SAN FRANCISCO - Stanford quarterback Trent Edwards talked to the media on Monday at Patxi's restaurant in the city while holding his injured left thumb below the table where he was sitting. It looked like he was hiding the fact that he might not be able to take a snap in the 108th Big Game. Out of sight or not, Edwards' injured thumb will be one of the most discussed topics going into Saturday's game at Stanford. That along with Cal coach Jeff Tedford's decision whether to start struggling quarterback Joe Ayoob or backup Steve Levy. Neither Stanford coach Walt Harris or Tedford was going to tip his hand on Monday. "I've looked at (Edwards') hand and it doesn't look very good to me," Harris said. "But we have a lot of time left." Harris said that, being from Los Gatos, Edwards might be able to get through Saturday's game on adrenaline. "The mind is everything," Harris said. Even if Edwards does start, he won't last long if the Cardinal can't protect him. So far, Stanford has allowed 26 sacks this season. "He has withstood as many hits as I've seen during a season," Harris said. "I expect a call from his mother asking what we are doing to protect him better." Ayoob is healthy, but he has thrown 11 interceptions in the last four games. Tedford will be looking for signs that Ayoob has regained some confidence. Tedford said he would have to see how practice goes before deciding on a quarterback for the Big Game.
"Mainly, I want to see confidence in practice," Tedford said following Monday's practice. "I want to see a player who has a good attitude and who is being upbeat. A lot of people have to go through tough times, but you have to practice well. Joe practiced very well (Monday evening)." Ayoob ran the first team offense as he has done all season on Monday but Tedford said no decision would be made on a starting quarterback until later in the week.
Going bowling
It appears that fans who were gambling on Cal playing in the Las Vegas Bowl have rolled snake eyes. If Cal (6-4 overall, 3-4 Pac-10) beats Stanford, it most likely lands in the Insight Bowl, which gets the fourth-place conference finisher. The Bears would tie for fourth place with a win and would have the best possible overall record of any team fourth or lower. If Cal loses, the Emerald Bowl (sixth in the pecking order) most likely would get the Bears. Under that scenario, only Stanford (with a win over Notre Dame) could finish better than 6-5. If Oregon State and Arizona State win their conference finales, and Stanford beats Cal, all three of those teams would finish 4-4 in conference, a game ahead of Cal, which would finish 3-5 in Pac-10 play.
The Bears, under the scenario of Stanford beating them and both Oregon State and Arizona State winning, could be locked totally out of the bowl picture as seven conference teams would be bowl eligible with six bowl alignments.
Follett punished
Bears inside linebacker Zack Follett, a true freshman who has accumulated 28 tackles, will be suspended for the first quarter of the Big Game due to his personal foul against USC tailback LenDale White on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Follett was flagged for putting his helmet into the face of White, who was down on the ground after losing his own helmet. Tedford announced the suspension on Monday but didn't comment further.
Cal injury report
Tedford said that he was very encouraged that junior offensive tackle Scott Smith, who sprained his knee against USC last Saturday, and junior offensive guard Erik Robertson, who sprained his ankle against the Trojans, will be able to play against Stanford. He said, however, that it would take a few days of practice to determine if they are back to full strength or not.
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