Lots of new faces, but Tedford likes Bears' talent

Contra Costa Times
Cal football notebook
BERKELEY -- Has Cal come so far in four years under coach Jeff Tedford that now it's a matter of reloading as opposed to rebuilding?
The Bears lost 14 starters from their 2004 team that went 10-2, yet they are picked to finish second in the Pac-10 in a poll of West Coast media. Training camp opened Monday at Memorial Stadium, and no one seemed worried that the team has to be totally reworked.
"We are going to do well, and maybe better," said Cal senior rover Donnie McCleskey. "You look at a new guy like (junior college transfer linebacker) Desmond Bishop. He is going to be awesome. He has picked up everything so quick.
"We have a lot of players like him."
Tedford agrees. "We just have new faces in a lot of positions," Tedford said. "But we are just as talented in terms of being physical and being able to run. I'm just eager to get it done. I'm 100 percent confident that we have the talent on the field. We actually have more team speed than we've had in the four years we've been here."
What Cal doesn't have at this point is any chemistry between most of its players. "We worked hard during the summer to develop personal relationships with each other," McCleskey said. "We wanted to get to know each other. And we also wanted everyone to know that they just need to take care of their own job.
"What I do see out here is players who are hungry, and guys who are ready to play. I also see a bunch of players who are going to fly around a lot more than we did last year."
Cal senior cornerback Harrison Smith said he knows that the Bears will make their share of mistakes early. "The past couple of years, a lot of us grew up together and got to know each other," he said. "For this team, we understand that is something we have to work on. This is going to be a learning experience for us because we need to get a feel for each other. But camp will help out a lot. One thing I know is that we have a lot of talented guys coming in."
New faces
All the new players participated in a morning workout at Memorial Stadium, and the veterans had a late afternoon workout. The team will be together today in its afternoon workout.
Tedford was asked about his impression of wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins, the highly-regarded San Francisco City College transfer who worked out for the first time under Tedford on Monday morning. "He is for real," Tedford said. "He is so smooth the way he runs, and he has great hands and body control."
Prep All-America wide receiver DeSean Jackson, a freshman from Long Beach Poly High School, also impressed Tedford during his first practice. "He's very smooth, too," Tedford said. "But it was only the first practice. Let's just say I'm glad he is here."
Extra points
Think Tedford is excited about sophomore tailback Marshawn Lynch? "Marshawn might be the best all-around player I've ever coached," Tedford said. "Besides being a great runner, he catches the ball as well as any receiver and we can flank him out to create mismatches. ... Tedford came home a few weeks ago to find his son, Quinn, watching a replay of the 2004 Cal-USC game that the Bears lost 23-17. "Every time I look at it, I get a knot in my stomach," Tedford said. "We just didn't get it done. But it was an unbelievable game and it was great for the fans." ... Tedford said he is encouraged by the "momentum" of the stadium project. ... Tedford was asked if the issue of his taking another job has been resolved by the five-year contract extension he signed after the 2004 season. "It is in my mind," he said. "I'm very happy to be at Cal. I have a lot of great players and I don't think there is anywhere better to be than at Cal right now. I feel good about our future."