Battle still on for starting QB

By Dave Newhouse
Oakland Tribune
STAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — Cal's football team completes the halfway mark of fall camp this weekend, and although there are some certainties, there also are some uncertainties, notably at quarterback.
The competition for No.1 remains open between redshirt freshman Nate Longshore and junior transfer Joe Ayoob. "There's nothing really new," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said Friday. "We won't talk about a starter until the week of (the Sept. 3 opener against Sacramento State).
"But it's going to come down to the guy who runs the show the best. There are physical things (to consider), but his job is to put the other 10 players in a position to be successful. If you don't do that, then you can't play."
INJURY LIST: Redshirt freshman linebacker Worrell Williams suffered a high ankle sprain in practice Thursday. He was on crutches Friday, thereby putting a question mark on his availability.
"That could be a week, or it could be a month," Tedford said. Sophomore safety Thomas DeCoud hyperextended a knee in practice, missed a few days, then returned to drills. Junior offensive guard Bryan Deemer sprained a ankle Thursday, not as severely as Williams, though Deemer did wear a protective boot Friday.
LOOKING GOOD: Tedford was asked to single out newcomers who've stood out, and the first name he mentioned was cornerback Robert Peele from Fresno.
"I'm very impressed," the coach said. "He's done a nice job in the secondary. He's catching on mentally and really showing some nice skills. He's one of the young guys who has risen to the top."
Freshman DeSean Jackson and junior Lavelle Hawkins have impressed Tedford all along at wide receiver, while Peele has been more of an acquired taste.
"They're doing excellent," Tedford said of Jackson and Hawkins. "They've comprehended the offense quickly. They have great hands, and there's no question about their skill, speed, body control and concentration."
Another first-year player with a huge upside is freshman tight end Cameron Morrah, who is big (6-5, 240) and sprinter fast. Could he avoid redshirting?
"Absolutely," Tedford said. "He had to sit out the first part of camp because of (academic) verification from the clearing house. But he's a quick study, and he's very talented. He is a guy who definitely has a chance to contribute as a freshman."
SPECIAL NEEDS: Tedford has settled on a long-snapper in freshman Nick Sundberg from Phoenix. Either of two quarterbacks, Ayoob or Steve Levy, will be the holder on kicks. Competing for the punt returning job are the incumbent, Tim Mixon, Jackson, Sam DeSa and Brandon Hampton. Potential kick returners are Hampton Daymeion Hughes, Justin Forsett, Marcus O'Keith and Hawkins.
FULL CUPBOARD: With greater depth this year, Tedford will rotate players more than he has so far at Cal. "We'll definitely spell people," he said. "It's a nice situation to be in, keeping them fresh."