Last year, Cal head coach Tom Holmoe signed a one-year contract extension that takes him through the 2002 season.

But after going 3-8 last season, he did something that could have a lot more impact on his longevity at Berkeley: He hired an offensive coordinator with proven Pac-10 credentials.

With the arrival of Al Borges from UCLA, Holmoe has his best chance yet to reverse the team's losing ways.

"I think it's actually a little less stressful, believe it or not," Holmoe said of the coming season. "I feel very confident about our team. I feel very confident about our staff. And I feel very confident about our chances."

Never mind that the Bears lost an All-American defensive end, Andre Carter, two All-Pac-10 defenders in tackle Jacob Waasdorp and cornerback Chidi Iwuoma, plus All-American punter Nick Harris.

There's still plenty of reason for optimism, and it starts with Borges. In six years in the Pac-10, Borges' offenses have averaged more than 30 points a game. Cal was last in the league in scoring last season, with 22.4 points a game.

Borges brings a new system, built around the run, the play action pass and the West Coast passing game.

The Bears appear to be deep at tailback, led by junior Joe Igber and the versatility of senior fullback Marcus Fields -- he can also lineup at H-back, tight end and even wideout.

Borges also brings the reputation of someone who can develop quarterbacks, and he'll be trusted to get the most out of promising-but-frustrating junior quarterback Kyle Boller, who has yet to fulfill predictions of greatness.

Boller's resume included high school clips of him throwing the ball 75 yards downfield and hitting the receiver in stride. At Cal, where he was rushed into the starter's job early in his freshman year, he's had a hard time getting comfortable with receivers.

In two years he has completed 43.3 percent of his passes. He finished last year with a 104.5 passing efficiency rating, seventh in the conference.

During spring drills Borges spent much of his time with Boller, starting from scratch and working on fundamentals.

"You start talking too much about reads and a kid gets so cerebral he forgets about everything that matters," Borges said.

"Kyle has learned that stroking a 40-foot putt is not like stroking a four-foot putt. ... Passing is about putting the ball from point A to point B in a manner and a fashion that allows the receivers to catch it and run with it. If you want to just throw it, go throw the javelin."

Borges said he's been pleasantly surprised with Cal's wide receivers, which is important for big plays, but insists that the offense still will be built around the run.

Langston Walker, a 345-pound senior, anchors the line at left tackle. A key change sent senior Brandon Ludwig from guard to center.

On defense, even though coordinator Lyle Setencich lost some key players, his groups usually have ranked near the top of the conference. And there's little concern that the quality of play will drop off much this year.

Key players will be senior Scott Fujita, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound linebacker, junior safety Nnamdi Asomugha and junior corner Jemeel Powell.

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