California Golden Bear Football News

Quotes from Tedford's Holiday Bowl Press Conference

2011-12-09T17:15:00.001-08:00

Cal Bags Freddie Tagaloa, 6'7", 315 pound Beast from Salesian High

2011-12-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

Great news, made even better by the fact Cal beat out Oregon and Stanford.
From the Chronicle:
"Tagaloa gave Cal coach Jeff Tedford a verbal commitment last weekend and firmed it up Wednesday night when Cal offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik visited the star recruit’s home. It’s been a really rough recruiting process for Tagaloa, ranked the nation’s No. 69 recruit by CBS/MaxPreps recruiting expert Tom Lemming."
Here's the link to the rest of the Chronicle story.

Video of Memorial Stadium Construction

2011-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

USC Spanks Cal 30-9

2011-10-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

Zach Maynard threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball once in a bitch-slapping by USC at AT&T park. His half-brother got in on the action, fumbling once as well. Tedford insightfully noted "We just turned the ball over too much."
Another fun quote: "The fact he really telegraphed every ball he was going to throw made it easy," said USC linebacker Chris Galippo, who picked off one of Maynard's passes. "When a quarterback stares down his targets like that, you just follow his eyes."
Prior to quitting the University of Buffalo team, Maynard had 18 TDs and 15 interceptions.
WTF? Since Aaron Rodgers left, Cal has had a long line of mediocre QBS, called the "Cal quarterback malaise" by CBSsports.com writer Dennis Dodd:
Joseph Ayoob
Steve Levy
Nate Longshore
Kevin Riley
Brock Mansion
And now we have Zach Maynard. He looked erratic at the first few games, and while he can run, he's no Michael Vick. He doesn't play smart and he's just not that good. The malaise continues.

Wall Street Journal: Cal is the Second Most Overrated Team in Past Decade

2011-10-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Today's Wall Street Journal had an article analyzing which college football teams are most notorious for failing to live up to preseason hype, based on the highest dropoff in points from the preseason poll to the final poll. Florida State was #1:

"Since 2001, the Seminoles have been overrated more than any other major program based on the change between how many votes they get in the preseason Associated Press poll and the final one (including this season). Over this span, the Seminoles have finished with 60.4% fewer points in the poll than they began with. That's the largest decline of any team with at least five preseason-poll appearances over this span.
California has the second-biggest drop-off (-47.7%), which is owed to the Golden Bears' repeated failures in the mid-2000s."

Blueprint on How to Beat Oregon

2011-10-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

The collapse of the Cal defensive line in the second half last night shouldn't have been a surprise to the coaching staff. Oregon runs a play every 20 seconds, designed to wear down the defensive linemen. LSU recognized this a year ago and began preparing for this season's game against Oregon. Today's Wall Street Journal provided a detailed glimpse on how LSU's coaching staff addressed this threat:
By Scott Cacciola
LSU has earned the country's No. 1 ranking in college football largely through the strength of its defense, which has treated opponents like piñatas this season, holding them to a sniveling two yards per rushing attempt. As LSU puts its unbeaten record on the line against No. 17 Florida this weekend, this unit is inviting comparisons to some of the all-time greats.But if you have any preconceptions about how a great Southeastern Conference defense gets made, you might want to set them aside. For one thing, this team's starting linemen and linebackers are rather small by the overfed standards of the SEC—they're about 20 pounds lighter, on average, than their equivalents at Alabama. But what really makes this defense unusual is the force that drove its development. It was built on fear—the fear of Oregon.
In September 2010, after LSU agreed to open the 2011 season against the Ducks, head coach Les Miles began to scheme—and sweat. Renowned for its up-tempo, spread-the-field offense and its flair for innovation, Oregon was a game-planning nightmare. (The only team to beat the Ducks last year was Auburn, which had six weeks to plot.) "You can't prepare for an uptempo style of play in one week," former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "You can't do it in two weeks. It takes six weeks, minimum. If you can spend nine months on it, even better."
Miles and his staff recognized that losing to a PlayStation offense from the Pac-12 would be a tricky way to launch a season. But unlike many teams that have struggled to prepare for Oregon, LSU had a head start.
(For copyright reasons I can't include the entire article, but you hopefully can read the rest via this link).

Tedford Spotted in Galt

2011-10-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

Jeff Tedford was at the Cosumnes Oaks vs. Galt game on Friday night. Good to see he's spending his bye week on the recruitment trail.

SF Chronicle: Cal Has 2 Former Colorado Asst Coaches on Staff

2011-09-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

John Crumpacker
When Cal assistant coach Ashley Ambrose was talking about the importance of striking first and gaining an early advantage against Colorado on Saturday in Boulder, it sounded like so much meaningless coaching palaver.
But wade through the coach-speak and you'll find kernels of truth. Cal leads Colorado 3-2 in a series in which the team that scored first has won all five games. Furthermore, the losing team never had a lead in those games. "We've got to hit them in the mouth and get the fans out of the game," Ambrose said after practice Tuesday. "It's going to be hostile for us."
Link to rest of article.

Kyle Boller Beats Out Trent Edwards for #2 Quarterback Position with Raiders

2011-09-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

The Raiders released Trent Edwards, with Kyle Boller currently backing up Jason Campbell. Link.
On a happy note, JaMarcus Russell just paid off $200,000 owed to the State of California for taxes. His Oakland home is about to be auctioned off, however.

Former Cal Bear Tracy Slocum Arrested for Pimping

2011-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

From the San Jose Mercury News:
A former high school football star from Fresno who played with little acclaim at Cal is being held without bail in Santa Clara County Jail on charges of domestic violence, sexual assault and pimping. San Jose police gave few details about Tracy Slocum Jr., 23, who was arrested Friday in Fresno by federal marshals and Fresno police and then brought to San Jose. The arrest followed a month-long, multi-jurisdictional investigation, according to San Jose Police Officer Jose Garcia. Investigators suspect Slocum was a pimp in several cities over the last few months, he said.
Garcia said officers believe there may be victims in the case who have not yet come forward. After a stellar football career at Clovis East High School in Fresno, Slocum was heavily recruited by a number of top schools but decided on UC Berkeley. He spent three years at Cal but didn't play much. He then took a year off before joining the Fresno State Bulldogs as a walk-on. Slocum told a Fresno TV station last year that he saw his senior year as a Bulldog as a second chance after his tenure at Cal "didn't work out." "It's a great opportunity" he said. "That's why I'm here."

Denver Post: Colorado's Coach Looks Back at Last Year's Thrashing by Bears

2011-09-07T16:52:00.001-07:00

Link.
CU coach Jon Embree, at a Tuesday news conference in Boulder, looked back at the beating the Buffs took at Cal in 2010. Embree spent much of the off season examining the Cal loss. Of all the ineptitude, what stood out the most? “Lack of effort,” Embree said. “I don’t think we competed very well last year. I felt like we just kind of were hoping and waiting for the clock to run out so we could get off the field.”
Added senior nose tackle Conrad Obi, a backup last year: “I thought the effort was there. I didn’t think we executed. At all. All the things we wanted to do we didn’t do.”

Contra Costa Times: Cal Must Prove it Can Win on the Road

2011-09-07T16:50:00.001-07:00

Monte Poole
No fan base in America could urge an athletic director to fire a college football coach whose team played its entire schedule on the road. Cal folks wouldn't dare.
No A.D. would be irrational enough to dump a coach before allowing him to coach in the marvelous new facility built with the momentum he generated. Cal's Sandy Barbour won't even consider it.
Not that she should.
To the delight of most but the dismay of some, Jeff Tedford gets a pass this season. The Golden Bears cannot go winless, so the coach's job is safe in every realistic scenario.
That's not to suggest Tedford can spend 2011 coasting on those successive top-25 finishes accumulated from 2004 through 2006. To the contrary, this season provides ideal circumstances under which he can begin repolishing a reputation that once shined brightly enough to attract glances from NFL executives.
Tedford, 49, can reaffirm his initial identity as a football professor in Berkeley. Or he can confirm his recent status as a coach whose well of innovative solutions is not as deep as once thought.
Link to rest of article.

Chuck Muncie Autographed Ball

2011-09-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

Bid high and bid often. Link to Auction.

San Jose Mercury: Notes from Media Day

2011-07-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Link. (Sorry about the ad).

ESPN: Tedford to be More Involved in Offense

2011-07-30T21:50:00.001-07:00

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.

Beau Sweeney Transfering From Cal

2011-04-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

The Contra Costa Times reports that Beau Sweeney has been released from his scholarship and is transferring from Cal.
Sweeney, a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility left, has been granted a release from his scholarship. Tedford said He's interested in transferring to a Football Championship Subdivision program so he doesn't have to sit out this season.
"He's a backup here and wants a chance to play. He's a great kid. We wish him all the best," Tedford said.
Sweeney was one of six quarterbacks vying for the starting job in spring camp but didn't make the cut when Tedford narrowed that competition to the top three. He spent most of the 2009 season and part of 2010 as the Bears' No. 2 quarterback but was dropped to the No. 3 spot about halfway through last season.

Wall Street Journal: The Cal Baseball Resurrection

2011-04-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Link to article.

Cal Baseball Reinstated

2011-04-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

From the University:
The University of California, Berkeley, baseball program will continue to represent the campus as an Intercollegiate Athletics sport, now and into the future, as the result of a successful and ongoing fundraising effort on the part of alumni, former players, parents of current players and other team supporters, campus officials said today. After a significant increase in philanthropic pledges in the last few days, commitments totaling $9 million were presented to Chancellor Robert Birgeneau yesterday by Stu Gordon, a former Golden Bear pitcher and leader of the fundraising effort. In light of the fact that the funds raised remain about 10 percent short of the previously identified $10 million goal, donors and the campus administration have agreed that the team’s formal reinstatement will be announced once the $10 million target is met through continued fundraising.
Birgeneau said he is encouraged by and appreciative of the tremendous outpouring of support for the continuation of varsity baseball at UC Berkeley. “The baseball team’s preservation is yet another example of how our alumni are stepping up to support their alma mater during a time of unprecedented financial challenges,” he said. “I am grateful, on behalf of the campus community, for what our alumni and supporters have accomplished, and pleased that Cal baseball will continue to represent the university in intercollegiate competition. Most especially, I want to thank Stu Gordon for his inspired leadership of this fundraising effort. It would not have happened without him. I have faith in the community’s ability not only to meet, but to exceed, the $10 million target in the near future.”
Link to rest of press release.

Cal Football's 2011 Schedule

2011-04-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

2011 REGULAR-SEASON CAL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Day, Date - Opponent (Time, TV)
Sat., Sept. 3 - Fresno State (TBA)
Sat., Sept. 10 - at Colorado (TBA)
Sat., Sept. 17 - Presbyterian (TBA)
Sat., Sept. 24 - at Washington (TBA)
Thu., Oct. 6 - at Oregon (6 p.m. PT, ESPN)
Thu., Oct. 13 - USC (6 p.m. PT, ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 22 - Utah (TBA)
Sat., Oct. 29 - at UCLA (TBA)
Sat., Nov. 5 - Washington State (TBA)
Sat., Nov. 12 - Oregon State (TBA)
Sat., Nov. 19 - at Stanford (TBA)
Sat., Nov. 26 - at Arizona State (TBA)

Cal Chancellor Says $1 Million More Needed to Reinstate Baseball

2011-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Per the Save Cal Baseball Facebook page:
"Remarkably, the Chancellor has not reinstated Cal Baseball today. He said we still need another million dollars before he will do so. Frustration does not begin to explain our sentiment at this time. It took $8 million to reinstate rugby, women’s gymnastics, and women’s lacrosse. We now have over $9 million raised solely for baseball.
We know baseball will be reinstated this year, and without interruption to program, so we must continue to be positive. We’ve raised record funding in a very short period of time and we know we will raise the next $1 million with the same tenacity and determination that we’ve all exhibited thus far."
If you can afford to make a donation, please do so at www.savecalbaseball.com. We are running out of time, as the Pac-12 has a deadline to set schedules for next year. With each delay, Cal baseball loses even more time to recruit for next season. Chancellor Birgeneau is clearly not a fan of college athletics, but let him know what you think by either calling him at 510-642-7464 or emailing him at his official email address, chancellor@berkeley.edu, or his real email address, robertjb@berkeley.edu.

ESPN: Cameron Jordan to Meet with Steelers

2011-04-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

ESPN's James Walker is reporting that Cameron Jordan will meet with the Steelers on April 4th. "Jordan recorded 51 tackles and six sacks for the Golden Bears last season. He is considered a mid or late first-round pick. Pittsburgh holds the No. 31 overall selection."
Link to article.

SF Chronicle: Tedford Takes Reins of Cal's Offense

2011-03-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

John Crumpacker
When Cal takes the field for its games this season, there will be a new man calling plays for the Bears. In this case, however, it's like the old Who song: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Jeff Tedford hopes that's a good thing, because he's the boss and he'll be calling the majority of plays in an effort to make his first losing season as Cal's head coach his only losing season.
"I did it the first three or four years here, then went back and forth," Tedford said. "You've got to be all in or out, one of the two. There's got to be a role you play. You get to set things up, have a good feel for things." For Tedford and his team, it begins anew with spring practice, 15 sessions spread over a month's time, starting today and running through April 30. Because of the renovation of Memorial Stadium and unexpected structural issues at adjacent Witter Rugby Field, the Bears will be primarily a road show this spring.
Link to rest of article.

Contra Costa Times: Cal football team begins its first road trip, with spring practices set at six different venues

2011-03-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Okanes
Cal's football team embarked on its 2011 spring tour Tuesday, opening spring practice at Skyline High in Oakland, one of six venues the Bears will call home between now and the end of April.
Cal usually practices on campus at Memorial Stadium, but the facility is undergoing renovations. The Bears were supposed to use nearby Witter Rugby Field instead, but the recently installed field turf was not done properly and is not suitable for football practice.
So Cal now will hold most of its spring practices at Golden Bear Field on the school's Clark Kerr campus and Laney College in Oakland. The Bears would have practiced at Golden Bear Field on Tuesday, but the recent heavy rains made conditions there unplayable.
"We'll manage it," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said after the Bears wrapped up their first practice. "It's not as convenient as walking out your back door. There's work to be done. No matter where we practice or where we play, we need to focus on the job at hand. It's all about focusing on the job that we need to get done."
In addition, the Bears already had planned to hold three off-site practices that will be open to the public. Cal will practice at Grant High-Sacramento on April 9, Valley Christian-San Jose on April 16 and San Ramon Valley High on April 30.
Link to rest of article.

SJ Mercury: Quarterback is Just of the Issues Confronting Bears

2011-03-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Okanes
For the first time in his nine years as Cal's coach, Jeff Tedford enters a spring practice coming off a losing season. Not surprisingly, there are issues.
Tedford started the process of repairing the program during the offseason by replacing five of his assistant coaches and bringing in his second consecutive top-15 recruiting class. But now is when the real improvement needs to begin.
There are several areas in which the Bears need to improve, starting with the not-so-insignificant matter of finding an effective quarterback. Cal also has no experienced tailbacks, a dearth of proven wide receivers and three key defensive players who each will be drafted into the NFL next month. Tedford also has to keep the team focused on the task at hand while it busses to different locations for spring practice sessions.
The following are the top five storylines to watch during Cal's spring practice:
1. Find the frontrunners at quarterback. Tedford has said he likely won't have a starter in place by the end of spring, but he'd like to narrow it down to a top three. There are five scholarship quarterbacks on the roster this spring, although redshirt freshman Austin Hinder likely isn't realistically in the mix simply because of his lack of seniority.
Link to rest of article.

Donate to Save Cal Baseball

2011-03-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Chronicle reported today that the Save Cal Baseball campaign, headed by Stu Gordon, has raised $9 million of the $10 million needed to save the baseball program. Click here to go to the site and make a donation.

Cal Football Forced to Relocate Spring Practice

2011-03-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

Cal announced today that the newly installed artificial turf on Witter Rugby Field will have to be replaced "in order to assure safety and suitability for student-athletes and intramural sports teams" due to unanticipated structural issues. The field was converted from natural grass to an artificial surface in the fall.
"The structural base and drainage systems are simply not performing as required, and we are moving swiftly and aggressively to rectify the situation," said Bob Milano Jr., Assistant Athletic Director for Capital Planning and Management.
The repairs should be completed by early June. Cal's football spring practice, which starts Tuesday, March 29, will move to two primary venues - Golden Bear Field on Cal's Clark Kerr Campus and Laney College in Oakland. All football team workouts are closed to the public except on the following dates - April 2 (Laney), April 9 (Grant High School, Sacramento), April 16 (Valley Christian High School, San Jose) and April 30 (San Ramon Valley High School, Danville). The off-site practices in Sacramento, San Jose and Danville had been previously scheduled.
"Although we are disappointed that the physical condition of the turf at Witter Rugby Field will not allow us to hold our practices at the facility this spring, it is important that we do everything possible to ensure the safety of our players," head football coach Jeff Tedford said. "Moving our spring practices is something that we've determined is necessary for us to do while the turf is being repaired."

Live Chat with Coach Tedford Today at 3:30

2011-03-16T13:08:00.003-07:00

Link.

Sports Illustrated: Burning Questions for Each Pac-12 Team

2011-03-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

Link.
Excerpt:
California: Will Jeff Tedford develop a big-time quarterback?
Tedford was once known as a quarterback guru, but it has been a long time since he had one who made anyone salivate. Kevin Riley's gone, and five -- count 'em, five -- guys appear to have a legitimate shot in a wide-open competition. When Riley was injured, Brock Mansion started the latter part of last season. The others: Allan Bridgford (sophomore), Austin Hinder (redshirt freshman), Zach Maynard (junior) and Beau Sweeney (junior). Who will it be? It's an important question to answer, because it's time for the Golden Bears to get back to winning. What Tedford has done in Berkeley is underappreciated; he's been working with substandard facilities (a problem that's finally being rectified). But college football fans aren't known for their patience. Watching Oregon -- and especially Big Game rival Stanford -- surpass Cal in the conference hierarchy has to sting.

ESPN: Cal's Schedule Appears Finalized

2011-02-16T16:20:00.001-08:00

Ted Miller
Thanks to some nice legwork from the California Golden Blogs, it appears we now know the Golden Bears final 2011 schedule, which includes a conference game that is not a conference game and a battle with the Blue Hose. Seriously.
Cal has yet to make official the filling of two voids -- Sept. 10 and Sept. 17 -- on its schedule, but Presbyterian College (the Fighting Blue Hose) apparently couldn't wait to announce it will act as a sacrificial lamb on Sept. 17 in the home opener at AT&T Park, where the Bears are playing home games while Memorial Stadium is being renovated.
Link to rest of article here.

LIVE THE DREAM: PLAY IN A REAL GAME AGAINST THE CAL BEARS

2011-02-16T15:03:00.000-08:00

Like most Cal fans, my dream of playing for the Bears was never realized, or attempted. However, that doesn't mean you can't play against the Bears. You can live the dream by immediately applying to Presbyterian College's school of pharmacy, which, from what I can tell, is the only graduate program at Presbyterian College.
Once admitted, you can try out for the Blue Hose football team. Of the 1,200 undergrads, 50% describe themselves as female. That leaves 600 males competing for 101 slots (per the current roster you can find here). That's a 1 in 6 chance of making the team. You'll be competing against the likes of 161 pounder Hunter Counts for a coveted wide receiver position.
On the down side, the school of pharmacy isn't actually accredited yet, and it costs $30,000 a year. But you only need a 2.5 undergrad GPA. You'll also have to relocate to Clinton, SC, a town so small it doesn't have a single Starbucks. But you'll be playing at AT&T Park in September.

SF Chronicle: Cal to Play Tiny Presbyterian College at AT&T Park

2011-02-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

John Crumpacker
In one of the most puzzling football scheduling decisions in school history, Cal has agreed to play Presbyterian College of Clinton, S.C., on Sept. 17 at AT&T Park to fill one of the two vacancies on its 2011 slate. The school with an enrollment of 1,200 students is a member of the Big South Conference and is in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA. The Presbyterian Blue Hose finished 2-9 last year, losing to the likes of The Citadel, North Greenville, Coastal Carolina, Stony Brook and Gardner-Webb.
"Cal will be a great trip for us," coach Harold Nichols said on the school's website. Coach Jeff "Tedford is doing great things out there and it'll be a fun game and a great experience for our guys." While Presbyterian trumpeted the game on its website, Cal has yet to make a similar announcement and had no comment Tuesday. Cal had been hoping to announce both of its remaining unfilled dates at the same time. The other date is Sept. 10.
Link to rest of article.

Oakland Tribune: Michalczik Happy to be Back at Cal

2011-02-13T19:14:00.001-08:00

Jonathan Okanes
Jim Michalczik says he feels like he's come home, which is kind of funny because the home looks nothing like it did when he left.
Michalczik was hired last month as Cal's new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He coached the Bears' offensive line from 2002-08 before moving on to coach the Raiders' offensive line the past two seasons. He was also Cal's offensive coordinator in 2007.
When Michalczik left Cal after the 2008 season, construction of the Student-Athlete High-Performance Center was just getting going and the renovation of Memorial Stadium had yet to commence. Michalczik returned to find significant progress to the SAHPC, as well as a torn-up stadium. The football offices have been moved from inside Memorial Stadium to temporary portables near the softball stadium.
"The real cool thing with this is nine years ago this was a vision of Coach (Jeff) Tedford's," Michalczik said. "We were all part of it and we sold it to some kids along the way. The neat thing is to see it coming true and the commitment that the school and the alumni have made."
But while things may look a lot different, Michalczik said it didn't take long for him to feel comfortable back in Berkeley. He was gone only two seasons, meaning there are players still on the roster whom he knows and some he recruited.
"There's a little bit of feeling like you came home," Michalczik said. "I can't emphasize enough the way Coach Tedford runs the program.
Link to rest of article.

CBS Sports: Since Rodgers, QB Cupboard Bare in Berkeley

2011-02-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

Dennis Dodd
It wasn't entirely a redemptive, feel-good story this week with Aaron Rodgers. With his success, Green Bay's Super Bowl savior also shined a light on the quarterback situation at his alma mater, California. Since 2005, The Replacements -- the quarterbacks to follow Rodgers in Berkeley -- haven't come close to measuring up. Only once since Rodgers left has a Cal quarterback finished in the top 60 in NCAA pass efficiency. Pac-10 cellar-dweller Washington State has had quarterbacks finish in the top 50 four times in the same period. Something has happened since then. Rodgers was the sixth first-round quarterback overseen by Cal coach Jeff Tedford. The mojo/momentum/magic that started for Tedford in 1992 at Fresno State has, inexplicably, died. Sure, Cal has won but the coach who built his career by building quarterbacks has been forced to do it a different way lately.
If we're going to judge Tedford by his quarterbacks' post-college accomplishments -- and we are -- then it's only fair we zero in on the post-Rodgers group. Among them are a current broadcaster for a high school cable network and a couple of guys with arena league teams, including one with a fever. Rather, a guy with the Fever. That would be Joseph Ayoob (Cal, 2005-06) of the Tri-Cities Fever.
"The last great one [at Cal] was Aaron," said Rick Kimbrel, a Rivals.com West Coast recruiting analyst and a one-time CBSSports.com contributor. "Guys that they picked just haven't panned out. I have no idea what's going on with that quarterback situation. When that happens, you're picking the wrong guys." Tedford built a large part of his reputation as offensive coordinator at Fresno and Oregon before going to Cal in 2002. His NFL prodigies include Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, David Carr, Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller and Rodgers. Two of those -- Dilfer and Rodgers -- have won Super Bowls. Dilfer, Smith, Carr and Harrington all threw more interceptions than touchdowns.
Rodgers was the exception in that group -- a difference maker drafted 24th overall by the Packers and bred as the eventual successor to Brett Favre. Tedford was at the top of his game following Rodgers' final college season in 2004. His program was emerging as the primary Pac-10 challenger to Southern California in the mid-2000s. Rodgers had beaten the Trojans in a three-overtime epic in 2003 and fell just short in 2004 despite completing 23 consecutive passes against the Trojans.
Link to rest of article.

Top Aaron Rodgers' Superbowl Photo

2011-02-09T14:04:00.001-08:00

Nate Longshore Joins San Jose Sabercats

2011-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

Press release:
The SaberCats today announced former California QB Nate Longshore has joined San Jose. QB Kevin Lopina was placed on re-assignment. “Nate enjoyed a great career at Cal and showed his abilities at quarterback,” said Owner/Head Coach Darren Arbet. “He will create depth for us at the quarterback position.” Longshore (6-5, 235) played in 39 games (31 starts) at California, totaling 6,783 passing yards for 51 touchdowns, good for fifth and fourth in Cal history, respectively. He enjoyed his best season for the Golden Bears as a redshirt sophomore in 2006 after becoming only the second quarterback in Cal history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season (3,021), ranking second in the Pac 10 in passing touchdowns (24), passing efficiency (141.6) and third in passing yards per game (232.4). He earned All-Pac 10 honorable mention honors for his efforts. A graduate of Canyon (CA) High School, Longshore earned All-America honors his senior year after throwing for 3,449 yards and 34 touchdowns, completing 223-of-360 passes (62 percent).

With regard to Longshore's predecessor, Joe Ayoob, it looks like he is no longer with the Tri-Cities Fever of Arena 2. Kyle Boller is still listed on the Raiders' roster.

SJ Mercury: Cal Offensive Staff is Stanford-esque

2011-02-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Jon Wilner
So here’s how the offensive staff looks, in case you read or heard about it over the weekend and have already gotten confused (because it’s confusing):
Jeff Tedford: quarterbacks coach (unofficially)
Marcus Arroyo: quarterbacks coach (officially)
Jim Michalczik: offensive coordinator and offensive line coach
Ron Gould: run-game coordinator and running backs coach
Eric Kiesau: passing-game coordinator and receivers coach
Playcaller: to be announced
A few thoughts:
Tedford wanted to get the old gang back together, and Kiesau and Michalczik certainly were successful in their previous stints in Berkeley. (The reason for doing so, it should be noted, was so he could leave the offense to a staff he trusted while out performing his head coaching duties … or teaching Brock Mansion how to read a defense.)
Cal fans should be encouraged by the changes but disappointed that Tedford repeatedly failed to find the right fit for offensive coordinator/playcaller/QBs coach over the past 3-4 years.
There are so many cooks in the Bears’ offensive kitchen, it’s like an episode of “Top Chef.”
The onus will be on Tedford to make sure roles are well defined, responsibilities don’t overlap, egos are checked at the door and the playcalling process functions properly in the limited time between plays.
It doesn’t matter who’s on the staff if the quarterback stinks.
The new setup reminds me of the manner in which Jim Harbaugh organized the Stanford offensive staff the past few years, and I can’t help but wonder if Tedford looked across the Bay for his model. Harbaugh had run-game and passing-game coordinators during his four years (although nobody held those specific titles last season). Harbaugh was a head coach who also coached the quarterbacks — just as Tedford will do, although he won’t hold that title. Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, David Shaw, was neither the QBs coach nor the primary playcaller — just as Michalczik is Cal’s offensive coordinator but neither the QBs coach nor (educated guess) primary playcaller.
Link to rest of article.

Colfax Record: Colfax High Grad Arroyo Named QB Coach at Cal

2011-02-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

Mike Ray
Marcus Arroyo’s ascent up the collegiate football coaching ranks continued here Saturday afternoon when the former Colfax High grid standout was named the new quarterbacks coach for the Calfornia Golden Bears. Arroyo, a 1998 CHS graduate who directed Colfax High to a pair of league championships and earned Cal-Hi Sports all-state quarterback honors in his senior season, takes the new position at Cal after being the offensive coordinator at Wyoming the past two seasons.
“It was a tremendous opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” said Arryo Saturday. “To be able to get to the Pac-12 and coach under a coach like Jeff Tedford is something I’ve always dreamed about.” Saturday was a busy day for Tedford as he also announced Jim Michaelczik as the Bears’ new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and promoted Ron Gould to the team’s run game coordinator.
“Marcus is a tremendous addition to our staff,” said Tedford in a Cal press release. “He has done an excellent job developing quarterbacks throughout his coaching career. He’s young and enthusiastic, but he also has more than a decade of experience coaching and playing the posiotion at the collegiate level. We’re excited to bring him into our program.” Arroyo noted that growing up in Northern California he has always followed and admired Cal’s program. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to join the football coaching staff at the University of California," said Arroyo. "Growing up in Northern California, I have long admired Cal as a place that is a fabulous university with an excellent football program. I hope that I can add to what Cal already is by bringing my energy, enthusiasm and knowledge for the game of football and specifically the quarterback position."
Arroyo, who turned 31 in January, started his coaching career at San Jose State as an undergraduate assistant in 2003. In 2004, he went to Prairie View in Texas where he was the offensive coordinator. He then returned to San Jose State in 2005 working as an assistant coach and quarterbacks coach.
Link to rest of article.

Aaron Rodgers on Letterman

2011-02-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

Daily Cal:Michalczik Returns to Cal As Offensive Coordinator

2011-02-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

Jack Wang
The wait is over. After weeks of silence despite persistent rumblings, Cal has finally officially announced the return of Jim Michalczik as both offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Michalczik, who served as Cal's offensive line coach from 2002-08. He spent the last two seasons working at the same spot for the Oakland Raiders. His return is balanced by the arrival of newcomer Marcus Arroyo, a former San Jose State signal-caller, as Cal's quarterbacks coach. The pair solidifies the offensive coaching staff, which was joined by wide receivers coach Eric Kiesau - another former Cal staffer - earlier this offseason.
"My entire family is excited and fired up to be returning to the Cal football program," Michalczik said in a press release.
"I am thankful for the opportunity coach Tedford has provided me to return to his staff and resume working with him. I am proud of what we have accomplished at Cal in the past and am looking forward to what we can accomplish in the future." The Bears also have reason to be excited about Michalczik's return, even if it continues a pattern of hiring familiar faces.
Cal won five of six bowl games during the last six years of Michalczik's tenure and produced 1,000-yard rushers in all seven. The team also averaged at least 350 yards of offense in each season, and ranked in the top 10 in rushing offense in 2004 and 2005.
Michalczik, who has spent 19 years coaching college football, also helped oversee the development of former Cal center Alex Mack. Mack, who was named to the All-Pac-10 first time three times, was named to the 2011 Pro Bowl Roster as an alternate. This past NFL season, the Raiders ranked second in the league in rushing, sixth in scoring and 10th in total offense. The team fell outside the top 20 in each the previous season.
Link to rest of article.

Autographed Aaron Rodgers' Football

2011-02-07T21:18:00.000-08:00

Back in 2004 I took my 1 year old son to fan appreciation day at Memorial Stadium and had some of the Golden Bears sign a football. That #8 signature (Aaron Rodgers' number at Cal) is now looking pretty sweet.

SF Examiner: Tedford to Focus on Coaching Cal QBs Again: 6 QBs Competing

2011-02-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

Jake Curtis
Head coach Jeff Tedford will return to focusing his coaching attention on the quarterback position this spring, hoping to rebuild a position that has let the team down the past two season.
“Yes, it’s going to be like the old days where I’m with them every single day,” Tedford said Wednesday. That was the approach Tedford used through his first six years at Cal, acting as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach while letting position coaches handle other aspects of the team. The past three years, though, Tedford took a different approach, trying to oversee the team as a whole and turning over many of specific coaching chores to position coaches. Andy Ludwig was the quarterbacks coach the past two seasons, and while Tedford still took part in coaching the quarterbacks, he was not nearly as actively involved with them as he had been.
That’s over. Tedford will serve as quarterbacks coach. Period. Tedford hasn’t been calling all the offensive plays for the past few years either, as he had for the first several years at Cal, and he hinted he may go back to calling the plays in 2011, too. No one on the staff has the official title of quarterbacks coach now. Jim Michalczik will return as the Bears’ offensive line coach, but, contrary to recent reports, Michalczik will not hold the title of offensive coordinator, Tedford said. Tedford did not reveal exactly what titles people will carry, but it’s another indication Tedford will take a more active role in the offensive in general and the quarterback position in particularly. Eric Kiesau holds the title of passing game coordinator, so perhaps Michalczik will be named running-game coordinator.
Read the rest here.

ESPN: Tedford Reconstructs Offensive Staff

2011-02-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

Ted Miller
California's offense will feature a lot of chefs in the kitchen this fall as the Bears attempt to rediscover their mojo following the first losing season under coach Jeff Tedford. As expected, Jim Michalczik has been announced as the offensive coordinator and line coach. Marcus Arroyo, an offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at Wyoming the past four years, has been hired as quarterbacks coach. Associate head coach and running backs coach Ron Gould has been promoted to the team’s run game coordinator. Receivers coach Eric Kiesau will serve as passing game coordinator.
It is not yet clear who will have final word on play calls. That might be Tedford, who has said he will be more involved with the quarterbacks -- the competition starting this spring is wide open -- and he also said Wednesday that it's "possible" he will call plays.
Michalczik and Kiesau previously coached with Tedford when the Bears' offense was rolling up big numbers, on the ground and through the air. Michalczik spent seven seasons coaching the Bears’ line from 2002-08. He has been the offensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders the past two seasons after 19 previous campaigns in the collegiate coaching ranks. “We had a tremendous amount of success in our offensive line play during Jim’s previous tenure at Cal and we plan to resume and surpass that level of success in the future," Tedford said in a statement.
Link to rest of article.

SF Examiner: Tedford Not Afraid of Change as Coaching Staff Overhaulded

2011-02-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

Glenn Dickey
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford has been making sweeping changes in his coaching staff, trying to rebound from his first losing season with the Bears. Not all of the departures have been announced as firings, but you can be certain that those who have left voluntarily did so because they were encouraged to do so by Tedford. The most significant moves are probably the departure of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig and offensive line coach Steve Marshall.
Marshall has already been replaced by Jim Michalczik, who is a familiar face, having spent seven years with the Bears before leaving to do the same job for the Raiders the last two years. He did a terrific job this past season, transforming a weak unit into one of the strengths of the Raiders as they broke their streak of seven seasons with double-digit losses. Ludwig’s replacement may be named today but, whoever he is, he won’t have all the responsibilities that Ludwig had because Tedford has announced that he’ll be calling plays at least part of the time next season. Tedford was hired as head coach at Cal because he had been an outstanding offensive coordinator at Oregon. He continued to call plays for the Bears through the 2007 season, and the Bears were known for their quick-striking offense.
Link to rest of article.

SF Chronicle: Cal Nabs Top 15 Recruiting Class

2011-02-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

John Crumpacker

Over a span of 5 hours, 38 minutes on Wednesday morning, a total of 22 faxed national letters-of-intent arrived in Cal's football office, giving the Golden Bears a recruiting class expected to be ranked in the top 15 in the country. There was one new name on the list, that of defensive back Kameron Jackson from Long Beach Poly High School, alma mater of former Cal great DeSean Jackson, no relation.
At 4:12 a.m., the first letter-of-intent to arrive was from wide receiver Maurice Harris of North Carolina, 12 minutes after the official start time of 7 a.m. Eastern standard. The last to come in was at 9:50 a.m. from defensive back Jordan Morgan of Lakeside, Ariz.
Three signees are already in school as of the spring semester in defensive back Avery Walls of McDonough, Ga., running back Darren Ervin of Houston and offensive lineman Matt Williams of North Dakota. The big catch for coach Jeff Tedford was defensive tackle Viliami Moala of Grant High School in Sacramento, the only five-star recruit on Cal's list of 22. Moala and high school teammate Puka Lopa, a defensive end, wanted all along to play for the same college and now they will.
Read the rest here.

Former USC Quarterback Arrested in Drug Sting

2011-02-02T18:07:00.001-08:00

Sad ending for Mitch Mustain. LINK.

Construction Progress at Memorial Stadium, Berkeley

2011-01-29T21:40:00.000-08:00

SF Chronicle: Cal Wraps up Recruiting

2011-01-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

John Crumpacker
Less than a week before national football signing day on Feb. 2, Cal has apparently wrapped up its hunting and gathering of high school talent, with one junior college recruit for good measure. According to both Rivals.com and Scout.com, Cal received an oral commitment on Thursday from elite cornerback Stefan McClure of Vista High School in San Diego County. Rivals rates the 5-10, 175-pound McClure as the 118th best player in the country at any position while Scout pegs the young man as the country's 4th-best cornerback.
Either way, it's a nice score for coach Jeff Tedford and especially his new secondary coach, Ashley Ambrose. According to Rivals.com, Ambrose made a big impression on McClure at the recent U.S. Army all-star game in San Antonio. Another factor in McClure orally committing to Berkeley was the prospect of playing in a renovated Memorial Stadium in 2012, when he'll be a sophomore.
LINK TO REST OF ARTICLE

Okanes: Ludwig Bolts to SDSU

2011-01-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Rivals.com is reporting that Cal offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig is leaving to take the same position at San Diego State. This could be why there has been a delay in the expected announcement that Jim Michalczik is re-joining Cal’s staff. Michalczik could be coming back as offensive coordinator as well as offensive line coach.
Michalczik was the offensive coordinator in 2007 at Cal, although head coach Jeff Tedford called all the plays. If Michalczik is indeed going to become the OC again, might Tedford return to play-calling duties? Or might new wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Eric Kiesau become the offensive coordinator? We should find out soon. Tedford has been declining interview requests until Signing Day, but hopefully the athletic department will release something soon.
Link to article.

ESPN: Coaching Changes at Cal

2011-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

Ted Miller, ESPN
Most California fans have had mixed feelings about Bears offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, so his departure to San Diego State probably won't inspire much gnashing of teeth. Multiple sources -- here first and here second and here third -- are reporting Ludwig's departure to join new Aztecs coach Rocky Long. Ludwig, 46, has bounced around. In addition to Cal, he's been the coordinator at Utah (2005-08), Oregon (2002-04) and Fresno State (1998-2001).
Ludwig's departure, as Jonathan Okanes notes, probably explains the delay of the much-anticipated announcement of Jim Michalczik's return as the Bears offensive line coach. There are no mixed feelings about Michalczik, who was a member of coach Jeff Tedford's first staff in 2002, serving as assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator, in addition to line coach, before he bolted to Washington (for a few weeks) and then the Oakland Raiders. He was widely credited for the consistency of the Bears blocking -- run and pass protection -- which fell into decline when he left. Of course, the Bears also seemed to drop off in line talent over the past two seasons, so it doesn't seem completely fair to dump on Steve Marshall, who is now at Colorado.
Link to rest of article here.

Wall Street Journal Give Props To Aaron Rodgers

2011-01-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

This is from today's Wall Street Journal article about the Packers' win over Chicago:

"For Mr. Rodgers, it’s an opportunity to build a new legacy. After parting with Mr. Favre, who was, er, not quiet ready to retire, Green Bay placed its future in the hands of the late first-round pick from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Favre would go on to rinse and repeat with the Jets and the Vikings. Of all the things Mr. Rodgers did on Sunday, the most impressive may have been in the third quarter when, on the verge of taking the Packers into the end zone, he threw an interception straight into the arms of Chicago’s Brian Urlacher.

Mr. Urlacher appeared ready to rumble for a touchdown, but Mr. Rodgers managed to get an angle and undercut the linebacker at midfield, keeping Chicago off the scoreboard. It was the kind of scruffy backyard play that an old Packers quarterback would have admired. But this is a different kind of Green Bay leader, and a different kind of Green Bay."

Contra Costa Times: Positive Signs Abound in Berkeley

2011-01-23T21:53:00.001-08:00

Jon Wilner

Stanford football has dominated the Bay Area college sports scene for the better part of seven weeks, what with the Orange Bowl invite and the Heisman and the Orange Bowl game and Andrew Luck’s decision to stick around and Jim Harbaugh’s decision to leave and David Shaw’s promotion. But across the Bay, and away from the spotlight, Cal football is having an extremely productive winter. Yes, the Bears lost star tailback Shane Vereen to the NFL Draft, and that’s a big blow, for sure. But it wasn’t a surprise — Vereen had graduated, after all — and it doesn’t by any stretch overshadow the positive developments in Berkeley. I’m referring, of course, to the coaching staff upgrades and the recruiting successes, which border on the phenomenal considering the won-loss record in 2010.

California Golden Bear Football News

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Blueprint on How to Beat Oregon

Tedford Spotted in Galt

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Kyle Boller Beats Out Trent Edwards for #2 Quarterback Position with Raiders

Former Cal Bear Tracy Slocum Arrested for Pimping

Denver Post: Colorado's Coach Looks Back at Last Year's Thrashing by Bears

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Chuck Muncie Autographed Ball

San Jose Mercury: Notes from Media Day

Sports Illustrated Interview with Jeff Tedford

ESPN: Tedford to be More Involved in Offense

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Wall Street Journal: The Cal Baseball Resurrection

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Cal Football's 2011 Schedule

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Contra Costa Times: Cal football team begins its first road trip, with spring practices set at six different venues

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Donate to Save Cal Baseball

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Sports Illustrated: Burning Questions for Each Pac-12 Team

ESPN: Cal's Schedule Appears Finalized

LIVE THE DREAM: PLAY IN A REAL GAME AGAINST THE CAL BEARS

SF Chronicle: Cal to Play Tiny Presbyterian College at AT&T Park

Oakland Tribune: Michalczik Happy to be Back at Cal

CBS Sports: Since Rodgers, QB Cupboard Bare in Berkeley

Top Aaron Rodgers' Superbowl Photo

Nate Longshore Joins San Jose Sabercats

SJ Mercury: Cal Offensive Staff is Stanford-esque

Colfax Record: Colfax High Grad Arroyo Named QB Coach at Cal

Aaron Rodgers on Letterman

Daily Cal:Michalczik Returns to Cal As Offensive Coordinator

Autographed Aaron Rodgers' Football

SF Examiner: Tedford to Focus on Coaching Cal QBs Again: 6 QBs Competing

ESPN: Tedford Reconstructs Offensive Staff

SF Examiner: Tedford Not Afraid of Change as Coaching Staff Overhaulded

SF Chronicle: Cal Nabs Top 15 Recruiting Class

Former USC Quarterback Arrested in Drug Sting

Construction Progress at Memorial Stadium, Berkeley

SF Chronicle: Cal Wraps up Recruiting

Okanes: Ludwig Bolts to SDSU

ESPN: Coaching Changes at Cal

Wall Street Journal Give Props To Aaron Rodgers

Contra Costa Times: Positive Signs Abound in Berkeley

SF Chronicle: Tedford Keeping Busy

Oakland Tribune: Cal Assistant Eric Kiesau Glad to be Back

Marshawn Lynch's 67 Yard TD Run

Douche Bags Caught on Tape

Contra Costa Times: Coaching changes continue for Cal football team

Contra Costa Times: Eric Kiesau brought back to aid Cal's receiving corps

Vereen to Enter NFL Draft

SF Examiner: Tedford's season hampered by quarterback problem

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ESPN: Todd Barr Commits to Cal

ESPN: Cal Posting a Big Recruiting Week

ESPN: Jason Gibson Commits to Cal

Contra Costa Times: Cal's Offensive Line Coach Departs

Oakland Tribune: Bears have no time for self-pity as they prepare for Big Game vs. Stanford

SF Chronicle: Cal Must Contain Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers

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USC Routs Cal 48 to 14

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Kendricks' Fierce Tackle Was One for the Textbooks

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Daily Cal: Trojan War

Daily Cal: Cal's Defense Surging as USC Looms

AP: How Cal's Jeff Tedford Got Lane Kiffin's Football Coaching Career Started

Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck takes out USC Linebacker Shareece Wright

Oakland Tribune: Tedford Unhappy with Riley's Performance