Jared Goff set to explode in ’14
By Thom Fain
Jared Goff struts out onto the field standing at 6’4″ and 205 lbs, with a strong arm and gifted ability to put some zing on the ball. A traditional quarterback in a traditional system at a school with a whole lot of tradition. It sounds like the makings of magic — a season where, like the alchemist, the Golden Bears turn the stinky mess of 2013 and make it into gold. Let’s be frank: They can only do one thing, and that is to come together, play harder, and win ball games.
With a young crop of good receivers & fine ability to stand in the pocket and make plays, Goff is set to blow minds and wreak havoc in the PAC-12 Conference in the upcoming season.
Don’t believe us? Ask NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks, who yesterday added Goff to his top-10 players to watch for the upcoming season.
To be sure, a lot of it is hype. Goff is still developing and the Golden Bears are still in the midst of rising out of the ashes of a 2013 that saw them get completely destroyed.
But there is hope. “Defensively things are really starting to come together, and we’re starting to see guys produce,” Head coach Sonny Dykes said after the team’s spring exhibition game. “But offensively, a lot of it was about Jared coming on the second half of spring. And I was encouraged by what I saw today.”
Whether or not Coach Dykes regains his form from his days at Louisiana Tech remains to be seen. But with a balanced attack on offense, and an improved defense (one of 2013’s most noticeable weak points), California is set to put Goff in a position to live up to the lofty expectations being heaped on him.