It’s not so much that Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is fast. It’s just that his legs are so long, he can’t help but eat up yards with every stride he takes.

Kaepernick is one of the most dynamic athletes in college football. At 6-foot-6, he has the ability to outrace defenders down field from the Wolf Pack’s explosive pistol offense. And he possesses the kind of passing skills that allowed him to throw for 2,052 yards and 20 touchdowns last season.

In short, Kaepernick is one of the toughest players in the nation to contain, which is exactly the assignment Cal has Friday night at Mackay Stadium.

Nevada’s pistol offense is similar to the spread option the Bears are accustomed to seeing at Oregon. The Ducks racked up 524 yards of offense against Cal last season.

One major difference between last year’s Oregon squad and Nevada this year is at quarterback. As good as Jeremiah Masoli was against the Bears last season (21 for 25, 253 yards, 3 TDs), he is built like a truck at 5-foot-11, 225 pounds. Kaepernick is a giant — 6-6, 225 pounds, with long legs and broad shoulders — a combination that presents defenses with myriad challenges.

“He creates a lot of problems,” Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said. “He has very good speed and can make people miss. He has an extremely strong arm.”

Kaepernick is one of only two players in college football history to throw for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He was named to preseason watch lists for virtually all awards pertaining to a quarterback and could be in the Heisman conversation before the season’s end.

Cal has the No. 1 defense in the country through the first two games of the season (160 yards allowed per game), but that ranking will be put to a serious test against the Wolf Pack.

Not surprisingly, NFL scouts now are taking interest, despite Kaepernick playing in a gimmick offense that relies heavily on the running game.

“It’s a great opportunity for us, but in the past we’ve had opportunities as well,” Kaepernick said. “We just have to capitalize on them. We’re looking to capitalize this week.”