NOTEBOOK
Bruce Adams, Michelle Smith, Chronicle Staff Writers
Cal senior linebacker Ryan Foltz -- comparing this year's young team to the older players on last year's squad that was ranked in the Top 10 much of the season -- said there's no replacement for experience. "We won all the close games," Foltz said of last season's 10-2 Bears. "We'd all been in those situations before." That's not the case this year on a team that began the season with eight new starters on defense and five on offense. The Bears (6-4) have lost four of their last five games -- three of them by a touchdown or less. "I think the youth has contributed to some of our problems here," Foltz said. Senior center Marvin Philip says the Bears will be all the better for the struggles. "A lot of young guys were forced into roles this year due to graduation," he said. "Maturity will come naturally. I think they'll be very successful next year." Edwards to start: In vintage Walt Harris style, the answer was to the point. When asked if Trent Edwards will start at quarterback Saturday, the Stanford coach said, "Yes." Harris also indicated that fullback Nick Frank and wide receiver Justin McCullum, who were injured last week at Oregon State, also will be available to start. McCullum, the fifth-year senior, has become the team's leading receiver, catching 30 passes for 438 yards and four touchdowns. He overtook junior Mark Bradford, who has not caught a pass since the first quarter of the UCLA game on Oct. 29.
Bad behavior: Asked to offer his perspective on the Big Game, longtime Stanford radio broadcaster Bob Murphy said he's worried about bad behavior by students. "I have been concerned by some rather ugly and hateful aspects that have been introduced into this competition with disturbing language, signs and the like," Murphy said. "Instead of a Blue and Gold 'C' on Hoover Tower or a big Cardinal Red 'S' on the Campanile, some real serious and costly damage has recently been done."
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