Cal's challenge: reload, retool

Tedford & Co. look to replace 26 lettermen
Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
There's a new look to Cal football. It's become Mr. Tedford's Neighborhood.
"We're very, very young," coach Jeff Tedford said Monday as spring practice began at Memorial Stadium.
The Golden Bears lost 26 lettermen from a team that went 10-2 last season and was nationally ranked all year. Tedford stopped short of saying his staff was undertaking a rebuilding job. Rather, he said, coaches would be fitting new people into the various gaps in the team, beginning over the next four weeks and continuing when camp opens in August.
"Every year there seems to be a new challenge," Tedford said.
Key losses include quarterback Aaron Rodgers, leaving school early for the NFL Draft, and most of the team's experienced wide receivers. And on defense, the Bears return only three starters.
"We're not the team we were last year," he said. "There are a lot of new faces out there and mistakes will be made."
Much of the attention will go to grooming Rodgers' successor -- with City College of San Francisco transfer Joseph Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore the primary players.
There will be a series of other intriguing battles for playing time -- including the development of a new wide-receiving corps to replace seniors Geoff McArthur, Jonathan Makonnen, Burl Toler III and Chase Lyman, who is still awaiting word on a petition for a sixth year of eligibility.
Freshman Robert Jordan, a starter the latter part of the season, leads a unit that includes sophomore David Gray and redshirt freshmen Sam DeSa and Noah Smith. Redshirt freshman Sean Young will miss the spring while recovering from toe surgery.
Tedford said Gray is recovered from nagging injuries that have slowed his development. Tedford said he's leaner and is running a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash.
And DeSa, Tedford said, has "a renewed passion for the game."
The receivers in camp are just part of the solution.
"It's going to be competitive because we have some quality young guys coming in the fall," Tedford said.
He was referring to incoming freshmen DeSean Jackson and Jesse Canada, plus City College transfer Lavelle Hawkins, all of whom are heralded recruits.
Much of the coaches' attention will be focused on refilling the ranks on defense.
At linebacker, City College transfer Desmond Bishop, redshirt freshman Worrell Williams, sophomore Andy Briner and senior Ryan Foltz all will be given close looks.
On the defensive line, junior Brandon Mebane is the lone returning starter.
Tedford said that Mebane and senior center Marvin Philip won't be getting that much work during the spring -- with coaches spending most of their time developing younger players.
And not all the attention will be on specific positions.
"They need to come together as a team," Tedford said, noting the change in chemistry with so many leaders being lost. "It will be a whole new group next year." Briefly: Defensive back Bernard Hicks, arrested Feb. 27 in Berkeley on marijuana charges, will be suspended for the first three games next year, Tedford said, noting the charges have been reduced to a misdemeanor. Jordan, arrested with Hicks, had charges of carrying a concealed weapon dropped, Tedford added, saying Jordan would be suspended for the first game.