He's led the way for Bears' backs
Bruce Adams, Michelle Smith, Chronicle Staff Writers
Cal fullback Chris Manderino, who has started every game of the Jeff Tedford era, makes his final regular-season start Saturday at Stanford.
Though Manderino has run for two touchdowns and caught passes for two more this season, his main job is blocking for the tailback. And, judging by the results, he has had some success. He has blocked for two 1,000-yard rushers, Joe Igber in 2002 and Adimchinobe Echemandu in 2003, and a 2,000-yard rusher, J.J. Arrington, in 2004. This year, Manderino could have two 1,000-yard rushers: Marshawn Lynch needs 71 yards and Justin Forsett 88 to reach 1,000. Manderino says each team at Cal has had its own character. Tedford's first season in 2002, which followed a 1-10 year under former coach Tom Holmoe, was marked by "a lot of excitement," Manderino said. "We were winning again." The 2003 team is memorable, he said, for his first bowl trip and the team's 52-49 win over Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl. As for last year, Manderino said he remembers "the great disappointment of not being selected for the Rose Bowl." And this year, "Things haven't gone as well. ... It's just a matter of our playing complete games," he said. Manderino said his greatest setback at Cal was breaking his jaw during spring practice last year. He had his mouth wired shut for six weeks. Edwards update: Stanford quarterback Trent Edwards appeared to be a full participant in practice Tuesday evening, giving credence to his contention that he will be ready to play Saturday despite his swollen left hand (non-throwing). Edwards' hand was wrapped before practice, but after a day of treatment Monday, he was encouraged that he was beginning to recognize his knuckles again.
"It's a lot better,'' said Edwards, injured in the third quarter of Saturday's 20-17 win at Oregon State. "I can almost make a fist. It's gotten 10 times better since the game." Edwards scrimmaged with the Cardinal's first-team offense, throwing crisp passes and running the ball. He did not take snaps from center, something Cardinal coach Walt Harris indicated he likely will avoid for most of the week. A play here, a play there: Cal's All-America center, Marvin Philip, says the Bears might be close to fixing their problems on offense. The Bears have lost four of their last five games. And except for the 35-10 loss to No. 1 USC, the games could have gone either way. "It's always been one play here, one play there," he said "It's the youth of the team." Philip also said that quarterback Joe Ayoob was taking too much of the blame. "It's not just Joe," he said. "It's collectively. We all make mistakes. He plays a position where he's easily spotted."
Degree of difficulty: Stanford's schedule is ranked as the fourth toughest in the nation, according to the NCAA, which bases its statistic on opponents' won-lost records. Only Oklahoma, Michigan and Ohio State have played tougher schedules than Stanford. Three of Stanford's four losses this season have come against teams (Oregon, UCLA and USC) with a combined record of 28-2.
Tedford as a fan: Tedford acknowledges he might not have bled blue and gold his first year or so at Cal. Going into his fourth Big Game, he sounds like a changed man. "There's really nothing like the Big Game," he said, noting he has experienced a number of rivalry games, including the Civil War between Oregon and Oregon State. One distinguishing factor of the Big Game, he said, is the number of "mixed families" of Cal and Stanford alums. "The more you're into it, the more you experience it, the more you can appreciate it," he said. "Now I can see the tradition."
Sack happy: After a slow start, the Stanford defense moved to the top of the Pac-10 this week in sacks per game, averaging a conference-best 3.2. The Cardinal collected six sacks against Oregon State and 21 over the last five games, after only eight sacks in the first four. Julian Jenkins is fourth in the Pac-10 with seven sacks. Eleven players have recorded sacks for the Cardinal this season.
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