Tedford in search of a new artist

Contra Costa Times
BERKELEY - The artist's canvas is blank once again. Last year at this time it danced with vibrant colors, subtle textures and striking shapes. By the time the New Year rolled around it was something to behold, suitable for framing.
That work now hangs in Green Bay, Wis. The artist's new piece has a working title, but no official name. It is visible only to his mind's eye.
"Yeah, it is kind of exciting," said California football coach and renowned quarterback maker Jeff Tedford, who will unveil a new starting quarterback in his team's opener against Sacramento State on Saturday.
"You invest a lot of time, and you get to a point where you don't have to be quite so involved. Now you get involved again. It's like starting from scratch."
Actually, it is starting from scratch. Last year at this time, Aaron Rodgers was Cal's starting quarterback. It was his second year in Tedford's system. He understood the game. He got it. He helped Tedford take Cal to the Holiday Bowl and a top 10 ranking.
Rodgers progressed so far, so fast that he left Cal at the end of the season -- with Tedford's blessing -- even though he had another year of eligibility left. He was drafted in the first round by the Packers.
Good for him, bad for the artist. Tedford begins this season about as quarterback deficient as he has been in his four seasons at Cal. Redshirt freshman Nate Longshore will start against the Fighting Fodder of Sac State. But it is likely that junior college transfer Joe Ayoob will see action, too.
Neither has played a down of Division I football. That shouldn't matter this weekend. But it will the following weekend, when Cal opens Pac-10 play against Washington in Seattle.
The starting quarterback for that game?
"We'll see what happens in the first game," Tedford said. "We'll go into that game, see what happens, and go from there."
Here, then, is where a quarterback guru earns his accolades. Tedford has been hailed for his work with Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, David Carr and Joey Harrington (during his years as an assistant), as well as Kyle Boller and Rodgers (since coming to Cal).
Never has the artist needed to paint so fast and so sure. Because where he had a fallback position with Boller and Rodgers -- backup quarterback Reggie Robertson -- there is no Plan B now.
"Reggie had played Pac-10 play," Tedford said. "Reggie was very solid at that time. This is different."
Longshore has a year in the Tedford program, but has had no playing time. "It's evident he worked very hard over the summer," Tedford said. "He has been consistent and accurate throwing the ball."
Ayoob has JC playing time, but is new to the Tedford way. "It's very similar to when Aaron came in," Tedford said. "It's very hard to make the kind of strides you need to take over."
Mostly what Tedford talks about when discussing his two new proteges are paint-by-numbers fundamentals. Whereas with Rodgers his instruction was specific and precise -- say, how to move defenders with his eyes while dropping back and running through his progression -- he now talks in "See Spot Pass" simplicities.
Reading the plays as they are signaled in from the sideline. Taking control in the huddle. Leading the team up to the line of scrimmage. Scanning the defense. Keeping an eye on the 25-second clock.
Hey, you've got to start somewhere.
"There's going to be a learning curve," Tedford said. "It's part of the growing process. We don't expect that we'll go through a game without a few mistakes."
If you pressed him, Tedford couldn't tell you for certain which of his two blank canvases will be the more polished quarterback at the end of the season. What he states emphatically is that it will be one of the two, starting soon.
"For anyone to get better, they have to go through some adversity," he said. "That's why we're not going to have a two-quarterback situation (in the long-term). I don't want (the starting quarterback) to be looking over his shoulder every time he makes a mistake."
First, though, comes the opener, and a blank canvas where a future first-round draft choice used to be.
Yeah, exciting is one word for it.
"I'm anxious," Tedford said. "Anxiety can work two ways, I think. You can only practice so much. Then you have to get into the games. I'm excited to cut it loose on Saturday and see what we have."
And what needs brushing up.