Pac-12 notes: Cottonwood’s Ise Sofele big part of Cal’s offense

First Published Aug 30 2011 05:38 pm • Last Updated Aug 30 2011 11:46 pm

Golden local

He was a backup last year, but running back Isi Sofele has ascended into the starting role for the Cal Golden Bears this season.

Coach Jeff Tedford said the 5-foot-8, 190-pound junior from Cottonwood High School figures to get 20 to 25 carries a game, after rushing for 338 yards behind Shane Vereen last season.

"We’ll rely on him as much as he can do," Tedford said. "We really have not always leaned on one player or one tailback to do it. We’ve always been a two-tailback team. … That’s why it was important to create depth there through camp."

Tedford said Sofele is a "very dependable guy" who had a "real solid camp" and "really packs a punch. … He’s fresh and ready to go" for the opener against Fresno State at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Saturday.

Streak stopper?

The Colorado Buffaloes open their inaugural season in the Pac-12 Conference under new coach Jon Embree at Hawaii late Saturday night, hoping to finally snap an 18-game road losing streak that dates to 2007.

The Buffs should benefit from the absence of Hawaii linebacker Aaron Brown and receiver Darius Bright, both suspended after their arrests last weekend on misdemeanor charges following a nightclub fight.

But Embree isn’t thinking anything will be easy.

"It don’t matter if we’re playing on the moon," he said. "We have a tremendous task in front of us."

Longest current road losing streaks in NCAA Division I:

Colorado 18*

New Mexico 16

San Jose State 14

Memphis 12

New Mexico State 12

Colorado State 11

* Includes loss in 2007 Independence Bowl.

Trojan (dark) horse

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