Cal is back in the D1A ranks and gunning for the division's title for the first time since 2011, but maybe before we pencil the Bears into the playoffs there's the matter of playing a season.

"We spoke very briefly about it, but let's not concern ourselves with it," said Cal head coach Jack Clark about the postseason. "Let's just do what we always do; let's get through the regular season and do our best."

Cal has a tough schedule, and while a recent FloRugby article said the Bears' average game isn't against super strong competition, that measurement fails to take into account that Cal actually plays UBC twice and Saint Mary's once. Those are possibly the three toughest college rugby games in North America, and, in turn, Cal plays more games than just about any other college — often many more.

"We have a challenging conference season and we'll play some challenging non-conference games," Clark said. "I think most teams want to play in a challenging league, and we have one. And you fill around that Saint Mary's and San Diego State, Army and Dartmouth, and UBC. There's enough there to help us build a team."

As usual, Clark has scheduled some lower-ranked opponents. But just as he will this weekend in the Storer Classic on UCLA's campus, Clark will run on some younger players in these matchups and the team will sink or swim with a 15 that might be mostly comprised of its reserve-grade members.

"In 2018 there has to be a focus beyond 2018," said Clark, who is 631-81-5 all-time in 15s as Cal head coach. "The frosh-soph have to get more than just the reserve games. They have to be Cal. I think the most important thing is training, because the volume in training is 10-to-1 [relative to competition], and if you don't get training right you're in trouble. 

"But even though the volume in a game is much less, it has a disproportionate value to the player. And if you can change that 80 minutes to a more meaningful 80 minutes where it's on the record, it gives the whole of our team authorship in the season."

This past week the Bears were thrown into the deep end as they ran through two-a-days and multiple meetings.

"We're in the throes of it," Clark said. "Even if you were a starter last year, you're a returning starter now and the expectations and your role on the team change as well. It's a new rugby season, and new for everybody on the team — certainly for me it is."

As the Storer Classic gets underway Saturday, there are some Cal players to watch. It will be interesting to see how Chase Bixby comes along after missing pretty much all last year due to injury. The 6-foot-6 lock has a chance to break out this year. Keanue Andrade is a sophomore who got starting minutes at scrumhalf. He is probably the No. 1 choice there now and will be asked to do a lot more.

Damon Wiley started at prop as a first-year player and is an athletic front-rower to watch. Sam Cusano was the Collegiate Rugby Championship MVP last year but missed the fall with injury. He's back and is embracing the physical demands and finer requirements of playing wing on a 15s team.

Cal opens the Storer Classic with games against UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, and UC San Diego on Saturday and UCLA on Sunday.