Tedford wishes he had given Riley and other backups more action
By Jonathan Okanes
It was just one narrow win over a midmajor opponent, but there were elements of Cal's victory over Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl that provided hope. But coach Jeff Tedford said no matter what would have happened in Monday's game, the program was ready to go through some major reflection this offseason. "I think it will give us a good feeling going into the offseason, but win or lose today it's going to be a very tough spring because we're evaluating everything we are doing," he said after the Bears' 42-36 win over the Falcons. "We're really going to get after it pretty good this spring." The emergence of Kevin Riley, success with a 3-4 defensive alignment and the play of some younger players on defense were some of the encouraging developments during the Bears' win. But the bottom line is Cal dramatically fell below expectations this season, and the way it did is what really should give Tedford pause.
Turnovers, penalties and untimely mistakes were the culprits in almost every Cal loss. Tedford likely will start his offseason evaluation by looking in the mirror and determining what he could have done to stem the tide when the losses started piling up. The famous air mattress in Tedford's office got some extra work this season as he put ineven more time than usual trying to solve the mystery of his team's slide. The lack of sleep was evident as he coughed his way through the final six weeks of the season. Tedford was reluctant most of the season to make major changes because he felt his body of work at Cal spoke for itself. He seems to have backed off that now, realizing that something was amiss during the season's final two months, and it's time to figure out what it was.
Certainly, Tedford will evaluate his personnel and schemes, but some of the reflection likely will focus on intangibles such as leadership style, coaching structure and practice culture. He started as soon as Monday's game ended, second-guessing his decision not to give Riley and other second-stringers more playing time earlier in the season. "Maybe through the season we should have done that more at a lot of positions, not just the quarterback position. If there is one thing, looking back on it — give a tackle a series or two in a game just to create some depth." Tedford entered the 2007 season at peace with his quarterback play. Nate Longshore was a returning starter who had emerged as one of the best at his position in the Pac-10. But Longshore fell below expectations, and couldn't get back on the field after Riley took over against Air Force. Tedford acknowledged afterward there will be an open competition for the position, starting in the spring. Riley downplayed his performance Monday when asked if he sent a message for 2008, preferring to focus on the team's accomplishment. "I think so, but I think our team made a statement too, just coming back and winning," he said. "I just thought about it as winning the bowl game. I'm going to play as hard as I can, and hopefully I'll get that spot."
Whoever plays quarterback is going to have to introduce himself to new wide receivers. Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan are seniors, and there's a good chance junior DeSean Jackson will leave for the NFL draft. If Jackson goes, LaReylle Cunningham will be the only returning receiver who has caught a pass in a game. He has eight career receptions in three years. Freshman Michael Calvin, who redshirted the season, should step into the starting lineup immediately. Jeremy Ross also could be ready to contribute. Nyan Boateng is a potential wild card — he's a megatalented transfer from Florida, but his status is up in the air after running into legal trouble last summer. The Bears also have to replace tailback Justin Forsett, who just completed one of the best seasons in school history. Forsett amassed 1,546 rushing yards — the second-best ever mark at Cal — and tied the school standard with 15 rushing touchdowns. Luckily for the Bears, they have a slew of talented young backs, with Jahvid Best and James Montgomery the favorites to become the No.1 guy.
The Bears also have to replace the left side of their offensive line — left tackle Mike Gibson and left guard Brian De La Puente are leaving — but have quality depth. Tight end Craig Stevens also is departing after a disappointing senior season, but Cameron Morrah is ready to take over.
Cal doesn't lose much on defense, but coordinator Bob Gregory will have to find a way to improve his unit's effectiveness. Gregory's teams usually are among the Pac-10's best in scoring defense, but fell to sixth this year (26.0 ppg). The most significant loss is at free safety, where leading tackler Thomas DeCoud will take his talents to the NFL. Look for Brett Johnson or freshman D.J. Campbell to fill the void.
The Bears have most of their top linebackers coming back — Zack Follett, Anthony Felder, Worrell Williams, Michael Mohamed and Eddie Young — with redshirts D.J. Holt and Devin Bishop ready to contribute. Gregory may increase his use of the 3-4 to get more of his most talented group on the field.
Syd'Quan Thompson is back at one corner, but for the second year in a row there will be a battle for the other side. Brandon Hampton is gone, and freshman Chris Conte, who started three games this year, is the leading candidate to take his place. He could be pushed by Darian Hagan, who disappointed this season.
Cal loses Matt Malele and John Allen on the defensive line, and will need its younger down linemen to make more of an impact. Rulon Davis can be a force when healthy, and should start on the end along with Tyson Alualu or Cameron Jordan. Derrick Hill should be a mainstay inside, but the Bears will need to find someone to play alongside him.
Jordan Kay was inconsistent as an emergency replacement for Tom Schneider at kicker, and the Bears will need him to improve his range and accuracy next season. Bryan Anger will take over for Andrew Larson as punter.
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