Senior Spotlight: Pac-12 Honors Handful Of Cal Seniors

On Tuesday the Pac-12 unveiled its annual All-Pac-12 selections. No Cal seniors made the cut for the first or second All-Pac-12 teams, but a handful were given honorable mentions. Senior tight end Stephen Anderson, defensive lineman Kyle Kragen, safety Stefan McClure and wide receiver Bryce Treggs were all named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable mention list.

Treggs led the Golden Bears with 813 receiving yards this season and tied for second on the team with six touchdown receptions. Anderson chipped in with 460 receiving yards as Cal's top tight end, and he reached the end zone twice. The two were key contributors in an offense that also saw junior quarterback Jared Goff receive First Team All-Pac-12 honors. Junior receiver Kenny Lawler also received First-Team All-Pac 12 honors, thanks in large part to his team-high 10 receiving touchdowns.

Cal's defense at times was one of the biggest reasons why the program was able to get over the final hurdle to get into the postseason. Though the defense showed cracks in the second half of the season against its top opponents, the defense set a tone early on and helped contribute to a fast 5-0 start. The improved play of the defense started up front on the defensive line.

Kragen finished the regular season with 65 tackles, which was second among all players on Cal behind only 100-tackle linebacker Hardy Nickerson. Nickerson also landed an honorable mention from the Pac-12 for his tremendous efforts. Kragen had seven tackles for a loss and six sacks this season, which led the team this season. McClure went through the entire season without recording an interception, but he did still find other ways to have an impact in Cal's defense. The safety had 2.5 tackles for a loss this season and a sack as well as a fumble recovery. That fumble was returned for a 45-yard touchdown against Washington State in early October, which was a key play in a 34-28 victory.

The senior class at Cal may not have all been honored by the Pac-12, but the impact on the program the veterans have had on the program this season cannot go unrecognized. Cal seniors have already clinched a winning season regardless of what happens in the bowl season, and that was a big goal for the entire team this season.

Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.