2003 California Golden Bears football team explained

Year:	2003
Team:	California Golden Bears
Sport:	football
Conference:	Pacific-10 Conference
Short Conf:	Pac-10
Record:	8–6
Conf Record:	5–3
Head Coach:	Jeff Tedford
Hc Year:	2nd
Off Coach:	George Cortez
Oc Year:	2nd
Off Scheme:	Pro-style
Def Coach:	Bob Gregory
Def Scheme:	4–3
Dc Year:	2nd
Captain:	Lorenzo Alexander
Captain2:	Adimchinobe Echemandu
Captain3:	Donnie McCleskey
Captain4:	Aaron Rodgers
Stadium:	California Memorial Stadium
Champion:	Insight Bowl champion
Bowl:	Insight Bowl
Bowl Result:	W 52–49 vs. Virginia Tech

The 2003 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach Jeff Tedford, the Golden Bears compiled an 8–6 record (5–3 in Pac-10, tied for third) and outscored their opponents 457 to 341.^{[1] [2]}

The Bears were led on the field by sophomore quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a junior college transfer who became the starter on September 20 against Illinois.^[3] In his second start the following week, Rodgers led Cal to a 21–7 halftime lead over third-ranked USC before being replaced due to injury in the second half by Reggie Robertson.^[4] The Bears won in triple overtime, 34–31.^{[5] [6]} In late December, Cal defeated Virginia Tech 52–49 in the Insight Bowl at Phoenix; Rodgers passed for 394 yards and was the game's offensive MVP.^[7]

Rodgers tied Cal's season record with five 300-yard games and set a Cal record for the lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 1.43%.^[8] The Golden Bears' statistical leaders included Rodgers with 2,903 passing yards, Adimchinobe Echemandu with 1,195 rushing yards, and Geoff McArthur with 1,504 receiving yards.^[9]

Schedule

^[10]

Game summaries

Vs. Kansas State

See also: 2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team.

USC

• Source: ESPN

• "They always take us lightly", said receiver Jonathan Makonnen, who had seven catches for 104 yards. "They really don't respect us. They're a talented team, but they were kind of lackadaisical out there."
• "I'm not knocking Leinart or their running backs, but I didn't see a whole lot of firepower from them", said Echemandu, the first player to rush for 100 yards against USC in 16 games. "Mike Williams is basically their whole offense."
• The loss was USC's last until the 2006 National Championship Game, in which Texas snapped USC's 34-game win streak.
• Aaron Rodgers was the starter as Cal's quarterback, but due to injury he was replaced in the second half by Reggie Robertson.^[5]

Washington

^[11]

Stanford

• Source: ESPN

• CAL: Aaron Rodgers 26/37, 359 yds
• CAL: Geoff McArthur 16 rec, 245 yds (single game record – Dameane Douglas, 1998)
• CAL: bowl eligible for first time since 1996

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2003 California Golden Bears Schedule and Results. Sports Reference LLC. SR/College Football. October 21, 2016.
2. Web site: California 2015 Football Information Guide . CalBears.com . Cal Golden Bears Athletics . October 21, 2016 . 166 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161026170757/https://admin.xosn.com/attachments1/423534.pdf . October 26, 2016 .
3. Web site: Player Bio:Aaron Rodgers . University of California . May 13, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727024226/http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rodgers_aaron00.html . July 27, 2011 .
4. Web site: Cal-USC Postgame Quotes . September 27, 2003 . Cal Athletics . https://web.archive.org/web/20120609121444/http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092703aac.html . June 9, 2012 . dead . mdy .
5. News: Cal bears down in OT, snaps USC streak . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . Beacham . Greg . September 28, 2003 . D1.
6. Web site: Cal fans storm field after win . https://web.archive.org/web/20110225155158/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=232700025 . dead . February 25, 2011 . ESPN . September 27, 2003 . May 13, 2012.
7. News: Cal kicker wins another big one. Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon . Associated Press . Baum . Bob . December 27, 2003 . D1.
8. Web site: Cal Records . https://web.archive.org/web/20071122202146/http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/cal/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/pdf-07FB121to150-072007 . dead . November 22, 2007 . University of California . May 13, 2012.
9. Web site: 2003 California Golden Bears Stats. Sports Reference LLC. SR/College Football. October 21, 2016.
10. 2011 California football information guide
11. Web site: California 54, Washington 7. https://archive.today/20130723151426/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=233190025. dead. July 23, 2013. ESPN. November 15, 2003. December 28, 2014.