And now on to the defense. Because expectations were so high, and because we’re grading against those expectations, this is going to feel more dour than the defense deserves. Thus, it’s worth restating the obvious: Cal’s defense was absolutely the strength of the team, the foundation upon which Cal’s wins were earned.
In terms of absolute performance in Pac-12 play, Cal’s defense was right alongside Washington but behind the elite defenses of Oregon and Utah. Having the 3rd or 4th best defense in the conference is still pretty good. Unfortunately, this defense wasn’t the generational defense that many of us got so excited about during the offseason.