San Francisco Chronicle: Best looking better during first practice in full pads

Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer

Cal sophomore dynamo Jahvid Best took the next step in proving he has healed from his hip injury, getting tackled for the first time since November and popping up.  "The defense is taking you to the ground and hitting you as hard as it can," Best said. "I don't have a doubt in my mind, but this builds my confidence. We still have a lot of camp to go so we can't just throw it out the window, but it feels good."  The Bears were in full pads for the first time Friday, and Best took some huge hits. During red-zone drills, he burst left and tried to sneak outside when linebacker Anthony Felder drilled him. "That's good for him," coach Jeff Tedford said.

Best had 21 plays that went for at least 10 yards and averaged 12.3 yards a touch as a freshman. He averaged 7.6 yards a carry and was second in the Pac-10 in kick returns (27.0).  Ball hawks: Tedford has installed a new set of drills that focus on the basics of ball security and creating turnovers. During Tedford's tenure, Cal is 28-2 when it wins the turnover battle and 10-18 when it doesn't. "It's pretty evident that we need to win the turnover battle, so we need everyone to know how to secure footballs, how to take footballs away, how to recover footballs and how to get tipped balls," Tedford said. "That's what it's about. Anybody and everybody who could possibly come into contact with a football are doing it."

Corner not locked down: Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said sophomores Chris Conte and Darian Hagan are about even in their competition for the second cornerback position opposite Syd'Quan Thompson. Conte started three games and played in all 13 as a freshman, logging 32 tackles and a forced fumble. Hagan had a highly decorated high school career at Crenshaw High-Los Angeles but hasn't recorded a collegiate tackle.

"I think Darian Hagan is playing as well as he has since he's been here," Gregory said. "That's really good to see, but he has to keep it going and be consistent." 

Briefly: Defensive tackle Mika Kane has been slowed by a back injury, and defensive tackle Michael Costanzo endured a concussion, Tedford said. ... Quarterbacks Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley will alternate days of working with the first-team offense, Tedford said.