BY ERIC GILMORE
Knight Ridder Newspapers
BERKELEY, Calif. - (KRT) - It was early in the third quarter of the Big Game last year, and Cal freshman running back Marshawn Lynch was 20 yards downfield, preparing to cut back when he saw what he thought was a hilarious and stunning sight.
It was quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing a block.
At first, Lynch wondered what in the world his quarterback was doing so far downfield, impersonating a wide receiver or fullback.
Then Lynch started laughing_in mid-stride_and he didn't stop until he was in the end zone at the end of an amazing 55-yard touchdown run.
"I'm laughing at A-Rod," Lynch said Friday before a spring football practice. "I just like having fun. That's all it is for me.
"There have been a couple of runs where teammates heard me laughing on the field while I was running. I'm just having fun."
Lynch had a blast during his freshman season, backing up J.J. Arrington, the nation's leading rusher,
Lynch rushed for 628 yards on only 71 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per carry, best in the Pac-10. He rushed for eight touchdowns, one every 8.9 carries. He caught two touchdown passes.
Lynch produced those numbers as a secret weapon of sorts, coming off the bench to punish unsuspecting defenses with his combination of speed, power and pure will.
And now?
Lynch might as well have an "X" on his back. He's still finishing his freshman year at Cal. He turns all of 19 on Friday. But he's gone from being a dangerous part-time player to being the face of Cal's offense_OK, other than coach Jeff Tedford_and the key to the Bears' hopes.
Rodgers and Arrington are gone, waiting to see which NFL teams draft them next week. The Bears also lost senior wide receivers Geoff McArthur and Chase Lyman, as well as tight end Garrett Cross.
Granted, starting offensive linemen Ryan O'Callaghan, Marvin Philip, Andrew Cameron and Aaron Merz return. But offensive linemen work in near anonymity while the spotlight shines on players who touch the ball.
The pressure will be on Lynch to lead a Cal team that ranked No. 9 in the nation in the final polls last season but is retooling this year.
Well, at least you'd think it would be.
"I don't really let stuff get to me," Lynch said. "I don't really worry about anything too much."
That's good news for Cal. So are the facts that Lynch has bought into Tedford's team-first approach and has continued to play the role of humble freshman.
Ask Lynch about his goals for 2005, and you'll hear nothing about rushing yards, touchdowns or honors.
"I just want to win a championship, and I don't care how we do it," Lynch said. "I wouldn't even care. I just want to win a championship."
What type of championship would that be?
"We can start with the Pac-10," Lynch said, smiling. "We'll work our way to the national."
Most likely, the Bears will go as far as Lynch and their running game carry them next season.
Tedford has vowed to have a balanced attack, but he'll be breaking in a new starting quarterback, either junior college transfer Joseph Ayoob or redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore. What's more, his quarterbacks will be throwing to a crop of inexperienced receivers.
The Bears, though, are loaded at running back with Lynch, Terrell Williams, Marcus O'Keith and Justin Forsett, among others.
In Cal's first spring scrimmage, Lynch and Forsett each rushed for more than 100 yards. Lynch scored on a 95-yard run.
Lynch showed us his immense potential last season as a raw freshman.
"I was surprised because there aren't too many freshmen that come in and play," Lynch said. "The 8.8 (yard average), that's great.
"I mean, I shocked myself, but a lot of my teammates, they'd seen me play. It didn't really shock them because they thought I could do it."
The rest of the Pac-10 teams are now well aware of Lynch, too. They'll gear their defenses to stop him.
"My linemen are going to take care of me," Lynch said. "Marv, A.C., O.C., Aaron. They're going to take care of me.
"I'm not who they have to watch out for. It's the team and our linemen."
Give Lynch a few more points for humility. But consider this: If Lynch averages 20 carries per game (Arrington averaged 24 last season) and 8.8 yards per carry again, he'll rush for 2,112 yards, assuming Cal gets a bowl bid and plays 12 games.
Wouldn't that be a laugh riot for Lynch?
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Friday, April 15, 2005
Ex-fullback happy he's returned to quarterback
• Levy appears to be behind Ayoob and Longshore on the depth chart
Cal football notebook
BERKELEY -- Cal junior quarterback Steve Levy, who changed to fullback after his redshirt freshman season only to switch back this spring, might be a long shot to earn significant time on the field, but at least he is happy.
"I was unhappy at fullback," said Levy, who came to Cal from Cornwall, N.Y., after starting in high school as a quarterback and linebacker. "I missed playing quarterback and I missed the leadership. I missed the pressure situations.
"As a fullback, I really wasn't taking the time to learn the offense, so after we came back following the Holiday Bowl, I asked Coach (Jeff) Tedford if I could switch back."
Even though he might have a better chance of getting playing time as a fullback, Levy said he is happy with his decision. "I struggle with not playing (in games), but I need to be ready when I get my shot."
Tedford said he is pleased that Levy wanted to take another shot at quarterback. "He is doing a better job now," Tedford said. "He has matured. And we need him at that position."
Although Levy appears to be behind junior college transfer Joe Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nate Longshore, he has proven to Tedford that he could run the offense. "With his competitiveness, he could come in and run the whole show," Tedford said.
QB battles
Longshore has looked smoother running Cal's offense during the spring than Ayoob, but Tedford said the real competition doesn't begin until the first day of summer camp. Both quarterbacks have a lot of learning to do in the spring.
"Nate has done a good job throwing the football," Tedford said. "And Joe has flashes of showing that he has a lot of ability, but he never has had so much put on him. When he plays unconscious, you can see his ability. But that's totally natural. In no way, shape or form am I disappointed with him."
Tedford said neither is considered a No. 1 or No. 2 and added that both get the same number of snaps. In fall camp, Tedford will point one toward the starter's job. "That's when it begins," Tedford said. "And then it never ends."
Tough guy
Tedford said he couldn't believe that senior fullback Chris Manderino still was standing after he took a nasty hit from redshirt freshman linebacker Worrell Williams during last Saturday's scrimmage.
The hit broke Manderino's jaw, splitting it down the middle and separating his bottom row of teeth in the process. With blood dripping down his face, Manderino got up and walked back to the huddle.
"I asked him if he was ready to go," Tedford said. "All I saw was the blood so I thought he just had a cut. He said, 'Yeah, I am coach. But (the trainers) won't let me."
The trainers knew what was happening. Manderino had to have his jaw wired shut, and it will stay that way for the next six weeks. "Talk about a tough guy," Tedford said in amazement. "That was a train wreck. But he was ready to go."
Extra points
Freshman cornerback Virdell Larkins, who was expected to join the team last season out of Oakland Tech High School but needed to sit out the year to finish qualifying academically, is slowly picking up the system. "He still is very young, only 17," Tedford said. "He has a lot of potential and has made a couple of nice hits during the spring. But he still is just a freshman." ... Cal's next spring camp scrimmage is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Memorial Stadium.
Cal football notebook
BERKELEY -- Cal junior quarterback Steve Levy, who changed to fullback after his redshirt freshman season only to switch back this spring, might be a long shot to earn significant time on the field, but at least he is happy.
"I was unhappy at fullback," said Levy, who came to Cal from Cornwall, N.Y., after starting in high school as a quarterback and linebacker. "I missed playing quarterback and I missed the leadership. I missed the pressure situations.
"As a fullback, I really wasn't taking the time to learn the offense, so after we came back following the Holiday Bowl, I asked Coach (Jeff) Tedford if I could switch back."
Even though he might have a better chance of getting playing time as a fullback, Levy said he is happy with his decision. "I struggle with not playing (in games), but I need to be ready when I get my shot."
Tedford said he is pleased that Levy wanted to take another shot at quarterback. "He is doing a better job now," Tedford said. "He has matured. And we need him at that position."
Although Levy appears to be behind junior college transfer Joe Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nate Longshore, he has proven to Tedford that he could run the offense. "With his competitiveness, he could come in and run the whole show," Tedford said.
QB battles
Longshore has looked smoother running Cal's offense during the spring than Ayoob, but Tedford said the real competition doesn't begin until the first day of summer camp. Both quarterbacks have a lot of learning to do in the spring.
"Nate has done a good job throwing the football," Tedford said. "And Joe has flashes of showing that he has a lot of ability, but he never has had so much put on him. When he plays unconscious, you can see his ability. But that's totally natural. In no way, shape or form am I disappointed with him."
Tedford said neither is considered a No. 1 or No. 2 and added that both get the same number of snaps. In fall camp, Tedford will point one toward the starter's job. "That's when it begins," Tedford said. "And then it never ends."
Tough guy
Tedford said he couldn't believe that senior fullback Chris Manderino still was standing after he took a nasty hit from redshirt freshman linebacker Worrell Williams during last Saturday's scrimmage.
The hit broke Manderino's jaw, splitting it down the middle and separating his bottom row of teeth in the process. With blood dripping down his face, Manderino got up and walked back to the huddle.
"I asked him if he was ready to go," Tedford said. "All I saw was the blood so I thought he just had a cut. He said, 'Yeah, I am coach. But (the trainers) won't let me."
The trainers knew what was happening. Manderino had to have his jaw wired shut, and it will stay that way for the next six weeks. "Talk about a tough guy," Tedford said in amazement. "That was a train wreck. But he was ready to go."
Extra points
Freshman cornerback Virdell Larkins, who was expected to join the team last season out of Oakland Tech High School but needed to sit out the year to finish qualifying academically, is slowly picking up the system. "He still is very young, only 17," Tedford said. "He has a lot of potential and has made a couple of nice hits during the spring. But he still is just a freshman." ... Cal's next spring camp scrimmage is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Memorial Stadium.
Rodgers hopes hometown Niners think he's No. 1
Though Aaron Rodgers has been to sunny Miami and chilly Cleveland while auditioning for a spot in the NFL, he hopes he'll get to stay close to home with his favorite team.
The California quarterback spent Wednesday at the San Francisco 49ers' training complex, meeting with coaches and trainers as the club finished its four in-depth interviews with the finalists to be the first overall pick in next week's draft.
Rodgers' arm strength, poise and experience in the West Coast offense make him attractive to the 49ers, who are leaning toward selecting a quarterback -- either Rodgers or Utah's Alex Smith -- who will be their starter next season.
And though the 49ers earned the pick by compiling the NFL's worst record under fired coach Dennis Erickson, Rodgers is confident he could help Mike Nolan's new coaching staff rebuild a winner.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around," Rodgers said. "I think my leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of guy you can stick in a situation, and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
The California quarterback spent Wednesday at the San Francisco 49ers' training complex, meeting with coaches and trainers as the club finished its four in-depth interviews with the finalists to be the first overall pick in next week's draft.
Rodgers' arm strength, poise and experience in the West Coast offense make him attractive to the 49ers, who are leaning toward selecting a quarterback -- either Rodgers or Utah's Alex Smith -- who will be their starter next season.
And though the 49ers earned the pick by compiling the NFL's worst record under fired coach Dennis Erickson, Rodgers is confident he could help Mike Nolan's new coaching staff rebuild a winner.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around," Rodgers said. "I think my leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of guy you can stick in a situation, and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
More From Aaron Rodgers
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Aaron Rodgers visit to 49ers headquarters Wednesday included a video interview for 49ers.Com as well as a general Q&A session with members of the media that cover the team on a daily basis. Following is a transcript of Rogers' session with the media that was not contained in his video interview:RE: How do you feel things went?It has been very exciting. This was my childhood team growing up and this whole process has been very surreal. I feel very confident that they have the right people in place in San Francisco to be successful. Just talking to Coach Nolan and seeing how passionate he is about bringing this team back to the standards that they set in the late 80s and early 90s.RE: Growing up here, do you know the pressure of being a #1 pick and quarterback of the 49ers?I don’t and I think that is a good thing. The only thing we talked about was making sure that I felt comfortable during the whole process and not to put too much pressure on me. Any expectation that the media and the team can put on me, doesn’t meet up with the expectations I put on myself. RE: Would you want to start early? I would expect to be able to compete for the job.RE: Evaluation processI try and not look at it, but I have so many friends it is hard not to. My friends said Mel Kiper had me number one of the big board so I hear all about it but I don’t really get into that much because most of the guys really don’t know what they are talking about.RE: Strongest attribute on being #1 pick?The fact that I played in the West Coast Offense and was very successful and accurate. It wasn’t the shotgun the entire time and I will be able to step in right away. The kind of demand that was put on me as far as being involved in protection schemes and checking plays at the line of scrimmage in the West Coast Offense. The fact that I understand the offense will allow me to play earlier.RE: Will it be a major adjustment for someone that has not played in that offense?It is a pretty big advantage. Dropping back and making a read is a big difference than catching the ball and being in the pocket already. No offense, he is a very good quarterback and he put up great numbers, but it is going to take him a bit of time for him to get adjusted to doing that. RE: Critics have said that you are a somewhat mechanical quarterback what do you have to say about that?I think that is one of my best attributes. The fact that I hold the ball so high and the ball gets out of my hand quickly. I do the same thing every time. The ball gets out of my hand quick and I have a lot of arm strength as well. Being mechanical is a good thing. I think it is better than holding the ball low and patting the ball. I do the same thing every time and the ball is high and I get it out of my hands quick and the defense can’t react as quick. If the ball is low, I don’t have anyway to move into my throwing motion. RE: Have you paid any attention to how other #1 picks have fared?I watch the draft every year and I see how Carson Palmer and David Carr have done. I am excited about being able to make a name for myself. RE: Do you think that you are a franchise quarterback?I think that really typifies what I am. I think I am a guy you can build around. My leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of the guy you can stick in a situation and bring guys in to make me better and make the team better. RE: Is there any quarterback that you see yourself as?I am my own man and I am starting a legacy for myself, but I love the way Brett Favre plays. His physical and mental toughness are two of my strong points.RE: Response to Braylon Edwards saying that a wide receiver could be drafted over a quarterback?Braylon is a phenomenal player and a very gifted athlete, but a receiver catches the ball only a few times a game and the quarterback touches the ball every play. As far as handoffs, passing the ball and making checks at the line of scrimmage. My role on the team and importance to the offense is a little more important on each play.RE: What point in your development did you think the first round would be a possibility?I didn’t think about it that much. Especially coming out of high school and not being heavily recruited. I just wanted to move onto the next level. That was the same attitude I took in junior college. I just wanted to do everything I could to go Division I and once I got there. I really didn’t think about it until Coach Tedford sat me down in a meeting and told me I would be a great NFL player after I had a great career here. The more games I played and the better I felt about how I was playing and the more confidence I got, I started to think my childhood dream was achievable. RE: Any thoughts of giving up football?After my senior season, I wasn’t getting recruited and I decided to play baseball. I wanted to get my school paid for to go to a good university. So I played baseball and during my season, the Butte College coach talked to me and told me to come and play football with them. I made it a point to say if I had a good season, I would like to move on after one season. He was very supportive of me in that decision.RE: How would you describe Mike Nolan?Very disciplined. He is a great leader. Very driven and he knows what he want and what kind of guys he needs to bring in. He has been on some very good teams and he wants to bring the right kind of person in here. RE: Do you think you are the pick?I hope so.RE: Have you talked to Kyle Boller about Nolan?No, but Coach Nolan has talked to Kyle about me. I talked to him about transitioning to the NFL. He said enjoy it but it is going to be a long season. Your rookie season is going to be a long haul. Stick it out go through it and dive into the playbook and be ready to play right away. RE: If you were coming off a 2-14 season do you feel the team has low expectations?Not at all. Bringing a new coach in, bringing a top pick in. I think expectations are going to be high which they should. The Bay Area should expect this team to be a lot better this year.RE: Has the 49ers talked to you about changing your mechanics and keeping the ball up high?No, they haven’t. They have been supportive. Everyone wants to know where I started that. Did I start it in junior college and I told them it is a Tedford thing. I love it and wouldn’t change it. Being able to hold the ball high and get the ball out quick is a real advantage I have over other quarterbacks.RE: Did you use the disappointment of high school to make you a better player?Anything worthwhile in life is achieved through hard work. The same thing was true during my first season at Cal. It doesn’t mean anything being the first pick coming in, because you are a rookie and you can’t take college stats with you to the pros. You have to make a name for yourself and I am excited to move on and start a new career. RE: Do you look at Eli Manning’s contract and say that is starting point for you?I really don’t look into that stuff. Mike (Sullivan) is a great agent. He is the best contract agent. If the Niners pick me they are going to work something out and I am going to get to camp on time. RE: Is there anyway you will take a “hometown discount” to play with the 49ers?I am confident that Mike and the 49ers will be able to work something out.
Aaron Rodgers visit to 49ers headquarters Wednesday included a video interview for 49ers.Com as well as a general Q&A session with members of the media that cover the team on a daily basis. Following is a transcript of Rogers' session with the media that was not contained in his video interview:RE: How do you feel things went?It has been very exciting. This was my childhood team growing up and this whole process has been very surreal. I feel very confident that they have the right people in place in San Francisco to be successful. Just talking to Coach Nolan and seeing how passionate he is about bringing this team back to the standards that they set in the late 80s and early 90s.RE: Growing up here, do you know the pressure of being a #1 pick and quarterback of the 49ers?I don’t and I think that is a good thing. The only thing we talked about was making sure that I felt comfortable during the whole process and not to put too much pressure on me. Any expectation that the media and the team can put on me, doesn’t meet up with the expectations I put on myself. RE: Would you want to start early? I would expect to be able to compete for the job.RE: Evaluation processI try and not look at it, but I have so many friends it is hard not to. My friends said Mel Kiper had me number one of the big board so I hear all about it but I don’t really get into that much because most of the guys really don’t know what they are talking about.RE: Strongest attribute on being #1 pick?The fact that I played in the West Coast Offense and was very successful and accurate. It wasn’t the shotgun the entire time and I will be able to step in right away. The kind of demand that was put on me as far as being involved in protection schemes and checking plays at the line of scrimmage in the West Coast Offense. The fact that I understand the offense will allow me to play earlier.RE: Will it be a major adjustment for someone that has not played in that offense?It is a pretty big advantage. Dropping back and making a read is a big difference than catching the ball and being in the pocket already. No offense, he is a very good quarterback and he put up great numbers, but it is going to take him a bit of time for him to get adjusted to doing that. RE: Critics have said that you are a somewhat mechanical quarterback what do you have to say about that?I think that is one of my best attributes. The fact that I hold the ball so high and the ball gets out of my hand quickly. I do the same thing every time. The ball gets out of my hand quick and I have a lot of arm strength as well. Being mechanical is a good thing. I think it is better than holding the ball low and patting the ball. I do the same thing every time and the ball is high and I get it out of my hands quick and the defense can’t react as quick. If the ball is low, I don’t have anyway to move into my throwing motion. RE: Have you paid any attention to how other #1 picks have fared?I watch the draft every year and I see how Carson Palmer and David Carr have done. I am excited about being able to make a name for myself. RE: Do you think that you are a franchise quarterback?I think that really typifies what I am. I think I am a guy you can build around. My leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of the guy you can stick in a situation and bring guys in to make me better and make the team better. RE: Is there any quarterback that you see yourself as?I am my own man and I am starting a legacy for myself, but I love the way Brett Favre plays. His physical and mental toughness are two of my strong points.RE: Response to Braylon Edwards saying that a wide receiver could be drafted over a quarterback?Braylon is a phenomenal player and a very gifted athlete, but a receiver catches the ball only a few times a game and the quarterback touches the ball every play. As far as handoffs, passing the ball and making checks at the line of scrimmage. My role on the team and importance to the offense is a little more important on each play.RE: What point in your development did you think the first round would be a possibility?I didn’t think about it that much. Especially coming out of high school and not being heavily recruited. I just wanted to move onto the next level. That was the same attitude I took in junior college. I just wanted to do everything I could to go Division I and once I got there. I really didn’t think about it until Coach Tedford sat me down in a meeting and told me I would be a great NFL player after I had a great career here. The more games I played and the better I felt about how I was playing and the more confidence I got, I started to think my childhood dream was achievable. RE: Any thoughts of giving up football?After my senior season, I wasn’t getting recruited and I decided to play baseball. I wanted to get my school paid for to go to a good university. So I played baseball and during my season, the Butte College coach talked to me and told me to come and play football with them. I made it a point to say if I had a good season, I would like to move on after one season. He was very supportive of me in that decision.RE: How would you describe Mike Nolan?Very disciplined. He is a great leader. Very driven and he knows what he want and what kind of guys he needs to bring in. He has been on some very good teams and he wants to bring the right kind of person in here. RE: Do you think you are the pick?I hope so.RE: Have you talked to Kyle Boller about Nolan?No, but Coach Nolan has talked to Kyle about me. I talked to him about transitioning to the NFL. He said enjoy it but it is going to be a long season. Your rookie season is going to be a long haul. Stick it out go through it and dive into the playbook and be ready to play right away. RE: If you were coming off a 2-14 season do you feel the team has low expectations?Not at all. Bringing a new coach in, bringing a top pick in. I think expectations are going to be high which they should. The Bay Area should expect this team to be a lot better this year.RE: Has the 49ers talked to you about changing your mechanics and keeping the ball up high?No, they haven’t. They have been supportive. Everyone wants to know where I started that. Did I start it in junior college and I told them it is a Tedford thing. I love it and wouldn’t change it. Being able to hold the ball high and get the ball out quick is a real advantage I have over other quarterbacks.RE: Did you use the disappointment of high school to make you a better player?Anything worthwhile in life is achieved through hard work. The same thing was true during my first season at Cal. It doesn’t mean anything being the first pick coming in, because you are a rookie and you can’t take college stats with you to the pros. You have to make a name for yourself and I am excited to move on and start a new career. RE: Do you look at Eli Manning’s contract and say that is starting point for you?I really don’t look into that stuff. Mike (Sullivan) is a great agent. He is the best contract agent. If the Niners pick me they are going to work something out and I am going to get to camp on time. RE: Is there anyway you will take a “hometown discount” to play with the 49ers?I am confident that Mike and the 49ers will be able to work something out.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Spring football college QB battles
San Antonio Express-News
Spring football is helping to heat up quarterback competition at several notable programs around the country. Here's a quick look at some of the top battles during this round of practices.
California
Joseph Ayoob (6-5, 215, jr.) vs. Nate Longshore (6-5, 230, redshirt fr.): Longshore's physical tools intrigue coach Jeff Tedford's staff. But he is raw and doesn't have the athleticism of Ayoob, a San Francisco City College product who has been compared to Michael Vick because of his running and deep-throwing ability.
Who wins out: Ayoob. Too much physical talent to keep him out of the lineup.
Spring football is helping to heat up quarterback competition at several notable programs around the country. Here's a quick look at some of the top battles during this round of practices.
California
Joseph Ayoob (6-5, 215, jr.) vs. Nate Longshore (6-5, 230, redshirt fr.): Longshore's physical tools intrigue coach Jeff Tedford's staff. But he is raw and doesn't have the athleticism of Ayoob, a San Francisco City College product who has been compared to Michael Vick because of his running and deep-throwing ability.
Who wins out: Ayoob. Too much physical talent to keep him out of the lineup.
Time for 49ers to Get Serious About Top Pick
By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2005; 11:01 AM
It's time for serious deliberations to begin for the San Francisco 49ers, who have the top overall selection in the draft in nine days. They completed a final round of meetings with their top four prospects Wednesday, and now they must settle on a pick or find a way to make a trade.
Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers visited the 49ers' training facility Wednesday, a day after Utah quarterback Alex Smith was there. Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle visited on Monday.
The 49ers are coming off a 2-14 season that cost former coach Dennis Erickson and former general manager Terry Donahue their jobs, and the team's new brain trust of Coach Mike Nolan and front-office chief Scot McCloughan probably will end up getting the club's would-be franchise quarterback in the fold.
The conventional wisdom league-wide is that Rodgers is the more polished quarterback, will be more ready to play early in his NFL career and would be the safer choice. But there also is some wariness about him among NFL talent evaluators because he was tutored by Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, and none of Tedford's other former celebrated pupils -- Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, David Carr and Kyle Boller -- has become a star in the pro ranks. Some NFL people worry that Rodgers might be too mechanical and his success might have been a product of Tedford's system rather than his own abilities.
Smith is regarded by some scouts as having more long-range potential, but they see him as more of a project who will need more coaching to be ready to play at the NFL level. Smith is taller than Rodgers and is regarded as more athletic, and the coaches and front-office executives who have spoken to him during the pre-draft evaluation process marvel at his intelligence. But there are some questions about his arm strength, and some scouts league-wide believed that his nearly flawless performance during his pro-day workout last month was manufactured by receivers who were running at less than full speed. When 49ers officials traveled to Salt Lake City last week to watch a private workout by Smith, they took along two wide receivers of their own, Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd.
The 49ers have begun preliminary contract negotiations with their finalists, and those talks likely will intensify in the coming days. If they don't trade the pick, the 49ers would like to agree to a contract before the draft with the player they plan to choose, as NFL rules permit. Rodgers's agent, Mike Sullivan, accompanied him on Wednesday's visit, and 49ers officials are scheduled to talk today to Smith's representative, Tom Condon.
Edwards is viewed as the player most likely to be drafted by the 49ers if they opt against picking a quarterback, while Rolle is regarded as a candidate if they trade down in the first-round order. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the fifth overall choice in the draft, appear interested in exploring the possibility of trading up to select Rodgers or Smith.
Bad Draft? So What? The quality of the players available in this year's draft class has been widely disparaged since the NFL scouting combine in February, when it began to become clear that this group lacked headliners. But New England Patriots front-office chief Scott Pioli said that people in the league give little thought to such matters as they prepare their final draft boards.
"Here's the bottom line: This is the pool of players we all have to pick from, all 32 teams, and we have to find a way to make the best of it," Pioli said last week. "Depending on what they're looking at, what they're looking for, some people think it's weaker, some people think it's stronger. I honestly don't look at it in those terms. I always look at it from the standpoint, 'We have a need. This is the pool of players. This is what we've got to do.' That's just one of those things where I don't waste a lot of time and energy looking at the whole big picture."
Edwards defended his draft class during the combine.
"I don't worry about the critics and what other people say," the wide receiver said then. "There's a lot of great players in this draft. I can start naming guys in this draft and then you guys would say, 'Well, that's true, that's true, that's true.' Especially at the running back and defensive back positions, there are a lot of marquee guys in this draft. I haven't felt slighted at all. Also, we know what we have to do, the guys in this draft. The 2005 draft class, we know what we have to do. It's not about the draft itself. It's about getting into the league and making a mark, and that's what we're looking to do. It might seem a little different now. It might not seem as highly [celebrated] as last year's class. But wait until we get into the NFL. Wait until we make our noise." . . .
Northwestern defensive tackle Luis Castillo tested positive for androstenedione at the scouting combine, the Associated Press reported. The substance is banned by the NFL under its steroid policy. Castillo reportedly sent a letter to each of the 32 NFL teams attempting to explain his steroid use, saying he was trying to improve his performance at the combine after an elbow injury had been slow to heal. Castillo had been regarded as a potential second- or third-round pick. . . .
Teams continue to get their restricted free agents re-signed. Atlanta re-signed safety Kevin McCadam and offensive lineman Martin Bibla. Detroit re-signed cornerback Mike Echols. Green Bay re-signed linebacker Paris Lenon, and Minnesota re-signed kicker Jose Cortez. . . . Coach Bill Belichick presented President Bush with one of his trademark hooded, gray sweatshirts during the Patriots' visit to the White House on Wednesday. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi accompanied the Super Bowl champions and was praised by Bush. Bruschi suffered what the team called a mild stroke in February.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2005; 11:01 AM
It's time for serious deliberations to begin for the San Francisco 49ers, who have the top overall selection in the draft in nine days. They completed a final round of meetings with their top four prospects Wednesday, and now they must settle on a pick or find a way to make a trade.
Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers visited the 49ers' training facility Wednesday, a day after Utah quarterback Alex Smith was there. Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle visited on Monday.
The 49ers are coming off a 2-14 season that cost former coach Dennis Erickson and former general manager Terry Donahue their jobs, and the team's new brain trust of Coach Mike Nolan and front-office chief Scot McCloughan probably will end up getting the club's would-be franchise quarterback in the fold.
The conventional wisdom league-wide is that Rodgers is the more polished quarterback, will be more ready to play early in his NFL career and would be the safer choice. But there also is some wariness about him among NFL talent evaluators because he was tutored by Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, and none of Tedford's other former celebrated pupils -- Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, David Carr and Kyle Boller -- has become a star in the pro ranks. Some NFL people worry that Rodgers might be too mechanical and his success might have been a product of Tedford's system rather than his own abilities.
Smith is regarded by some scouts as having more long-range potential, but they see him as more of a project who will need more coaching to be ready to play at the NFL level. Smith is taller than Rodgers and is regarded as more athletic, and the coaches and front-office executives who have spoken to him during the pre-draft evaluation process marvel at his intelligence. But there are some questions about his arm strength, and some scouts league-wide believed that his nearly flawless performance during his pro-day workout last month was manufactured by receivers who were running at less than full speed. When 49ers officials traveled to Salt Lake City last week to watch a private workout by Smith, they took along two wide receivers of their own, Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd.
The 49ers have begun preliminary contract negotiations with their finalists, and those talks likely will intensify in the coming days. If they don't trade the pick, the 49ers would like to agree to a contract before the draft with the player they plan to choose, as NFL rules permit. Rodgers's agent, Mike Sullivan, accompanied him on Wednesday's visit, and 49ers officials are scheduled to talk today to Smith's representative, Tom Condon.
Edwards is viewed as the player most likely to be drafted by the 49ers if they opt against picking a quarterback, while Rolle is regarded as a candidate if they trade down in the first-round order. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the fifth overall choice in the draft, appear interested in exploring the possibility of trading up to select Rodgers or Smith.
Bad Draft? So What? The quality of the players available in this year's draft class has been widely disparaged since the NFL scouting combine in February, when it began to become clear that this group lacked headliners. But New England Patriots front-office chief Scott Pioli said that people in the league give little thought to such matters as they prepare their final draft boards.
"Here's the bottom line: This is the pool of players we all have to pick from, all 32 teams, and we have to find a way to make the best of it," Pioli said last week. "Depending on what they're looking at, what they're looking for, some people think it's weaker, some people think it's stronger. I honestly don't look at it in those terms. I always look at it from the standpoint, 'We have a need. This is the pool of players. This is what we've got to do.' That's just one of those things where I don't waste a lot of time and energy looking at the whole big picture."
Edwards defended his draft class during the combine.
"I don't worry about the critics and what other people say," the wide receiver said then. "There's a lot of great players in this draft. I can start naming guys in this draft and then you guys would say, 'Well, that's true, that's true, that's true.' Especially at the running back and defensive back positions, there are a lot of marquee guys in this draft. I haven't felt slighted at all. Also, we know what we have to do, the guys in this draft. The 2005 draft class, we know what we have to do. It's not about the draft itself. It's about getting into the league and making a mark, and that's what we're looking to do. It might seem a little different now. It might not seem as highly [celebrated] as last year's class. But wait until we get into the NFL. Wait until we make our noise." . . .
Northwestern defensive tackle Luis Castillo tested positive for androstenedione at the scouting combine, the Associated Press reported. The substance is banned by the NFL under its steroid policy. Castillo reportedly sent a letter to each of the 32 NFL teams attempting to explain his steroid use, saying he was trying to improve his performance at the combine after an elbow injury had been slow to heal. Castillo had been regarded as a potential second- or third-round pick. . . .
Teams continue to get their restricted free agents re-signed. Atlanta re-signed safety Kevin McCadam and offensive lineman Martin Bibla. Detroit re-signed cornerback Mike Echols. Green Bay re-signed linebacker Paris Lenon, and Minnesota re-signed kicker Jose Cortez. . . . Coach Bill Belichick presented President Bush with one of his trademark hooded, gray sweatshirts during the Patriots' visit to the White House on Wednesday. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi accompanied the Super Bowl champions and was praised by Bush. Bruschi suffered what the team called a mild stroke in February.
Edwards and Rolle are better, but 49ers truly need a quarterback
By TIM KAWAKAMI
San Jose Mercury News
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It won't be because of Aaron Rodgers' mechanics, laser-guided arm strength, ties to Jeff Tedford or Chico childhood.
It won't be because Rodgers is the obvious choice, the consensus choice or even necessarily the preferred choice of any single member of the newly formed 49er war room.
If the 49ers select Rodgers with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft later this month, it'll be because of one glaring and totally convincing reason:
He's the anti-Tim Rattay.
For one, Rodgers actually does seem alive when he speaks to people, as evidenced by his cocksure comments to the media Wednesday afternoon and, I'd assume, his interaction with the 49ers' coaching staff during the previous eight hours.
For two, Rodgers never missed significant time at Cal because of injury, something Rattay cannot say about his NFL game career, his NFL practice career, or, I'm guessing, his NFL standing-around-in-a-room career.
For three, Rodgers is the kind of swaggering charismatic presence the 49ers haven't had at quarterback since Steve Young; and no, I didn't forget about Jeff Garcia when I typed that.
Rodgers might not be a perfect franchise quarterback prospect - too short, possibly; too mechanical, theoretically; too dependent on Tedford's teachings, maybe. Rodgers might not be head-and-shoulders above Utah's Alex Smith, who has his own weaknesses.
But Rodgers acts like a franchise QB, throws the sideline pass like a franchise QB and probably can step in and provide decent leadership almost immediately, like a franchise QB ought to.
"I think that really typifies what I am," Rodgers said when asked if he was a member of the franchise QB club.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around. I think my leadership style plus my skills combine to make me the kind of guy you can stick into a situation and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
Which I can't say about Smith, because of the funky spread offense he ran at Utah. Does David Klingler ring a bell? No, because he stunk in the NFL after racking up monster yards at Houston.
And which new 49er Coach Mike Nolan can't say about Rattay, who had his chance last season and whose most memorable passes were completed to linebackers and safeties.
My sense is that Nolan, if all things were equal and truth-serum were available, would admit that Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle are the best bets in this draft to become stars.
But all things are not equal. The 49ers need a quarterback. I'm sure ownership would not mind adding an eagle-eyed QB from a local school, with local credentials and ticket-selling possibilities.
And Rodgers is there, grinning calmly and ready to throw darts starting Day 1 and for a long time after that. Rodgers was even cool enough to shoot down Edwards' assertion that taking a QB with the top pick was a riskier endeavor than taking a play-making receiver.
"Braylon is a phenomenal player," Rodgers said. "But a receiver only catches a few balls a game, and I'm touching the ball every play... My role on the team, my importance to an offense is a little more important on each play than a receiver's role."
Hey, Aaron, if the 49ers take you No. 1 after a 2-14 season, shouldn't the expectations for this once-proud franchise be lowered?
"Not at all," Rodgers said. "You bring a new coach in, bring a top pick in, the expectations are going to be high, which they should. The Bay Area should expect this team to be a lot better next year."
I do keep hearing indications that new personnel guru Scot McLoughan likes Smith, though that might either be a smokescreen or something Nolan can overrule easily.
I don't know Nolan well, but I know that he wants the 49ers to get much tougher and I know that he needs his quarterback to command respect from every corner of the field and locker room.
So Rodgers answered just about perfectly when I asked him to name his model NFL quarterback.
"I'm my own man - I'm starting a legacy for myself," Rodgers said. "But I love the way Brett Favre plays, his mental and physical toughness. I think those are two of my strong points."
When's the last time a 49er quarterback reminded you of Favre? It has been a long time, longer than anybody really would like to admit.
San Jose Mercury News
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It won't be because of Aaron Rodgers' mechanics, laser-guided arm strength, ties to Jeff Tedford or Chico childhood.
It won't be because Rodgers is the obvious choice, the consensus choice or even necessarily the preferred choice of any single member of the newly formed 49er war room.
If the 49ers select Rodgers with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft later this month, it'll be because of one glaring and totally convincing reason:
He's the anti-Tim Rattay.
For one, Rodgers actually does seem alive when he speaks to people, as evidenced by his cocksure comments to the media Wednesday afternoon and, I'd assume, his interaction with the 49ers' coaching staff during the previous eight hours.
For two, Rodgers never missed significant time at Cal because of injury, something Rattay cannot say about his NFL game career, his NFL practice career, or, I'm guessing, his NFL standing-around-in-a-room career.
For three, Rodgers is the kind of swaggering charismatic presence the 49ers haven't had at quarterback since Steve Young; and no, I didn't forget about Jeff Garcia when I typed that.
Rodgers might not be a perfect franchise quarterback prospect - too short, possibly; too mechanical, theoretically; too dependent on Tedford's teachings, maybe. Rodgers might not be head-and-shoulders above Utah's Alex Smith, who has his own weaknesses.
But Rodgers acts like a franchise QB, throws the sideline pass like a franchise QB and probably can step in and provide decent leadership almost immediately, like a franchise QB ought to.
"I think that really typifies what I am," Rodgers said when asked if he was a member of the franchise QB club.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around. I think my leadership style plus my skills combine to make me the kind of guy you can stick into a situation and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
Which I can't say about Smith, because of the funky spread offense he ran at Utah. Does David Klingler ring a bell? No, because he stunk in the NFL after racking up monster yards at Houston.
And which new 49er Coach Mike Nolan can't say about Rattay, who had his chance last season and whose most memorable passes were completed to linebackers and safeties.
My sense is that Nolan, if all things were equal and truth-serum were available, would admit that Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle are the best bets in this draft to become stars.
But all things are not equal. The 49ers need a quarterback. I'm sure ownership would not mind adding an eagle-eyed QB from a local school, with local credentials and ticket-selling possibilities.
And Rodgers is there, grinning calmly and ready to throw darts starting Day 1 and for a long time after that. Rodgers was even cool enough to shoot down Edwards' assertion that taking a QB with the top pick was a riskier endeavor than taking a play-making receiver.
"Braylon is a phenomenal player," Rodgers said. "But a receiver only catches a few balls a game, and I'm touching the ball every play... My role on the team, my importance to an offense is a little more important on each play than a receiver's role."
Hey, Aaron, if the 49ers take you No. 1 after a 2-14 season, shouldn't the expectations for this once-proud franchise be lowered?
"Not at all," Rodgers said. "You bring a new coach in, bring a top pick in, the expectations are going to be high, which they should. The Bay Area should expect this team to be a lot better next year."
I do keep hearing indications that new personnel guru Scot McLoughan likes Smith, though that might either be a smokescreen or something Nolan can overrule easily.
I don't know Nolan well, but I know that he wants the 49ers to get much tougher and I know that he needs his quarterback to command respect from every corner of the field and locker room.
So Rodgers answered just about perfectly when I asked him to name his model NFL quarterback.
"I'm my own man - I'm starting a legacy for myself," Rodgers said. "But I love the way Brett Favre plays, his mental and physical toughness. I think those are two of my strong points."
When's the last time a 49er quarterback reminded you of Favre? It has been a long time, longer than anybody really would like to admit.
Tedford curse on Cal QB?
Four quarterbacks coached by Jeff Tedford have been drafted in the first round but haven't lived up to expectations. Could California's Aaron Rodgers be the fifth?
BY DAVID J. NEAL
Miami Herald
How can a college coach possibly be an albatross when he has coached four quarterbacks snapped up in the NFL draft's first round?
When those first-round picks have been second-rate NFL quarterbacks.
Maybe that's not fair to University of California coach Jeff Tedford. Tedford definitely thinks it isn't fair to top NFL draft prospect and former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But in the inexact business of scouting, any undisputed trends are hard to ignore.
Trent Dilfer (drafted 1994), Akili Smith (1999), Joey Harrington (2002) and Kyle Boller (2003) all were coached by Tedford for at least their senior years in college. All were taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Only Boller was taken outside the top 10.
None has distinguished himself as an A-list NFL quarterback.
Dilfer has survived for 11 seasons by being more an offensive caretaker than playmaker. The official definition of Smith's first name is ''wisdom,'' but in NFL circles it means ``gigantic flop.''
In Detroit, the Lions might ax Harrington before a June roster bonus is due. Boller showed progress in Baltimore in his second season, but it's still far from a certainty that he'll be a top-notch quarterback.
''I think Akili Smith is the only one who didn't even come close to his potential for whatever reason,'' Tedford said.
CAUSE UNKNOWN
Tedford can't put his finger on anything he did that NFL teams haven't done because he says he doesn't know what they're asking his former quarterbacks to do. He does believe judgments on Harrington and Boller are premature.
''Somebody told me once 50 percent of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round or maybe less are not successful,'' Tedford said. ``It just happens that we've been fortunate to have a lot of them, so it's kind of magnified. The jury is out on some of them.''
Baltimore coach Brian Billick said, ``I can't speak for the other guys, but all Kyle's done is win games for us. He's won games in tough circumstances. Our job is we have to get more talent around Kyle.''
Billick has been around more than a few good quarterbacks during career stops at Brigham Young University, and, in the NFL, San Francisco and Minnesota. His Super Bowl championship with Baltimore came with Dilfer at quarterback.
''[Tedford] has a real feel for quarterback play,'' Billick said. ``He has a feel for orientating his offenses around the skills of the quarterback. He's had as good a run of quarterbacks as anybody. Typically, you will see that type of run with one kind of quarterback. But he's had a wide variety.''
Other Tedford products include the Dolphins' A.J. Feeley, who started eight games under Tedford at Oregon before Philadelphia took him in the fifth round in 2001, and Tennessee's Billy Volek.
Volek preceded Houston's David Carr as Fresno State starter, then signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He took over the starting job last year when injuries battered Steve McNair to the sidelines.
''A.J. Feeley or Billy Volek doesn't get mentioned as much because they were either free agents or fifth-round or sixth-round draft picks,'' Tedford said. ``The expectation hadn't been on them to be superstars. But when you're a first-round draft pick and a top five pick . . . there's tremendous expectation.''
CASE OF RODGERS
Also, any team in a position and willing to take a quarterback high in the draft likely is rebuilding. Certainly, if San Francisco decides to keep Rodgers in the Bay Area with the No. 1 overall pick, he'll be working with a talent-impoverished offense.
Along with a fine deep ball and good footwork, Rodgers makes few mental mistakes. The same national championship Southern California defense that throttled Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl was riddled by Rodgers for 23 consecutive completions.
''Not only is he a great competitor, he's very intelligent,'' Tedford said. ``Very skilled and a great leader. All those other guys [Tedford coached] had the same attributes. I would say Aaron is more mature at his age than those other guys for coming out after his junior year.''
Next week, we'll find out for sure how much difference the NFL sees.
BY DAVID J. NEAL
Miami Herald
How can a college coach possibly be an albatross when he has coached four quarterbacks snapped up in the NFL draft's first round?
When those first-round picks have been second-rate NFL quarterbacks.
Maybe that's not fair to University of California coach Jeff Tedford. Tedford definitely thinks it isn't fair to top NFL draft prospect and former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But in the inexact business of scouting, any undisputed trends are hard to ignore.
Trent Dilfer (drafted 1994), Akili Smith (1999), Joey Harrington (2002) and Kyle Boller (2003) all were coached by Tedford for at least their senior years in college. All were taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Only Boller was taken outside the top 10.
None has distinguished himself as an A-list NFL quarterback.
Dilfer has survived for 11 seasons by being more an offensive caretaker than playmaker. The official definition of Smith's first name is ''wisdom,'' but in NFL circles it means ``gigantic flop.''
In Detroit, the Lions might ax Harrington before a June roster bonus is due. Boller showed progress in Baltimore in his second season, but it's still far from a certainty that he'll be a top-notch quarterback.
''I think Akili Smith is the only one who didn't even come close to his potential for whatever reason,'' Tedford said.
CAUSE UNKNOWN
Tedford can't put his finger on anything he did that NFL teams haven't done because he says he doesn't know what they're asking his former quarterbacks to do. He does believe judgments on Harrington and Boller are premature.
''Somebody told me once 50 percent of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round or maybe less are not successful,'' Tedford said. ``It just happens that we've been fortunate to have a lot of them, so it's kind of magnified. The jury is out on some of them.''
Baltimore coach Brian Billick said, ``I can't speak for the other guys, but all Kyle's done is win games for us. He's won games in tough circumstances. Our job is we have to get more talent around Kyle.''
Billick has been around more than a few good quarterbacks during career stops at Brigham Young University, and, in the NFL, San Francisco and Minnesota. His Super Bowl championship with Baltimore came with Dilfer at quarterback.
''[Tedford] has a real feel for quarterback play,'' Billick said. ``He has a feel for orientating his offenses around the skills of the quarterback. He's had as good a run of quarterbacks as anybody. Typically, you will see that type of run with one kind of quarterback. But he's had a wide variety.''
Other Tedford products include the Dolphins' A.J. Feeley, who started eight games under Tedford at Oregon before Philadelphia took him in the fifth round in 2001, and Tennessee's Billy Volek.
Volek preceded Houston's David Carr as Fresno State starter, then signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He took over the starting job last year when injuries battered Steve McNair to the sidelines.
''A.J. Feeley or Billy Volek doesn't get mentioned as much because they were either free agents or fifth-round or sixth-round draft picks,'' Tedford said. ``The expectation hadn't been on them to be superstars. But when you're a first-round draft pick and a top five pick . . . there's tremendous expectation.''
CASE OF RODGERS
Also, any team in a position and willing to take a quarterback high in the draft likely is rebuilding. Certainly, if San Francisco decides to keep Rodgers in the Bay Area with the No. 1 overall pick, he'll be working with a talent-impoverished offense.
Along with a fine deep ball and good footwork, Rodgers makes few mental mistakes. The same national championship Southern California defense that throttled Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl was riddled by Rodgers for 23 consecutive completions.
''Not only is he a great competitor, he's very intelligent,'' Tedford said. ``Very skilled and a great leader. All those other guys [Tedford coached] had the same attributes. I would say Aaron is more mature at his age than those other guys for coming out after his junior year.''
Next week, we'll find out for sure how much difference the NFL sees.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Daily Trojan Slams Rodgers
The following poorly written piece is from the Daily Trojan. Apparently they are buying Carson Palmer's BS about wanting to play one more season with his homo buddies (despite the real fact that little Carson's throwing arm is basically ruined). I usually don't add commentary, but I f'ing hate USC.
Trojans should heat up cold draft next spring with forced graduation of limp-wristed Carson Palmer
By Dan Greenspan
Published: Wednesday, April 13, 2005
'Since when has the job duties of an NFL general manager come to overlap with those of your friendly neighborhood ticket scalper?"Hey, buddy, I got a Patrick Surtain for ya. All I need is a second-round pick. Come on, a three-time Pro Bowl corner for a second - it\'s a bargain.""Who needs the No. 1 overall pick in the draft?" "Need an offensive tackle in the 15 to 25 area of the first round." The NFL draft begins next Saturday morning in New York City, but nothing is certain at the top of the board.There is no Carson Palmer, Ron Mexico - excuse me, I meant Mike Vick - David Carr or Eli Manning waiting to be taken first and be made into an instant millionaire.Instead, everybody holding one of the first few picks is looking to bail out faster than Terrell Owens from his current contract.Without a must-have prospect, the San Francisco 49ers are being pushed into making a decision between California quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Utah\'s Alex Smith.Uh oh. New 49ers coach Mike Nolan must be developing his first stress ulcer as he decides who is the lesser of two evils.It might not be the epic (at the time) Manning versus Leaf debate, but it\'s close.Rodgers held his own against the powerful USC defense, setting an NCAA record of 23 straight completions and leading the Golden Bears to an overall mark of 10-2. He has the physical tools and can certainly dink-and-dunk a team to death.But he is a Jeff Tedford protégé, and everybody knows the "Tedford curse" has produced a series of noteworthy busts in the NFL.Smith possesses tremendous intelligence, but took nearly all his snaps from the shotgun.Rodgers can deliver much sooner, but Smith has the upside.Or the 49ers can choose Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, who somehow passed ex-Trojan Mike Williams as the dominant wideout in the draft. Apparently, Edwards caught 10 balls for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, but I can\'t remember any one of them. ';
paragraph[1] = 'Why is that? Oh, yeah, because the Wolverines lost that game.But I do remember a big man wearing No. 1 in cardinal and gold burning UCLA for 11 catches, 181 yards and two scores in about five minutes of work a couple of years ago. The team of Montana, Young and Rice could take Auburn\'s fabulous tailback Ronnie Brown. The H2 who split time with the Cadillac has a perfect mix of size (6-foot-2), speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and skills for the pro game.Or Texas stud linebacker Derrick Johnson, whose "bolo punch" can create instant turnovers for a defense that produced only 35 last season.Sorry.Too much money invested in the obnoxious duo of Kevan Barlow and Juilan Peterson.The trouble extends from the Bay Area to South Beach and everywhere in between.That is the problem with the 2005 NFL draft. Too much uncertainly at the top.Too many bargains later on.My advice for everybody unsure about 2005: wait \'til next year.Because coach Pete Carroll has a one-stop talent shop for all you scouts, pundits and GMs.Heisman Trophy-winner Matt Leinart? Available in 2006.Mr. Electric Reggie Bush? Available in 2006.The powerful LenDale White? Available in 2006.Master of the one-handed catch Dominique Byrd? Available in 2006.Hard hitting safety Darnell Bing? Available in 2006.Top offensive linemen such as Winston Justice or Deuce Lutui? Available in 2006. He\'s even gone through the trouble of finding a terrific punter for you. So NFL, line up your season tickets and sit-downs with coach Carroll. Get those scouts to South Bend for October 15 and South Central for December 3. Print up jerseys with No. 5, 11 and 20, among others, and set up the caps at MSG.Think Miami. Think LSU. Think Ohio State. Because USC is the new premier talent factory. And it\'s just warming up. -
Since when has the job duties of an NFL general manager come to overlap with those of your friendly neighborhood ticket scalper?"Hey, buddy, I got a Patrick Surtain for ya. All I need is a second-round pick. Come on, a three-time Pro Bowl corner for a second - it's a bargain.""Who needs the No. 1 overall pick in the draft?" "Need an offensive tackle in the 15 to 25 area of the first round." The NFL draft begins next Saturday morning in New York City, but nothing is certain at the top of the board.There is no Carson Palmer, Ron Mexico - excuse me, I meant Mike Vick - David Carr or Eli Manning waiting to be taken first and be made into an instant millionaire.Instead, everybody holding one of the first few picks is looking to bail out faster than Terrell Owens from his current contract.Without a must-have prospect, the San Francisco 49ers are being pushed into making a decision between California quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Utah's Alex Smith.Uh oh. New 49ers coach Mike Nolan must be developing his first stress ulcer as he decides who is the lesser of two evils.It might not be the epic (at the time) Manning versus Leaf debate, but it's close.Rodgers held his own against the powerful USC defense, setting an NCAA record of 23 straight completions and leading the Golden Bears to an overall mark of 10-2. He has the physical tools and can certainly dink-and-dunk a team to death.But he is a Jeff Tedford protégé, and everybody knows the "Tedford curse" has produced a series of noteworthy busts in the NFL.Smith possesses tremendous intelligence, but took nearly all his snaps from the shotgun.Rodgers can deliver much sooner, but Smith has the upside.Or the 49ers can choose Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, who somehow passed ex-Trojan Mike Williams as the dominant wideout in the draft. Apparently, Edwards caught 10 balls for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, but I can't remember any one of them.
Why is that? Oh, yeah, because the Wolverines lost that game.But I do remember a big man wearing No. 1 in cardinal and gold burning UCLA for 11 catches, 181 yards and two scores in about five minutes of work a couple of years ago. The team of Montana, Young and Rice could take Auburn's fabulous tailback Ronnie Brown. The H2 who split time with the Cadillac has a perfect mix of size (6-foot-2), speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and skills for the pro game.Or Texas stud linebacker Derrick Johnson, whose "bolo punch" can create instant turnovers for a defense that produced only 35 last season.Sorry.Too much money invested in the obnoxious duo of Kevan Barlow and Juilan Peterson.The trouble extends from the Bay Area to South Beach and everywhere in between.That is the problem with the 2005 NFL draft. Too much uncertainly at the top.Too many bargains later on.My advice for everybody unsure about 2005: wait 'til next year.Because coach Pete Carroll has a one-stop talent shop for all you scouts, pundits and GMs.Heisman Trophy-winner Matt Leinart? Available in 2006.Mr. Electric Reggie Bush? Available in 2006.The powerful LenDale White? Available in 2006.Master of the one-handed catch Dominique Byrd? Available in 2006.Hard hitting safety Darnell Bing? Available in 2006.Top offensive linemen such as Winston Justice or Deuce Lutui? Available in 2006. He's even gone through the trouble of finding a terrific punter for you. So NFL, line up your season tickets and sit-downs with coach Carroll. Get those scouts to South Bend for October 15 and South Central for December 3. Print up jerseys with No. 5, 11 and 20, among others, and set up the caps at MSG.Think Miami. Think LSU. Think Ohio State. Because USC is the new premier talent factory. And it's just warming up.
Trojans should heat up cold draft next spring with forced graduation of limp-wristed Carson Palmer
By Dan Greenspan
Published: Wednesday, April 13, 2005
'Since when has the job duties of an NFL general manager come to overlap with those of your friendly neighborhood ticket scalper?"Hey, buddy, I got a Patrick Surtain for ya. All I need is a second-round pick. Come on, a three-time Pro Bowl corner for a second - it\'s a bargain.""Who needs the No. 1 overall pick in the draft?" "Need an offensive tackle in the 15 to 25 area of the first round." The NFL draft begins next Saturday morning in New York City, but nothing is certain at the top of the board.There is no Carson Palmer, Ron Mexico - excuse me, I meant Mike Vick - David Carr or Eli Manning waiting to be taken first and be made into an instant millionaire.Instead, everybody holding one of the first few picks is looking to bail out faster than Terrell Owens from his current contract.Without a must-have prospect, the San Francisco 49ers are being pushed into making a decision between California quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Utah\'s Alex Smith.Uh oh. New 49ers coach Mike Nolan must be developing his first stress ulcer as he decides who is the lesser of two evils.It might not be the epic (at the time) Manning versus Leaf debate, but it\'s close.Rodgers held his own against the powerful USC defense, setting an NCAA record of 23 straight completions and leading the Golden Bears to an overall mark of 10-2. He has the physical tools and can certainly dink-and-dunk a team to death.But he is a Jeff Tedford protégé, and everybody knows the "Tedford curse" has produced a series of noteworthy busts in the NFL.Smith possesses tremendous intelligence, but took nearly all his snaps from the shotgun.Rodgers can deliver much sooner, but Smith has the upside.Or the 49ers can choose Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, who somehow passed ex-Trojan Mike Williams as the dominant wideout in the draft. Apparently, Edwards caught 10 balls for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, but I can\'t remember any one of them. ';
paragraph[1] = 'Why is that? Oh, yeah, because the Wolverines lost that game.But I do remember a big man wearing No. 1 in cardinal and gold burning UCLA for 11 catches, 181 yards and two scores in about five minutes of work a couple of years ago. The team of Montana, Young and Rice could take Auburn\'s fabulous tailback Ronnie Brown. The H2 who split time with the Cadillac has a perfect mix of size (6-foot-2), speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and skills for the pro game.Or Texas stud linebacker Derrick Johnson, whose "bolo punch" can create instant turnovers for a defense that produced only 35 last season.Sorry.Too much money invested in the obnoxious duo of Kevan Barlow and Juilan Peterson.The trouble extends from the Bay Area to South Beach and everywhere in between.That is the problem with the 2005 NFL draft. Too much uncertainly at the top.Too many bargains later on.My advice for everybody unsure about 2005: wait \'til next year.Because coach Pete Carroll has a one-stop talent shop for all you scouts, pundits and GMs.Heisman Trophy-winner Matt Leinart? Available in 2006.Mr. Electric Reggie Bush? Available in 2006.The powerful LenDale White? Available in 2006.Master of the one-handed catch Dominique Byrd? Available in 2006.Hard hitting safety Darnell Bing? Available in 2006.Top offensive linemen such as Winston Justice or Deuce Lutui? Available in 2006. He\'s even gone through the trouble of finding a terrific punter for you. So NFL, line up your season tickets and sit-downs with coach Carroll. Get those scouts to South Bend for October 15 and South Central for December 3. Print up jerseys with No. 5, 11 and 20, among others, and set up the caps at MSG.Think Miami. Think LSU. Think Ohio State. Because USC is the new premier talent factory. And it\'s just warming up. -
Since when has the job duties of an NFL general manager come to overlap with those of your friendly neighborhood ticket scalper?"Hey, buddy, I got a Patrick Surtain for ya. All I need is a second-round pick. Come on, a three-time Pro Bowl corner for a second - it's a bargain.""Who needs the No. 1 overall pick in the draft?" "Need an offensive tackle in the 15 to 25 area of the first round." The NFL draft begins next Saturday morning in New York City, but nothing is certain at the top of the board.There is no Carson Palmer, Ron Mexico - excuse me, I meant Mike Vick - David Carr or Eli Manning waiting to be taken first and be made into an instant millionaire.Instead, everybody holding one of the first few picks is looking to bail out faster than Terrell Owens from his current contract.Without a must-have prospect, the San Francisco 49ers are being pushed into making a decision between California quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Utah's Alex Smith.Uh oh. New 49ers coach Mike Nolan must be developing his first stress ulcer as he decides who is the lesser of two evils.It might not be the epic (at the time) Manning versus Leaf debate, but it's close.Rodgers held his own against the powerful USC defense, setting an NCAA record of 23 straight completions and leading the Golden Bears to an overall mark of 10-2. He has the physical tools and can certainly dink-and-dunk a team to death.But he is a Jeff Tedford protégé, and everybody knows the "Tedford curse" has produced a series of noteworthy busts in the NFL.Smith possesses tremendous intelligence, but took nearly all his snaps from the shotgun.Rodgers can deliver much sooner, but Smith has the upside.Or the 49ers can choose Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, who somehow passed ex-Trojan Mike Williams as the dominant wideout in the draft. Apparently, Edwards caught 10 balls for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, but I can't remember any one of them.
Why is that? Oh, yeah, because the Wolverines lost that game.But I do remember a big man wearing No. 1 in cardinal and gold burning UCLA for 11 catches, 181 yards and two scores in about five minutes of work a couple of years ago. The team of Montana, Young and Rice could take Auburn's fabulous tailback Ronnie Brown. The H2 who split time with the Cadillac has a perfect mix of size (6-foot-2), speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and skills for the pro game.Or Texas stud linebacker Derrick Johnson, whose "bolo punch" can create instant turnovers for a defense that produced only 35 last season.Sorry.Too much money invested in the obnoxious duo of Kevan Barlow and Juilan Peterson.The trouble extends from the Bay Area to South Beach and everywhere in between.That is the problem with the 2005 NFL draft. Too much uncertainly at the top.Too many bargains later on.My advice for everybody unsure about 2005: wait 'til next year.Because coach Pete Carroll has a one-stop talent shop for all you scouts, pundits and GMs.Heisman Trophy-winner Matt Leinart? Available in 2006.Mr. Electric Reggie Bush? Available in 2006.The powerful LenDale White? Available in 2006.Master of the one-handed catch Dominique Byrd? Available in 2006.Hard hitting safety Darnell Bing? Available in 2006.Top offensive linemen such as Winston Justice or Deuce Lutui? Available in 2006. He's even gone through the trouble of finding a terrific punter for you. So NFL, line up your season tickets and sit-downs with coach Carroll. Get those scouts to South Bend for October 15 and South Central for December 3. Print up jerseys with No. 5, 11 and 20, among others, and set up the caps at MSG.Think Miami. Think LSU. Think Ohio State. Because USC is the new premier talent factory. And it's just warming up.
Rodgers hopes hometown Niners think he's No. 1
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 (04-13) 18:40 PDT Santa Clara, Calif. (AP) --
Though Aaron Rodgers has been to sunny Miami and chilly Cleveland while auditioning for a spot in the NFL, he hopes he'll get to stay close to home with his favorite team.
The California quarterback spent Wednesday at the San Francisco 49ers' training complex, meeting with coaches and trainers as the club finished its four in-depth interviews with the finalists to be the first overall pick in next week's draft.
Rodgers' arm strength, poise and experience in the West Coast offense make him attractive to the 49ers, who are leaning toward selecting a quarterback — either Rodgers or Utah's Alex Smith — who will be their starter next season.
And though the 49ers earned the pick by compiling the NFL's worst record under fired coach Dennis Erickson, Rodgers is confident he could help Mike Nolan's new coaching staff rebuild a winner.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around," Rodgers said. "I think my leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of guy you can stick in a situation, and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
Rodgers met with the Browns and the Dolphins in recent days, and he went through a private workout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. But he had long been looking forward to his visit with the Niners after rooting for them as a kid in upstate Chico.
"It's been very exciting coming here. It's my childhood team growing up," Rodgers said. "It's been kind of surreal, this whole process. I'm just feeling very confident that they've got the right people in the right places here in San Francisco to be successful — just talking with Coach Nolan, just seeing how passionate he is about bringing this team back to the standards that were set in the late '80s and early '90s."
Just two years ago, Rodgers was an unknown junior college quarterback who hadn't been recruited by Division I schools. Everything changed when Cal coach Jeff Tedford saw him on a scouting tape of tight end Garrett Cross, Rodgers' teammate at Butte Junior College.
Tedford, the quarterback guru who helped launch the careers of Trent Dilfer, David Carr, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller, anointed Rodgers as his next protege. Rodgers became the Golden Bears' starter early in the 2003 season, leading Cal to a victory in the Insight Bowl.
Rodgers was outstanding last season, passing for 2,566 yards and 24 touchdowns despite losing his four top receivers for significant portions because of injuries. He led Cal to its highest national ranking since 1952 before losing to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl, and he passed up his senior season to turn pro.
While Tedford transformed Rodgers into a star and a potential No. 1 pick, the coach's distinct teaching methods have led many scouts to worry about Rodgers' mechanical style. Rodgers holds the ball high and tight while dropping back to pass with precise footwork, and Rodgers acknowledged some people don't think he looks like an NFL quarterback.
"Being mechanical is not a bad thing," Rodgers said. "I think it's better than holding the ball lower and patting the ball, or taking one of your hands off the ball or something. I do the same thing every time, and the ball is high, and it gets out of my hand quick."
Rodgers was the last of the top prospects who visited Santa Clara this week. Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle visited Monday, and Smith was in town Tuesday.
The 49ers have spoken to agents for all four players in preliminary groundwork for contract talks. More serious talks will begin soon, and the Niners' ability to sign each player could play a role in their choice.
Rodgers' agent, Mike Sullivan, was in Santa Clara with his player.
"I'll be excited (with) anywhere I get picked," Rodgers said. "Obviously, being able to stay in the Bay and have the caravan from Chico come down to all the games would be great. But I'm excited either way, and it's been a great process."
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 (04-13) 18:40 PDT Santa Clara, Calif. (AP) --
Though Aaron Rodgers has been to sunny Miami and chilly Cleveland while auditioning for a spot in the NFL, he hopes he'll get to stay close to home with his favorite team.
The California quarterback spent Wednesday at the San Francisco 49ers' training complex, meeting with coaches and trainers as the club finished its four in-depth interviews with the finalists to be the first overall pick in next week's draft.
Rodgers' arm strength, poise and experience in the West Coast offense make him attractive to the 49ers, who are leaning toward selecting a quarterback — either Rodgers or Utah's Alex Smith — who will be their starter next season.
And though the 49ers earned the pick by compiling the NFL's worst record under fired coach Dennis Erickson, Rodgers is confident he could help Mike Nolan's new coaching staff rebuild a winner.
"I think I'm a guy you can build around," Rodgers said. "I think my leadership style plus my skills combined make me the kind of guy you can stick in a situation, and then bring guys in to make me better and make the team better."
Rodgers met with the Browns and the Dolphins in recent days, and he went through a private workout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. But he had long been looking forward to his visit with the Niners after rooting for them as a kid in upstate Chico.
"It's been very exciting coming here. It's my childhood team growing up," Rodgers said. "It's been kind of surreal, this whole process. I'm just feeling very confident that they've got the right people in the right places here in San Francisco to be successful — just talking with Coach Nolan, just seeing how passionate he is about bringing this team back to the standards that were set in the late '80s and early '90s."
Just two years ago, Rodgers was an unknown junior college quarterback who hadn't been recruited by Division I schools. Everything changed when Cal coach Jeff Tedford saw him on a scouting tape of tight end Garrett Cross, Rodgers' teammate at Butte Junior College.
Tedford, the quarterback guru who helped launch the careers of Trent Dilfer, David Carr, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller, anointed Rodgers as his next protege. Rodgers became the Golden Bears' starter early in the 2003 season, leading Cal to a victory in the Insight Bowl.
Rodgers was outstanding last season, passing for 2,566 yards and 24 touchdowns despite losing his four top receivers for significant portions because of injuries. He led Cal to its highest national ranking since 1952 before losing to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl, and he passed up his senior season to turn pro.
While Tedford transformed Rodgers into a star and a potential No. 1 pick, the coach's distinct teaching methods have led many scouts to worry about Rodgers' mechanical style. Rodgers holds the ball high and tight while dropping back to pass with precise footwork, and Rodgers acknowledged some people don't think he looks like an NFL quarterback.
"Being mechanical is not a bad thing," Rodgers said. "I think it's better than holding the ball lower and patting the ball, or taking one of your hands off the ball or something. I do the same thing every time, and the ball is high, and it gets out of my hand quick."
Rodgers was the last of the top prospects who visited Santa Clara this week. Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle visited Monday, and Smith was in town Tuesday.
The 49ers have spoken to agents for all four players in preliminary groundwork for contract talks. More serious talks will begin soon, and the Niners' ability to sign each player could play a role in their choice.
Rodgers' agent, Mike Sullivan, was in Santa Clara with his player.
"I'll be excited (with) anywhere I get picked," Rodgers said. "Obviously, being able to stay in the Bay and have the caravan from Chico come down to all the games would be great. But I'm excited either way, and it's been a great process."
Smith confident he could fit in with Niners
Apr. 12, 2005
By DENNIS GEORGATOS
San Jose Mercury News
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Utah quarterback Alex Smith isn't concerned about his lack of experience in a pro-style offense, saying he'd have no problems fitting into the West Coast scheme favored by the 49ers.
``If I were a big, immobile guy, I'd say that would be a concern,'' Smith said Tuesday before meeting with Coach Mike Nolan and other 49ers officials. ``Athletically, I feel I bring the most to the table and I've been under center my whole life, so dropping back is not going to be hard for me.''
Smith, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, is one of four players under consideration by the team, which has the No. 1 pick in draft April 23-24. The others are Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle.
Smith was 21-1 as Utah's starter and last season completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 2,952 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the Utes to a 12-0 record. In his career, he also rushed for 1,072 yards and 10 touchdowns in 286 carries.
But Utah ran a ``gimmick'' offense - one characterized by spread formations and the quarterback taking snaps in the shotgun rather than under center - and this has led to questions about Smith being able to run the 49ers offense.
Smith's pro-day workout in mid-March didn't include many West Coast-oriented plays, so Nolan and several other team officials, along with 49ers wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle, went back last week to Salt Lake City. There, they put Smith through a private workout stressing the dropback- and rollout passes common to the pro-style offense.
``I was throwing to receivers I've never thrown to, and doing drills I had never done before,'' Smith said. ``But I think that's the circumstance they wanted to see. They wanted to see how you're going to take coaching, how you're going to adjust on the fly.
``Hopefully, I impressed them enough. But who knows? They don't say much.''
Smith, on the other hand, said plenty Tuesday when asked to evaluate the team he might be joining.
``Obviously, this is a young team and this is not something that's going to be turned around right away,'' Smith said.
``We're not going to be winning Super Bowls next year, I don't imagine, although we'd like to. I think you've got to put in the work and hopefully winning in the end will take care of everything.''
Nolan has made a point of re-establishing the 49ers' lofty expectations, telling players attending a minicamp last week that the goal for next season was to reclaim the NFC West.
Nolan, who was not available for comment, has said that a quarterback drafted No. 1 by the 49ers should expect to play next season, perhaps a lot.
Smith embraced that notion, with some qualification.
``That would be the goal for myself, absolutely, to play early,'' he said. ``You can learn only so much on the sidelines. But at the same time, if I'm not playing well, if things aren't meshing right away, the possibility of being able to watch for a few games would be enticing. But I don't anticipate that.''
Smith's visit was sandwiched between one by Rolle and Edwards on Monday and another today by Rodgers. The 49ers have said they expect to open preliminary contract talks with all four players soon in hopes of reaching agreement with one of them ahead of the draft. The signability of the player, who could command $15-20 million in guaranteed money, could become a factor in the team's decision, though not necessarily an overriding one, Nolan has said.
It has become standard practice for the team with the top pick to open pre-draft contract discussions with one or more players, said agent Leigh Steinberg, who has represented eight No. 1 picks.
``If the 49ers are undecided, for example, over whether to take Alex Smith or Aaron Rodgers, price-point might be the potential decision-maker,'' Steinberg said.
``It's a very astute move on their part because they're giving themselves a head-start on the process and they could gain some leverage and control in terms of an ability to not be backed into a corner by one player.''
By DENNIS GEORGATOS
San Jose Mercury News
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Utah quarterback Alex Smith isn't concerned about his lack of experience in a pro-style offense, saying he'd have no problems fitting into the West Coast scheme favored by the 49ers.
``If I were a big, immobile guy, I'd say that would be a concern,'' Smith said Tuesday before meeting with Coach Mike Nolan and other 49ers officials. ``Athletically, I feel I bring the most to the table and I've been under center my whole life, so dropping back is not going to be hard for me.''
Smith, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, is one of four players under consideration by the team, which has the No. 1 pick in draft April 23-24. The others are Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle.
Smith was 21-1 as Utah's starter and last season completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 2,952 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the Utes to a 12-0 record. In his career, he also rushed for 1,072 yards and 10 touchdowns in 286 carries.
But Utah ran a ``gimmick'' offense - one characterized by spread formations and the quarterback taking snaps in the shotgun rather than under center - and this has led to questions about Smith being able to run the 49ers offense.
Smith's pro-day workout in mid-March didn't include many West Coast-oriented plays, so Nolan and several other team officials, along with 49ers wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle, went back last week to Salt Lake City. There, they put Smith through a private workout stressing the dropback- and rollout passes common to the pro-style offense.
``I was throwing to receivers I've never thrown to, and doing drills I had never done before,'' Smith said. ``But I think that's the circumstance they wanted to see. They wanted to see how you're going to take coaching, how you're going to adjust on the fly.
``Hopefully, I impressed them enough. But who knows? They don't say much.''
Smith, on the other hand, said plenty Tuesday when asked to evaluate the team he might be joining.
``Obviously, this is a young team and this is not something that's going to be turned around right away,'' Smith said.
``We're not going to be winning Super Bowls next year, I don't imagine, although we'd like to. I think you've got to put in the work and hopefully winning in the end will take care of everything.''
Nolan has made a point of re-establishing the 49ers' lofty expectations, telling players attending a minicamp last week that the goal for next season was to reclaim the NFC West.
Nolan, who was not available for comment, has said that a quarterback drafted No. 1 by the 49ers should expect to play next season, perhaps a lot.
Smith embraced that notion, with some qualification.
``That would be the goal for myself, absolutely, to play early,'' he said. ``You can learn only so much on the sidelines. But at the same time, if I'm not playing well, if things aren't meshing right away, the possibility of being able to watch for a few games would be enticing. But I don't anticipate that.''
Smith's visit was sandwiched between one by Rolle and Edwards on Monday and another today by Rodgers. The 49ers have said they expect to open preliminary contract talks with all four players soon in hopes of reaching agreement with one of them ahead of the draft. The signability of the player, who could command $15-20 million in guaranteed money, could become a factor in the team's decision, though not necessarily an overriding one, Nolan has said.
It has become standard practice for the team with the top pick to open pre-draft contract discussions with one or more players, said agent Leigh Steinberg, who has represented eight No. 1 picks.
``If the 49ers are undecided, for example, over whether to take Alex Smith or Aaron Rodgers, price-point might be the potential decision-maker,'' Steinberg said.
``It's a very astute move on their part because they're giving themselves a head-start on the process and they could gain some leverage and control in terms of an ability to not be backed into a corner by one player.''
SPRING GAME ON APRIL 23rd
Catch the Golden Bears in action, when the annual Cal Football Spring Game is held on Saturday, April 23. Memorial Stadium gates open at 11:30am, and all fans are welcome to attend this FREE event! The day will feature Coach Tedford and the 2005 team in a controlled scrimmage, with offense vs. defense, special teams play, player drills, and an afternoon filled with Cal Spirit.Stadium concession stands will be open, where fans can purchase Subway sandwiches and plenty of other tasty food and beverage options. Limited parking will be available for $10 near Memorial Stadium (Kleeberger, Bowles, Prospect, Foothill, and Upper Hearst lots), and fans are encouraged to arrive early.At the event, one lucky fan will WIN A TRIP for two to Los Angeles to see CAL vs. UCLA at the Rose Bowl on October 8, 2005. Must be present to enter and win, and the contest winner will be announced near the conclusion of the spring game. In addition, fans in attendance will receive a complimentary appetizer card, courtesy of Pyramid Alehouse (while supplies last). Later that day, Cal Athletics hosts a variety of other great events on campus!
Monday, April 11, 2005
Based on the tapes, Rodgers is the right pick at No. 1
Monday April 11, 2005 9:15AM;
As they do every NFL draft season, the gurus, general managers and coaches are narrowing the top first-round prospects to a select four or five or six. In some order, the top-of-the-draft guys this year are two quarterbacks (Cal's Aaron Rodgers and Utah's Alex Smith), a wide receiver (Braylon Edwards of Michigan) and two running backs (Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, both from Auburn).
But this is an odd draft. This year no player is truly deserving of being chosen first overall by the 49ers. Two years ago, I watched Carson Palmer late in his USC season rise above the crowd. The way Palmer threw short and deep, evaded the rush and threw on the run, made you say, "This looks like a great NFL player." Ditto each of the other last four top picks, really -- Michael Vick (2001), David Carr (2002) and Eli Manning (2004) ... though I could respect the arguments of those last year who put Robert Gallery, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Sean Taylor or Kellen Winslow in the discussion with Manning. The scouting reports on all those players showed them capable of greatness, guys who could rise above the crowd. You can't look at any of the players this year (well, maybe Brown, the 233-pound brute who can outrun the most gifted cornerbacks) and say, "Now there's the first pick of the draft.'' Think back to bowl season. Can you honestly say you watched Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith and thought he was worth some bad team staking its future on him? No way.
I watched four hours of coaching game tape last Thursday with CBS analyst and quarterback guru Phil Simms. He asked that his opinions be kept private, which I'll honor. I saw five quarterbacks: Rodgers, Smith, Campbell, Charlie Frye of Akron and Oregon State's Derek Anderson. My feeling after watching these prospects:
1. I think the 49ers have two options. They could do the safe thing -- maybe the smart thing -- and take Rodgers. Or they could step out on a limb and pick an excellent receiver (Edwards) or really good back (Brown) with the first pick, and follow at the top of the second round by choosing underrated Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell, who will be one of the real gift picks of this draft when someone nabs him in round two.
2. Of the two quarterbacks considered possibilities to go first in the April 23 draft, Rodgers is better than Smith -- better mechanically, with a stronger arm and very good athleticism.
3. Campbell looked really good -- so good that you find yourself wondering: How can a scout watch this kid and not label his arm, athleticism and field presence all first-round gifts?
4. Frye, a guy some call a late first-round prospect, is really overrated.
5. Anderson, with a very good arm and good-enough mobility, is a nice mid-round sleeper. I say he has the best chance of anyone to be the fifth-round surprise of this year's draft.
More about them in a couple of paragraphs. Now for the latest on the 49ers' plans. The man with the final say on the top pick, 49ers coach Mike Nolan, told me the other day he still expects some team to go fishing for San Francisco's first selection, but we all know it's a long shot the Niners will be able to trade it. Assuming they can't make a deal, I don't see how Nolan can come out of the first day without his quarterback of the future.
Today through Thursday, Nolan and his staff will host the four players, one by one, he says they're considering with the first overall pick. Smith and Rodgers will be the last two visitors, with Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle in today and Tuesday. I'm sure Rolle wouldn't be the first overall pick; he's not even the top corner on some teams' boards. Nolan is likely examining Rolle closely so if the 49ers trade down they'd have an option beyond the top three or four players.
As they do every NFL draft season, the gurus, general managers and coaches are narrowing the top first-round prospects to a select four or five or six. In some order, the top-of-the-draft guys this year are two quarterbacks (Cal's Aaron Rodgers and Utah's Alex Smith), a wide receiver (Braylon Edwards of Michigan) and two running backs (Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, both from Auburn).
But this is an odd draft. This year no player is truly deserving of being chosen first overall by the 49ers. Two years ago, I watched Carson Palmer late in his USC season rise above the crowd. The way Palmer threw short and deep, evaded the rush and threw on the run, made you say, "This looks like a great NFL player." Ditto each of the other last four top picks, really -- Michael Vick (2001), David Carr (2002) and Eli Manning (2004) ... though I could respect the arguments of those last year who put Robert Gallery, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Sean Taylor or Kellen Winslow in the discussion with Manning. The scouting reports on all those players showed them capable of greatness, guys who could rise above the crowd. You can't look at any of the players this year (well, maybe Brown, the 233-pound brute who can outrun the most gifted cornerbacks) and say, "Now there's the first pick of the draft.'' Think back to bowl season. Can you honestly say you watched Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith and thought he was worth some bad team staking its future on him? No way.
I watched four hours of coaching game tape last Thursday with CBS analyst and quarterback guru Phil Simms. He asked that his opinions be kept private, which I'll honor. I saw five quarterbacks: Rodgers, Smith, Campbell, Charlie Frye of Akron and Oregon State's Derek Anderson. My feeling after watching these prospects:
1. I think the 49ers have two options. They could do the safe thing -- maybe the smart thing -- and take Rodgers. Or they could step out on a limb and pick an excellent receiver (Edwards) or really good back (Brown) with the first pick, and follow at the top of the second round by choosing underrated Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell, who will be one of the real gift picks of this draft when someone nabs him in round two.
2. Of the two quarterbacks considered possibilities to go first in the April 23 draft, Rodgers is better than Smith -- better mechanically, with a stronger arm and very good athleticism.
3. Campbell looked really good -- so good that you find yourself wondering: How can a scout watch this kid and not label his arm, athleticism and field presence all first-round gifts?
4. Frye, a guy some call a late first-round prospect, is really overrated.
5. Anderson, with a very good arm and good-enough mobility, is a nice mid-round sleeper. I say he has the best chance of anyone to be the fifth-round surprise of this year's draft.
More about them in a couple of paragraphs. Now for the latest on the 49ers' plans. The man with the final say on the top pick, 49ers coach Mike Nolan, told me the other day he still expects some team to go fishing for San Francisco's first selection, but we all know it's a long shot the Niners will be able to trade it. Assuming they can't make a deal, I don't see how Nolan can come out of the first day without his quarterback of the future.
Today through Thursday, Nolan and his staff will host the four players, one by one, he says they're considering with the first overall pick. Smith and Rodgers will be the last two visitors, with Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle in today and Tuesday. I'm sure Rolle wouldn't be the first overall pick; he's not even the top corner on some teams' boards. Nolan is likely examining Rolle closely so if the 49ers trade down they'd have an option beyond the top three or four players.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
If you have to pick No. 1, Rodgers is choice
Ira Miller SF Chronicle
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Aaron Rodgers appears to have the edge in leadership, arm strength and preparation for an NFL-style offense. Alex Smith has more size, may be the better athlete and -- scouts love this word -- is said to have a bigger "upside."
Rodgers has a certain air of confidence about him, a good thing for a quarterback who will be drafted by a bad team.
Smith is considered more cerebral.
In six of the last seven years, the first player chosen in the NFL Draft was a quarterback. That trend is new. Over more than three previous decades, a quarterback was selected with the top pick only eight times. It is happening more now, some believe, because player movement from team to team in the free-agency era makes it more critical than ever to establish stability at the most important position.
Only the 49ers can determine at this point if a quarterback will be chosen first again, as most in the NFL expect, but if that's the case, a consensus is beginning to emerge. Cal's Rodgers is given the edge over Utah's Smith, based on interviews with either the head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, general manager or a top scout from 18 NFL teams.
The consensus is based on Rodgers' arm strength and his experience in a pro-style offense at Cal; Smith played primarily in the shotgun at Utah and, while most in the NFL believe he'll make the transition, there will be a period of adjustment.
"There's less projection involved with (Rodgers)," the quarterbacks coach of an NFC team said. "You just have to project so many scenarios and skills with (Smith) because you don't see it on the game tape, where you see Rodgers performing more familiar tasks that are required in this league."
Smith is considered by most the better athlete and some even believe he has a brighter future than Rodgers. There is some wariness because of the perceived lack of success by other quarterbacks developed by Cal coach Jeff Tedford (see related story). Rodgers has earned a few more points than Smith for intangibles, leadership and the confidence he projects.
Another man who was asked about Rodgers, USC coach Pete Carroll, a former NFL head coach, said Rodgers "seemed to be a natural decision-maker," but described his throwing motion as "mechanical," an assessment Tedford disputes. Nonetheless, Carroll gave Rodgers an overall endorsement; last autumn, on the road, Rodgers completed 23 consecutive passes against Carroll's national championship team.
"I don't see him as being a real resourceful guy that runs around and makes things happen ... so I don't know that he's got a real high end, but I think he's going to be a real solid guy, because he will be so coach-friendly and he'll make good decisions, and you're going to like the way he handles himself," Carroll said.
"He's been coached really well by Jeff and schooled well, and he can check off and audible and he's bright."
Most, but not all, of the NFL people interviewed believe both quarterbacks will be successful. There are a few who believe they are overrated. One NFC general manager perhaps put it best when he said that "Neither one of these guys is a savior," pointing out much would depend on how a coach assembles a team around them and what they are asked to do in the NFL.
That, of course, is an "X" factor, making sure a coach takes best advantage of a quarterback's skills. A perfect example of how not to do it came in Cleveland last year, when the Browns signed Jeff Garcia and tried to put him in a strait-jacket of an offense that limited his ability to improvise plays.
Here's what these experts say:
-- Athleticism
Smith: "He was on the move a lot (in college offense). You saw him doing things where he had to create on the move." ... "The thing he's got to do is develop into a drop-back pocket guy. ... To me, that's the easiest thing to teach." ... "I know Smith has all those rushing yards, but that's because their quarterback is really a rusher in that system in Utah."
Rodgers: "Throws well on the run and has nice movement in the pocket against the rush." ... "I loved his mobility. I think he presents a good 'X' factor from that standpoint; if things don't go right, he's going to create something with his feet." ... "Rodgers is a more explosive athlete."
-- Arm strength
Smith: "When he throws the deep outs, it doesn't get there on a line with any velocity, and the deep balls hang." ... "He was extremely accurate, but the throws get a lot tougher at the next level."
Rodgers: "On a scale of 1-to-10, if you rated Smith's arm as seven, then you have to give Rodgers' arm a nine. What (Rodgers) lacks in mobility and athleticism, he makes up with his arm, which obviously is critical."
-- Preparation for the NFL
Smith: "All the shotgun he did (in college) is a negative. His footwork in the pocket isn't as polished, as far as dropping back and pushing out." ... "His level of competition is a question; he didn't play what Aaron had to go against on a weekly basis, and that's always a little bit of an unknown." ... "Any system he comes into is going to be totally different than what he did in college."
Rodgers: "He understands blitz, you can tell he gets the ball out quick, he's got good smarts, but there will be development needed from the mental standpoint of the five- or six-man protection scheme, which he didn't have much." (The coach was referring to routes utilizing four wide receivers, which Utah used more than Cal).
-- Technique
Smith: "He'd have to get a lot of work under the center. Some guys don't make that transition. It's hard to really get a feel for it."
Rodgers: "He has a very quick release and he's very accurate. He's got great command of the offense he's running, and I would think that he'd be more ready to step in and play." ... "I think he struggles to read the safety. Anything that's downfield in the middle of the field, he holds the ball too long and . . . he's real tentative" ... "Rodgers ... gets rid of the ball quicker (than Smith)."
-- Accuracy
Smith: "Smith's not as accurate. The ball sails on him."
Rodgers: "He threw the ball deep in (his) workout as well as I've seen anybody throw the deep ball in a workout. He was extremely accurate."
-- Intangibles
Smith: "He is brilliant, smart. He helped the coaches game plan. He sat in coaching meetings."
Rodgers: "Rodgers has some arrogance to him, which is not all bad, what I call a little athletic arrogance. There's nothing wrong with that. He doesn't always have the most politically correct answers to your questions, but that's OK. He's probably a little bit more mature beyond his years, savvy-wise." ... "If you're a guy that can lose your confidence easily, it's a killer, and I don't think Rodgers is that kind of guy."
-- Overview/comparison
"I don't think either one of them are franchise-type guys, but, in many cases, you go through a year or two without really one (in the draft)."
"You always like to take the bigger guy, but when Rodgers threw those 23 (completions) in a row against Southern Cal and then threw one away, that made up my mind right there. He's not selfish ... He's the more accurate passer and I think he's further ahead, developmental-wise, than Smith."
"You're going to have to make some tough decisions because you're staring at (only) two years of play, not a four-year career, and that makes it pretty tough." (Eli Manning, last year's top pick, threw more passes as a college player than Rodgers and Smith, combined.)
"Those two quarterbacks are over-hyped. (The 49ers) might be forced to take one. That's where you make a mistake. You need a guy, but are those guys the answer?"
"Rodgers has more tools to work with than Smith. Smith needs to get a lot stronger. He's got a slow release. He's not a real physical guy."
"Rodgers was head-and-shoulders above (Smith) as far as physically throwing the ball (in their workouts)."
Top guns
Since the 1966 merger of the NFL and the American Football League created the so-called common draft, quarterbacks have been chosen with the first overall pick 14 times -- including six of the last seven years. Four of the 14 have won a total of 11 Super Bowls. The complete list:
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Aaron Rodgers appears to have the edge in leadership, arm strength and preparation for an NFL-style offense. Alex Smith has more size, may be the better athlete and -- scouts love this word -- is said to have a bigger "upside."
Rodgers has a certain air of confidence about him, a good thing for a quarterback who will be drafted by a bad team.
Smith is considered more cerebral.
In six of the last seven years, the first player chosen in the NFL Draft was a quarterback. That trend is new. Over more than three previous decades, a quarterback was selected with the top pick only eight times. It is happening more now, some believe, because player movement from team to team in the free-agency era makes it more critical than ever to establish stability at the most important position.
Only the 49ers can determine at this point if a quarterback will be chosen first again, as most in the NFL expect, but if that's the case, a consensus is beginning to emerge. Cal's Rodgers is given the edge over Utah's Smith, based on interviews with either the head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, general manager or a top scout from 18 NFL teams.
The consensus is based on Rodgers' arm strength and his experience in a pro-style offense at Cal; Smith played primarily in the shotgun at Utah and, while most in the NFL believe he'll make the transition, there will be a period of adjustment.
"There's less projection involved with (Rodgers)," the quarterbacks coach of an NFC team said. "You just have to project so many scenarios and skills with (Smith) because you don't see it on the game tape, where you see Rodgers performing more familiar tasks that are required in this league."
Smith is considered by most the better athlete and some even believe he has a brighter future than Rodgers. There is some wariness because of the perceived lack of success by other quarterbacks developed by Cal coach Jeff Tedford (see related story). Rodgers has earned a few more points than Smith for intangibles, leadership and the confidence he projects.
Another man who was asked about Rodgers, USC coach Pete Carroll, a former NFL head coach, said Rodgers "seemed to be a natural decision-maker," but described his throwing motion as "mechanical," an assessment Tedford disputes. Nonetheless, Carroll gave Rodgers an overall endorsement; last autumn, on the road, Rodgers completed 23 consecutive passes against Carroll's national championship team.
"I don't see him as being a real resourceful guy that runs around and makes things happen ... so I don't know that he's got a real high end, but I think he's going to be a real solid guy, because he will be so coach-friendly and he'll make good decisions, and you're going to like the way he handles himself," Carroll said.
"He's been coached really well by Jeff and schooled well, and he can check off and audible and he's bright."
Most, but not all, of the NFL people interviewed believe both quarterbacks will be successful. There are a few who believe they are overrated. One NFC general manager perhaps put it best when he said that "Neither one of these guys is a savior," pointing out much would depend on how a coach assembles a team around them and what they are asked to do in the NFL.
That, of course, is an "X" factor, making sure a coach takes best advantage of a quarterback's skills. A perfect example of how not to do it came in Cleveland last year, when the Browns signed Jeff Garcia and tried to put him in a strait-jacket of an offense that limited his ability to improvise plays.
Here's what these experts say:
-- Athleticism
Smith: "He was on the move a lot (in college offense). You saw him doing things where he had to create on the move." ... "The thing he's got to do is develop into a drop-back pocket guy. ... To me, that's the easiest thing to teach." ... "I know Smith has all those rushing yards, but that's because their quarterback is really a rusher in that system in Utah."
Rodgers: "Throws well on the run and has nice movement in the pocket against the rush." ... "I loved his mobility. I think he presents a good 'X' factor from that standpoint; if things don't go right, he's going to create something with his feet." ... "Rodgers is a more explosive athlete."
-- Arm strength
Smith: "When he throws the deep outs, it doesn't get there on a line with any velocity, and the deep balls hang." ... "He was extremely accurate, but the throws get a lot tougher at the next level."
Rodgers: "On a scale of 1-to-10, if you rated Smith's arm as seven, then you have to give Rodgers' arm a nine. What (Rodgers) lacks in mobility and athleticism, he makes up with his arm, which obviously is critical."
-- Preparation for the NFL
Smith: "All the shotgun he did (in college) is a negative. His footwork in the pocket isn't as polished, as far as dropping back and pushing out." ... "His level of competition is a question; he didn't play what Aaron had to go against on a weekly basis, and that's always a little bit of an unknown." ... "Any system he comes into is going to be totally different than what he did in college."
Rodgers: "He understands blitz, you can tell he gets the ball out quick, he's got good smarts, but there will be development needed from the mental standpoint of the five- or six-man protection scheme, which he didn't have much." (The coach was referring to routes utilizing four wide receivers, which Utah used more than Cal).
-- Technique
Smith: "He'd have to get a lot of work under the center. Some guys don't make that transition. It's hard to really get a feel for it."
Rodgers: "He has a very quick release and he's very accurate. He's got great command of the offense he's running, and I would think that he'd be more ready to step in and play." ... "I think he struggles to read the safety. Anything that's downfield in the middle of the field, he holds the ball too long and . . . he's real tentative" ... "Rodgers ... gets rid of the ball quicker (than Smith)."
-- Accuracy
Smith: "Smith's not as accurate. The ball sails on him."
Rodgers: "He threw the ball deep in (his) workout as well as I've seen anybody throw the deep ball in a workout. He was extremely accurate."
-- Intangibles
Smith: "He is brilliant, smart. He helped the coaches game plan. He sat in coaching meetings."
Rodgers: "Rodgers has some arrogance to him, which is not all bad, what I call a little athletic arrogance. There's nothing wrong with that. He doesn't always have the most politically correct answers to your questions, but that's OK. He's probably a little bit more mature beyond his years, savvy-wise." ... "If you're a guy that can lose your confidence easily, it's a killer, and I don't think Rodgers is that kind of guy."
-- Overview/comparison
"I don't think either one of them are franchise-type guys, but, in many cases, you go through a year or two without really one (in the draft)."
"You always like to take the bigger guy, but when Rodgers threw those 23 (completions) in a row against Southern Cal and then threw one away, that made up my mind right there. He's not selfish ... He's the more accurate passer and I think he's further ahead, developmental-wise, than Smith."
"You're going to have to make some tough decisions because you're staring at (only) two years of play, not a four-year career, and that makes it pretty tough." (Eli Manning, last year's top pick, threw more passes as a college player than Rodgers and Smith, combined.)
"Those two quarterbacks are over-hyped. (The 49ers) might be forced to take one. That's where you make a mistake. You need a guy, but are those guys the answer?"
"Rodgers has more tools to work with than Smith. Smith needs to get a lot stronger. He's got a slow release. He's not a real physical guy."
"Rodgers was head-and-shoulders above (Smith) as far as physically throwing the ball (in their workouts)."
Top guns
Since the 1966 merger of the NFL and the American Football League created the so-called common draft, quarterbacks have been chosen with the first overall pick 14 times -- including six of the last seven years. Four of the 14 have won a total of 11 Super Bowls. The complete list:
Bears need junior college recruits to fill key holes
By Jay Heater CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - Cal coach Jeff Tedford had mined junior college gold. His 2003 class of recruits soared from contributors to off-the-charts in 2004.
Aaron Rodgers went from promising quarterback to a guy who is projected as a first-round NFL draft choice. Tailback J.J. Arrington moved from backup to the nation's leading rusher. Defensive end Ryan Riddle improved from just another guy to All-American.
The fast progression was impressive. However, it also gives Cal fans reason to do a little tossing and turning at night. Tedford has once again tapped the junior college ranks to fill key holes on a team that lost a wealth of talent. And this will be that first season when those players are struggling to fit into a new system.
Indeed, it usually takes a year for junior college transfers to adjust and that might be a tough pill to swallow for fans who saw their program move into the Top 10 in 2004.
"At other places I've been, it's usually midway through the second year when that light goes on," Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said about junior college transfers. "Then you only have them for five more games.
"But here at Cal, we've been better for whatever reason."
Gregory and his fellow coaches are working during spring practice at Memorial Stadium to groom incoming quarterback Joe Ayoob, linebacker Desmond Bishop and defensive end Nuu Tafisi, three key additions who must produce immediately if Cal wants to continue its lofty status as Pac-10 title contender.
Ayoob, out of San Francisco City College, was rated as the No. 2 junior college player in the nation by SuperPrep magazine. He is competing against redshirt freshman Nate Longshore for the starting job.
Bishop, another San Francisco City College transfer, was ranked No. 4 in the country by the same publication. He seems a sure bet to be a starter when the 2005 season begins.
Tafisi, out of Mt. San Antonio College, was a first team junior college All American and if early returns are accurate, he will be a major contributor this season.
But junior college honors mean little on the major college level. All three are aware that history has proven that junior college players seldom put together great seasons in the first year of major college ball.
"I've heard about that," Bishop said. "But I am going to try to prove the critics wrong. I don't mean to sound cocky, but I only have two years to prove that I have what it takes to go to the NFL, so I'm going to be ready."
Gregory said his defensive players, Bishop and Tafisi, don't fit into the normal definition of junior college transfer. "Nuu is as far along as any junior college transfer defensive end that we've had," Gregory said. "He's been on a Mormon mission so he is older and more mature. He also is very quick and has a great first step.
"Desmond is a guy who is totally into this thing. He is great playing in the box (from tackle to tackle) and he has very good explosiveness."
However, they are learning new terminology and systems.
"I knew it was going to be complicated," Tafisi said. "You have to learn all the plays and there is just more defense to learn than in junior college. At the JC level, the defensive linemen are more dependent on the linebackers to make the calls. Here, the defensive linemen make their own calls. There are so many plays to learn. Every day there is something new."
Learning a new system is difficult enough, but most of the junior college transfers also find that playing major college football requires a lot of attention to detail. No longer can players simply rely on their natural talent since all their competitors have just as many physical gifts.
"It's been especially hard for me because I had some bad habits," Tafisi said.
Cal defensive line coach Ken Delgado teaches Tafisi all the nuances of the position while encouraging him not to lose his aggressiveness. That can be a problem with junior college recruits who come to the line of scrimmage thinking about all the things they have learned in practice instead of chasing the ball carrier.
"We sit down with the players and we tell them that from Day One, don't be afraid to make a mistake," Gregory said. "Just play hard and fast. Cut it loose and have fun."
But can a player cut it loose when he is trying to figure out what defense to call against an offensive formation? "I've always been the man to call the plays," Bishop said of his previous football experience in high school and junior college. "I think that makes it easier for me. And at San Francisco City College, we have a lot of the same plays, it's just that the terminology is different.
"So I am confident. Some people really like something like math, and they are really good at it. But this is what I do."
BERKELEY - Cal coach Jeff Tedford had mined junior college gold. His 2003 class of recruits soared from contributors to off-the-charts in 2004.
Aaron Rodgers went from promising quarterback to a guy who is projected as a first-round NFL draft choice. Tailback J.J. Arrington moved from backup to the nation's leading rusher. Defensive end Ryan Riddle improved from just another guy to All-American.
The fast progression was impressive. However, it also gives Cal fans reason to do a little tossing and turning at night. Tedford has once again tapped the junior college ranks to fill key holes on a team that lost a wealth of talent. And this will be that first season when those players are struggling to fit into a new system.
Indeed, it usually takes a year for junior college transfers to adjust and that might be a tough pill to swallow for fans who saw their program move into the Top 10 in 2004.
"At other places I've been, it's usually midway through the second year when that light goes on," Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said about junior college transfers. "Then you only have them for five more games.
"But here at Cal, we've been better for whatever reason."
Gregory and his fellow coaches are working during spring practice at Memorial Stadium to groom incoming quarterback Joe Ayoob, linebacker Desmond Bishop and defensive end Nuu Tafisi, three key additions who must produce immediately if Cal wants to continue its lofty status as Pac-10 title contender.
Ayoob, out of San Francisco City College, was rated as the No. 2 junior college player in the nation by SuperPrep magazine. He is competing against redshirt freshman Nate Longshore for the starting job.
Bishop, another San Francisco City College transfer, was ranked No. 4 in the country by the same publication. He seems a sure bet to be a starter when the 2005 season begins.
Tafisi, out of Mt. San Antonio College, was a first team junior college All American and if early returns are accurate, he will be a major contributor this season.
But junior college honors mean little on the major college level. All three are aware that history has proven that junior college players seldom put together great seasons in the first year of major college ball.
"I've heard about that," Bishop said. "But I am going to try to prove the critics wrong. I don't mean to sound cocky, but I only have two years to prove that I have what it takes to go to the NFL, so I'm going to be ready."
Gregory said his defensive players, Bishop and Tafisi, don't fit into the normal definition of junior college transfer. "Nuu is as far along as any junior college transfer defensive end that we've had," Gregory said. "He's been on a Mormon mission so he is older and more mature. He also is very quick and has a great first step.
"Desmond is a guy who is totally into this thing. He is great playing in the box (from tackle to tackle) and he has very good explosiveness."
However, they are learning new terminology and systems.
"I knew it was going to be complicated," Tafisi said. "You have to learn all the plays and there is just more defense to learn than in junior college. At the JC level, the defensive linemen are more dependent on the linebackers to make the calls. Here, the defensive linemen make their own calls. There are so many plays to learn. Every day there is something new."
Learning a new system is difficult enough, but most of the junior college transfers also find that playing major college football requires a lot of attention to detail. No longer can players simply rely on their natural talent since all their competitors have just as many physical gifts.
"It's been especially hard for me because I had some bad habits," Tafisi said.
Cal defensive line coach Ken Delgado teaches Tafisi all the nuances of the position while encouraging him not to lose his aggressiveness. That can be a problem with junior college recruits who come to the line of scrimmage thinking about all the things they have learned in practice instead of chasing the ball carrier.
"We sit down with the players and we tell them that from Day One, don't be afraid to make a mistake," Gregory said. "Just play hard and fast. Cut it loose and have fun."
But can a player cut it loose when he is trying to figure out what defense to call against an offensive formation? "I've always been the man to call the plays," Bishop said of his previous football experience in high school and junior college. "I think that makes it easier for me. And at San Francisco City College, we have a lot of the same plays, it's just that the terminology is different.
"So I am confident. Some people really like something like math, and they are really good at it. But this is what I do."
NFL executives tackle the Tedford dilemma
Ira Miller - SF Chronicle
Sunday, April 10, 2005
To hear some people in the NFL, the 2005 NFL Draft is as much about Kyle Boller and Trent Dilfer and Akili Smith as it is about Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith and the other players who actually will be drafted in two weeks. See the whole article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/10/SPGUGC5U8L1.DTL
Sunday, April 10, 2005
To hear some people in the NFL, the 2005 NFL Draft is as much about Kyle Boller and Trent Dilfer and Akili Smith as it is about Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith and the other players who actually will be drafted in two weeks. See the whole article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/10/SPGUGC5U8L1.DTL
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Tom Schneider Hits the Mark
From the Bear Insider:
By Chris Avery: Apr 8, 2005
In field goal kicking drills today, Tom Schneider's consistency was the story, as kickers drilled a series of kicks from the 22, 27, and 32 yard lines. In kicks we observed, Schneider was 10 of 10, Jordan Kay 5 of 7, with Anthony Binswanger struggling from all three distances
Punter David Lonie tried a few field goals as well, and looked impressive with his long easy leg swing that produces excellent ball velocity and carry distance - without the apparent effort of the other kickers. We observed just three of his kicks from the 22 yard line - all were successful.
Marshawn Lynch had his customary productive day, garnering runs of 10, 8, 18, and 13 yards. On the 18 yarder, he juked defensive personnel at least 5 times with his bobbing, weaving style, filtering through defenders like a knitting needle going through tangled yarn. Marcus O'Keith ran for 6 tough yards straight ahead on one play, then a bit later swung out to the right side for 15+ yards gained mostly with speed rather than Lynch-style elusiveness.
We saw a bit of Joseph Ayoob's much-touted escape dimension today. After a five-step drop, when no receiver was open, Joseph stepped left away from one tackle attempt, then spun in a circle away from another left-side defender to run out to his right. As he moved away from the pocket, he used some shifty moves to elude two defenders and ended with an 8 yard gain on a play that would otherwise have been a loss. Ayoob is quicker than Aaron Rodgers, and will promptly move towards open space when needed. While on the move, he is almost more of a running back playing quarterback than the reverse.
The scales of judgment didn't tip to one side or the other when measuring quarterback performance today. Ayoob threw a beautiful 30 yarder to Robert Jordan down the right sideline that came down just over the outstretched arm of the defender and nestled nicely into Jordan's hands. Perfect touch. Then moments later, an Ayoob pass to the sideline 10 yards down field hit the turf at the receivers feet, and under pressure in a later play, a seven-yard out to the left side hit the field with no one within 10 feet.
In lineman drills today, offensive linemen practiced double-teaming a defender. After each collision, offensive line coach Jim Michalczik and defensive line coach Ken Delgado instructed players on technique. Because these were two-on-one drills, it was hard to find a defender who stood up to or out-maneuvered the charging O-linemen. Notable today among those who handled the blockers well were Mathew Malele and Nu'u Tafisi. In one play, Albert Ma'afala discarded the first O-line blocker to hit him, then continued to charge the second - a strong effort though still a "win" for the offense.
Kick-off drills today emphasized the basics, so basic as to be boring on any level. Defenders designated 1-left, 2-left, etc. across the field to 2-right and 1-right at the far right sideline - practiced running down the field while maintaining their left-to-right position on the field. Which meant running in a straight line down field.
From such small lessons the plan is that a team will emerge.
By Chris Avery: Apr 8, 2005
In field goal kicking drills today, Tom Schneider's consistency was the story, as kickers drilled a series of kicks from the 22, 27, and 32 yard lines. In kicks we observed, Schneider was 10 of 10, Jordan Kay 5 of 7, with Anthony Binswanger struggling from all three distances
Punter David Lonie tried a few field goals as well, and looked impressive with his long easy leg swing that produces excellent ball velocity and carry distance - without the apparent effort of the other kickers. We observed just three of his kicks from the 22 yard line - all were successful.
Marshawn Lynch had his customary productive day, garnering runs of 10, 8, 18, and 13 yards. On the 18 yarder, he juked defensive personnel at least 5 times with his bobbing, weaving style, filtering through defenders like a knitting needle going through tangled yarn. Marcus O'Keith ran for 6 tough yards straight ahead on one play, then a bit later swung out to the right side for 15+ yards gained mostly with speed rather than Lynch-style elusiveness.
We saw a bit of Joseph Ayoob's much-touted escape dimension today. After a five-step drop, when no receiver was open, Joseph stepped left away from one tackle attempt, then spun in a circle away from another left-side defender to run out to his right. As he moved away from the pocket, he used some shifty moves to elude two defenders and ended with an 8 yard gain on a play that would otherwise have been a loss. Ayoob is quicker than Aaron Rodgers, and will promptly move towards open space when needed. While on the move, he is almost more of a running back playing quarterback than the reverse.
The scales of judgment didn't tip to one side or the other when measuring quarterback performance today. Ayoob threw a beautiful 30 yarder to Robert Jordan down the right sideline that came down just over the outstretched arm of the defender and nestled nicely into Jordan's hands. Perfect touch. Then moments later, an Ayoob pass to the sideline 10 yards down field hit the turf at the receivers feet, and under pressure in a later play, a seven-yard out to the left side hit the field with no one within 10 feet.
In lineman drills today, offensive linemen practiced double-teaming a defender. After each collision, offensive line coach Jim Michalczik and defensive line coach Ken Delgado instructed players on technique. Because these were two-on-one drills, it was hard to find a defender who stood up to or out-maneuvered the charging O-linemen. Notable today among those who handled the blockers well were Mathew Malele and Nu'u Tafisi. In one play, Albert Ma'afala discarded the first O-line blocker to hit him, then continued to charge the second - a strong effort though still a "win" for the offense.
Kick-off drills today emphasized the basics, so basic as to be boring on any level. Defenders designated 1-left, 2-left, etc. across the field to 2-right and 1-right at the far right sideline - practiced running down the field while maintaining their left-to-right position on the field. Which meant running in a straight line down field.
From such small lessons the plan is that a team will emerge.
Friday, April 08, 2005
NCAA denies Lyman sixth season
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
The NCAA on Thursday turned down the appeal by Cal wide receiver Chase Lyman for a sixth year of playing eligibility.
Lyman played in four games during the 2004 season before suffering a major knee injury against USC. He had previously missed the 2002 season due to a torn hamstring.
If Lyman had hurt himself in the third game of 2004 instead of the fourth game, he would have met the normal criteria for a medical redshirt and therefore would have stood a better chance of gaining a sixth year.
"While we respect the NCAA's decision, we are certainly disappointed for Chase," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said in a statement Thursday. "He has given so much to our program while overcoming adversity. None of us will ever forget his extraordinary performance in the 2003 Insight Bowl (five catches for 149 yards) and the way he persevered through injuries to finally show everyone how talented he is as a wide receiver. He's a fine young man who will have future success, whether it is in or out of football."
Lyman caught 54 passes for 1,089 yards during an injury-plagued career at Cal. In those four games during his senior season, Lyman caught 14 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns. He now will turn his attention toward the NFL.
"I'm not sure yet about an agent," Lyman said. "And I'm thinking about going to L.A. to work out with (former UCLA wide receiver) Tab Perry."
While the announcement didn't shock Lyman, he was disappointed. "Just recently, I was thinking I would get it. I'm bummed out, to be honest. But I do think I'm going to be the sleeper of the (NFL) draft."
The NCAA on Thursday turned down the appeal by Cal wide receiver Chase Lyman for a sixth year of playing eligibility.
Lyman played in four games during the 2004 season before suffering a major knee injury against USC. He had previously missed the 2002 season due to a torn hamstring.
If Lyman had hurt himself in the third game of 2004 instead of the fourth game, he would have met the normal criteria for a medical redshirt and therefore would have stood a better chance of gaining a sixth year.
"While we respect the NCAA's decision, we are certainly disappointed for Chase," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said in a statement Thursday. "He has given so much to our program while overcoming adversity. None of us will ever forget his extraordinary performance in the 2003 Insight Bowl (five catches for 149 yards) and the way he persevered through injuries to finally show everyone how talented he is as a wide receiver. He's a fine young man who will have future success, whether it is in or out of football."
Lyman caught 54 passes for 1,089 yards during an injury-plagued career at Cal. In those four games during his senior season, Lyman caught 14 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns. He now will turn his attention toward the NFL.
"I'm not sure yet about an agent," Lyman said. "And I'm thinking about going to L.A. to work out with (former UCLA wide receiver) Tab Perry."
While the announcement didn't shock Lyman, he was disappointed. "Just recently, I was thinking I would get it. I'm bummed out, to be honest. But I do think I'm going to be the sleeper of the (NFL) draft."
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Why it's better to trade No. 1 pick
Gwen Knapp
April 7, 2005
Before we agree that the 49ers must take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the draft, and that it would be catastrophic for them to consider anything else, let's play a little trivia quiz.
Read the rest of the article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/07/SPGBDC4DO91.DTL
April 7, 2005
Before we agree that the 49ers must take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the draft, and that it would be catastrophic for them to consider anything else, let's play a little trivia quiz.
Read the rest of the article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/07/SPGBDC4DO91.DTL
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Once Johnson, Now Mujaahid Abd Allah
By Ted Lee Editor, The Bear InsiderDate: Apr 4, 2005
When the spring football roster came out - two of the questions that jumped out at Bear fans was "What happened to Justin Johnson?" and "Is Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah some new mystery recruit that the coaching staff found?"
As it turns out, (the former) Justin Johnson and Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah are one and the same person - the defensive end from City College of San Francisco who recorded 32.5 sacks during the 2002 and 2003 seasons before redshirting at Cal last year. Mujaahid Abd Allah will be looking to help fill a void by the departure of All-American Ryan Riddle, who had a school-record 14.5 sacks last season.
Mujaahid Abd Allah spent much of the offseason working on gaining weight and strength.
"I had an injury last year and during that time I lost some weight," said the Marin Catholic grad who came to Cal with a listed weight of 245 lbs. "Last year I was between 228 and 245. Right now, I'm up to 255 this spring. I'd like to get up to 265 and then drop some weight in fall camp."
Standing on the sidelines for a season can be tough for a player who's used to competing every year, but Mujaahid abd Allah actually sat out the 2001 football season while taking classes, so last year wasn't a completely new experience for him.
"Sitting and watching took some getting used to [in 2001]," said Mujaahid Abd Allah, who feels that taking a year to acclimate to Divsion I football will be beneficial. "The talent level here is higher, and I found that I really needed that redshirt year. When you redshirt, you do all the work and you do everything in practice that he starters do.It's a different mindset when you play versus when you redshirt. You have to motivate yourself that much more and take in all the coaching you can because it's going to help you when it's your time to play."
He travelled with the team to last year's Holiday Bowl and had a difficult time watching his teammates struggle.
"Being on the sideline, you want to support your teammates," Mujaahid Abd Allah said. "Even if you get down, the game's not over. We didn't want to end our season like that, we want to be as perfect as we can....Personally the loss stayed with me."
He'll be one of four CCSF players expected to make key contributions to this year's team - and in 2003, he played alongside QB Joseph Ayoob and LB Desmond Bishop in leading the Rams to the JuCo National Championship.
"It's great to have other CCSF people on the team," said Mujaahid Abd Allah, who enjoys listening to Mac Dre in his spare time. "I've played with Desmond Bishop for a year, I know what the's going to do and how hard he works and I'm looking forward to playing with him again."
A significant personal change also took place for Mujaahid Abd Allah during the offseason, one which is why he is no longer Justin Johnson.
"During the offseason I became a Muslim and needed to choose a name. I chose Fahim which means intelligent and Mujaahid which means 'fighter in the way of Allah' and abd Allah which means 'servant of Allah.'"
"It's given me a fresh start; a chance to be a new person and leave some of the older things behind. It's provided a starting point and given me something higher to answer to. In the beginning some people had a hard time (with the name change), but within two or three weeks, most people were calling me Fahim. Sometimes during the heat of a practice, the coaches'll call me Justin, but then they'll correct themselves."
Mujaahid Abd Allah figures to be part of a group including Steve Kelly, Tosh Lupoi, Nu'u Tafisi, and occasionally Phillip Mbakogu who will be seeing time for the Bears at defensive end this season.
When the spring football roster came out - two of the questions that jumped out at Bear fans was "What happened to Justin Johnson?" and "Is Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah some new mystery recruit that the coaching staff found?"
As it turns out, (the former) Justin Johnson and Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah are one and the same person - the defensive end from City College of San Francisco who recorded 32.5 sacks during the 2002 and 2003 seasons before redshirting at Cal last year. Mujaahid Abd Allah will be looking to help fill a void by the departure of All-American Ryan Riddle, who had a school-record 14.5 sacks last season.
Mujaahid Abd Allah spent much of the offseason working on gaining weight and strength.
"I had an injury last year and during that time I lost some weight," said the Marin Catholic grad who came to Cal with a listed weight of 245 lbs. "Last year I was between 228 and 245. Right now, I'm up to 255 this spring. I'd like to get up to 265 and then drop some weight in fall camp."
Standing on the sidelines for a season can be tough for a player who's used to competing every year, but Mujaahid abd Allah actually sat out the 2001 football season while taking classes, so last year wasn't a completely new experience for him.
"Sitting and watching took some getting used to [in 2001]," said Mujaahid Abd Allah, who feels that taking a year to acclimate to Divsion I football will be beneficial. "The talent level here is higher, and I found that I really needed that redshirt year. When you redshirt, you do all the work and you do everything in practice that he starters do.It's a different mindset when you play versus when you redshirt. You have to motivate yourself that much more and take in all the coaching you can because it's going to help you when it's your time to play."
He travelled with the team to last year's Holiday Bowl and had a difficult time watching his teammates struggle.
"Being on the sideline, you want to support your teammates," Mujaahid Abd Allah said. "Even if you get down, the game's not over. We didn't want to end our season like that, we want to be as perfect as we can....Personally the loss stayed with me."
He'll be one of four CCSF players expected to make key contributions to this year's team - and in 2003, he played alongside QB Joseph Ayoob and LB Desmond Bishop in leading the Rams to the JuCo National Championship.
"It's great to have other CCSF people on the team," said Mujaahid Abd Allah, who enjoys listening to Mac Dre in his spare time. "I've played with Desmond Bishop for a year, I know what the's going to do and how hard he works and I'm looking forward to playing with him again."
A significant personal change also took place for Mujaahid Abd Allah during the offseason, one which is why he is no longer Justin Johnson.
"During the offseason I became a Muslim and needed to choose a name. I chose Fahim which means intelligent and Mujaahid which means 'fighter in the way of Allah' and abd Allah which means 'servant of Allah.'"
"It's given me a fresh start; a chance to be a new person and leave some of the older things behind. It's provided a starting point and given me something higher to answer to. In the beginning some people had a hard time (with the name change), but within two or three weeks, most people were calling me Fahim. Sometimes during the heat of a practice, the coaches'll call me Justin, but then they'll correct themselves."
Mujaahid Abd Allah figures to be part of a group including Steve Kelly, Tosh Lupoi, Nu'u Tafisi, and occasionally Phillip Mbakogu who will be seeing time for the Bears at defensive end this season.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Niners to work out Smith
DENNIS GEORGATOS
Knight Ridder Newspapers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - (KRT) - Coach Mike Nolan and other 49ers officials headed to Salt Lake City to attend a private workout today by Utah quarterback Alex Smith, one of a handful of prospects the team is considering taking with the No. 1 draft pick.
Nolan was accompanied by Scot McCloughan, the team's vice president of player personnel; offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler. The 49ers also flew wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle to Utah so they could catch passes from Smith and provide team brass with their feedback.
The 49ers previously observed Smith during his pro-day workout at Utah last month.
Smith also is scheduled to visit the 49ers' Santa Clara facility next Tuesday.
Some of his rivals for the top pick, which will kick off the April 23-24 draft, also will visit the 49ers' headquarters next week. Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle are scheduled to come in Monday, and Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers is slated to visit the day after Smith on April 13.
While Nolan and the 49ers' offensive coaches are focusing on Smith's workout, free-agent defensive end Marques Douglas will visit with members of the scouting department and defensive coaching staff today in Santa Clara.
A five-year veteran, Douglas started the past two seasons in Baltimore, where Nolan was the defensive coordinator before being hired by the 49ers in mid-January.
Knight Ridder Newspapers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - (KRT) - Coach Mike Nolan and other 49ers officials headed to Salt Lake City to attend a private workout today by Utah quarterback Alex Smith, one of a handful of prospects the team is considering taking with the No. 1 draft pick.
Nolan was accompanied by Scot McCloughan, the team's vice president of player personnel; offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler. The 49ers also flew wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle to Utah so they could catch passes from Smith and provide team brass with their feedback.
The 49ers previously observed Smith during his pro-day workout at Utah last month.
Smith also is scheduled to visit the 49ers' Santa Clara facility next Tuesday.
Some of his rivals for the top pick, which will kick off the April 23-24 draft, also will visit the 49ers' headquarters next week. Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle are scheduled to come in Monday, and Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers is slated to visit the day after Smith on April 13.
While Nolan and the 49ers' offensive coaches are focusing on Smith's workout, free-agent defensive end Marques Douglas will visit with members of the scouting department and defensive coaching staff today in Santa Clara.
A five-year veteran, Douglas started the past two seasons in Baltimore, where Nolan was the defensive coordinator before being hired by the 49ers in mid-January.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Memo to 49ers: Aaron Rodgers is your man
Ira Miller
Sunday, April 3, 2005
In the 20 days remaining before the NFL Draft, the 49ers may be tempted to take an offer for additional picks and trade out of the top choice. That would be a bad idea.
As do most teams bad enough to earn the first pick in the draft, the 49ers need help at just about every position. But what they really need are players of quality, starting with a quarterback, not players in quantity.
"You can get better with other players, but you don't become a great team or a consistent team for a period of time until you hit on (a quarterback), and they're in position to do that," said the offensive coordinator of another NFL team.
That's why the 49ers should stay No. 1 and choose Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Of course, nothing in the draft is for sure -- neither quality nor quantity. But, particularly in the absence of a "can't-miss" game-breaking defensive player such as Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White or Julius Peppers in this draft, a team that has the first pick needs to get a quarterback if it does not already have a star-quality player at that position.
It would be extremely rare for a team with a star-quality quarterback to be drafting first.
"It's hard to win if you don't have a quarterback. You have no margin of error," said Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher.
So far, we have only hints that the 49ers are leaning toward Rodgers. But there is plenty of circumstantial evidence the team will choose a quarterback, including coach Mike Nolan's comments at the NFL meetings in Hawaii, and the fact that Nolan had not even met Tim Rattay, last year's starter, prior to this weekend's minicamp.
Conventional wisdom around the NFL is divided, with many experts saying that neither Rodgers nor Alex Smith of Utah is worth the mega-millions in dollars that the first pick will command. But it was also conventional wisdom that consigned Tom Brady to the sixth round of the draft in 2000. Aside from Brady's Patriots, six of the other seven teams among the final eight in the playoffs last season were led by quarterbacks they drafted in the first round. The 49ers earned the worst record in the league in 2004 while playing with three quarterbacks they drafted in the last round.
"You've got to roll the dice. For a quarterback, you have to," said Matt Millen, president of the Detroit Lions. "If you don't have (a quarterback), you have no chance. If you think you have one, at least you have something to build onto."
"You can't manufacture one," said Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the New York Giants. "You have to be very careful you don't evaluate by the curve. There's no one more quarterback-conscious than me, but if you don't feel they're franchise quarterbacks ... you can't pick him."
History is full of teams that made mistakes using the first pick. History is also full of teams that made mistakes trading the first pick. In today's game, which revolves around quarterbacks and operates with rules that make it difficult for teams to retain more than a small core of players for very long, trading down for extra draft picks is a particularly difficult strategy to execute.
Many 49ers' fans, wistful for the old days, still dream of 1986. They remember Bill Walsh's masterful series of trade-downs from the first round that replenished the team's roster, and they think it could be done again now.
Eight of those Walsh picks in 1986, all of them chosen after the first round, became starters on Super Bowl championship teams, in one of the great draft-day successes of all time. But that was a different team and a different time.
In 1986, the 49ers already had a first-rate roster and had won two Super Bowls in the previous five seasons, so the numbers game suited them well. Further, there was no free agency, so the team was able to stockpile all the drafted players for years until they were needed.
Also, the 49ers were trading out of a late first-round pick, not the top overall selection.
Walsh had such a unique eye for talent that he often was able to trade down in the first round with success.
But not always.
He got long-time starters such as Bubba Paris and Roger Craig after trade- downs. He helped rebuild the 49ers in 2000 with trade-downs from the third spot in the first round. But in 1980, his second season with the 49ers, Walsh moved out of the second pick in the draft and wound up with two journeymen, fullback Earl Cooper and defensive end Jim Stuckey. One of the players Walsh passed on, chosen with the third pick in the draft, was Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Muñoz.
Nonetheless, if Walsh still were running the 49ers, chances are he would try to trade down again.
"If there was a truly great player like John Elway there, you could see how you'd take that pick and use it," he said. "But they'd probably be wise to try to move back even two or three or five spots, still get a potentially great player and get some compensation for it to help the draft in other rounds. That would probably be as good a move as they could make, unless they have somebody in mind (for the first pick)."
Generally, however, when teams trade out of an ultra-high pick, they regret it.
Perhaps the most egregious trade-down occurred in 1977, when the Seattle Seahawks gave up the second pick in the draft for three later choices from Dallas. The Cowboys got running back Tony Dorsett, who is in the Hall of Fame. The Seahawks got Steve August, Tom Lynch and Terry Beeson.
A year later, Tampa Bay dealt the top selection to Houston, which chose Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell. The Bucs got Jimmie Giles, a veteran tight end of little distinction, and four draft picks. Tampa Bay picked a future Super Bowl MVP, Doug Williams, with one of those picks. Unfortunately for the Bucs, Williams' success came with Washington, not Tampa Bay.
In 1990, New England sent the third overall pick to Seattle, which used it on defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, who played in eight Pro Bowls. The Patriots got the forgettable pair of Chris Singleton and Ray Agnew.
In 1997, the Jets traded out of the top pick, sending it to St. Louis. The Rams got a franchise left tackle, Orlando Pace. The Jets got a serviceable linebacker, James Farrior, whose best season came in 2004 -- with Pittsburgh.
Let's not forget, either, that the Colts traded the first pick in 1983 after the fact; a couple of days after drafting Elway, they traded him to Denver.
The jury still is out on the 2001 trade between Atlanta and San Diego that sent Michael Vick to the Falcons with the first overall pick and LaDainian Tomlinson to the Chargers. As good as Tomlinson is, it's hard to argue the Falcons didn't get the best of it. They have two playoff appearances, including a trip to the NFC Championship Game, in the last three years, and they have a waiting list for season tickets that never before existed.
The 49ers used to have a waiting list for tickets, too. If they don't get a quarterback, and soon, that waiting list will be gone -- if it isn't gone already. That's another reason they should not be tempted to trade.
Sunday, April 3, 2005
In the 20 days remaining before the NFL Draft, the 49ers may be tempted to take an offer for additional picks and trade out of the top choice. That would be a bad idea.
As do most teams bad enough to earn the first pick in the draft, the 49ers need help at just about every position. But what they really need are players of quality, starting with a quarterback, not players in quantity.
"You can get better with other players, but you don't become a great team or a consistent team for a period of time until you hit on (a quarterback), and they're in position to do that," said the offensive coordinator of another NFL team.
That's why the 49ers should stay No. 1 and choose Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Of course, nothing in the draft is for sure -- neither quality nor quantity. But, particularly in the absence of a "can't-miss" game-breaking defensive player such as Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White or Julius Peppers in this draft, a team that has the first pick needs to get a quarterback if it does not already have a star-quality player at that position.
It would be extremely rare for a team with a star-quality quarterback to be drafting first.
"It's hard to win if you don't have a quarterback. You have no margin of error," said Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher.
So far, we have only hints that the 49ers are leaning toward Rodgers. But there is plenty of circumstantial evidence the team will choose a quarterback, including coach Mike Nolan's comments at the NFL meetings in Hawaii, and the fact that Nolan had not even met Tim Rattay, last year's starter, prior to this weekend's minicamp.
Conventional wisdom around the NFL is divided, with many experts saying that neither Rodgers nor Alex Smith of Utah is worth the mega-millions in dollars that the first pick will command. But it was also conventional wisdom that consigned Tom Brady to the sixth round of the draft in 2000. Aside from Brady's Patriots, six of the other seven teams among the final eight in the playoffs last season were led by quarterbacks they drafted in the first round. The 49ers earned the worst record in the league in 2004 while playing with three quarterbacks they drafted in the last round.
"You've got to roll the dice. For a quarterback, you have to," said Matt Millen, president of the Detroit Lions. "If you don't have (a quarterback), you have no chance. If you think you have one, at least you have something to build onto."
"You can't manufacture one," said Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the New York Giants. "You have to be very careful you don't evaluate by the curve. There's no one more quarterback-conscious than me, but if you don't feel they're franchise quarterbacks ... you can't pick him."
History is full of teams that made mistakes using the first pick. History is also full of teams that made mistakes trading the first pick. In today's game, which revolves around quarterbacks and operates with rules that make it difficult for teams to retain more than a small core of players for very long, trading down for extra draft picks is a particularly difficult strategy to execute.
Many 49ers' fans, wistful for the old days, still dream of 1986. They remember Bill Walsh's masterful series of trade-downs from the first round that replenished the team's roster, and they think it could be done again now.
Eight of those Walsh picks in 1986, all of them chosen after the first round, became starters on Super Bowl championship teams, in one of the great draft-day successes of all time. But that was a different team and a different time.
In 1986, the 49ers already had a first-rate roster and had won two Super Bowls in the previous five seasons, so the numbers game suited them well. Further, there was no free agency, so the team was able to stockpile all the drafted players for years until they were needed.
Also, the 49ers were trading out of a late first-round pick, not the top overall selection.
Walsh had such a unique eye for talent that he often was able to trade down in the first round with success.
But not always.
He got long-time starters such as Bubba Paris and Roger Craig after trade- downs. He helped rebuild the 49ers in 2000 with trade-downs from the third spot in the first round. But in 1980, his second season with the 49ers, Walsh moved out of the second pick in the draft and wound up with two journeymen, fullback Earl Cooper and defensive end Jim Stuckey. One of the players Walsh passed on, chosen with the third pick in the draft, was Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Muñoz.
Nonetheless, if Walsh still were running the 49ers, chances are he would try to trade down again.
"If there was a truly great player like John Elway there, you could see how you'd take that pick and use it," he said. "But they'd probably be wise to try to move back even two or three or five spots, still get a potentially great player and get some compensation for it to help the draft in other rounds. That would probably be as good a move as they could make, unless they have somebody in mind (for the first pick)."
Generally, however, when teams trade out of an ultra-high pick, they regret it.
Perhaps the most egregious trade-down occurred in 1977, when the Seattle Seahawks gave up the second pick in the draft for three later choices from Dallas. The Cowboys got running back Tony Dorsett, who is in the Hall of Fame. The Seahawks got Steve August, Tom Lynch and Terry Beeson.
A year later, Tampa Bay dealt the top selection to Houston, which chose Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell. The Bucs got Jimmie Giles, a veteran tight end of little distinction, and four draft picks. Tampa Bay picked a future Super Bowl MVP, Doug Williams, with one of those picks. Unfortunately for the Bucs, Williams' success came with Washington, not Tampa Bay.
In 1990, New England sent the third overall pick to Seattle, which used it on defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, who played in eight Pro Bowls. The Patriots got the forgettable pair of Chris Singleton and Ray Agnew.
In 1997, the Jets traded out of the top pick, sending it to St. Louis. The Rams got a franchise left tackle, Orlando Pace. The Jets got a serviceable linebacker, James Farrior, whose best season came in 2004 -- with Pittsburgh.
Let's not forget, either, that the Colts traded the first pick in 1983 after the fact; a couple of days after drafting Elway, they traded him to Denver.
The jury still is out on the 2001 trade between Atlanta and San Diego that sent Michael Vick to the Falcons with the first overall pick and LaDainian Tomlinson to the Chargers. As good as Tomlinson is, it's hard to argue the Falcons didn't get the best of it. They have two playoff appearances, including a trip to the NFC Championship Game, in the last three years, and they have a waiting list for season tickets that never before existed.
The 49ers used to have a waiting list for tickets, too. If they don't get a quarterback, and soon, that waiting list will be gone -- if it isn't gone already. That's another reason they should not be tempted to trade.
Center of Attention
By Ted Lee Editor, The Bear InsiderDate: Apr 3, 2005
Look out USC, he's back.
UCLA, Washington, Oregon, and Stanford; prepare for some long afternoons.
Last season was good, but for some people 10-2 isn't good enough. First-team All Pac-10's a fine honor, that first-team SportsIllustrated.com honor wasn't too shabby either. Being named a finalist for the Dave Rimington trophy was lofty acknowledgment as well.
But in 2005, Marvin Philip has an even higher goal.
"I want to be the best center in the nation."
In 2004, California's offensive line was one of the most dominant units in college football. The Bears rushed for a school-record 3,081 yards, including 300+ yard efforts against Air Force, New Mexico State, Washington, Stanford, and Southern Mississippi. They were one of only two teams to run for more than 150 yards against national champion USC, and the Bears were the only team to gain more than 400 yards against the Trojans. Cal's rushing offense was so dominant that a case could be made that the Bears could've changed the outcome of the Holiday Bowl had they continued to keep running the ball until the Red Raiders showed they could stop them.
All five of California's offensive linemen were honored by the Pac-10 - Philip and Ryan O'Callaghan were named to the first-team, Andrew Cameron, Aaron Merz, and Jonathan Giesel were named honorable mention, and of that quintet, only Giesel was lost to graduation.
At the heart of the line is its center - the 6-2, 280 lb. Philip - who briefly considered entering the NFL draft in the offseason.
"I definitely considered it," said Philip. "I spoke with Coach (Jeff) Tedford and Coach (Jim) Michalczik and I decided it was best for me to come back. It wasn't going to hurt me to return and I wasn't in a financial situation where I needed to leave. Staying another year will allow me to get stronger."
Philip is one of the team's elder statesmen. One of the few remaining players who was recruited by Tom Holmoe, Philip saw playing time in 2000, getting his first start just three games into the season. Following that season, he went a two-year Mormon mission, returning to join the Bears for 2003 season. Philip started the final five games of that season, during which the Bears went 4-1 and set the table for a marvelously successful 2004 season. Marvelously successful except for that doggoned Holiday Bowl.
"The last game left a bitter taste," said the Cameron Park native. "Looking at the bigger picture it was nice to look back at the season and appreciate what we did, but that Holiday Bowl's not how we wanted to remember the season. But that's also the sort of game that'll keep you from resting on your laurels."
He has no concerns that the Bears might become complacent following the success and dominance of last year.
"We've had to come a long way just to get on the map," Philip said. "In some ways we've got an all new team. We've lost 20 lettermen and we've got a lot of guys who've been with us who haven't yet played and need to get experience. They bring a lot of desire, they want to get out there and get after it. They've got fresh legs and bring a young attitude..."
"Instead," said the 23-year-old lineman, with a hint of mischief, "of that old man mentality."
(This is the second in a periodic series of profiles about the 2005 football team. Coming in future profiles: Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah, Donte Hughes and Joseph Ayoob.)
Saturday practice notes: After trying placekicking and punting last season, it appears that David Lonie will concentrate on punting this season...Tom Schneider, Anthony Binswanger and Jordan Kay all showed good leg strength; although Kay initially struggled with kicks from the left hash mark including one awkward-looking daisy cutter...Brandon Hampton was working alongside Tim Mixon during punt receiving drills...For those who were wondering if the option play has been mothballed yet, looks like you'll have to wait until next year...Loudest hit of the day went to Desmond Bishop who nailed Noah Smith on a reverse play...During one set of drills where the a defender has to shed a blocker before tackling the ball carrier - a drill which generally favors the offense, Bishop and Brandon Mebane were two of the stronger performers...During a set of drills where the defender has to keep the ball carrier from going into the end zone, excellent efforts were made by Bishop, Cameron Toler, Virdell Larkins, Ryan Foltz, David Gray, Brian Cristol, and Byron Storer threw one spin move on a defender that was Playstation-worthy...While Marshawn Lynch usually receives plaudits for his running, he did a fine job during blocking drills, pancaking one blocker and containing a hard-charging Bishop during consecutive sequences...Among the members of the incoming recruiting class in attendance was Kyle Reed, who after practice played catch with Nate Longshore - while the two were 50 yards apart.
Look out USC, he's back.
UCLA, Washington, Oregon, and Stanford; prepare for some long afternoons.
Last season was good, but for some people 10-2 isn't good enough. First-team All Pac-10's a fine honor, that first-team SportsIllustrated.com honor wasn't too shabby either. Being named a finalist for the Dave Rimington trophy was lofty acknowledgment as well.
But in 2005, Marvin Philip has an even higher goal.
"I want to be the best center in the nation."
In 2004, California's offensive line was one of the most dominant units in college football. The Bears rushed for a school-record 3,081 yards, including 300+ yard efforts against Air Force, New Mexico State, Washington, Stanford, and Southern Mississippi. They were one of only two teams to run for more than 150 yards against national champion USC, and the Bears were the only team to gain more than 400 yards against the Trojans. Cal's rushing offense was so dominant that a case could be made that the Bears could've changed the outcome of the Holiday Bowl had they continued to keep running the ball until the Red Raiders showed they could stop them.
All five of California's offensive linemen were honored by the Pac-10 - Philip and Ryan O'Callaghan were named to the first-team, Andrew Cameron, Aaron Merz, and Jonathan Giesel were named honorable mention, and of that quintet, only Giesel was lost to graduation.
At the heart of the line is its center - the 6-2, 280 lb. Philip - who briefly considered entering the NFL draft in the offseason.
"I definitely considered it," said Philip. "I spoke with Coach (Jeff) Tedford and Coach (Jim) Michalczik and I decided it was best for me to come back. It wasn't going to hurt me to return and I wasn't in a financial situation where I needed to leave. Staying another year will allow me to get stronger."
Philip is one of the team's elder statesmen. One of the few remaining players who was recruited by Tom Holmoe, Philip saw playing time in 2000, getting his first start just three games into the season. Following that season, he went a two-year Mormon mission, returning to join the Bears for 2003 season. Philip started the final five games of that season, during which the Bears went 4-1 and set the table for a marvelously successful 2004 season. Marvelously successful except for that doggoned Holiday Bowl.
"The last game left a bitter taste," said the Cameron Park native. "Looking at the bigger picture it was nice to look back at the season and appreciate what we did, but that Holiday Bowl's not how we wanted to remember the season. But that's also the sort of game that'll keep you from resting on your laurels."
He has no concerns that the Bears might become complacent following the success and dominance of last year.
"We've had to come a long way just to get on the map," Philip said. "In some ways we've got an all new team. We've lost 20 lettermen and we've got a lot of guys who've been with us who haven't yet played and need to get experience. They bring a lot of desire, they want to get out there and get after it. They've got fresh legs and bring a young attitude..."
"Instead," said the 23-year-old lineman, with a hint of mischief, "of that old man mentality."
(This is the second in a periodic series of profiles about the 2005 football team. Coming in future profiles: Fahim Mujaahid Abd Allah, Donte Hughes and Joseph Ayoob.)
Saturday practice notes: After trying placekicking and punting last season, it appears that David Lonie will concentrate on punting this season...Tom Schneider, Anthony Binswanger and Jordan Kay all showed good leg strength; although Kay initially struggled with kicks from the left hash mark including one awkward-looking daisy cutter...Brandon Hampton was working alongside Tim Mixon during punt receiving drills...For those who were wondering if the option play has been mothballed yet, looks like you'll have to wait until next year...Loudest hit of the day went to Desmond Bishop who nailed Noah Smith on a reverse play...During one set of drills where the a defender has to shed a blocker before tackling the ball carrier - a drill which generally favors the offense, Bishop and Brandon Mebane were two of the stronger performers...During a set of drills where the defender has to keep the ball carrier from going into the end zone, excellent efforts were made by Bishop, Cameron Toler, Virdell Larkins, Ryan Foltz, David Gray, Brian Cristol, and Byron Storer threw one spin move on a defender that was Playstation-worthy...While Marshawn Lynch usually receives plaudits for his running, he did a fine job during blocking drills, pancaking one blocker and containing a hard-charging Bishop during consecutive sequences...Among the members of the incoming recruiting class in attendance was Kyle Reed, who after practice played catch with Nate Longshore - while the two were 50 yards apart.
Bears secondary looks to regroup
Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - The memory continues to linger, snapshots of Cal cornerbacks Harrison Smith and Daymeion Hughes chasing Texas Tech wide receivers toward the end zone in the Red Raiders' 45-31 destruction of the Golden Bears in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Diego.
Texas Tech rolled up a ridiculous 520 yards passing against a Cal defensive backfield that appeared to be helpless.
And considering that Cal lost All-Pac-10 rover Matt Giordano and team captain and free safety Ryan Gutierrez, some fans might wonder if the defensive backfield will be a problem area for a team trying to rebuild its defense during spring drills which are continuing at Memorial Stadium through April 23.
"That would be a fair thing to say," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said when told that fans might have the perception his defensive backfield was exposed against Texas Tech. "I would probably be saying the same things. But people outside the team don't know the real reasons (why Texas Tech had so much success passing). It is not anything to panic about. Defensive backs face adversity. You can't fold the tent when that happens."
Tedford said there were times when his cornerbacks or safeties did blow one-on-one coverages and allowed the Red Raiders too much space. But he said there were other times when a player didn't get the help needed on a coverage and therefore ended up chasing the play.
He reminded the media that just because a player, such as Smith, is left to chase a wide receiver to the end zone doesn't mean that it was his blown assignment or failure to provide adequate coverage.
"What is he supposed to do?" Tedford asked. "Stop chasing him and say, 'That's not my man.'"
Although Tedford tried to explain that it might be hard for fans to assign blame, he also noted that there was plenty of blame to go around. He knows that his defensive backfield will have something to prove when the season opens on Sept. 3 against Sacramento State at Memorial Stadium.
Smith, who will be a senior next season, isn't worried about perception. He said his defensive backfield teammates proved during the 11-game regular season (Cal went 10-1) that the unit was among the best in the conference. Cal's defensive backfield helped the defense rank No. 4 in the nation by allowing just 13.4 points a game.
"We had 11 games where we shut down teams known for passing and if everyone wants to remember one game, that is up to them," Smith said. "Whatever they remember or forget doesn't bother us.
"We've shown everyone that we can play ball. We all know we can play. As far as our confidence goes, one game isn't going to affect us."
But that one game was devastating, and at times indicated that the Bears had trouble with one-on-one coverage.
"That team was very unorthodox, but we were prepared for it," Smith said. "It was just a bad game."
Smith said his teammates understood that it was a mixture of not playing very well along with various coverage mistakes, the kind of things that hadn't happened early in the season.
"Our team knows what is going on," Smith said. "We understand. Just like when a couple of years ago I was clearly the guy chasing the receiver down the field and I was to blame. But the team never got on me. We have each others' backs."
Despite losing Giordano and Gutierrez, the Bears' defensive backfield is deep with experience. Donnie McCleskey, the 2003 All Pac-10 rover, is expected to return to his starting spot after recovering from shoulder surgery. He is sitting out spring ball.
Smith, who broke up 17 passes last season, will anchor the cornerback position and is joined by veterans Tim Mixon (three interceptions in 2004) and Hughes (26 tackles, six broken-up passes last season).
Sophomore Thomas DeCoud is expected to take over at free safety.
"I think we will be as good if not better," Smith said. "We've got the most experience of any unit on our defense and have a lot of young guys who will be stepping up.
"And every year is a new year. It was especially clear right after we were done with the Holiday Bowl that we could have done this, or we could have done that. But now we are into spring practice.
"Although I still can't look at a Texas Tech hat."
Tedford doesn't mind that his players remember that a crummy game all around led to a nasty beating in the Holiday Bowl. "You never want to end a season on a negative note," Tedford said. "A loss doesn't sit very well with us. But, no question, that provides motivation."
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - The memory continues to linger, snapshots of Cal cornerbacks Harrison Smith and Daymeion Hughes chasing Texas Tech wide receivers toward the end zone in the Red Raiders' 45-31 destruction of the Golden Bears in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Diego.
Texas Tech rolled up a ridiculous 520 yards passing against a Cal defensive backfield that appeared to be helpless.
And considering that Cal lost All-Pac-10 rover Matt Giordano and team captain and free safety Ryan Gutierrez, some fans might wonder if the defensive backfield will be a problem area for a team trying to rebuild its defense during spring drills which are continuing at Memorial Stadium through April 23.
"That would be a fair thing to say," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said when told that fans might have the perception his defensive backfield was exposed against Texas Tech. "I would probably be saying the same things. But people outside the team don't know the real reasons (why Texas Tech had so much success passing). It is not anything to panic about. Defensive backs face adversity. You can't fold the tent when that happens."
Tedford said there were times when his cornerbacks or safeties did blow one-on-one coverages and allowed the Red Raiders too much space. But he said there were other times when a player didn't get the help needed on a coverage and therefore ended up chasing the play.
He reminded the media that just because a player, such as Smith, is left to chase a wide receiver to the end zone doesn't mean that it was his blown assignment or failure to provide adequate coverage.
"What is he supposed to do?" Tedford asked. "Stop chasing him and say, 'That's not my man.'"
Although Tedford tried to explain that it might be hard for fans to assign blame, he also noted that there was plenty of blame to go around. He knows that his defensive backfield will have something to prove when the season opens on Sept. 3 against Sacramento State at Memorial Stadium.
Smith, who will be a senior next season, isn't worried about perception. He said his defensive backfield teammates proved during the 11-game regular season (Cal went 10-1) that the unit was among the best in the conference. Cal's defensive backfield helped the defense rank No. 4 in the nation by allowing just 13.4 points a game.
"We had 11 games where we shut down teams known for passing and if everyone wants to remember one game, that is up to them," Smith said. "Whatever they remember or forget doesn't bother us.
"We've shown everyone that we can play ball. We all know we can play. As far as our confidence goes, one game isn't going to affect us."
But that one game was devastating, and at times indicated that the Bears had trouble with one-on-one coverage.
"That team was very unorthodox, but we were prepared for it," Smith said. "It was just a bad game."
Smith said his teammates understood that it was a mixture of not playing very well along with various coverage mistakes, the kind of things that hadn't happened early in the season.
"Our team knows what is going on," Smith said. "We understand. Just like when a couple of years ago I was clearly the guy chasing the receiver down the field and I was to blame. But the team never got on me. We have each others' backs."
Despite losing Giordano and Gutierrez, the Bears' defensive backfield is deep with experience. Donnie McCleskey, the 2003 All Pac-10 rover, is expected to return to his starting spot after recovering from shoulder surgery. He is sitting out spring ball.
Smith, who broke up 17 passes last season, will anchor the cornerback position and is joined by veterans Tim Mixon (three interceptions in 2004) and Hughes (26 tackles, six broken-up passes last season).
Sophomore Thomas DeCoud is expected to take over at free safety.
"I think we will be as good if not better," Smith said. "We've got the most experience of any unit on our defense and have a lot of young guys who will be stepping up.
"And every year is a new year. It was especially clear right after we were done with the Holiday Bowl that we could have done this, or we could have done that. But now we are into spring practice.
"Although I still can't look at a Texas Tech hat."
Tedford doesn't mind that his players remember that a crummy game all around led to a nasty beating in the Holiday Bowl. "You never want to end a season on a negative note," Tedford said. "A loss doesn't sit very well with us. But, no question, that provides motivation."
Tedford Offense 101 overloads new QBRedshirt freshman - Longshore makes big strides in Cal spring drills
By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — Joe Ayoob appears healthy enough. Nothing broken, torn or displaced. But Cal coach Jeff Tedford offers a different diagnosis.
"He's paralyzed right now," Tedford said of his deer-in-the-headlights quarterback.
Physically, Ayoob's fine. It's his mental condition that's in a frozen state after one week of heavy cramming on Tedford Offense 101.
Tedford said Ayoob, the highly touted City College of San Francisco transfer who will be a junior in the fall, hasn't lived up to expectations, though it's premature to presume a final grade.
"There's so many things for him to do right now," Tedford said Saturday. "There's all the little things I'm on him about: his foot placement, hand placement, elbow placement, head placement. Then you throw 20 plays a day at him, and ..."
Ayoob's paralyzed. Tedford has one of the most intricate offenses in college football to master, and that gives Nate Longshore one advantage in the quarterback battle — a year's experience.
"It's a learning process," Ayoob said. "They're putting in a lot of new material. Once the learning part is pretty much done, I'll do better in practice. I'm not throwing the ball too well. I'm not just playing, I'm thinking too much. I'm not totally comfortable."
Ayoob noted that the "complexity" of Tedford's system is the biggest difference from junior college football. Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers would advise Ayoob to stay patient, that the fog will lift off Tedford's offense in time, and everything will look clear to him.
Tedford hasn't been totally disappointed in Ayoob. The coach saw the first signs of the finished product Friday when Ayoob rolled out and coolly completed a sideline pass with precision and polish.
"When he's unconscious, when he can cut it loose and let his ability take over, he has the skills," Tedford said.
While Ayoob struggles with the playbook, redshirt freshman Longshore is making huge strides.
"I'm progressing well this spring," he said in his understated manner.
Ayoob is more athletic than Longshore, who is concentrating mainly on foot speed and agility this spring.
"Joe's pretty shifty back there, but that's not my forte," Longshore said. "I'm working on (escape techniques in the pocket). Hopefully, I'll get better and go from there."
Could Longshore beat out Ayoob?
"I think we all have a chance to get playing time," Longshore replied. "I don't think any of us have it locked up, and I don't think any of us are out of the running yet."
Realistically, a coach needs two quarterbacks. Pac-10 fans recall that only half of the conference's teams made it through the 2004 season with only one quarterback.
"It's crucial," Tedford said of having two quarterbacks. "I've really been impressed with the attentiveness of Joe and Nate and their willingness to learn. I have a tendency to be pretty hard on them, to expect perfection, but they're working hard at it."
Does Tedford feel that no matter who starts, he has two quarterbacks he can win with?
"Absolutely."
BERKELEY — Joe Ayoob appears healthy enough. Nothing broken, torn or displaced. But Cal coach Jeff Tedford offers a different diagnosis.
"He's paralyzed right now," Tedford said of his deer-in-the-headlights quarterback.
Physically, Ayoob's fine. It's his mental condition that's in a frozen state after one week of heavy cramming on Tedford Offense 101.
Tedford said Ayoob, the highly touted City College of San Francisco transfer who will be a junior in the fall, hasn't lived up to expectations, though it's premature to presume a final grade.
"There's so many things for him to do right now," Tedford said Saturday. "There's all the little things I'm on him about: his foot placement, hand placement, elbow placement, head placement. Then you throw 20 plays a day at him, and ..."
Ayoob's paralyzed. Tedford has one of the most intricate offenses in college football to master, and that gives Nate Longshore one advantage in the quarterback battle — a year's experience.
"It's a learning process," Ayoob said. "They're putting in a lot of new material. Once the learning part is pretty much done, I'll do better in practice. I'm not throwing the ball too well. I'm not just playing, I'm thinking too much. I'm not totally comfortable."
Ayoob noted that the "complexity" of Tedford's system is the biggest difference from junior college football. Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers would advise Ayoob to stay patient, that the fog will lift off Tedford's offense in time, and everything will look clear to him.
Tedford hasn't been totally disappointed in Ayoob. The coach saw the first signs of the finished product Friday when Ayoob rolled out and coolly completed a sideline pass with precision and polish.
"When he's unconscious, when he can cut it loose and let his ability take over, he has the skills," Tedford said.
While Ayoob struggles with the playbook, redshirt freshman Longshore is making huge strides.
"I'm progressing well this spring," he said in his understated manner.
Ayoob is more athletic than Longshore, who is concentrating mainly on foot speed and agility this spring.
"Joe's pretty shifty back there, but that's not my forte," Longshore said. "I'm working on (escape techniques in the pocket). Hopefully, I'll get better and go from there."
Could Longshore beat out Ayoob?
"I think we all have a chance to get playing time," Longshore replied. "I don't think any of us have it locked up, and I don't think any of us are out of the running yet."
Realistically, a coach needs two quarterbacks. Pac-10 fans recall that only half of the conference's teams made it through the 2004 season with only one quarterback.
"It's crucial," Tedford said of having two quarterbacks. "I've really been impressed with the attentiveness of Joe and Nate and their willingness to learn. I have a tendency to be pretty hard on them, to expect perfection, but they're working hard at it."
Does Tedford feel that no matter who starts, he has two quarterbacks he can win with?
"Absolutely."
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