Saturday, July 30, 2011

San Jose Mercury: Notes from Media Day

Jeff Tedford was the first coach on the stage in the formal interview session and wasted no time addressing the disappointing 2010 season:
“We have created a standard and expectation at Cal over the last nine years. Last season, we fell short of that, and we’re not hiding from that.
“We understand there’s a very fine line between winning and losing, and we were six points away from being 8-4.”
Link to rest of article.

Sports Illustrated Interview with Jeff Tedford

Link. (Sorry about the ad).

ESPN: Tedford to be More Involved in Offense

Ivan Maisel
In 2004, the Cal Bears averaged 492 yards of total offense and 36.8 points as they went 10-2. After that season, head coach Jeff Tedford began to delegate calling plays. They have never been as prolific again. This season, Tedford is going to return to his play chart. He said the offensive coaches will make calls as a staff. But he sounds as if he will immerse himself in the chess game for the first time in seven years.
Looking back, Tedford said Thursday in Bristol on the ESPNU College Football Podcast, “I really tried to take a different approach and have a better feel and pulse on the team as a whole. I tried to back out of that a little bit and delegate and let the offensive guys do that. I would call a play here and there.”
“There were a couple of years that I dabbled in, calling some and not calling some. And then I felt like that was unfair for the playcaller who was trying to set something up and I’d jump in at the last second and call something where he probably had something already to go.” His biggest challenge will be to remain engaged in the game when he isn’t calling plays.
Link to rest of article.