By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - It would be understandable if Cal coach Jeff Tedford expects a little extra out of the 2006 recruiting class that he announced at Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, the first day high school seniors could sign national letters of intent to play football.
"Six of our guys' dads are coaches," Tedford noted. "And you can tell that they are coaches' kids. They just talk to you different." One of the coaches' sons is quarterback Kevin Riley, whose father, Faustin Riley, is the offensive coordinator at Beaverton (Ore.) High School. "You go into his house and there is this big-screen TV where he and his dad watch film," Tedford said. "Kevin has been around football all of his life." Riley was one of 10 high school All-Americans among the 16 players signed by Cal on Wednesday. Cal also signed four junior college players and announced that former St. Louis High School-Honolulu defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, who signed with Cal in 2005, has enrolled this semester.
Tedford not only picked up an extremely talented group, which was rated No. 23 nationally by Scout.com on Wednesday, he also is excited about working with athletes who have extensive football backgrounds. Included in that group are four players -- wide receiver Daniel Lofton, defensive end Keith Browner, Jr., defensive back Brandon Jones and defensive tackle Mike Costanzo -- whose fathers played in the NFL. Watching a highlight film of Lofton (Westview High-San Diego) on Wednesday during a news conference, Tedford said, "Look at him run. He looks just like his father. He's got that long stride."
Lofton's father is Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton, a wide receiver with the Bills, Packers and Raiders who now is an assistant coach with the Chargers. Daniel Lofton is about the same height as his dad at 6-foot-2, but at 190 pounds he has yet to fill into his frame. Browner, a 6-6, 235-pounder out of Dorsey High-Los Angeles, isn't as thick as his dad, former Bucs and Chargers player Keith Browner Sr. "You look at those kids, Lofton and Browner, and then you look at their dads and you kind of see the before and after picture," Tedford said.
Costanzo's dad, Richard Costanzo, was an offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, and Jones' dad, Lyndall Jones, was a fullback for the Eagles and Falcons.
Costanzo, a PrepStar All-American, was a huge local signing for Cal out of Monte Vista High. Tedford snapped up two of the East Bay's top talents in Costanzo and McClymonds defensive tackle Derrick Hill Jr.
Cal's junior college transfers were signed to address immediate needs. Mt. San Antonio College defensive end Rulon Davis will be a sophomore who is expected to give the Bears a pass rushing threat they have lacked at the position. Solano Community College's Mike Gibson and El Camino College's Mark Gray are offensive linemen who should give Cal more depth on a line that suffered heavy graduation losses.
Tedford filled a huge need by signing punter Andrew Larson out of Saddleback Junior College in Mission Viejo. A first-team All-American by the JC Athletic Bureau, Larson averaged 42.6 yards per punt last season.
Notes: Tedford announced that offensive coordinator George Cortez has left the program to pursue other interests. According to sources, Cal has picked Northwestern offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar to replace him. Tedford said an announcement on a new offensive coordinator would come in a few days. ... Cal freshman wide receiver Jesse Canada, a scholarship player who left school for a semester to deal with some personal problems, is back with the team. Tedford said Canada will be a walk-on athlete this season and will try to earn back his scholarship. ... Cal is expected to fill the open date on its 2006 schedule as early as Friday. Division I-AA schools Montana State, Weber State, Idaho State and UC Davis are being considered. ... Tedford said junior offensive tackle Andrew Cameron has retired from football due to numerous injuries. ... Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson will not play baseball as expected so he can concentrate on getting stronger for next football season.
No comments:
Post a Comment