The thought of Cal winning the Pac-12 is not far from being a reality. They have benefited the most from USC’s scholarship cuts, and are not far from reeling in a huge fish.
By huge fish, I am referring to the 6’8″, 290 defensive end Arik Armstead, who Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee is reporting will wait until National Signing Day (Feb. 1) to commit to a school. Now, as Davidson reports, Norte Dame, Auburn and Oregon are all on the list of possible destinations.
But take a look at some of the standout recruits that Cal has already landed this year.
Star ratings according to Rivals.
| Player | Position | Stars |
| Shaq Thompson | DB | Five |
| Michael Barton | LB | Four |
| Cedric Dozier | ATH | Four |
| Bryce Treggs | WR | Four |
| Jordan Payton | WR | Four |
| Darius Powe | WR | Four |
| Freddie Tagaloa | OL | Four |
| Zach Kline | QB | Four |
That is a loaded group of talent for a school that’s, at best, the No. 2 football school in the state of California. Armstead would be another 4-star recruit, and the perfect kind of defender for the Pac-12.
In the Pac-12, offenses are a big part of the game. Some teams run the pro-style offense, while others spread it out, but quarterbacks throw the ball a lot in the Pac-12. It’s hard to throw the ball over a man who stands 6’8″. Armstead’s size will create a few big plays per game. With all of the offensive talent coming in, that’s all Cal is going to need.
Look at Cal’s rivals in the Pac-12 North: Stanford is losing Andrew Luck, a year after losing head coach Jim Harbaugh; Oregon is losing quarterback Darron Thomas and running back LaMichael James, so there is a nice window for success.
This recruiting class will put the Golden Bears in Pac-12 Championship games. They will win at least one of those games and become a BCS factor for the next four seasons.
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