Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for Jeff Tedford, it does. Officially.
In an inexplicable decision, Tedford trotted star wide receiver Keenan Allen out for an onside kick attempt against Utah last week, with Cal trailing by 22 and with just 1:18 left in the game. Allen was hurt on the failed attempt, and now the inexplicable will cost the Golden Bears their most dynamic offensive for at least a game, if not longer.
After a day’s worth of “no comment,” the school confirmed Thursday that Cal’s all-time leader in career receptions has been ruled out of this Friday’s game due to a knee injury.
“Keenan won’t play against Washington,” Tedford said in a statement released by the school. “We’ll continue to evaluate him on a weekly basis.”
The initial word is that Allen is suffering from a PCL injury in his left knee and could be looking at two-three weeks of recovery. Tedford also told the media that they “won’t do anything to jeopardize his health,” which is rather ironic given the circumstances surrounding the injury.
Regardless, the loss of Allen, whether it be for just one or multiple games, is a significant blow to the Bears’ offense. The junior leads the Bears in receptions (61), receiving yards (737) and receiving touchdowns (six).