as good as it normally was. California has a good defensive front 7 and they stacked the box often knowing Stanford didn’t have any receivers who could beat them deep. He’s still the consensus #1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.