By Joe Davidson
At Cal, the backup backs get the ball. It's the Jeff Tedford way, and the coach's ploy helped accelerate the Bears into a national offensive machine and the careers of runners such as J.J. Arrington, Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. Cal's starting tailback for 2007, Forsett has 1,674 career yards and a 6.4 yards-per-carry average, a first-time starter with a wealth of experience. Now it's James Montgomery's turn. The Cordova High School graduate sparkled in spring ball in all but securing the No. 2 tailback spot, and the redshirt freshman has impressed in summer camp. What's not to marvel about Montgomery? He was a prep All-American, coveted by programs across the land to the point that Washington recruiters even cornered his father at a barber shop to preach their product. Montgomery became the prize player of Tedford's bumper recruiting crop in 2006, a blur with cutback ability and breakaway speed.
"James is going to be very good," Tedford said. "He's played tough, he's played dinged up. He's really smart. He's a young player who's ready to go. We have a lot of confidence in him. He'll get the ball." And Forsett on Montgomery: "We call him 'Governor' because he's so distinguished. He's strong, he's fast, and he's a quick learner." Montgomery was the latest great back in Lancers lore, a tradition that includes Rod Connors, Reggie Young, Kevin Willhite, Tracy Johnson, J.D. Davidson, Damon Boddie and Rudy Jones. Montgomery's 452 yards against Oak Ridge in 2005 set an area single-game record -- more than the 427 yards Shannon Spagner of McClatchy had against Sacramento and the 421 yards Albert Hollis of Christian Brothers had against Truckee, both achieved in 1999. "We'll see what he can do here," Tedford said.
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