Cal's top task: pick a QB

Spotlight on Ayoob, Longshore in spring drills
Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Cal spring football practice begins Monday with coach Jeff Tedford very clear on his priorities.

"I think the top one would be very obvious," he said, referring to the task of replacing junior quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who left school early for the NFL Draft and is certain to be a first-round pick -- possibly No. 1 overall.

That leaves junior-college transfer Joseph Ayoob, already enrolled at Cal, and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore, who was third on the depth chart behind senior backup Reggie Robertson last fall.

"We will evaluate the young quarterbacks, Nate and Joe, get them more ingrained in the system," Tedford said.

He acknowledged that learning his offense is no easy task.

For Ayoob, a transfer from City College of San Francisco, Tedford said the spring would be "just a start." And Longshore will also be on a learning curve.

"Even though Nate has been there, he still needs to get his feet wet," Tedford said.

The Bears lose 26 lettermen from the 10-2 team that finished the season with a 45-31 loss to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. The defense returns only three starters.

Tedford said key defensive players in spring drills would include ends Phillip Mbakogu and Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah (formerly Justin Johnson).

"We have a lot of holes to fill and I'm going to be real anxious to see how those guys progress," Tedford said.

In addition, incoming JC defensive players who enrolled early and will join spring practice include linebacker Desmond Bishop of CCSF, and end Nu'u Tafisi of Mount San Antonio Community College.

Defensive end Tosh Lupoi, who broke a foot last season in training camp and missed the entire year, has been granted a sixth year of eligibility and will rejoin the team.

Rover Donnie McCleskey, who was slowed most of last season with a shoulder injury, had successful offseason surgery. But he will miss spring practice while he recovers from minor knee surgery.

Wide receiver Chase Lyman, lost for the year with a knee injury in the loss to USC on Oct. 9, has petitioned the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility and expects to receive final word soon. He also attended the scouting combine and is preparing for the NFL Draft.

Three regulars on the offensive line -- Ryan O'Callaghan, Andrew Cameron and Aaron Merz -- will also miss the spring while recovering from shoulder surgeries.

The Bears were unsettled most of last year in the kicking game, and Tedford said competition would continue through the spring. The key players are Anthony Binswanger, who did kickoffs last year, punter David Lonie and field goal kicker Tom Schneider.

The Bears have 16 sessions scheduled, ending with the spring game April 23.

Tedford said the emphasis would be on learning.

"Springtime is a chance to make some mistakes and get a background in everything we do," he said. "That's how you learn."