2007 California Golden Bears Football Team - Pre-Season

Pre-Season

See also: 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings#Preseason polls

At the end of the 2006 season, offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar resigned to accept the coaching position of offensive coordinator at Minnesota. Mike Dunbar's first and only season at Cal was a success as Cal led the Pac 10 and ranked 11th in the nation in scoring with 32.8 points per game. He will be replaced by Cal assistant head coach and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik. Jim Michalczik joined the Cal staff upon Tedford's arrival in 2002 and was integral in the development of one of the most potent offenses in the nation. Cal is one of just five teams to rank in the top 25 in scoring in each of the last five years.

Cal RB Marshawn Lynch decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2007 NFL Draft at the end of the 2006 season. He was selected as the 12th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills. Cal DT Brandon Mebane (Seattle Seahawks, third round, No. 22), CB Daymeion Hughes (Indianapolis Colts, third round, No. 32), and ILB Desmond Bishop (Green Bay Packers, sixth round, No. 18) were also drafted. This marks the first time since 1996 that California has had three players taken in the first three rounds of the draft.

In the pre-season, returning veteran running back Justin Forsett was named one of the top-10 impact seniors for 2007. DeSean Jackson was a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. Expectations for the 2007 were high as Coach Tedford declared the team to be "strongest and fastest" team he had coached at California despite losing several high defensive players to the NFL and graduation.