Oregonian: As usual, Tedford a man with a plan

Sunday, September 11, 2005

SEATTLE

Husky Stadium wasn't full to begin with, and the fans who had come were pouring out with six minutes to play.  No reason to stick around and watch California put the finishing touches on a 56-17 victory that quantified the difference in the programs. The final score was no fluke.  Just how bad it's going to get this season at Washington remains to be seen, but the Huskies (0-2) clearly are beginning a major rebuild. California, meanwhile, has reloaded.  Sure, the No. 16 Golden Bears lost 14 starters from last season, including the golden pitch-and-catch combination of Aaron Rodgers and Geoff McArthur. But the offense Cal coach Jeff Tedford rolled out Saturday gained 557 yards.  The defense gave up a UW touchdown on the Huskies' first play from scrimmage, then allowed just 68 yards rushing and 10 points in the game's final 58 minutes, 20 seconds.  The Bears (2-0) are a force and are likely to remain one as long as Tedford is on the sideline. Here is one reason:

It's hard to win in the Pacific-10 Conference without an experienced quarterback. The Bears began the season without one, then lost starter Nate Longshore last week with a broken leg in the second quarter of a 41-3 nonconference victory over Sacramento State.

Second-stringer Joe Ayoob came into the game, threw 10 incompletions and generally behaved so erratically that Tedford pulled him for his own good.

Tedford spent the week working with Ayoob in practice, building a game plan around him. Then, on the first play Saturday, Ayoob underthrew a long pass along the right sideline that Huskies safety Darin Harris intercepted.  Ayoob was 0 for his first 3 Saturday. But Tedford settled down the junior college transfer.