Cal will reload, not rebuild

Losing 3 stars no big deal: Bears have great potential
California running back Marshawn Lynch wants to show the nation that the Golden Bears won't decline despite losing three stars.
By GREG BEACHAM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BERKELEY — After losing the top receiver in school history, a 2,000-yard running back and a quarterback who was a first-round draft pick, most college football teams would be in for a profound rebuilding year.
Instead, California is expected to be a national contender for two big reasons: Coach Jeff Tedford stuck around, and running back Marshawn Lynch finally gets the chance to show what he can do.
The Golden Bears are ranked 19th in the AP's preseason poll despite the departures of Geoff McArthur, J.J. Arrington and Aaron Rodgers — the bedrock of last season's 10-2 team that nearly beat national champion USC and barely missed out on the Bowl Championship Series while reaching Cal's highest ranking in a half-century.
So why is Cal getting such respect despite losing its offensive core and returning a young, untested defense? Because Tedford, who agreed to a lucrative five-year contract extension in December, never seems to run out of ideas.
"I like the challenge of coming back for a new year and seeing what our coaches can do," Tedford said. "Guys are always going to leave your program. That's the nature of college football. It's fun to test other guys, and see who steps up to take over. That's rewarding for coaches."
Tedford and defensive coordinator Bob Gregory have presided over lively battles for most starting spots in training camp this season. There's no battle at running back, however: Lynch, the Oakland native whose talents were tantalizing in limited action last season, will be the focus of Cal's offense.
Lynch rushed for 628 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman last season on just 71 carries as Arrington's backup, and he'll be behind an offensive line with four returning starters. Tedford is known for his acumen in developing quarterbacks, but Lynch could be the coach's fourth different 1,000-yard rusher in four seasons at Cal.
"I think everybody expects a big year out of our running game," center Marvin Philip said. "We're still going to throw the ball, but our bread and butter is the running game. It always has been, even though we're known as a passing team by some people."
Lynch will get the ball from one of two quarterbacks who haven't taken a snap in Division I yet. The two newest candidates to be turned into first-round NFL draft picks under Tedford's tutelage are Nate Longshore, a freshman who redshirted last season, and Joe Ayoob, a transfer from City College of San Francisco.
Tedford announced Monday that Longshore will be the starter over the more heralded Ayoob. The decision might not be final, however; two years ago, Reggie Robertson was Cal's starter until Rodgers took over midway through the season.
Though Tedford believes Cal needs at least two quarterbacks on its roster who are capable of starting, he doesn't subscribe to the theory of interchangeable passers practiced by Georgia, San Jose State and many other schools in recent years.
"I'm not a fan of it," Tedford said. "I like to pick a guy who can play and not have to worry about somebody looking over his shoulder."
Longshore or Ayoob will throw to a standout crop of young receivers, though none is a proven major-college talent yet.
There's Robert Jordan, who emerged last season as a freshman; DeSean Jackson, a freshman from Long Beach who was Cal's biggest recruiting coup; Lavelle Hawkins, a speedster who transferred with Ayoob from CCSF; and sophomores Noah Smith, Sean Young and Sam DeSa, who spent last season learning the job.
If Tedford gets all these parts to work together, the Bears' biggest concern might be their defense, which returns just three starters. But the secondary looks solid, with returnees Daymeion Hughes, Harrison Smith and Tim Mixon, along with roving star Donnie McCleskey, who plays a position combining defensive back and linebacker.
"I think we'll have a good defense if we all play to our potential," Hughes said. "We had back-to-back shutouts last year, and we want to build on that. We're not thinking about the Holiday Bowl."
Ah yes, the Holiday Bowl. Texas Tech's Sonny Cumbie passed for 520 yards in the Red Raiders' 45-31 victory over the Bears, who barely missed out on the Rose Bowl. The loss put a damper on the celebrations of a remarkable season — but the Bears believe there's still more fun to be had.
"Last year's team was special, but we have all the potential to have an even better year," Philip said. "There's no limit for what we can do. We've got a great team."