California Golden Bears to start Brock Mansion in week 10
California Golden Bears head coach Jeff Tedford has announced that back-up quarterback Brock Mansion will get the start on Saturday 6 November when the club takes on the Washington State Cougars.
Mansion was named the starter after it was clear that first-string quarterback Kevin Riley would not be available for week 10. Riley was injured in a game against the Oregon State Beavers on 30 October. The youngster was hit by defensive tackle Brennan Olander
and his knee bent backwards. An MRI revealed that Riley had sprained his ACL, strained his MCL, as well as torn the calf muscle connected to his knee.
Mansion’s road to the starting job was a long and trying one, as the junior was buried in the Cal depth chart for two years, before being named the third-string quarterback at the start of the 2010 season. In the past two weeks he was able to move his way
past back-up Beau Sweeney and is now ready to take the start against Washington State.
“It has tested my patience but you have to keep grinding and grinding,” said Mansion. “The harder you work for a longer period of time, the better it’s going to pay off for you at the end.”
The Golden Bears have not had the most productive passing game this season and have relied heavily on the play of running back Shane Vereen. Unfortunately, it does not get any easier for Mansion, as he has earned his first start on the road, where Cal has
been unable to record a win this season. Nevertheless, his team-mates have faith he will be able to pull it together.
“We know his capabilities, we know the quarterback he can be and I think he’s going to step up to the plate and deliver for us,” said Vereen. “[Riley] has always been a tough player for us and to see him go down was kind of tough. But at the same time we
have to rally behind Brock. I think he’ll be able to cut it loose. We’ll be fine.”
The Bears meet the Cougars in Martin Stadium on Saturday 6 November.
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