The California Golden Bears football program did not start the 2000s with much success. Which culbiminated in the resignation of head coach Tom Holmoe. Fortunately Jeff Tedford got hired and changed the trajectory.
Tedford was able to recruit well on both sides of the football. Unfortunately after 11 seasons he was fired and Cal has not been able to recapture that success as Sonny Dykes was dreadful in his four years and Justin Wilcox has been even worse.
With that being said, The Inscriber Magazine is going to take a look at the All-Quarter century team for the offense of Cal since 2000.
Offensive line
Left Tackle: Mitchell Schwartz, 2008-2011
Started 51 games at either right (35) or left tackle (16). As a senior made first-team All-Pac 12 and as a junior second-team All-Pac 10. Also, Schwartz was on the Outland watch list in 2011. In 2012, he was taken in the second-round as the 37th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Left Guard: Brian De La Puente, 2003-2007
Redshirted as a freshman, did not see any game action in 2004. Saw his first playing time in 2005 and started at right and left guard. In 2007, he earned an honorable mention for All-Pac 10, De La Puente also earned Most Improved Offensive Linemen, which is a California team award. As an undrafted free agent in 2008, he got signed by the San Francisco 49ers.
Center: Alex Mack, 2005-2008
In 2025, Mack was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame and he is also going in the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame as well. He is the only member of California to win a Draddy Trophy now William V. Campbell trophy, which goes to player with the best combination of academics, leadership, and on-field performance. Won the Morris Trophy, which goes to the top offensive linemen in the Pac-10.
Mack was a member of four Cal teams that won bowl games. More imporantly he was an All-American in back-to-back years. With his stellar play he was taken in the first-round with the 21st pick by the Browns in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Right Guard: Scott Tercero, 1999-2002
While Tercero struggled to stay healthy with California. He did enjoy success when he got on the field and he did get taken in the sixth-round of the 2003 draft by the St. Louis Rams with the 184th overall selection.
His best season came in 2001 and he was recognized by his teammates as their most valuable offensive linemen.
Right Tackle: Langston Walker, 1997-2001
Massive is the best word to describe Walker as he was listed at 6’8″ and 360 pounds. In 2000, he saw time at right and left tackle. Walker also won the Most Improved Offensive Linem a team award in 2001.
With the success that Walker saw he was then selected in the second-round of the 2002 draft by the Oakland Raiders with the 53rd overall pick.
Backfield:
FB: Chris Manderino, 2002-2005
Another solid blocker and was used a bit more in short yardage situations. In his time with California he carried the ball 50 times for 205 yards with three touchdowns, he also caught 43 passes for 484 yards and five touchdowns.
FB: Will Taʻufoʻou, 2005-2008
Did not get many touches yet one of the most important pieces to the Cal’s offense with his blocking ability. He did carry the football 14 times for 80 yards, also he caught 13 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Ta’ufo’ou, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears.
RB: Marshawn Lynch, 2004-2006
Lynch had the most yardage of any Cal running back in the 2000s. He finished with 3,230 yards on 490 carries, averaged 6.6 yards per carry, and had 29 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 68 passes for 600 yards and six touchdowns.
His best year was 2006 when he had 223 carries for 1,356 yards, 11 touchdowns, averaged 6.1 yards per carry, also he caught 34 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. The Buffalo Bills took him 12th overall in the 2007 draft.
RB: Jahvid Best, 2007-2009
A concussion ended his college football career. The injury itself was one of the scariest scenes on a college football field in recent memory. For those who do not know what happened in a game against Oregon State, as Best leapt for the end zone he got pushed up in the air and landed on his neck and back. In Berkeley, it went from the excitement of a touchdown to silence in a matter of seconds.
Unfortunately for Best even though he recovered from that concussion. His career trajectory was never the same and his NFL career ended prematurely due to concussions and no doctor was ever going to clear him to play.
Best was taken 30th overall in the first-round by the Detroit Lions in the 2010 draft. When he was healthy, his 2008 season was better than that of Florida’s Percy Harvin’s in 2007.
Harvin carried the ball 83 times for 764 yards and six touchdowns, while also catching 59 passes for 858 yards and four touchdowns. Combined yardage on 142 touches was 1,622 and 10 touchdowns.
Best had 194 carries for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns. Also, he caught 27 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown. Combined yardage on 221 touches was 1,826 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Overall Best finished his California career with 364 carries for 2,668 yards, 29 touchdowns and he caught 62 passes for 533 yards and 6 touchdowns.
RB: Shane Vereen, 2008-2010
With Tedford, Cal enjoyed running the football and had depth. Running back coach Ron Gould deserves credit for that as well.
Vereen was a back-up mostly yet still saw plenty of time on the field. He finished with 556 carries, 2,834 yards, and 29 touchdowns. He also caught 74 passes for 674 yards and six touchdowns. His best season came in 2010, when he carried the football 231 times for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns. Also, he caught 22 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2011, he was taken 56th overall by the New England Patriots.
RB: Justin Forsett, 2004-2007
For Forsett, patience was key. With the current state of the NIL, he most likely would have entered the transfer portal. Still he was part of one of the better one-two punches in college football in 2005.
Forsett finally got his chance as the no.1 back for California in 2007. He certainly did not disappoint as he carried the ball 305 times for 1,546 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 202 yards.
The Seattle Seahawks took him as the 233rd pick of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Receivers/Tight End
TE: Richard Rodgers, 2011-2013
Rodgers caught 59 passs for 896 yards and two touchdowns and in 2013, he carried the ball seven times for nine yards. He has the most yards of any tight end for California in the 2000s, which led to him being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 draft with the 98th overall pick.
TE: Craig Stevens, 2004-2007
Stevens was better known for his blocking ability than his pass catching ability. He did catch 51 passes for 669 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2008, he got taken no.85 overall by the Tennessee Titans.
WR: Geoff McArthur, 2000-2004
While Tedford was able to recruit bigger names than McArthur, he is the Bears all-time leading receiver with 202 receptions and 3,188 yards. His 20 touchdowns ranks third best of the 2000s. In 2018, he was enshrined in the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame.
His best year came in 2003 when he caught 85 passes for 1,504 yards and 10 touchdowns.
WR: Keenan Allen, 2010-2012
Only appeared in nine games during his junior year. In his sophomore year, he was outstanding and was one of the few bright spots for the Bears. He caught 98 passes for 1,343 yards and six touchdowns.
Finished his Cal career with 205 receptions for 2,570 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was taken 76th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2013 draft.
WR: Desean Jackson, 2005-2007
One of the most entertaining receivers in Cal history, Jackson was a threat to score anytime he touched the football. In 2006, he was an All-American, which coincided with his best year. He caught 59 passes for 1,060 yards and nine touchdowns.
Overall he finished with 162 receptions, 2,423 yards, and 22 touchdowns. The Philalphia Eagles took him with the 49th pick of the 2008 NFL Draft.
WR: Kenny Lawler, 2013-2015
Lawler is best known at Cal for his spectacular one-handed catches. While he did not put up huge numbers during his three years in Berkeley, he did make those receptions count. As he ranks first in touchdowns during the 2000s, and second all-time in program history.
His best season came in 2015 when he caught 52 passes for 658 yards and 13 touchdowns. Overall he finished with 143 receptions, 1,706 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Seahawks took him with the 243rd pick in 2016.
WR: Bryce Treggs 2012-2015
While his first three years with California were not anything special, his senior year was another story. He became a big play threat and did not need as many touches to have his best season. He caught 45 passes for 956 yards and seven touchdowns. His 21.2 yards per reception was the best in the Pac-12 and eighth best in the NCAA.
The 49ers signed Treggs in 2016 as an undrafted free agent.
Quarterbacks:
QB: Jared Goff, 2013-2015
Goff is Cal’s all-time leader in passing yards (12,200 yards), touchdown passes (96), and first in yards per game (329.7) of quarterbacks who played in 20 or more games. His best season came in his junior year. He completed 341 passes on 529 attempts, threw for 4,719 yards, 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
The Lions took him first overall in 2016.
QB: Aaron Rodgers, 2003-2004
The most recognizable quarterback in Cal history. Rodgers finished with 5,469 yards passing, 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. More importantly in 2004 he led the Bears to a 10 win season which is tied for the most in program history and the first since 1991.
Rodgers in 2004 threw for 2,566 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Interestingly he fell to the Packers at pick no.24 of the 2005 draft. Though it was obvious to most that the 49ers needed to take him with the first overall pick.
QB: Nate Longshore
Unfortunately for Longshore he dealt with a number of injuries. In 2006, which was his best season he led California to a 10 win season and at one point ranked no.8. He finished with 3,021 yards passing, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Overall he threw for 6,783 yards, 51 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.