From CollegeFootballNews.com:
Pac 10 fans will once again be screaming for respect they probably won't receive. The league will be much, much better this year from top to bottom with Arizona and Stanford each having a puncher's chance to beat anyone in the league, and Washington sure to be better under Ty Willingham. Even so, get ready for a season of fans throwing out the "bias" tag when anyone suggests the SEC or Big Ten might be the nation's best conference.
2. USC will be more than just fine without Norm Chow. No offense to the great guru, but the Trojan offense is going to roll thanks to all the outstanding talent. Even if injuries strike, the Trojans have next-level talent waiting in the wings.
3. Stanford's passing attack will scare the heck out of everyone. Cardinal head coach Walt Harris coached several college superstar receivers at Pittsburgh. Mark Bradford, Gerren Crochet, Justin McCullum, and 6-7 Evan Moore aren't household names, but they're good enough to put up huge numbers no matter who's at quarterback.
4. Arizona's defense will scare the heck out of everyone. Mike Stoops has had a full year to work his magic and has eight starters returning. The secondary will be fantastic if safeties Darrell Brooks and Lamon Means and corner Antoine Cason can build on strong seasons.
5. Matt Leinart will win his second Heisman leading the Trojans to the Rose Bowl. Road trips to Oregon and Arizona State will be nightmares, but USC will navigate its way through led by next year's top draft pick. Leinart will win the top college football individual prize going away.
5 non-conference games that Pac 10 teams had better take very, very seriously
1. UCLA at San Diego State, Sept. 3 - In the season opener, the Bruins will have to face Lynell Hamilton and a pumped up Aztec team looking to get off to a big start. If the Bruin run defense hasn't improved from last season, there could be an upset.
2. Northwestern at Arizona State, Sept. 10 - Will the Sun Devils be down after the likely loss at LSU? Northwestern has the offense to make things very interesting.
3. Fresno State at Oregon, Sept. 17 - With the showdown with USC the following week, the Ducks won't be 100% focused on a Bulldog team looking for a big-time win that'll get a ton of national attention.
4. Washington State at Nevada, Sept. 10 - Nevada's new "pistol" offense will be tough at home. At the very least, the Wolf Pack will give the Cougars a great run.
5. Cal at New Mexico State, Sept. 24 - Will the Hal Mumme passing attack really be as scary as expected? The Bears didn't handle the Texas Tech aerial assault well in the Holiday Bowl.
5 best Pac 10 pro prospects
1. USC RB Matt Leinart, Sr. - With his decision to return for a senior season rather than become the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft, Leinart has put himself in a position to be considered the greatest college quarterback of all-time. If USC wins another national title, that'll be three championships under his guidance and he'll be all but assured of being at least a Heisman finalist. The 2004 Heisman winner might not be spectacular, but he's a calm, cool leader who doesn't make the big mistake. He is scary accurate when he gets on a roll and has a good enough arm to make all the deep throws. While not a runner, he's not immobile able to throw well on the run.
2. USC RB Reggie Bush, Jr. - It's easy to focus on the tremendous speed and quickness, but don't forget about the power. Bush is 6-0 and 200 pounds with a game-changing burst in the open field. The Heisman finalist finished second in rushing with 903 yards and six touchdowns averaging 6.3 yards per carry and was second in receiving with 43 catches for 509 yards and seven scores. He averaged 15.7 yards per punt and kickoff returns.
3. UCLA TE Marcedes Lewis, Sr. - The senior was a Mackey Award finalists catching 32 passes for 402 yards and seven touchdowns as Drew Olson's favorite target when a big catch was needed. While still an average-at-best blocker, he provides a nightmare of a matchup problem with his physical play in traffic and the speed to get by most safeties.
4. Oregon DT Haloti Ngata, Jr. - At 6-5 and 338 pounds, Ngata is a giant with tremendous athleticism. He's one of the fastest linemen on the team and has great balance. When he gets leverage, it's over. He could have one of the more dominating years in recent Duck history as an inside pass rusher if he can stay healthy.
5. USC S Darnell Bing, Jr. - One of the nation's best defensive backs and a top pro prospect, the 220-pound junior is one of the fastest players on the defense and should be even better now that the injured shoulder that bothered him all of last year has healed.
5 biggest Pac 10 shoes to fill
1. California RB Marshawn Lynch for J.J. Arrington - Lynch had a tremendous first season backing up J.J. Arrington rushing for 628 yards and eight touchdowns averaging a whopping 8.8 yards per carry. He also showed great hands catching 18 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He's a good-sized, 200-pound back with speed and excellent vision. He can stop and start on a dime, and he's devastating when he gets a sliver of daylight. Now he has to prove he can carry the workload like Arrington did rushing 289 times.
2. Arizona State QB Sam Keller for Andrew Walter - Keller was thrown into the mix in the final game of the regular season when Walter went down. All Keller did was rally the Sun Devils to within a dropped catch of beating the Wildcats before coming up with a tremendous performance (370 yards and three touchdowns) and a breathtaking game-winning drive to beat Purdue 27-23 in the Sun Bowl. He's a big quarterback with a strong arm and the attitude that makes the offense believe he can get the job done. He should be able to come close to matching Andrew Walter's 30 touchdown passes.
3. USC LB Oscar Lua for Lofa Tatupu - Lua will be in a battle with Thomas Williams and Ryan Powdrell for the starting spot in the middle. While he doesn't have the talent of the other two, he's a tough run defender who will, at the least, be a regular in the rotation.
4. California QB Joseph Ayoob for Aaron Rodgers - It's hardly a done deal with Nathan Longshore getting every shot at the starting job, but Ayoob appears to have a few more skills and should end up being the starter against Sacramento State. Maybe. The 6-3, 215-pound JUCO transfer isn't just a strong, accurate passer, he can run with tremendous speed rushing for nine touchdowns over the last two years.
5. Oregon State DE Jeff Van Orsow for Bill Swancutt - Expected to be a top pass rusher, Van Orsow has the quickness to get around the edge and the size, at 6-4 and 253 pounds, to be a solid run defender. He'll take over on the right side where he'll see plenty of single blocking with Alvin Smith getting double teamed.
5 Pac 10 breakout players
1. California RB Marshawn Lynch2. California LB Desmond Bishop, Jr. - The star JUCO transfer from City College of San Francisco is 6-2, 240 pounds and more than good enough to earn All-Pac 10 honors in the middle. He's very, very fast heat seeking missile with fantastic closing ability when locked on to a ball carrier. Expect him to be a sideline-to-sideline force right off the bat.
3. USC WR Whitney Lewis, Soph. - Last season was going to be a breakout campaign for Lewis, but he had troubles with the books and was ineligible. He's 6-1, 225 pounds and very, very fast. After spending time early in his career as a running back and fullback, look for him to quickly become the team's number three receiver.
4. Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart, Fr. - The most heralded recruit in Oregon history, the pressure will be on him from the first day of summer practice. Stewart has already said he wants to be 2005's Adrian Peterson, but he has two solid backs in front of him on the depth chart that he'll have to move past. Conditioning could be a problem early, since he rarely played more than a half game in high school even though he finished with 2,301 yards and 32 scores his final year.
5. UCLA FS Chris Horton, Soph. - It'll be Horton's job to take over Ben Emanuel's spot trying to replace his 76 tackles. Horton was a great backup last year and was all over the field against the run and pass in practices. Big things are expected out of him right away.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Who's set to explode in 2005?
Editor: Nice Mention of Desean Jackson:
Eric Moneypenny / FOXSports.com We already know about college football's most dangerous game breakers. Players like USC's Reggie Bush, Ohio State's Ted Ginn, Jr., Miami's Devin Hester and LSU's Sklyer Green. But what other names are set to explode onto the national scene as one of 2005's dangerous game breakers?
WR Dorien Bryant, Purdue, So.
Bryant burst onto the national scene by getting brutally whacked by Michigan's Ernest Shazor in one of the most famous hits of last season. Bryant lost the ball, but not the title as one of the new generation of college football game breakers. Last season, Bryant caught 38 passes for 584 yards, numbers that should jump a great deal with star WR Taylor Stubblefield's departure. Bryant is a blazer that has reportedly clocked 4.3 and faster forty-yard times in high school, and should help QB Brandon Kirsch and the 2005 Boilermaker offense hum.
RB Michael Johnson, Virginia, Jr.
With Virginia's do-it-all back Alvin Pearman now in the NFL, it opens up a ton of touches for Michael Johnson, one of the ACC's speediest. As Pearman and Wali Lundy combined for more than 1,900 yards rushing, it was Johnson who made the most of his 63 carries, going for 381 yards (a 6.0 avg). It wouldn't be a shocker to see Johnson making some big plays in the return game either, as he averaged 23.6 yards per kick return last year, a number that should improve with a year's experience.
WR A.J. Bryant, Georgia, So.
Much like D.J. Shockley, Bryant came to Georgia as one of the nation's most highly touted and explosive high school quarterbacks (4.3 speed). Graduating high school early to participate in spring workouts with the Dawgs last season, Coach Richt moved Bryant to receiver where he battled injuries for most of his freshman season, finishing with a modest three catches for 58 yards (19.3 avg). However, with WRs Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown cashing NFL paychecks instead of catching passes for UGA, the stage is set for Bryant to have a much bigger season.
RB Tyler Ebell, UTEP, Sr.
Most college football fans are aware of Ebell after he rushed for almost 1,500 yards in his first two seasons at UCLA, as well as nearly 4,500 yards in his senior year of high school, (a U.S. high school all-time season record). Now, he's set to finish out his college career with a productive season in UTEP's wide-open offense, giving coach Mike Price and QB Jordan Palmer a huge weapon to replace 1,000-yard rusher Howard Jackson.
RB Antone Smith, Florida State, Fr.
Regarded by many as the top high school back last season, Smith sports 4.3-speed. However, with other former prep wunderkinds Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker already in the fold down in Tallahassee, Bobby Bowden can afford to redshirt Smith. On video, the 5-foot-8, 190-pounder runs the ball a lot like Warrick Dunn, with that same great balance and cutting ability, and possibly a little more quickness. If Smith plays as a frosh, watch for him to make big plays in the return game and in and out of the backfield.
RB Marlon Lucky, Nebraska, Fr.
Last season, Bill Callahan brought the West Coast offense to Lincoln. This season, he may have his first great West Coast back in true freshman Marlon Lucky from North Hollywood, California. The 5-11, 210-pound back, who was believed to be right with Antone Smith and Jonathan Stewart as one of the nation's top backs, has looked tremendous on tape and in this year's U.S. Army H.S. All-American Bowl. Lucky played in a spread offense in high school, which gave him the opportunity to display his receiving skills out of the backfield, something that will help bring that Husker offense to the next level in the coming couple years.
RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon, Fr.
Upon signing with the Ducks, Mike Bellotti absolutely raved about Stewart, one of the most high-profile recruits to ever arrive in Eugene. With former BYU coach Gary Crowton running the offense, look for the 5-11, 220-pound back to get the ball all sorts of ways. He's more of a straight ahead runner than Lucky or Antone Smith, but on video he displayed some sick Chuck Foreman spin moves in traffic. As a pure running back, Stewart may classify the least as a "game breaker" compared to the other two freshman backs I've mentioned. But he's the most likely candidate of the three for Freshman All-America.
WR DeSean Jackson, California, Fr.
A 6-0, 175-pound, 4.4 blazer from storied Long Beach Poly High School., Jackson dominated the best high school players in the country in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl this January, hauling in seven passes for 141 yards and taking home the game MVP honor (an award given to Ted Ginn the previous season). Jackson made a smart decision (no surprise from a guy with a 1280 SAT) by heading to Cal, where he can step in right away for the departed Geoff MacArthur in Coach Jeff Tedford's explosive passing attack. Look for Jackson and JUCO all-star Lavelle Hawkins to make huge plays and help break in Tedford's new prized pupil QB, Joe Ayoob.
Eric Moneypenny / FOXSports.com We already know about college football's most dangerous game breakers. Players like USC's Reggie Bush, Ohio State's Ted Ginn, Jr., Miami's Devin Hester and LSU's Sklyer Green. But what other names are set to explode onto the national scene as one of 2005's dangerous game breakers?
WR Dorien Bryant, Purdue, So.
Bryant burst onto the national scene by getting brutally whacked by Michigan's Ernest Shazor in one of the most famous hits of last season. Bryant lost the ball, but not the title as one of the new generation of college football game breakers. Last season, Bryant caught 38 passes for 584 yards, numbers that should jump a great deal with star WR Taylor Stubblefield's departure. Bryant is a blazer that has reportedly clocked 4.3 and faster forty-yard times in high school, and should help QB Brandon Kirsch and the 2005 Boilermaker offense hum.
RB Michael Johnson, Virginia, Jr.
With Virginia's do-it-all back Alvin Pearman now in the NFL, it opens up a ton of touches for Michael Johnson, one of the ACC's speediest. As Pearman and Wali Lundy combined for more than 1,900 yards rushing, it was Johnson who made the most of his 63 carries, going for 381 yards (a 6.0 avg). It wouldn't be a shocker to see Johnson making some big plays in the return game either, as he averaged 23.6 yards per kick return last year, a number that should improve with a year's experience.
WR A.J. Bryant, Georgia, So.
Much like D.J. Shockley, Bryant came to Georgia as one of the nation's most highly touted and explosive high school quarterbacks (4.3 speed). Graduating high school early to participate in spring workouts with the Dawgs last season, Coach Richt moved Bryant to receiver where he battled injuries for most of his freshman season, finishing with a modest three catches for 58 yards (19.3 avg). However, with WRs Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown cashing NFL paychecks instead of catching passes for UGA, the stage is set for Bryant to have a much bigger season.
RB Tyler Ebell, UTEP, Sr.
Most college football fans are aware of Ebell after he rushed for almost 1,500 yards in his first two seasons at UCLA, as well as nearly 4,500 yards in his senior year of high school, (a U.S. high school all-time season record). Now, he's set to finish out his college career with a productive season in UTEP's wide-open offense, giving coach Mike Price and QB Jordan Palmer a huge weapon to replace 1,000-yard rusher Howard Jackson.
RB Antone Smith, Florida State, Fr.
Regarded by many as the top high school back last season, Smith sports 4.3-speed. However, with other former prep wunderkinds Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker already in the fold down in Tallahassee, Bobby Bowden can afford to redshirt Smith. On video, the 5-foot-8, 190-pounder runs the ball a lot like Warrick Dunn, with that same great balance and cutting ability, and possibly a little more quickness. If Smith plays as a frosh, watch for him to make big plays in the return game and in and out of the backfield.
RB Marlon Lucky, Nebraska, Fr.
Last season, Bill Callahan brought the West Coast offense to Lincoln. This season, he may have his first great West Coast back in true freshman Marlon Lucky from North Hollywood, California. The 5-11, 210-pound back, who was believed to be right with Antone Smith and Jonathan Stewart as one of the nation's top backs, has looked tremendous on tape and in this year's U.S. Army H.S. All-American Bowl. Lucky played in a spread offense in high school, which gave him the opportunity to display his receiving skills out of the backfield, something that will help bring that Husker offense to the next level in the coming couple years.
RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon, Fr.
Upon signing with the Ducks, Mike Bellotti absolutely raved about Stewart, one of the most high-profile recruits to ever arrive in Eugene. With former BYU coach Gary Crowton running the offense, look for the 5-11, 220-pound back to get the ball all sorts of ways. He's more of a straight ahead runner than Lucky or Antone Smith, but on video he displayed some sick Chuck Foreman spin moves in traffic. As a pure running back, Stewart may classify the least as a "game breaker" compared to the other two freshman backs I've mentioned. But he's the most likely candidate of the three for Freshman All-America.
WR DeSean Jackson, California, Fr.
A 6-0, 175-pound, 4.4 blazer from storied Long Beach Poly High School., Jackson dominated the best high school players in the country in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl this January, hauling in seven passes for 141 yards and taking home the game MVP honor (an award given to Ted Ginn the previous season). Jackson made a smart decision (no surprise from a guy with a 1280 SAT) by heading to Cal, where he can step in right away for the departed Geoff MacArthur in Coach Jeff Tedford's explosive passing attack. Look for Jackson and JUCO all-star Lavelle Hawkins to make huge plays and help break in Tedford's new prized pupil QB, Joe Ayoob.
Friday, July 15, 2005
More offensive stars arrive in Pac-10
Andrew SkwaraRivals.com Staff Writer
Quarterbacks regularly throwing more than 40 passes a game. Huge offensive playbooks filled with the shotgun and formations that often include four and sometimes five wide receivers. Running backs who are known for their hands and route running ability.
Read the whole story at: http://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=433357
Quarterbacks regularly throwing more than 40 passes a game. Huge offensive playbooks filled with the shotgun and formations that often include four and sometimes five wide receivers. Running backs who are known for their hands and route running ability.
Read the whole story at: http://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=433357
Thursday, July 14, 2005
QB Kevin Riley to Cal
The Cal Bears' growing list of early commits increased by one today as Beaverton (OR) High School quarterback Kevin Riley notified Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford of his commitment to Cal.
Read the whole story and see a photo at : http://california.scout.com/2/395579.html
Read the whole story and see a photo at : http://california.scout.com/2/395579.html
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Cal Football Sees Surge in Ticket Sales
By Erin Cooper Daily Californian
Berkeley, CA (U-WIRE) -- After Cal's record-breaking 2004 football season, the Cal Athletic Office is experiencing a substantial rise in ticket sales and has predicted an even greater influx of football fans for the upcoming season. After several months of season ticket sales, single-game tickets will go on sale at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at Calbears.com.
Last season, Cal broke records in game attendance, with more than 33,000 season tickets sold and an average of 64,000 in attendance per game, nearly doubling the average of 38,000 for the 2003 season.
"It was the biggest one-year increase in Division I football from the last 12 years of any college in the nation" said Matt Terwilliger, Cal director of ticket sales and advertising.
Officials are currently investigating whether last year's attendance was the biggest one-year increase in the history of college football.
Season ticket sales have already passed the 27,000 mark and are expected to reach 40,000. Over 700 season tickets have been sold in the few days before single tickets go on sale, as last-minute takers try to buy before incoming freshman are able to purchase their tickets next month.
The University of Southern California game, hosted by Cal this season, is the most popular and is expected to sell out within a week, officials said.
"That game's going to sell out way before the start of the season," Terwilliger said. The Big Game against Stanford University could also sell out, with only 4,300 student tickets available, Terwilliger said.
Much of the volume of ticket sales can be attributed to alumni, who receive a 20 percent discount on season ticket sales. There are 65,000 alumni in the greater Bay Area and their attendance in the last few years has jumped from around 400 to between 2,500 and 3,000.
Games are especially popular with former students who have graduated within the past 10 years.
Berkeley, CA (U-WIRE) -- After Cal's record-breaking 2004 football season, the Cal Athletic Office is experiencing a substantial rise in ticket sales and has predicted an even greater influx of football fans for the upcoming season. After several months of season ticket sales, single-game tickets will go on sale at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at Calbears.com.
Last season, Cal broke records in game attendance, with more than 33,000 season tickets sold and an average of 64,000 in attendance per game, nearly doubling the average of 38,000 for the 2003 season.
"It was the biggest one-year increase in Division I football from the last 12 years of any college in the nation" said Matt Terwilliger, Cal director of ticket sales and advertising.
Officials are currently investigating whether last year's attendance was the biggest one-year increase in the history of college football.
Season ticket sales have already passed the 27,000 mark and are expected to reach 40,000. Over 700 season tickets have been sold in the few days before single tickets go on sale, as last-minute takers try to buy before incoming freshman are able to purchase their tickets next month.
The University of Southern California game, hosted by Cal this season, is the most popular and is expected to sell out within a week, officials said.
"That game's going to sell out way before the start of the season," Terwilliger said. The Big Game against Stanford University could also sell out, with only 4,300 student tickets available, Terwilliger said.
Much of the volume of ticket sales can be attributed to alumni, who receive a 20 percent discount on season ticket sales. There are 65,000 alumni in the greater Bay Area and their attendance in the last few years has jumped from around 400 to between 2,500 and 3,000.
Games are especially popular with former students who have graduated within the past 10 years.
Monday, July 11, 2005
BCS's new poll won't start until after season begins
By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP Sports Writer
July 11, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Bowl Championship Series has created a new college football poll with a unique twist -- games will be played before ballots are cast.
Called the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, it will rank the top 25 teams on a weekly basis, starting Sept. 25 -- four weeks into the season. Plans call for 114 voters. The panel will be comprised of former coaches, players and administrators, plus media members.
The BCS has said it would like to see the elimination of preseason polls, which some believe give highly touted teams an unfair headstart in the rankings.
``This allows for some games to be played in the current season rather than allow teams to be ranked purely on preseason expectations,'' BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said Monday during a conference call.
The season's first BCS standings will be released Oct. 17.
The new poll replaces The Associated Press poll, which the BCS had used in its formula for ranking teams since 1998. Last season, however, the AP told the BCS it could no longer use its media poll.
In addition to the new poll, the BCS will continue to use the USA Today coaches' poll and a compilation of six computer rankings -- each counting for one-third of a team's grade. The coaches will continue with a preseason ballot.
Recently, ESPN pulled out of participating in the coaches poll.
The coaches agreed to have their final ballots made public for the first time this season. The new Harris poll will take the same approach, releasing only the final ballots.
When Texas made up late ground on California in the BCS standings last season and grabbed a spot in the Rose Bowl, Cal and Pac-10 officials called for the coaches' votes to be made public.
The AP poll never provided a secret ballot for its voters.
``We thought it was important for there to be consistency with the two human polls,'' Weiberg said. ``To make the ballots public on a weekly basis during the season, we feel the focus would be on who voted for whom and detract from the games being playing.''
Last season, the BCS standings emphasized the polls more than ever and AP voters' ballots were scrutinized as three unbeaten teams competed for the top two spots.
Weiberg said voters in the new poll will be allowed to make their votes public at any point in the season if they choose.
``We've made very good progress in terms of people responding affirmatively to wanting to be part of the poll,'' he said.
The AP preseason poll will be released Aug. 20, with the first regular-season poll Sept. 6. The AP national champion will be crowned after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.
Last season, Southern California and Oklahoma held the top two spots in both the AP and coaches' polls in the preseason and kept those positions throughout undefeated regular seasons.
Auburn, which began the season ranked in the teens in the polls, went unbeaten but never could pass the Trojans or Sooners in the polls. USC finished No. 1 in the final BCS standings and Oklahoma was No. 2, mostly on the strength of their top-ranked computer score.
All three teams finished the regular season unbeaten and USC and Oklahoma played for the national title in the Orange Bowl. Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl, finished the season 13-0 and had to settle for a final ranking of No. 2 in the polls behind national champion USC.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said the preseason rankings put his team at a disadvantage because they had too much ground to make up in the BCS standings before games were even played.
Harris Interactive Inc., a marketing company hired by the BCS last month to coordinate the new poll, is in the process of compiling a panel from 300 possible participants. Voters' names will be made public and all 11 Division I-A conferences and independent teams will be represented in the panel.
Each conference nominated 27 people to be placed into a pool of possible poll voters, and each conference will have 10 of its nominees in the panel.
July 11, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Bowl Championship Series has created a new college football poll with a unique twist -- games will be played before ballots are cast.
Called the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, it will rank the top 25 teams on a weekly basis, starting Sept. 25 -- four weeks into the season. Plans call for 114 voters. The panel will be comprised of former coaches, players and administrators, plus media members.
The BCS has said it would like to see the elimination of preseason polls, which some believe give highly touted teams an unfair headstart in the rankings.
``This allows for some games to be played in the current season rather than allow teams to be ranked purely on preseason expectations,'' BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said Monday during a conference call.
The season's first BCS standings will be released Oct. 17.
The new poll replaces The Associated Press poll, which the BCS had used in its formula for ranking teams since 1998. Last season, however, the AP told the BCS it could no longer use its media poll.
In addition to the new poll, the BCS will continue to use the USA Today coaches' poll and a compilation of six computer rankings -- each counting for one-third of a team's grade. The coaches will continue with a preseason ballot.
Recently, ESPN pulled out of participating in the coaches poll.
The coaches agreed to have their final ballots made public for the first time this season. The new Harris poll will take the same approach, releasing only the final ballots.
When Texas made up late ground on California in the BCS standings last season and grabbed a spot in the Rose Bowl, Cal and Pac-10 officials called for the coaches' votes to be made public.
The AP poll never provided a secret ballot for its voters.
``We thought it was important for there to be consistency with the two human polls,'' Weiberg said. ``To make the ballots public on a weekly basis during the season, we feel the focus would be on who voted for whom and detract from the games being playing.''
Last season, the BCS standings emphasized the polls more than ever and AP voters' ballots were scrutinized as three unbeaten teams competed for the top two spots.
Weiberg said voters in the new poll will be allowed to make their votes public at any point in the season if they choose.
``We've made very good progress in terms of people responding affirmatively to wanting to be part of the poll,'' he said.
The AP preseason poll will be released Aug. 20, with the first regular-season poll Sept. 6. The AP national champion will be crowned after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.
Last season, Southern California and Oklahoma held the top two spots in both the AP and coaches' polls in the preseason and kept those positions throughout undefeated regular seasons.
Auburn, which began the season ranked in the teens in the polls, went unbeaten but never could pass the Trojans or Sooners in the polls. USC finished No. 1 in the final BCS standings and Oklahoma was No. 2, mostly on the strength of their top-ranked computer score.
All three teams finished the regular season unbeaten and USC and Oklahoma played for the national title in the Orange Bowl. Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl, finished the season 13-0 and had to settle for a final ranking of No. 2 in the polls behind national champion USC.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said the preseason rankings put his team at a disadvantage because they had too much ground to make up in the BCS standings before games were even played.
Harris Interactive Inc., a marketing company hired by the BCS last month to coordinate the new poll, is in the process of compiling a panel from 300 possible participants. Voters' names will be made public and all 11 Division I-A conferences and independent teams will be represented in the panel.
Each conference nominated 27 people to be placed into a pool of possible poll voters, and each conference will have 10 of its nominees in the panel.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Orlando Sentinal Lists Cal as one of the Top 10 Teams with QB Troubles
10 top teams with QB problems
By Mike Huguenin Sentinel Staff Writer Posted July 7, 2005
FSU isn't the only school with designs on a top-10 finish sweating out its quarterback situation. Here are some others.
Auburn: Jason Campbell is gone. The new guy should be sophomore Brandon Cox, a lefty who has attempted 34 career passes. He has solid receivers and will be protected by a good line, but the running game is a question, too.
California: Aaron Rodgers is gone. That means Coach Jeff Tedford will go into his lab and come out with another star player. The battle likely will continue into September, with touted JC transfer Joseph Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore the candidates. Everything else appears to be in place for a potent offense.
Georgia: David Greene, who seemingly was the starter for a decade, is gone. Fifth-year senior D.J. Shockley finally is the man. He has all the physical tools, and is helped by a great stable of tailbacks and a good offensive line. Still, there remains a question about how proficient a passer Shockley can be (50.4 percent completion rate in his career).
LSU: Marcus Randall is gone. New Coach Les Miles inherits a ton of talent -- he might have the most talented team in the SEC and one of the two or three most-talented teams in the nation -- but does he have a quarterback he can count on? Sophomore JaMarcus Russell looks as if he's the guy, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, meaning true freshman Ryan Perrilloux could get a chance to win the job.
Miami: Brock Berlin is gone. Sophomore Kyle Wright, who was less than stellar in the spring, heads into the season as the starter. He threw nine passes last season. There's only one other scholarship quarterback on the roster, redshirt freshman Kirby Freeman.
Oklahoma: Jason White is gone. While the Sooners have loved to throw the ball the past few seasons, this should be TB Adrian Peterson's team now. Junior Paul Thompson, who didn't play last season and has 47 career passing attempts, heads into fall practice as the starting QB. But redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar is said to be too good to keep on the bench.
Virginia Tech: Bryan Randall is gone. The Hokies will turn to Marcus Vick, who has a ton of talent but also has been in a ton of trouble off the field. Tech is a legit contender for the national title if Vick plays well.
By Mike Huguenin Sentinel Staff Writer Posted July 7, 2005
FSU isn't the only school with designs on a top-10 finish sweating out its quarterback situation. Here are some others.
Auburn: Jason Campbell is gone. The new guy should be sophomore Brandon Cox, a lefty who has attempted 34 career passes. He has solid receivers and will be protected by a good line, but the running game is a question, too.
California: Aaron Rodgers is gone. That means Coach Jeff Tedford will go into his lab and come out with another star player. The battle likely will continue into September, with touted JC transfer Joseph Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore the candidates. Everything else appears to be in place for a potent offense.
Georgia: David Greene, who seemingly was the starter for a decade, is gone. Fifth-year senior D.J. Shockley finally is the man. He has all the physical tools, and is helped by a great stable of tailbacks and a good offensive line. Still, there remains a question about how proficient a passer Shockley can be (50.4 percent completion rate in his career).
LSU: Marcus Randall is gone. New Coach Les Miles inherits a ton of talent -- he might have the most talented team in the SEC and one of the two or three most-talented teams in the nation -- but does he have a quarterback he can count on? Sophomore JaMarcus Russell looks as if he's the guy, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, meaning true freshman Ryan Perrilloux could get a chance to win the job.
Miami: Brock Berlin is gone. Sophomore Kyle Wright, who was less than stellar in the spring, heads into the season as the starter. He threw nine passes last season. There's only one other scholarship quarterback on the roster, redshirt freshman Kirby Freeman.
Oklahoma: Jason White is gone. While the Sooners have loved to throw the ball the past few seasons, this should be TB Adrian Peterson's team now. Junior Paul Thompson, who didn't play last season and has 47 career passing attempts, heads into fall practice as the starting QB. But redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar is said to be too good to keep on the bench.
Virginia Tech: Bryan Randall is gone. The Hokies will turn to Marcus Vick, who has a ton of talent but also has been in a ton of trouble off the field. Tech is a legit contender for the national title if Vick plays well.
Pyramid Alehouse Tedford Tour Returns
From calbears.collegesports.com:
Registration for season-ticket holder event starts July 8.
July 7, 2005
BERKELEY - Back by popular demand, the 2005 Tedford Tour returns this summer to Pyramid Alehouse locations in Sacramento, Walnut Creek and Berkeley.
Head coach Jeff Tedford and his coaching staff will be featured at three evening events open exclusively to season-ticket holders and their guests. Each season-ticket holder may bring up to four guests to the event.
Fans must register in advance in order to be admitted. Registration is free and is available on a space-available basis. Event registration will be available on-line at the Cal Marketplace starting Friday, July 8.
At each event, Tedford will give fans a preview of the 2005 season. There will also be a question and answer session with coaches, autographs and photo opportunities, as well as fan prize giveaways awarded throughout the evening.
The Golden Bears finished ninth in the nation last year and head into 2005 ranked in the Top 20 in many preseason college football polls.
"Over 2,000 fans attended last year's Tedford Tour, and we expect to see this tradition grow every year," said Sue Woodward, Cal's event marketing manager. "Pyramid Alehouse has been an extremely supportive partner, and we look forward to continuing this relationship."
For more information, call (800) GO BEARS.
2005 Pyramid Alehouse Tedford Tour
Tuesday, Aug. 2 - Sacramento (1029 K St.)
Wednesday, Aug. 3 - Walnut Creek (1410 Locust St.)
Thursday, Aug. 4 - Berkeley (901 Gilman St.)
All events run from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Registration for season-ticket holder event starts July 8.
July 7, 2005
BERKELEY - Back by popular demand, the 2005 Tedford Tour returns this summer to Pyramid Alehouse locations in Sacramento, Walnut Creek and Berkeley.
Head coach Jeff Tedford and his coaching staff will be featured at three evening events open exclusively to season-ticket holders and their guests. Each season-ticket holder may bring up to four guests to the event.
Fans must register in advance in order to be admitted. Registration is free and is available on a space-available basis. Event registration will be available on-line at the Cal Marketplace starting Friday, July 8.
At each event, Tedford will give fans a preview of the 2005 season. There will also be a question and answer session with coaches, autographs and photo opportunities, as well as fan prize giveaways awarded throughout the evening.
The Golden Bears finished ninth in the nation last year and head into 2005 ranked in the Top 20 in many preseason college football polls.
"Over 2,000 fans attended last year's Tedford Tour, and we expect to see this tradition grow every year," said Sue Woodward, Cal's event marketing manager. "Pyramid Alehouse has been an extremely supportive partner, and we look forward to continuing this relationship."
For more information, call (800) GO BEARS.
2005 Pyramid Alehouse Tedford Tour
Tuesday, Aug. 2 - Sacramento (1029 K St.)
Wednesday, Aug. 3 - Walnut Creek (1410 Locust St.)
Thursday, Aug. 4 - Berkeley (901 Gilman St.)
All events run from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Barbour steps into challenging job at Cal
From the Napa Valley Register Newspaper:
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Sandy Barbour, the University of California athletic director, was attending an alumni association event before the Golden Bears' football game against Oregon State last fall when she got a reminder of just how popular and respected Jeff Tedford is on the Berkeley campus.It came in the form of a note that was given to her by Oski, the school's official mascot."Oski had these little playing cards that he was handing out," Barbour recalled. "So, I said, 'Oski will you autograph it for me?' He nods yes. He brings it back and hands it to me, and it says, 'Keep Jeff. Love Oski.'"I certainly knew what one of the tasks at hand was."Barbour, the special guest of a Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club lunch last week at Napa Valley Country Club, is proud of the work Tedford is doing as the head football coach. But she is also proud of the fact that Cal finished the 2004-05 school year ranked 15th in the country for the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings, which measures the best overall sports programs in the country and awards points based on final national standings."Being an athletic director at an institution with the prestige and notoriety of a Cal is just a dream come true," said Barbour. "It really is. It's a fabulous place with very, very passionate people in a wonderful community."But it's a very challenging job. You've got a lot of balls in the air and we've got a lot going on from fund-raising to facing the challenges of keeping the great coaches that we have, recruiting the best student-athletes not only in the country, but in the world. There's a lot going on."Tedford is obviously one of the best at Cal. He was voted as the Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons and led the Bears last year to a 10-2 record, which included a second-place Pac-10 finish. They lost to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl but still finished ninth in the country in the final polls and were ranked as high as fourth during the season."There is so much positive going on with our football program right now," said Barbour. "Jeff Tedford and his staff have just done a fabulous job of building the program and restoring the excellence. We certainly have high, high hopes for the 2005 season."Cal had a record eight players who were named First-Team All-Pac-10 and tailback J.J. Arrington, who rushed for 2,018 yards, was a consensus First-Team All-American.One of the biggest projects for Barbour, the former deputy director of athletics at Notre Dame and a former athletic director at Tulane University, is the renovation of Cal's Memorial Stadium. No timetable has been set on when work will begin."This is not a five-day-a-week, 9-to-5 job," said Barbour, who was named as Cal's AD on Sept. 15, 2004. "It really can be all consuming, and for the most part that's a great thing. It's a passion."We were able to take care of the furthering of moving the Memorial Stadium project down the line with the support of Chancellor (Robert) Birgeneau. That's starting to come together. We've got a long ways to go. We've got a lot of money to raise. But the project is becoming a reality, which is very exciting and very gratifying."Barbour, who oversees Cal's 27 intercollegiate sports programs, said her job is rewarding and challenging all at the same time."High-quality places attract high-quality people, so I'm very, very fortunate to get to work in and amongst and with just fabulous people," she said. "You have to be very, very passionate about the cause, about the mission of the institution and the mission of your department. You have to be dedicated."Barbour's appearance was organized by Saanen Kerson, the president of the Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club who set the state record for most wins in a season during her junior year of softball at Vintage High School. Kerson, unfortunately, suffered a career-ending overuse injury to her pitching shoulder while playing at Cal. Kerson coached two years of softball at Vintage (2000 and 2001) and was named as the Monticello Empire League Coach of the Year while directing the Crushers to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.There are 1,650 Cal alums in Napa County. The Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club, a social club, is planning events later this year ranging from a bus trip to the Big Game at Stanford and a pre-game luncheon jointly with Stanford's local alumni club."It's been a real thrill for me to represent the university and to work toward really achieving some things for us athletically," said Barbour, who has over 22 years of experience in intercollegiate athletic administration. "I look forward to keeping after it."Barbour, who was Notre Dame's senior athletic administrator, added: "There's still an awful lot that I need to learn about Cal and I need to learn about our community and our institution. But also I recognize that people need to get to know me."I think the wonderful thing for the chancellor and I for our first fall on campus was to see the power of what a highly successful athletic program can be. That was a rallying point for the entire institution."
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Sandy Barbour, the University of California athletic director, was attending an alumni association event before the Golden Bears' football game against Oregon State last fall when she got a reminder of just how popular and respected Jeff Tedford is on the Berkeley campus.It came in the form of a note that was given to her by Oski, the school's official mascot."Oski had these little playing cards that he was handing out," Barbour recalled. "So, I said, 'Oski will you autograph it for me?' He nods yes. He brings it back and hands it to me, and it says, 'Keep Jeff. Love Oski.'"I certainly knew what one of the tasks at hand was."Barbour, the special guest of a Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club lunch last week at Napa Valley Country Club, is proud of the work Tedford is doing as the head football coach. But she is also proud of the fact that Cal finished the 2004-05 school year ranked 15th in the country for the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings, which measures the best overall sports programs in the country and awards points based on final national standings."Being an athletic director at an institution with the prestige and notoriety of a Cal is just a dream come true," said Barbour. "It really is. It's a fabulous place with very, very passionate people in a wonderful community."But it's a very challenging job. You've got a lot of balls in the air and we've got a lot going on from fund-raising to facing the challenges of keeping the great coaches that we have, recruiting the best student-athletes not only in the country, but in the world. There's a lot going on."Tedford is obviously one of the best at Cal. He was voted as the Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons and led the Bears last year to a 10-2 record, which included a second-place Pac-10 finish. They lost to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl but still finished ninth in the country in the final polls and were ranked as high as fourth during the season."There is so much positive going on with our football program right now," said Barbour. "Jeff Tedford and his staff have just done a fabulous job of building the program and restoring the excellence. We certainly have high, high hopes for the 2005 season."Cal had a record eight players who were named First-Team All-Pac-10 and tailback J.J. Arrington, who rushed for 2,018 yards, was a consensus First-Team All-American.One of the biggest projects for Barbour, the former deputy director of athletics at Notre Dame and a former athletic director at Tulane University, is the renovation of Cal's Memorial Stadium. No timetable has been set on when work will begin."This is not a five-day-a-week, 9-to-5 job," said Barbour, who was named as Cal's AD on Sept. 15, 2004. "It really can be all consuming, and for the most part that's a great thing. It's a passion."We were able to take care of the furthering of moving the Memorial Stadium project down the line with the support of Chancellor (Robert) Birgeneau. That's starting to come together. We've got a long ways to go. We've got a lot of money to raise. But the project is becoming a reality, which is very exciting and very gratifying."Barbour, who oversees Cal's 27 intercollegiate sports programs, said her job is rewarding and challenging all at the same time."High-quality places attract high-quality people, so I'm very, very fortunate to get to work in and amongst and with just fabulous people," she said. "You have to be very, very passionate about the cause, about the mission of the institution and the mission of your department. You have to be dedicated."Barbour's appearance was organized by Saanen Kerson, the president of the Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club who set the state record for most wins in a season during her junior year of softball at Vintage High School. Kerson, unfortunately, suffered a career-ending overuse injury to her pitching shoulder while playing at Cal. Kerson coached two years of softball at Vintage (2000 and 2001) and was named as the Monticello Empire League Coach of the Year while directing the Crushers to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.There are 1,650 Cal alums in Napa County. The Napa Valley Cal Alumni Club, a social club, is planning events later this year ranging from a bus trip to the Big Game at Stanford and a pre-game luncheon jointly with Stanford's local alumni club."It's been a real thrill for me to represent the university and to work toward really achieving some things for us athletically," said Barbour, who has over 22 years of experience in intercollegiate athletic administration. "I look forward to keeping after it."Barbour, who was Notre Dame's senior athletic administrator, added: "There's still an awful lot that I need to learn about Cal and I need to learn about our community and our institution. But also I recognize that people need to get to know me."I think the wonderful thing for the chancellor and I for our first fall on campus was to see the power of what a highly successful athletic program can be. That was a rallying point for the entire institution."
Fox Ranks Cal #17
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3732190
17. CaliforniaThe program pulled off a huge coup keeping JeffTedford, one of football's hottest coaches, inBerkeley leading the way to one of the school's bestrecruiting hauls ever with several great JUCO playerswho'll be among the Pac 10's top stars. Marshawn Lynchis considered by some to be an even better back thanJ.J. Arrington, the offensive line will be among thebest in the country, and there's more than enough teamspeed to hang stride for stride with anyone on theslate including that group down in L.A.Relative strength: Offensive line RelativeWeakness: LinebackerStar of the team: RB Marshawn Lynch, Soph. Keygame: November 12th vs. USC
(Thanks to Cal Super Fan Tom "Holmoe" Businger for this tip!)
17. CaliforniaThe program pulled off a huge coup keeping JeffTedford, one of football's hottest coaches, inBerkeley leading the way to one of the school's bestrecruiting hauls ever with several great JUCO playerswho'll be among the Pac 10's top stars. Marshawn Lynchis considered by some to be an even better back thanJ.J. Arrington, the offensive line will be among thebest in the country, and there's more than enough teamspeed to hang stride for stride with anyone on theslate including that group down in L.A.Relative strength: Offensive line RelativeWeakness: LinebackerStar of the team: RB Marshawn Lynch, Soph. Keygame: November 12th vs. USC
(Thanks to Cal Super Fan Tom "Holmoe" Businger for this tip!)
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Today's Daily Cal Article on Tepper
Cal Athletes Run Over After Car Occupants Harass Victim
By JENNIFER JAMALLContributing WriterTuesday, July 5, 2005
Two Cal athletes were run over by a car on Telegraph Avenue last week, severely injuring Cal football offensive lineman Mike Tepper and taking him out for next season.
Three of the passengers in the car were arrested after police said the driver intentionally backed into Tepper and former Cal volleyball player Camille Leffall near the corner of Dwight Way at Telegraph Avenue at 1:15 a.m. on June 26.
Tepper sustained injuries to his right leg, including a broken fibula and a dislocated tibia. Leffall sustained minor injuries, including cuts on her knees, a cut on the inside of her foot and a back injury.
Tepper and Leffall were walking north on Telegraph when a dark sedan pulled up alongside them. The passengers began making lewd comments to Leffall, said Berkeley police Officer Joe Okies.
“They were saying things like ‘Hey baby’ and ‘Lemme have your number,’” Tepper, 19, said. “Camille blew them off, told them she wasn’t interested, and we kept on walking.”
As the pair was crossing the street, the car pulled in front of them, blocking their path, Tepper said. The men in the car continued to harass Leffall, 22, at which point Tepper stepped in and told them to leave, Leffall said.
The driver then backed the car into Leffall, Tepper said. Tepper pushed her out of the way as she was being struck but was then hit himself.
As Tepper fell to the ground, his foot was caught in the tire. The car then pulled forward, running over his ankle a second time, Leffall said.
A Berkeley police officer who witnessed the incident called for assistance after the car sped away eastbound on Dwight Way, Okies said.
“There were two cops there within 10 seconds of us hitting the concrete,” Tepper said. “I was bleeding pretty profusely. There was blood everywhere.”
Police chased the car, which fled and collided with a parked car on Parker Street near College Avenue, Okies said. Three of the four occupants in the car ran away but were caught after a brief chase, he said.
Police arrested Johnny Smith, 33, who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing the scene of a noninjury accident, obstructing a public officer in the course of duty and a parole violation. Calvin Kelley, 29, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and a probation violation. Scott Slaughter, 28, was arrested and charged with obstructing a public officer in the course of duty.
The fourth occupant in the car was not charged because he is a minor and did not resist arrest, Okies said. He could not say which man was the driver.
Tepper said he was told by police that the men in the car were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“That really shocks me, that they were completely sober and fine,” Tepper said. “I don’t know who in their right mind would purposely run over somebody.”
An ambulance took Tepper to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center shortly after the incident. Before they arrived, police had to make a tourniquet on Tepper’s leg for the deep cut on his ankle.
“The EMTs and doctors at the hospital were pretty amazing,” Tepper said. “They pumped like triple the amount of morphine into me than for a normal person. I’m not the smallest guy.”
It took doctors at the hospital more than an hour to stop the bleeding because the cut hit an artery that led directly to his heart, Tepper said.
Tepper underwent surgery for the injury Tuesday morning, leaving him with a plate and nine screws in his right leg and rendering him immobile for eight weeks.
Tepper was instructed by doctors not to jog until at least November and will be sidelined for this football season after months of rigorous summer training.
“That’s the biggest thing that’s bugging me, that I’m losing a year of playing time,” Tepper said. “It hurts when you push for a goal, you’re almost there, and then it gets taken away.”
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said in a statement, “We are proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night ... He is a quality young man and we expect him to make solid contributions for us in the future.”
Hundreds of messages quickly sprang up on the Bear Insider, a Web site for Cal fans, wishing him a speedy recovery. One post from Tepper’s father, Gus Tepper, assured fans that he will heal quickly.
By JENNIFER JAMALLContributing WriterTuesday, July 5, 2005
Two Cal athletes were run over by a car on Telegraph Avenue last week, severely injuring Cal football offensive lineman Mike Tepper and taking him out for next season.
Three of the passengers in the car were arrested after police said the driver intentionally backed into Tepper and former Cal volleyball player Camille Leffall near the corner of Dwight Way at Telegraph Avenue at 1:15 a.m. on June 26.
Tepper sustained injuries to his right leg, including a broken fibula and a dislocated tibia. Leffall sustained minor injuries, including cuts on her knees, a cut on the inside of her foot and a back injury.
Tepper and Leffall were walking north on Telegraph when a dark sedan pulled up alongside them. The passengers began making lewd comments to Leffall, said Berkeley police Officer Joe Okies.
“They were saying things like ‘Hey baby’ and ‘Lemme have your number,’” Tepper, 19, said. “Camille blew them off, told them she wasn’t interested, and we kept on walking.”
As the pair was crossing the street, the car pulled in front of them, blocking their path, Tepper said. The men in the car continued to harass Leffall, 22, at which point Tepper stepped in and told them to leave, Leffall said.
The driver then backed the car into Leffall, Tepper said. Tepper pushed her out of the way as she was being struck but was then hit himself.
As Tepper fell to the ground, his foot was caught in the tire. The car then pulled forward, running over his ankle a second time, Leffall said.
A Berkeley police officer who witnessed the incident called for assistance after the car sped away eastbound on Dwight Way, Okies said.
“There were two cops there within 10 seconds of us hitting the concrete,” Tepper said. “I was bleeding pretty profusely. There was blood everywhere.”
Police chased the car, which fled and collided with a parked car on Parker Street near College Avenue, Okies said. Three of the four occupants in the car ran away but were caught after a brief chase, he said.
Police arrested Johnny Smith, 33, who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing the scene of a noninjury accident, obstructing a public officer in the course of duty and a parole violation. Calvin Kelley, 29, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and a probation violation. Scott Slaughter, 28, was arrested and charged with obstructing a public officer in the course of duty.
The fourth occupant in the car was not charged because he is a minor and did not resist arrest, Okies said. He could not say which man was the driver.
Tepper said he was told by police that the men in the car were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“That really shocks me, that they were completely sober and fine,” Tepper said. “I don’t know who in their right mind would purposely run over somebody.”
An ambulance took Tepper to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center shortly after the incident. Before they arrived, police had to make a tourniquet on Tepper’s leg for the deep cut on his ankle.
“The EMTs and doctors at the hospital were pretty amazing,” Tepper said. “They pumped like triple the amount of morphine into me than for a normal person. I’m not the smallest guy.”
It took doctors at the hospital more than an hour to stop the bleeding because the cut hit an artery that led directly to his heart, Tepper said.
Tepper underwent surgery for the injury Tuesday morning, leaving him with a plate and nine screws in his right leg and rendering him immobile for eight weeks.
Tepper was instructed by doctors not to jog until at least November and will be sidelined for this football season after months of rigorous summer training.
“That’s the biggest thing that’s bugging me, that I’m losing a year of playing time,” Tepper said. “It hurts when you push for a goal, you’re almost there, and then it gets taken away.”
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said in a statement, “We are proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night ... He is a quality young man and we expect him to make solid contributions for us in the future.”
Hundreds of messages quickly sprang up on the Bear Insider, a Web site for Cal fans, wishing him a speedy recovery. One post from Tepper’s father, Gus Tepper, assured fans that he will heal quickly.
Football Places in Top 20 in Several Preseason Polls
From the Daily Cal:
After falling flat on its face in last year's Holiday Bowl and losing star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the NFL Draft, the Cal football team had no reason to expect much recognition in the polls this summer.
Nevertheless, the resounding defeat against Texas Tech has certainly not tarnished the Bears' reputation coming into this year's campaign.
After rolling through last season with a 10-2 record and a top-10 ranking, the Cal football program learned that it is ranked as high as 15th in national preseason rankings.
Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook both rank Cal at No. 20 in the country while the Sporting News puts it at No. 15.
In addition to the team's ranking, several members of the squad picked up individual preseason honors.
Senior Marvin Philip has received the most notice, as the Sporting News ranked him as the nation's top center. He also pocketed All-American honors from various other publications.
Sophomore tailback Marshawn Lynch, who was the backup to J.J. Arrington last season, was rated as the No. 7 running back in the nation by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.
After falling flat on its face in last year's Holiday Bowl and losing star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the NFL Draft, the Cal football team had no reason to expect much recognition in the polls this summer.
Nevertheless, the resounding defeat against Texas Tech has certainly not tarnished the Bears' reputation coming into this year's campaign.
After rolling through last season with a 10-2 record and a top-10 ranking, the Cal football program learned that it is ranked as high as 15th in national preseason rankings.
Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook both rank Cal at No. 20 in the country while the Sporting News puts it at No. 15.
In addition to the team's ranking, several members of the squad picked up individual preseason honors.
Senior Marvin Philip has received the most notice, as the Sporting News ranked him as the nation's top center. He also pocketed All-American honors from various other publications.
Sophomore tailback Marshawn Lynch, who was the backup to J.J. Arrington last season, was rated as the No. 7 running back in the nation by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.
Cal Ranked As High As 15th in Preseason
From the Cal website:
Bears receive national honors from preseason magazines.
BERKELEY - Coming off a 10-2 season and a Top 10 ranking last fall, California has maintained its place in the national rankings in several of the preseason magazines heading into the 2005 campaign.
The Sporting News places the Golden Bears 15th in its ratings, while Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook and Phil Steele's College Football Preview both rank Cal 20th in the country.
In addition, several members of the squad have been tabbed for preseason national and Pac-10 honors.
Senior center Marvin Philip has received the most notice, ranking as high as the No. 1 center in the country by The Sporting News. TSN, Street & Smith's and Athlon all name him a first team All-American, while he is a consensus first team All-Pac-10 selection.
Senior offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan also received third team All-America accolades from Street & Smith's and Athlon.
Sophomore tailback Marshawn Lynch, who has yet to start a college football game, was chosen first team All-Pac-10 by Street & Smith's and Lindy's, while Phil Steele's College Football Preview rates him the No. 7 running back in the nation.
Below is a list of many of the preseason honors bestowed upon the Golden Bears this summer.
Cal in the Top 2515th - The Sporting News20th - Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook20th - Phil Steele's College Football Preview
Individual HonorsThe Sporting News TB Marshawn Lynch -- #13 running back in the countryROV Donnie McCleskey -- #8 strong safety in the countryC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American, #1 center in the country
Street & Smith'sOT Andrew Cameron - honorable mention All-American CB Daymeion Hughes - honorable mention All-American TB Marshawn Lynch - honorable mention All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10 ROV Donnie McCleskey - honorable mention All-American DT Brandon Mebane - honorable mention All-American OG Aaron Merz - honorable mention All-American OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 3rd team All-American , 1st team All-Pac-10 C Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American , 1st team All-Pac-10 CB Harrison Smith - honorable mention All-American
Lindy'sOT Andrew Cameron - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 1st team All-Pac-10, #12 running back in the nationROV Donnie McCleskey - 1st team All-Pac-10DT Brandon Mebane - 2nd team All-Pac-10OG Aaron Merz - 2nd team All-Pac-10OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 1st team All-Pac-10, #8 offensive tackle in the nationC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-Pac-10, #3 center in the nation
Phil Steele's College Football PreviewCB Daymeion Hughes - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 2nd team All-Pac-10, #7 running back in the nationOT Ryan O'Callaghan - 1st team All-Pac-10, #7 offensive tackle in the nationC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-Pac-10CB Harrison Smith - 1st team All-Pac-10
AthlonOT Andrew Cameron - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 2nd team All-Pac-10ROV Donnie McCleskey - 2nd team All-Pac-10OG Aaron Merz - 2nd team All-Pac-10OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 3rd team All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10C Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10Offensive Line - 2nd best in the nation
Bears receive national honors from preseason magazines.
BERKELEY - Coming off a 10-2 season and a Top 10 ranking last fall, California has maintained its place in the national rankings in several of the preseason magazines heading into the 2005 campaign.
The Sporting News places the Golden Bears 15th in its ratings, while Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook and Phil Steele's College Football Preview both rank Cal 20th in the country.
In addition, several members of the squad have been tabbed for preseason national and Pac-10 honors.
Senior center Marvin Philip has received the most notice, ranking as high as the No. 1 center in the country by The Sporting News. TSN, Street & Smith's and Athlon all name him a first team All-American, while he is a consensus first team All-Pac-10 selection.
Senior offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan also received third team All-America accolades from Street & Smith's and Athlon.
Sophomore tailback Marshawn Lynch, who has yet to start a college football game, was chosen first team All-Pac-10 by Street & Smith's and Lindy's, while Phil Steele's College Football Preview rates him the No. 7 running back in the nation.
Below is a list of many of the preseason honors bestowed upon the Golden Bears this summer.
Cal in the Top 2515th - The Sporting News20th - Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook20th - Phil Steele's College Football Preview
Individual HonorsThe Sporting News TB Marshawn Lynch -- #13 running back in the countryROV Donnie McCleskey -- #8 strong safety in the countryC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American, #1 center in the country
Street & Smith'sOT Andrew Cameron - honorable mention All-American CB Daymeion Hughes - honorable mention All-American TB Marshawn Lynch - honorable mention All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10 ROV Donnie McCleskey - honorable mention All-American DT Brandon Mebane - honorable mention All-American OG Aaron Merz - honorable mention All-American OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 3rd team All-American , 1st team All-Pac-10 C Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American , 1st team All-Pac-10 CB Harrison Smith - honorable mention All-American
Lindy'sOT Andrew Cameron - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 1st team All-Pac-10, #12 running back in the nationROV Donnie McCleskey - 1st team All-Pac-10DT Brandon Mebane - 2nd team All-Pac-10OG Aaron Merz - 2nd team All-Pac-10OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 1st team All-Pac-10, #8 offensive tackle in the nationC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-Pac-10, #3 center in the nation
Phil Steele's College Football PreviewCB Daymeion Hughes - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 2nd team All-Pac-10, #7 running back in the nationOT Ryan O'Callaghan - 1st team All-Pac-10, #7 offensive tackle in the nationC Marvin Philip - 1st team All-Pac-10CB Harrison Smith - 1st team All-Pac-10
AthlonOT Andrew Cameron - 2nd team All-Pac-10TB Marshawn Lynch - 2nd team All-Pac-10ROV Donnie McCleskey - 2nd team All-Pac-10OG Aaron Merz - 2nd team All-Pac-10OT Ryan O'Callaghan - 3rd team All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10C Marvin Philip - 1st team All-American, 1st team All-Pac-10Offensive Line - 2nd best in the nation
Monday, July 04, 2005
Scouting the Pac 10: California
See this link for a nice discussion of Cal players that could be NFL prospects:
http://nfldraft.scout.com/2/392623.html
http://nfldraft.scout.com/2/392623.html
Friday, July 01, 2005
Thursday, June 30, 2005
The 2005 Cal Football season is just around the corner!
From Cal Athletics:
As full-season ticket packages continue to sell at a record pace, thousands of Golden Bears fans are expected to fill Memorial Stadium this fall in anticipation of another great season. Single Game Tickets for all home games go on sale in less than two weeks! Starting at 12:01am on Tuesday, July 12, fans can begin purchasing tickets online at CalBears.com or by calling (800) GO BEARS. The Cal Athletic Ticket Office will be open with extended hours on July 12 (8:30am - 7:00pm), to service fans requests for individual home and away game tickets. Single Game Tickets include advanced sale of reserved and general admission seats for the important match-up against the two-time defending national champion USC Trojans. Cal vs. USC on November 12 - the final home game of the season - is expected to sell out quickly, so be sure to order your tickets on July 12! Other home games feature Illinois, Arizona, Oregon State, Washington State, and the home season opener against Sacramento State on September 3. Click Here for complete 2005 schedule. Single game tickets for the 108th Big Game at Stanford - if still remaining - will go on sale starting September 17. Secure your seats for all six home games and the Big Game at Stanford by ordering your 2005 reserved Season Tickets today!
As full-season ticket packages continue to sell at a record pace, thousands of Golden Bears fans are expected to fill Memorial Stadium this fall in anticipation of another great season. Single Game Tickets for all home games go on sale in less than two weeks! Starting at 12:01am on Tuesday, July 12, fans can begin purchasing tickets online at CalBears.com or by calling (800) GO BEARS. The Cal Athletic Ticket Office will be open with extended hours on July 12 (8:30am - 7:00pm), to service fans requests for individual home and away game tickets. Single Game Tickets include advanced sale of reserved and general admission seats for the important match-up against the two-time defending national champion USC Trojans. Cal vs. USC on November 12 - the final home game of the season - is expected to sell out quickly, so be sure to order your tickets on July 12! Other home games feature Illinois, Arizona, Oregon State, Washington State, and the home season opener against Sacramento State on September 3. Click Here for complete 2005 schedule. Single game tickets for the 108th Big Game at Stanford - if still remaining - will go on sale starting September 17. Secure your seats for all six home games and the Big Game at Stanford by ordering your 2005 reserved Season Tickets today!
USC LOSES THREE STARTERS SINCE SPRING
Byers is the third starter USC has lost since the spring. Defensive tackle Manuel Wright decided to turn pro after becoming academically ineligible, and cornerback Eric Wright withdrew from school after police discovered 136 ecstasy pills in his apartment.
Byrd tore knee ligaments two years ago and missed seven games. He also broke his kneecap last summer and missed the first four games.
Hancock missed last season after tearing knee ligaments in the 2004 Rose Bowl.
Meanwhile, quarterback Rocky Hinds has not yet appealed USC's denial of his transfer release to UNLV.
Byrd tore knee ligaments two years ago and missed seven games. He also broke his kneecap last summer and missed the first four games.
Hancock missed last season after tearing knee ligaments in the 2004 Rose Bowl.
Meanwhile, quarterback Rocky Hinds has not yet appealed USC's denial of his transfer release to UNLV.
ESPN: Maisel's 3-Point Stance: Stanford Stadium - USC's Byers Out
2. Stanford has announced an $85 million project to renovate its stadium, site of Super Bowl XIX. The project will slim it from 85,800 seats to 50,858 — yes, the fans will now be in same ZIP code as the game they're watching — and bring the plumbing out of the 1930s. Campus politics is what took so long.
3. USC guard Jeff Byers is out for the year because his surgically repaired hip didn't repair. That's three starters and half the coaching staff that the Trojans have lost since the end of last season. And no, I don't have the guts not to pick them No. 1. But I'm now thinking about it.
3. USC guard Jeff Byers is out for the year because his surgically repaired hip didn't repair. That's three starters and half the coaching staff that the Trojans have lost since the end of last season. And no, I don't have the guts not to pick them No. 1. But I'm now thinking about it.
Cal athlete sidelined after he's run down by car - Football player on mend following
Telegraph Ave. altercation that will keep him out until 2006; 3 arrested
By Kristin Bender, STAFF WRITER
Oakland Tribune
Mike Tepper, Cal football player who had his leg run over twice this weekend.
BERKELEY — A University of California, Berkeley football player lauded for his athleticism and toughness is recovering from ankle surgery after being run over twice by a car on Telegraph Avenue over the weekend.
Doctors inserted nine screws and a metal plate into Mike Tepper's ankle Tuesday. The 19-year-old offensive lineman had gotten into a confrontation with a carload of men who police say backed over his leg, then put the car into drive and crushed it again.
Tepper, who is on a full football scholarship, sustained a broken fibula, ligament damage and dislocated tibia. Tepper said he will be off the football field until at least early next year.
The melee early Sunday happened after the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Tepper tried to protect a female friend from a group of catcalling men who were attempting to lure her to drink and party with them, authorities said.
Tepper, a top recruit last year as an offensive tackle, was red-shirted in the fall but projected to be a primary backup player with a solid chance of starting in 2006.
Now doctors say Tepper can't run until November at the earliest and must not get on the practice field until early 2006. He will wear a cast for up to eight weeks, Tepper said.
"They are expecting a 100 percent recovery," he said Wednesday. "But it just sucks that I'm losing something that I love — a season of football."
Police released few details about the case because it remains under investigation, and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office could press charges.
But Berkeley police spokesman Joe Okies did confirm the arrest of three men in connection with the Sunday morning incident. The men fled Telegraph to College Avenue and Parker Street, where they crashed their car into a parked car, Okies said. Three of the four men inside left the scene, Okies said.
Officers caught up with the men and arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, of Berkeley on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, property damage, resisting arrest and a parole violation that will send him back toprison, police said.
Also arrested were Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, of Oakland on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, property damage, resisting arrest and a probation violation. Scott Slaughter, 28, of Berkeley, was arrested and accused of resisting arrest, police said. The men were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
At this point it is not clear what will happen to Tepper's Cal football career or his hopes for the NFL.
Football coach Jeff Tedford last year praised Tepper, who is from Cypress, in Orange County, saying he has "tremendous athleticism for his size, toughness, and is a great pass protector."
In a statement issued Wednesday through a Cal athletic representative, Tedford said that although it was an unfortunate incident,
"we are proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night."
"We are looking forward to him returning to the team," Tedford said. "He is a quality young man, and we expect him to make solid contributions for us."
Tepper said he hopes to be granted a "medical red-shirt," which would make him eligible to play football four more years. But for now he is recovering and trying not to dwell on the incident.
In a telephone interview from his Berkeley home Wednesday, Tepper said he was crossing Telegraph at Dwight Way about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the men in the car began yelling at his 22-year-old friend, a Cal women's volleyball player.
The woman, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday, said she wasn't interested and kept walking in the crosswalk, Tepper recalled.
"She then began to try and walk by the car, but the driver stepped on the gas and moved directly in front of us at the crosswalk," Tepper said in an Internet account of the incident. "At this point, I was standing next to the passenger side door, I could literally stick my hand out and touch the passenger's face at this distance, possibly 2 feet back at most."
The men continued trying to lure the woman to party with them, Tepper said.
Then he heard the driver put the car into reverse, Tepper said, so he grabbed the woman and pushed her to the ground and out of car's path.
In falling, Tepper said his right leg got caught in the front right tire, and he was thrown at least 8 feet, landing on his face.
Tepper said he then looked to his right to see the car coming toward him.
"I was a speed bump for this car burning out," he said.
Tepper was still on the ground when nearby police arrived, and he was rushed by ambulance to a Berkeley hospital. Tepper said it took a doctor and two emergency room nurses 11/2 hours to stop the bleeding from the leg. Because he weighs 320 pounds, Tepper said he was pumped with three times the normal amount of morphine and painkillers. On Wednesday he said he was "doing all right."
His father took a different stand.
"I'm a little outraged," said Gus Tepper. "I think it's terrible that this happens at the premier university in the country. I'm happy that he doesn't appear to be traumatized and happy that he got the girl out of the way."
The elder Tepper said he is proud of his son, calling him a hero.
"It's a sad story, but I think he saved a life."
By Kristin Bender, STAFF WRITER
Oakland Tribune
Mike Tepper, Cal football player who had his leg run over twice this weekend.
BERKELEY — A University of California, Berkeley football player lauded for his athleticism and toughness is recovering from ankle surgery after being run over twice by a car on Telegraph Avenue over the weekend.
Doctors inserted nine screws and a metal plate into Mike Tepper's ankle Tuesday. The 19-year-old offensive lineman had gotten into a confrontation with a carload of men who police say backed over his leg, then put the car into drive and crushed it again.
Tepper, who is on a full football scholarship, sustained a broken fibula, ligament damage and dislocated tibia. Tepper said he will be off the football field until at least early next year.
The melee early Sunday happened after the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Tepper tried to protect a female friend from a group of catcalling men who were attempting to lure her to drink and party with them, authorities said.
Tepper, a top recruit last year as an offensive tackle, was red-shirted in the fall but projected to be a primary backup player with a solid chance of starting in 2006.
Now doctors say Tepper can't run until November at the earliest and must not get on the practice field until early 2006. He will wear a cast for up to eight weeks, Tepper said.
"They are expecting a 100 percent recovery," he said Wednesday. "But it just sucks that I'm losing something that I love — a season of football."
Police released few details about the case because it remains under investigation, and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office could press charges.
But Berkeley police spokesman Joe Okies did confirm the arrest of three men in connection with the Sunday morning incident. The men fled Telegraph to College Avenue and Parker Street, where they crashed their car into a parked car, Okies said. Three of the four men inside left the scene, Okies said.
Officers caught up with the men and arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, of Berkeley on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, property damage, resisting arrest and a parole violation that will send him back toprison, police said.
Also arrested were Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, of Oakland on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, property damage, resisting arrest and a probation violation. Scott Slaughter, 28, of Berkeley, was arrested and accused of resisting arrest, police said. The men were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
At this point it is not clear what will happen to Tepper's Cal football career or his hopes for the NFL.
Football coach Jeff Tedford last year praised Tepper, who is from Cypress, in Orange County, saying he has "tremendous athleticism for his size, toughness, and is a great pass protector."
In a statement issued Wednesday through a Cal athletic representative, Tedford said that although it was an unfortunate incident,
"we are proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night."
"We are looking forward to him returning to the team," Tedford said. "He is a quality young man, and we expect him to make solid contributions for us."
Tepper said he hopes to be granted a "medical red-shirt," which would make him eligible to play football four more years. But for now he is recovering and trying not to dwell on the incident.
In a telephone interview from his Berkeley home Wednesday, Tepper said he was crossing Telegraph at Dwight Way about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the men in the car began yelling at his 22-year-old friend, a Cal women's volleyball player.
The woman, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday, said she wasn't interested and kept walking in the crosswalk, Tepper recalled.
"She then began to try and walk by the car, but the driver stepped on the gas and moved directly in front of us at the crosswalk," Tepper said in an Internet account of the incident. "At this point, I was standing next to the passenger side door, I could literally stick my hand out and touch the passenger's face at this distance, possibly 2 feet back at most."
The men continued trying to lure the woman to party with them, Tepper said.
Then he heard the driver put the car into reverse, Tepper said, so he grabbed the woman and pushed her to the ground and out of car's path.
In falling, Tepper said his right leg got caught in the front right tire, and he was thrown at least 8 feet, landing on his face.
Tepper said he then looked to his right to see the car coming toward him.
"I was a speed bump for this car burning out," he said.
Tepper was still on the ground when nearby police arrived, and he was rushed by ambulance to a Berkeley hospital. Tepper said it took a doctor and two emergency room nurses 11/2 hours to stop the bleeding from the leg. Because he weighs 320 pounds, Tepper said he was pumped with three times the normal amount of morphine and painkillers. On Wednesday he said he was "doing all right."
His father took a different stand.
"I'm a little outraged," said Gus Tepper. "I think it's terrible that this happens at the premier university in the country. I'm happy that he doesn't appear to be traumatized and happy that he got the girl out of the way."
The elder Tepper said he is proud of his son, calling him a hero.
"It's a sad story, but I think he saved a life."
Cal Football Player Trades Season For A Life
POSTED: 7:42 am PDT June 30, 2005
BERKELEY -- Offensive tackle Mike Tepper's career with the University of California Golden Bears football team may be on hold, but the depths of what he's willing to sacrifice certainly isn't.
Video On Demand: Sarah Jarvis Reports On Cal Football Player Risks Life, Career To Defend Friend
Tepper was seriously injured in an assault early Sunday morning on a Berkeley street corner. He was walking with friends when four guys in a car began hassling a young lady he was with.
"The guy kept going you know, pushing it," said Tepper. "I said: 'Hey, man, she's really not that interested.'"
The exchange continued as the driver's anger grew. He slammed his car in reverse, aiming it at Tepper and the girl. The Cal tackle, reacted quickly, tackling the young woman to push her out of the way of the car.
"The first thing I did, I didn't have time to think," he said. "I hit her and tackled her practically. I was falling on her and my leg got caught under the guy's tire."
The driver not only ran over Tepper's ankle once, he threw the car into forward and ran over it a second time. Meanwhile, the girl suffered only scraps on her leg. Berkeley police arrested the driver after a short chase Sunday morning.
Tepper's injuries to his ankle were severe -- he cut a blood vessel, tore a ligament and broke several bones. He underwent surgery Wednesday morning where doctors put in nine screws and a plate.
His 2005 season has come to an end. His career is definitely in jeopardy since he will not be able to begin even jogging until November.
But Tepper said he does not feel like a hero.
"I just thought it was a natural reaction," he said. "I don't really think of it as me being a hero."
Still the cost is on his mind.
"You set those goals and work hard and you're almost there and it just cuts you," he said. "It just totally takes you down. You strive so hard for this goal and it never happens. But maybe it wasn't my time, I don't know."
"I supposedly save a life. A limb for a life... I guess it's worth it."
BERKELEY -- Offensive tackle Mike Tepper's career with the University of California Golden Bears football team may be on hold, but the depths of what he's willing to sacrifice certainly isn't.
Video On Demand: Sarah Jarvis Reports On Cal Football Player Risks Life, Career To Defend Friend
Tepper was seriously injured in an assault early Sunday morning on a Berkeley street corner. He was walking with friends when four guys in a car began hassling a young lady he was with.
"The guy kept going you know, pushing it," said Tepper. "I said: 'Hey, man, she's really not that interested.'"
The exchange continued as the driver's anger grew. He slammed his car in reverse, aiming it at Tepper and the girl. The Cal tackle, reacted quickly, tackling the young woman to push her out of the way of the car.
"The first thing I did, I didn't have time to think," he said. "I hit her and tackled her practically. I was falling on her and my leg got caught under the guy's tire."
The driver not only ran over Tepper's ankle once, he threw the car into forward and ran over it a second time. Meanwhile, the girl suffered only scraps on her leg. Berkeley police arrested the driver after a short chase Sunday morning.
Tepper's injuries to his ankle were severe -- he cut a blood vessel, tore a ligament and broke several bones. He underwent surgery Wednesday morning where doctors put in nine screws and a plate.
His 2005 season has come to an end. His career is definitely in jeopardy since he will not be able to begin even jogging until November.
But Tepper said he does not feel like a hero.
"I just thought it was a natural reaction," he said. "I don't really think of it as me being a hero."
Still the cost is on his mind.
"You set those goals and work hard and you're almost there and it just cuts you," he said. "It just totally takes you down. You strive so hard for this goal and it never happens. But maybe it wasn't my time, I don't know."
"I supposedly save a life. A limb for a life... I guess it's worth it."
Samaritan has his leg broken Cal athlete run over by men annoying a female friend
Jake Curtis, Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writers
Thursday, June 30, 2005
When a group of men in a car tried to pick up a friend of Cal football player Mike Tepper on Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue over the weekend, the 6-foot-6., 312-pound lineman jumped between the car and the woman.
After Tepper, 19, told them to leave her alone, the men allegedly put their car in reverse and ran over the player -- twice -- breaking his leg and putting him out for the football season. Now, two convicted felons from Oakland are in custody, and Tepper is contemplating his future, wondering why he was attacked for simply trying to help a woman.
"My season's toast," Tepper said Wednesday as he recuperated from surgery to repair a broken fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle. He had nine screws and one plate put in his leg and can't put any pressure on it for eight weeks.
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said he was "proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night. ... He is a quality young man. We expect him to make solid contributions for us."
The incident happened at about 1 a.m. Sunday at Telegraph Avenue and Dwight Way, four blocks from UC Berkeley. Tepper and three friends, including the woman, were crossing the street when a carload of young men stopped.
One of them said something like, "Hey, honey, what you doin'?" to Camille Leffall, 22, a UC Berkeley senior and asked for her number, Tepper said.
Leffall ignored the apparent come-on, but the men cut the group off with their car. "I don't think you heard me," one of the men said. "I want your number."
"They were being complete butt-heads," said Leffall, who was a star Cal women's volleyball player.
At that point, Tepper told the man that she wasn't interested and stepped in front of her. That's when the car bumped Leffall, and Tepper fell on top of her to "get me out of danger," she said. But the car ran over his leg and sent him flying about 8 feet, he said.
"They did it on purpose, no ifs, ands or buts," Leffall said.
Then the car came forward and ran over Tepper's leg again, he said.
"I was bleeding like crazy. It took about an hour to stop the bleeding," said Tepper, a graduate of Pacifica High School in Garden Grove (Orange County) whose hometown is in nearby Cypress.
Leffall said of Tepper, "He really lessened the injury to me. I'm really thankful. It was honorable. He didn't have to come up and just stand up for me. "
The assailants crashed into a parked car. Berkeley police arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, and Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, for violating terms of their probation or parole, authorities said. Officers also arrested a third man, but prosecutors declined to file charges against him because of lack of evidence.
Berkeley police are handling the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon. No charges related to the incident have been filed, but prosecutors can do that later while the suspects are being held for parole or probation violations.
Both men are well known to local police, court records show.
Kelley was convicted in 2003 of selling marijuana to an undercover police officer at People's Park. In June 2004, police found "seven dime bags in his underwear" at a Telegraph Avenue market, records show.
"Kelley has been a nuisance in the south campus area as it appears he is conducting his illegal drug trade" in the blocks south of UC Berkeley, Berkeley police Officer Richard Marin wrote in a police report.
Kelley's 16-year-old niece, who didn't want her name used, was surprised by the new allegations against him and said she knew nothing of his drug conviction. "My uncle's not like that," she said. "He's a sweetheart."
In November 2003, Smith fled after being caught by residents trying to steal two car stereos and two amplifiers from a home on the 2700 block of Durant Avenue, court records show. He pleaded no contest to first-degree residential burglary and was sentenced to 16 months in prison for a probation violation.
Smith has convictions dating back to 1991 for possession of stolen property, a weapon and marijuana for sale.
Tepper, meanwhile, said he didn't think he would do anything different if he found himself in the same situation again.
"I don't think so," he said. "It just happened. The whole thing only took 7 to 10 seconds. I just did what was natural. I didn't think about being a hero or anything."
Thursday, June 30, 2005
When a group of men in a car tried to pick up a friend of Cal football player Mike Tepper on Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue over the weekend, the 6-foot-6., 312-pound lineman jumped between the car and the woman.
After Tepper, 19, told them to leave her alone, the men allegedly put their car in reverse and ran over the player -- twice -- breaking his leg and putting him out for the football season. Now, two convicted felons from Oakland are in custody, and Tepper is contemplating his future, wondering why he was attacked for simply trying to help a woman.
"My season's toast," Tepper said Wednesday as he recuperated from surgery to repair a broken fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle. He had nine screws and one plate put in his leg and can't put any pressure on it for eight weeks.
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said he was "proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night. ... He is a quality young man. We expect him to make solid contributions for us."
The incident happened at about 1 a.m. Sunday at Telegraph Avenue and Dwight Way, four blocks from UC Berkeley. Tepper and three friends, including the woman, were crossing the street when a carload of young men stopped.
One of them said something like, "Hey, honey, what you doin'?" to Camille Leffall, 22, a UC Berkeley senior and asked for her number, Tepper said.
Leffall ignored the apparent come-on, but the men cut the group off with their car. "I don't think you heard me," one of the men said. "I want your number."
"They were being complete butt-heads," said Leffall, who was a star Cal women's volleyball player.
At that point, Tepper told the man that she wasn't interested and stepped in front of her. That's when the car bumped Leffall, and Tepper fell on top of her to "get me out of danger," she said. But the car ran over his leg and sent him flying about 8 feet, he said.
"They did it on purpose, no ifs, ands or buts," Leffall said.
Then the car came forward and ran over Tepper's leg again, he said.
"I was bleeding like crazy. It took about an hour to stop the bleeding," said Tepper, a graduate of Pacifica High School in Garden Grove (Orange County) whose hometown is in nearby Cypress.
Leffall said of Tepper, "He really lessened the injury to me. I'm really thankful. It was honorable. He didn't have to come up and just stand up for me. "
The assailants crashed into a parked car. Berkeley police arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, and Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, for violating terms of their probation or parole, authorities said. Officers also arrested a third man, but prosecutors declined to file charges against him because of lack of evidence.
Berkeley police are handling the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon. No charges related to the incident have been filed, but prosecutors can do that later while the suspects are being held for parole or probation violations.
Both men are well known to local police, court records show.
Kelley was convicted in 2003 of selling marijuana to an undercover police officer at People's Park. In June 2004, police found "seven dime bags in his underwear" at a Telegraph Avenue market, records show.
"Kelley has been a nuisance in the south campus area as it appears he is conducting his illegal drug trade" in the blocks south of UC Berkeley, Berkeley police Officer Richard Marin wrote in a police report.
Kelley's 16-year-old niece, who didn't want her name used, was surprised by the new allegations against him and said she knew nothing of his drug conviction. "My uncle's not like that," she said. "He's a sweetheart."
In November 2003, Smith fled after being caught by residents trying to steal two car stereos and two amplifiers from a home on the 2700 block of Durant Avenue, court records show. He pleaded no contest to first-degree residential burglary and was sentenced to 16 months in prison for a probation violation.
Smith has convictions dating back to 1991 for possession of stolen property, a weapon and marijuana for sale.
Tepper, meanwhile, said he didn't think he would do anything different if he found himself in the same situation again.
"I don't think so," he said. "It just happened. The whole thing only took 7 to 10 seconds. I just did what was natural. I didn't think about being a hero or anything."
UC Berkeley football player hit by car while protecting friend
The Associated Press
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Berkeley, Calif. (AP) --
A University of California, Berkeley, football player was seriously injured when authorities say he was allegedly intentionally struck by a car driven by a group of men leering at a female friend.
Mike Tepper, 19, was walking with the woman near campus during the weekend. The men began taunting the woman, a Cal volleyball player, and eventually cut the pair off with their car, police said.
When the men refused to leave the woman alone, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound lineman jumped between the car and the woman. The men allegedly then ran over Tepper twice, breaking his leg.
"My season's toast," Tepper said Wednesday as he recuperated from surgery to repair a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments. He had nine screws and one plate put in his leg and can't walk on it for eight weeks.
Police have arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, and Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, for violating terms of their probation or parole, authorities said. Officers also arrested a third man, but prosecutors declined to file charges against him because of scant evidence.
Police are investigating the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon.
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said he was "proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night."
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Berkeley, Calif. (AP) --
A University of California, Berkeley, football player was seriously injured when authorities say he was allegedly intentionally struck by a car driven by a group of men leering at a female friend.
Mike Tepper, 19, was walking with the woman near campus during the weekend. The men began taunting the woman, a Cal volleyball player, and eventually cut the pair off with their car, police said.
When the men refused to leave the woman alone, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound lineman jumped between the car and the woman. The men allegedly then ran over Tepper twice, breaking his leg.
"My season's toast," Tepper said Wednesday as he recuperated from surgery to repair a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments. He had nine screws and one plate put in his leg and can't walk on it for eight weeks.
Police have arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, and Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, for violating terms of their probation or parole, authorities said. Officers also arrested a third man, but prosecutors declined to file charges against him because of scant evidence.
Police are investigating the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon.
Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said he was "proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night."
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Nice Photo of Today's Non Contact Practice
From the Daily Cal STAFF/BLAIRE BAILY: Cal football players run through several non-contact drills during a workout Thursday afternoon in front of a vacant student section at Memorial Stadium.
Cal football player run over twice; saves coed from attack
Wed, Jun. 29, 2005
By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - Mike Tepper rode along Telegraph Avenue, past the spot where he nearly was killed early Sunday morning.
He noticed that blood stains remained on the street along with the skid marks made by the Chrysler used to run him over.
Those were sobering reminders of a harrowing incident that left Tepper, a freshman offensive tackle for Cal's football team, with a broken fibula, severe ligament damage and a dislocated tibia in his right leg.
The injuries seemed minor considering that Tepper had been run over twice. Berkeley police arrested Berkeley's John Ray Smith and Oakland's Calvin Kelly and charged them with assault with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest.
Tepper and a friend, Cal senior volleyball player Camille Leffall, were crossing Telegraph at Dwight Way about 1:15 a.m. when a Chrysler pulled alongside them. "The driver said, 'Hey, babe, what are you doing?' to Camille," said Tepper, who is 6-foot-6, 330 pounds. "She said she wasn't interested. We kept walking, but we only got about five feet when the car pulled up alongside us into the crosswalk. They kept hitting on her so I stepped in front and said, 'Hey, we're going to meet some friends. Can we just get by?' "
According to Tepper and police reports, as Tepper and Leffall tried to cross behind the car, the vehicle shifted into reverse and headed toward them. "I saw the driver had his hand on the steering column and I thought that this guy was going to punch it," Tepper said. "So I hit Camille across the chest and threw her."
Although Tepper managed to toss Leffall out of the direct path of the car, the front, passenger side of the vehicle blasted into them both. The severity of the impact was lessened for Leffall because Tepper already had sent her sprawling backward.
"We both got hit, but Mike got run over," said Leffall, who suffered cuts and scrapes and an injured back. "It's a good thing he pushed me out of the way, because my body couldn't have handled (being run over). I probably would have had my foot amputated.
"It was really nice of him. He was trying to protect me."
Tepper wasn't so fortunate. "The car hit me, and I hit the ground, and the tire ran over my leg," Tepper said. "I looked back to my right, and the guy puts it in drive and runs over me again."
Again, Tepper's right leg was crushed under the tire before the vehicle drove off.
Fortunately for Tepper, Berkeley Lt. Arnold Lui was a block away in an unmarked police car. He called to get Tepper assistance and took off after the Chrysler.
Lui said the driver of the Chrysler turned off his lights, but after several blocks hit another vehicle. The driver and passengers ran from the vehicle, but Berkeley police managed to apprehend four of them. Lui said he wasn't sure how many people were in the car. Leffall said there were five. Only Kelly and Smith face charges at this time.
Although Tepper won't be able to play football in 2005 because of his injuries and subsequent surgery, he said a quick response by Berkeley police saved his life. "It seemed like only about 10 seconds before two cop cars were there," said Tepper, who was recuperating at his apartment in Berkeley on Wednesday. "I was in shock, and Camille was crying. I looked at my hand, and the blood was like wet paint dripping off. Camille was saying, 'I'm so sorry.' I was telling her, 'You didn't run over me.'
"From what the police told me, the guys who ran me over were not drinking, not on drugs. They were sober. What kind of people would do something like that?"
Tepper was transported by ambulance to Alta Bates Hospital. "The police had put tourniquets around my calf, and when the ambulance got there, a nurse was pumping morphine into me. They all did an amazing job ... they saved my life. It took doctors at the hospital about an hour to stop the bleeding because it had ripped a blood vessel that leads directly to my heart."
On Tuesday morning, Tepper had surgery. "They put a plate and nine screws into me," Tepper said. "I can't put any pressure on my right leg for eight weeks. Then they will take out the screws and plate. In November, I should be able to begin jogging. It will be 2006 before I can start running again."
Leffall still is suffering from back pain and emotional trauma. "I have to walk past that intersection to go to school, and it is really, really tough," she said. "I don't think they found all the guys who were in the car, so I am constantly watching my back. This has overwhelmed me ... the emotions you have. We are getting hit by cars driven by crazed maniacs. It takes away your sense of security."
Tepper's father, Gus Tepper of Cypress, said he will keep checking with the Alameda County District Attorney's office to make sure Kelly and Smith are prosecuted. Court dates for the two have yet to be scheduled.
Although "outraged" by the incident, Gus Tepper said he isn't surprised that his son acted in such a heroic manner. "I am proud of him," Gus Tepper said. "This could have been a very ugly situation. But in other situations, Mike has done the same thing. At parties, if some guy is getting picked on, Mike will get in the way."
"To tell the truth, I don't know how I did it," Tepper said. "I just reacted.
"I credit that to Coach (Jeff) Tedford. He teaches us how to be football players with class. He just doesn't teach us football, he teaches us character ... how to be men."
By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - Mike Tepper rode along Telegraph Avenue, past the spot where he nearly was killed early Sunday morning.
He noticed that blood stains remained on the street along with the skid marks made by the Chrysler used to run him over.
Those were sobering reminders of a harrowing incident that left Tepper, a freshman offensive tackle for Cal's football team, with a broken fibula, severe ligament damage and a dislocated tibia in his right leg.
The injuries seemed minor considering that Tepper had been run over twice. Berkeley police arrested Berkeley's John Ray Smith and Oakland's Calvin Kelly and charged them with assault with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest.
Tepper and a friend, Cal senior volleyball player Camille Leffall, were crossing Telegraph at Dwight Way about 1:15 a.m. when a Chrysler pulled alongside them. "The driver said, 'Hey, babe, what are you doing?' to Camille," said Tepper, who is 6-foot-6, 330 pounds. "She said she wasn't interested. We kept walking, but we only got about five feet when the car pulled up alongside us into the crosswalk. They kept hitting on her so I stepped in front and said, 'Hey, we're going to meet some friends. Can we just get by?' "
According to Tepper and police reports, as Tepper and Leffall tried to cross behind the car, the vehicle shifted into reverse and headed toward them. "I saw the driver had his hand on the steering column and I thought that this guy was going to punch it," Tepper said. "So I hit Camille across the chest and threw her."
Although Tepper managed to toss Leffall out of the direct path of the car, the front, passenger side of the vehicle blasted into them both. The severity of the impact was lessened for Leffall because Tepper already had sent her sprawling backward.
"We both got hit, but Mike got run over," said Leffall, who suffered cuts and scrapes and an injured back. "It's a good thing he pushed me out of the way, because my body couldn't have handled (being run over). I probably would have had my foot amputated.
"It was really nice of him. He was trying to protect me."
Tepper wasn't so fortunate. "The car hit me, and I hit the ground, and the tire ran over my leg," Tepper said. "I looked back to my right, and the guy puts it in drive and runs over me again."
Again, Tepper's right leg was crushed under the tire before the vehicle drove off.
Fortunately for Tepper, Berkeley Lt. Arnold Lui was a block away in an unmarked police car. He called to get Tepper assistance and took off after the Chrysler.
Lui said the driver of the Chrysler turned off his lights, but after several blocks hit another vehicle. The driver and passengers ran from the vehicle, but Berkeley police managed to apprehend four of them. Lui said he wasn't sure how many people were in the car. Leffall said there were five. Only Kelly and Smith face charges at this time.
Although Tepper won't be able to play football in 2005 because of his injuries and subsequent surgery, he said a quick response by Berkeley police saved his life. "It seemed like only about 10 seconds before two cop cars were there," said Tepper, who was recuperating at his apartment in Berkeley on Wednesday. "I was in shock, and Camille was crying. I looked at my hand, and the blood was like wet paint dripping off. Camille was saying, 'I'm so sorry.' I was telling her, 'You didn't run over me.'
"From what the police told me, the guys who ran me over were not drinking, not on drugs. They were sober. What kind of people would do something like that?"
Tepper was transported by ambulance to Alta Bates Hospital. "The police had put tourniquets around my calf, and when the ambulance got there, a nurse was pumping morphine into me. They all did an amazing job ... they saved my life. It took doctors at the hospital about an hour to stop the bleeding because it had ripped a blood vessel that leads directly to my heart."
On Tuesday morning, Tepper had surgery. "They put a plate and nine screws into me," Tepper said. "I can't put any pressure on my right leg for eight weeks. Then they will take out the screws and plate. In November, I should be able to begin jogging. It will be 2006 before I can start running again."
Leffall still is suffering from back pain and emotional trauma. "I have to walk past that intersection to go to school, and it is really, really tough," she said. "I don't think they found all the guys who were in the car, so I am constantly watching my back. This has overwhelmed me ... the emotions you have. We are getting hit by cars driven by crazed maniacs. It takes away your sense of security."
Tepper's father, Gus Tepper of Cypress, said he will keep checking with the Alameda County District Attorney's office to make sure Kelly and Smith are prosecuted. Court dates for the two have yet to be scheduled.
Although "outraged" by the incident, Gus Tepper said he isn't surprised that his son acted in such a heroic manner. "I am proud of him," Gus Tepper said. "This could have been a very ugly situation. But in other situations, Mike has done the same thing. At parties, if some guy is getting picked on, Mike will get in the way."
"To tell the truth, I don't know how I did it," Tepper said. "I just reacted.
"I credit that to Coach (Jeff) Tedford. He teaches us how to be football players with class. He just doesn't teach us football, he teaches us character ... how to be men."
Update From Mike Tepper's Dad
The news is not good regarding Mike Tepper.
http://mb14.scout.com/fcalinsiderfrm8.showMessage?topicID=29690.topic&index=11
http://mb14.scout.com/fcalinsiderfrm8.showMessage?topicID=29690.topic&index=11
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Ranking the 10 best coaches ... and the five worst
Tuesday June 28, 2005
Pete Carroll already is sitting pretty at USC; will he earn a third straight national title?
FROM Heinz Kluetmeier OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
Judging by the e-mails I've received during the past couple of weeks, it seems college football readers, like the sport itself, are in the midst of a summer lull. Not to be mean, but if you had read most of the questions I had to choose from, you, too, would have been headed straight to the hammock for an afternoon siesta.
So to shake things up a bit, I'm resorting to the Internet's one no-fail gimmick (besides porn): lists. In particular, controversial lists that a majority of readers are almost sure to disagree with and will therefore be motivated to type something into that little Mailbag box.
The subject is today's college coaches: the best, the worst, the most underrated and the most overrated. These men almost exclusively were judged on their performance over only the past few years (because that's how quickly job-security status can change these days) and not their career as a whole (sorry, JoePa and Bobby Bowden). And because a head coach is nothing if not for his assistants, the rankings are a de facto assessment of the entire staff and its ability to both recruit and get the most out of the talent it assembles. As a whole, I tend to give more credit to guys who get a lot out of a little, which is why Miami's Larry Coker, who has a staggering 44-6 record but was also handed one of the greatest collections of talent in history by predecessor Butch Davis, does not appear on the "10 Best" list, while Boise State's Dan Hawkins, whose team would have a hard time staying within 20 of the 'Canes, does. So, without further ado:
My top 10 coaches heading into the 2005 season:
1. Pete Carroll, USC: It's hard to argue with this one. In slightly more than four years, he's created the sport's reigning juggernaut, assembled a brilliant staff (which he since has had to replenish), cleaned up in recruiting and continually demonstrated his keen defensive mind with his game plans and in-game adjustments.
2. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: He would have been No. 1 this time a year ago, but Carroll unseated him in somewhat embarrassing fashion. While Stoops' once impregnable rep has taken a hit after two consecutive late-season collapses, the fact is his teams have had five consecutive seasons of 11 wins or more and played for three national titles.
3. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: No one has done a better job the past three years of turning dust into gold, producing three straight 10-win seasons and two shared Big Ten titles despite an overall talent level that pales in comparison to that of conference rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
4. Jim Tressel, Ohio State: While his overly conservative nature is tough for many to stomach (and may have cost the Buckeyes a couple of games early last season when he stubbornly stuck with a horrendous rushing attack), he already has won one national title and has recruited the talent base necessary to win another.
5. Bobby Petrino, Louisville: I know, he's only been on the job for two years, but the guy is a certifiable guru. While John L. Smith got the Cardinals' ball rolling, Petrino has taken them to a whole other stratosphere with his unique offensive mind and ability to recruit BCS-caliber skill players.
6. Urban Meyer, Florida: While it remains to be seen how his system will fare at the major-conference level, there's no denying the rapid effect he had at both of his two previous stops, Bowling Green and Utah, and his new-age offensive approach has taken the sport by storm.
7. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: Beamer is another master of maximizing his resources, as he demonstrated again with last season's ACC title in what really should have been a rebuilding year. His ranking would be higher if not for a couple of disappointing showings in 2002 and '03.
8. Dan Hawkins, Boise State: What Hawkins is doing in the land of smurf turf is nothing short of remarkable. The Broncos have dominated the WAC the past three years, going 36-3 by constantly adjusting their approach to fit their various strengths each season.
9. Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee: Fulmer's staff has taken its share of criticism, but that's partially because it raised the bar so high in the '90s. The Vols have broken out of the brief rut they hit earlier this decade, winning the SEC East last year and nabbing the nation's top recruiting class.
10. Mack Brown, Texas: There undoubtedly will be many who say Brown should be nowhere near this list because he has yet to actually win any sort of championship, but there's no denying he has created an enviable program that has won 10 or more games each of the past four seasons.
Just missed: California's Jeff Tedford, Fresno State's Pat Hill, Michigan's Lloyd Carr (more on him in a bit), Georgia's Mark Richt and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville.
Pete Carroll already is sitting pretty at USC; will he earn a third straight national title?
FROM Heinz Kluetmeier OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
Judging by the e-mails I've received during the past couple of weeks, it seems college football readers, like the sport itself, are in the midst of a summer lull. Not to be mean, but if you had read most of the questions I had to choose from, you, too, would have been headed straight to the hammock for an afternoon siesta.
So to shake things up a bit, I'm resorting to the Internet's one no-fail gimmick (besides porn): lists. In particular, controversial lists that a majority of readers are almost sure to disagree with and will therefore be motivated to type something into that little Mailbag box.
The subject is today's college coaches: the best, the worst, the most underrated and the most overrated. These men almost exclusively were judged on their performance over only the past few years (because that's how quickly job-security status can change these days) and not their career as a whole (sorry, JoePa and Bobby Bowden). And because a head coach is nothing if not for his assistants, the rankings are a de facto assessment of the entire staff and its ability to both recruit and get the most out of the talent it assembles. As a whole, I tend to give more credit to guys who get a lot out of a little, which is why Miami's Larry Coker, who has a staggering 44-6 record but was also handed one of the greatest collections of talent in history by predecessor Butch Davis, does not appear on the "10 Best" list, while Boise State's Dan Hawkins, whose team would have a hard time staying within 20 of the 'Canes, does. So, without further ado:
My top 10 coaches heading into the 2005 season:
1. Pete Carroll, USC: It's hard to argue with this one. In slightly more than four years, he's created the sport's reigning juggernaut, assembled a brilliant staff (which he since has had to replenish), cleaned up in recruiting and continually demonstrated his keen defensive mind with his game plans and in-game adjustments.
2. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: He would have been No. 1 this time a year ago, but Carroll unseated him in somewhat embarrassing fashion. While Stoops' once impregnable rep has taken a hit after two consecutive late-season collapses, the fact is his teams have had five consecutive seasons of 11 wins or more and played for three national titles.
3. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: No one has done a better job the past three years of turning dust into gold, producing three straight 10-win seasons and two shared Big Ten titles despite an overall talent level that pales in comparison to that of conference rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
4. Jim Tressel, Ohio State: While his overly conservative nature is tough for many to stomach (and may have cost the Buckeyes a couple of games early last season when he stubbornly stuck with a horrendous rushing attack), he already has won one national title and has recruited the talent base necessary to win another.
5. Bobby Petrino, Louisville: I know, he's only been on the job for two years, but the guy is a certifiable guru. While John L. Smith got the Cardinals' ball rolling, Petrino has taken them to a whole other stratosphere with his unique offensive mind and ability to recruit BCS-caliber skill players.
6. Urban Meyer, Florida: While it remains to be seen how his system will fare at the major-conference level, there's no denying the rapid effect he had at both of his two previous stops, Bowling Green and Utah, and his new-age offensive approach has taken the sport by storm.
7. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: Beamer is another master of maximizing his resources, as he demonstrated again with last season's ACC title in what really should have been a rebuilding year. His ranking would be higher if not for a couple of disappointing showings in 2002 and '03.
8. Dan Hawkins, Boise State: What Hawkins is doing in the land of smurf turf is nothing short of remarkable. The Broncos have dominated the WAC the past three years, going 36-3 by constantly adjusting their approach to fit their various strengths each season.
9. Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee: Fulmer's staff has taken its share of criticism, but that's partially because it raised the bar so high in the '90s. The Vols have broken out of the brief rut they hit earlier this decade, winning the SEC East last year and nabbing the nation's top recruiting class.
10. Mack Brown, Texas: There undoubtedly will be many who say Brown should be nowhere near this list because he has yet to actually win any sort of championship, but there's no denying he has created an enviable program that has won 10 or more games each of the past four seasons.
Just missed: California's Jeff Tedford, Fresno State's Pat Hill, Michigan's Lloyd Carr (more on him in a bit), Georgia's Mark Richt and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville.
Sac State Newspaper writes about upcoming Cal Game
GAME TIME ANNOUNCED FOR FOOTBALL SEASON OPENER AT CAL Release Date: 6/28/2005
SACRAMENTO, Calif. --- Sacramento State’s football season opener at California will kick off at 2 p.m., it was announced today. The game against the Golden Bears will take place on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. The meeting will be the first between the two schools which are separated by only 83 miles. Last season, Cal posted a 10-2 overall record. The team’s only regular-season loss came at the hands of national champion USC, 23-17. Cal, however, will have to replace starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and starting tailback J.J. Arrington. Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by Green Bay while Arrington went in the second round to Arizona. Tickets for the game will go on sale on Tuesday, July 12. Tickets can be purchased through calbears.com or 1-800-GO-BEARS. Reserved seats are $32 while general admission tickets cost $17 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.The game will mark the fourth-straight season that the Hornets have opened the year against a Div. I-A opponent. In 2002 the team traveled to UTEP. The 2003 season began at Oregon State while the 2004 campaign started at Nevada.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. --- Sacramento State’s football season opener at California will kick off at 2 p.m., it was announced today. The game against the Golden Bears will take place on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. The meeting will be the first between the two schools which are separated by only 83 miles. Last season, Cal posted a 10-2 overall record. The team’s only regular-season loss came at the hands of national champion USC, 23-17. Cal, however, will have to replace starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and starting tailback J.J. Arrington. Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by Green Bay while Arrington went in the second round to Arizona. Tickets for the game will go on sale on Tuesday, July 12. Tickets can be purchased through calbears.com or 1-800-GO-BEARS. Reserved seats are $32 while general admission tickets cost $17 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.The game will mark the fourth-straight season that the Hornets have opened the year against a Div. I-A opponent. In 2002 the team traveled to UTEP. The 2003 season began at Oregon State while the 2004 campaign started at Nevada.
Mike Tepper Possibly Out for Season
There is an unconfirmed report that Mike Tepper was the victim of a hit and run motor vehicle accident and will be out for the season.
He is a 6'6" 312 pound offensive lineman and consensus all-star selection in Southern California. He earned All-CIF, all-county and all-league honors in 2003. Named to first team all-state in Medium Schools Division by Cal Hi Sports. Played in the CaliFlorida Bowl in Moopark, Calif. in January. Listed No. 116 on SuperPrep's Top 132 seniors in California this year and was placed on that recruiting service's All-Far West Team. Led the Pacifica Mariners to the CIF Southern Section finals as a junior and CIF quarterfinals as a senior. Pacifica High was a combined 19-7 over his final two seasons (11-3 in 2002 and 8-4 this past year).named All-CIF and All-League as a junior as well.also played 11 years of youth soccer, which unquestionably improved his speed (4.9 in the 40) and footwork as a football lineman. Excelled in the weight room, placing first in 2003 and third in 2002 at the Garden Grove Unified School District Weight Competition. He broke the district's weight record in 2003, which had stood for 10 years.
He is a 6'6" 312 pound offensive lineman and consensus all-star selection in Southern California. He earned All-CIF, all-county and all-league honors in 2003. Named to first team all-state in Medium Schools Division by Cal Hi Sports. Played in the CaliFlorida Bowl in Moopark, Calif. in January. Listed No. 116 on SuperPrep's Top 132 seniors in California this year and was placed on that recruiting service's All-Far West Team. Led the Pacifica Mariners to the CIF Southern Section finals as a junior and CIF quarterfinals as a senior. Pacifica High was a combined 19-7 over his final two seasons (11-3 in 2002 and 8-4 this past year).named All-CIF and All-League as a junior as well.also played 11 years of youth soccer, which unquestionably improved his speed (4.9 in the 40) and footwork as a football lineman. Excelled in the weight room, placing first in 2003 and third in 2002 at the Garden Grove Unified School District Weight Competition. He broke the district's weight record in 2003, which had stood for 10 years.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Women's Football Huddle on Aug. 5
Learn the ins and outs of football from the Cal coaches.
June 22, 2005
BERKELEY - Cal head coach Jeff Tedford and his coaching staff will host the second annual Cal Women's Football Huddle Friday, Aug. 5 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.
The event - for women only - will interactively teach participants about the ins and outs of football, from officials' signals to individual position responsibilities. More than 300 women signed up last year and an even larger crowd is expected this summer.
Women can register by visiting www.calmarketplace.org and clicking on the Women's Football Huddle icon or by calling (800) GO BEARS.
Appetizers, beverages and a Cal football t-shirt are complimentary with the $25 early registration fee. All participants must be over 21. Sign up a friend during early registration and pay only $40 for two entry fees (must be made at the same time to receive the discount). After July 29, the registration fee rises to $35 per person.
Fans can choose between two different courses. Football 101 includes an introduction to football basics. Learn about equipment, hear from referees and take part in basic drills on the field. This was the only course offered last year and is recommended for those who didn't participate in last year's Football Huddle.
Intermediate Football is designed as the next step for those who came to the Huddle in 2004. This class will feature more interactive drills, including instruction on formations, huddle communication and simulated plays.
Check-in for the event takes place from 4:30-6 p.m. Aug. 5 at the concession area between gates G and GG. The Women's Football Huddle commences at 6 p.m. on the turf at Memorial Stadium. Tours of the facility will be available during check-in and after the event. Participants should wear workout apparel and tennis shoes.
June 22, 2005
BERKELEY - Cal head coach Jeff Tedford and his coaching staff will host the second annual Cal Women's Football Huddle Friday, Aug. 5 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.
The event - for women only - will interactively teach participants about the ins and outs of football, from officials' signals to individual position responsibilities. More than 300 women signed up last year and an even larger crowd is expected this summer.
Women can register by visiting www.calmarketplace.org and clicking on the Women's Football Huddle icon or by calling (800) GO BEARS.
Appetizers, beverages and a Cal football t-shirt are complimentary with the $25 early registration fee. All participants must be over 21. Sign up a friend during early registration and pay only $40 for two entry fees (must be made at the same time to receive the discount). After July 29, the registration fee rises to $35 per person.
Fans can choose between two different courses. Football 101 includes an introduction to football basics. Learn about equipment, hear from referees and take part in basic drills on the field. This was the only course offered last year and is recommended for those who didn't participate in last year's Football Huddle.
Intermediate Football is designed as the next step for those who came to the Huddle in 2004. This class will feature more interactive drills, including instruction on formations, huddle communication and simulated plays.
Check-in for the event takes place from 4:30-6 p.m. Aug. 5 at the concession area between gates G and GG. The Women's Football Huddle commences at 6 p.m. on the turf at Memorial Stadium. Tours of the facility will be available during check-in and after the event. Participants should wear workout apparel and tennis shoes.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Golden State gems
http://florida.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=427295
The 2006 preseason California Top 100Every year in California, the talent and the blue-chip football never ceases to amaze observers. Even during down years when the word is that the talent isn't as good as in other states, around 300 players sign Division I scholarships from the Golden State.
Allen Bradford is ranked as the top player in California by Rivals.com.This year is supposed to be a down year in California, but don't tell that to the 13 Rivals100 members from the group and the players that have made the Rivals.com preseason California Top 100 list.Five-star linebacker Allen Bradford of Colton, Calif., leads the list, followed by defensive back/running back Stafon Johnson at No. 2 and receiver David Ausberry at No. 3. The trio forms a solid nucleus in the state and gives it enough firepower to compete with anybody in the nation."When people first saw Bradford, some were concerned with how tall he is," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Greg Biggins said. "It doesn't matter if he's 5-foot-11 or 10-feet tall, the kid is a big-time player and the best in California. Stafon Johnson is also a two-way threat that some love at defensive back and some love at running back. He's good enough to play at both in college."Rivals.com recruiting analyst Rick Kimbrel likes Ausberry's upside."He's a big, strong, physical receiver," Kimbrel said. "He's the type of receiver that college coaches are looking for in today's game. He's going to create match-up problems because of his height and he can take a pounding with his frame over the middle on the intermediate routes."The top 10 doesn't feature any players that have made commitments at this point. But UCLA does have two pledges from players ranked in top 25 – offensive linemen Andy Keane and Jake Dean, who are ranked 18th and 19th respectively. Overall UCLA has nine commitments in the top 100.With USC recruiting on such a national front, expect the core of its class to come later, but the Trojans do have a top 25 commitment from offensive lineman Zack Heberer of San Pedro. He is ranked as the No. 21 player in the state.The California Bears are also well represented with their quick start out of the gate on the list.Offensive lineman Mike Costanzo of Danville (Calif.) Monte Vista is heading to Cal and is ranked at No. 26 on the list. He's just ahead of Bears defensive end commitment Levirt Griffin of Modesto at No. 34. The Bears do have four impressive commitments in the top 50 and five on the list overall. Click here to read more: http://florida.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=427295
The 2006 preseason California Top 100Every year in California, the talent and the blue-chip football never ceases to amaze observers. Even during down years when the word is that the talent isn't as good as in other states, around 300 players sign Division I scholarships from the Golden State.
Allen Bradford is ranked as the top player in California by Rivals.com.This year is supposed to be a down year in California, but don't tell that to the 13 Rivals100 members from the group and the players that have made the Rivals.com preseason California Top 100 list.Five-star linebacker Allen Bradford of Colton, Calif., leads the list, followed by defensive back/running back Stafon Johnson at No. 2 and receiver David Ausberry at No. 3. The trio forms a solid nucleus in the state and gives it enough firepower to compete with anybody in the nation."When people first saw Bradford, some were concerned with how tall he is," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Greg Biggins said. "It doesn't matter if he's 5-foot-11 or 10-feet tall, the kid is a big-time player and the best in California. Stafon Johnson is also a two-way threat that some love at defensive back and some love at running back. He's good enough to play at both in college."Rivals.com recruiting analyst Rick Kimbrel likes Ausberry's upside."He's a big, strong, physical receiver," Kimbrel said. "He's the type of receiver that college coaches are looking for in today's game. He's going to create match-up problems because of his height and he can take a pounding with his frame over the middle on the intermediate routes."The top 10 doesn't feature any players that have made commitments at this point. But UCLA does have two pledges from players ranked in top 25 – offensive linemen Andy Keane and Jake Dean, who are ranked 18th and 19th respectively. Overall UCLA has nine commitments in the top 100.With USC recruiting on such a national front, expect the core of its class to come later, but the Trojans do have a top 25 commitment from offensive lineman Zack Heberer of San Pedro. He is ranked as the No. 21 player in the state.The California Bears are also well represented with their quick start out of the gate on the list.Offensive lineman Mike Costanzo of Danville (Calif.) Monte Vista is heading to Cal and is ranked at No. 26 on the list. He's just ahead of Bears defensive end commitment Levirt Griffin of Modesto at No. 34. The Bears do have four impressive commitments in the top 50 and five on the list overall. Click here to read more: http://florida.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=427295
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
2005 College Football Preview: Pac-10
By Avery Smith
The Pac-10 has always been one of the most overlooked conferences in all of college football. Even though the national champion resides within its borders, the conference still yearns to get the respect that it deserves. In this article, the Pac-10 gets the red-carpet treatment. Let's take a look at the teams that will separate themselves from the rest of the "Pac."
Southern Cal (Projected Record: 12-1, League: 7-1)
Is there anyone that will argue me on this point? The Trojans come into 2006 with depth at just about every position. Matt Leinart, the Trojan quarterback, is coming back for his senior campaign after winning the Heisman last year. He will have an experienced group of receivers to throw to, including Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett.
However, the most deadly Trojan of all is Reggie Bush. I truly feel that this young man has to be the frontrunner for this year's Heisman. He can, of course, carry the ball, but he is most dangerous when he lines up as a receiver. Even the best linebackers in the Pac-10 have no shot of guarding him.
Speaking of defense, the Trojans are still solid, even with the departures Shaun Cody and Lofa Tatupu. Darnell Bing will anchor a defense that will once again be the true strength of the team. The Trojans' only Achilles heel is the continuity of the team after the loss of offensive coordinator Norm Chow and line coach Ed Orgeron. These two coaches were invaluable to the success of USC last year, and depending on the success of this campaign, they may be sorely missed.
UCLA (9-3, 6-2)
In 2004, UCLA came about as close as anyone to beating USC. They outplayed the Trojans and had it not been for an interception on their final drive, the Bruins might have pulled off the most shocking upset last year. Let's take a look what UCLA brings to the table in 2005.
Drew Olson will spearhead an offense that will continue to improve. At running back, Maurice Drew will anchor a position that has strong for the Bruins for the last 10 years (Skip Hicks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and DeShaun Foster, to name a few). The receiving corps for the Bruins will be led by a tight end. Marcedes Lewis will no doubt be Olson's favorite target, and if he stays healthy, could be a first or second round draft choice. The Bruins will be hurt on offense by the departures of Manuel White and Craig Bragg, who were both selected in this year's NFL draft.
On defense, Spencer Havner and Justin London are two of the best linebackers in the country. The loss of Ben Emanuel hurts the Bruins in the secondary, but Jarrad Page will be more than ready for the task. The Bruins have their toughest matchups (Oklahoma, Arizona State, and Cal) all in the Rose Bowl this year, and if their run defense and offensive line can improve, the Bruins will give the Trojans all they can handle.
Arizona State (8-4, 5-3)
Last season for Arizona State was a successful one. They were consistently ranked in the top 20 and defeated Purdue in the Sun Bowl. There was much reason for optimism for Dirk Koetter's team until the tragic arrest of Loren Wade for murder this spring. Loren Wade was one of my picks to really excel at running back this year. He would have given ASU many reasons to smile, but unfortunately, all he has given them is heartache.
Also, having Andrew Walter at quarterback would help, but ASU's new QB, Sam Keller, will surprise some people. He has a strong arm and understands this offense well. Another positive for Keller is that he will have Derek Hagan to throw to. Hagan is one of the top 10 receivers in the country. He is, by far, the best receiver in the country that no one has heard of. He is primed for an All-American run this year, and if Keller can be consistent, ASU's offense will be nearly as dangerous as it was last year.
On the other side of the ball, the Sun Devils must improve strongly if they have any hopes for a Pac-10 title. Jordan Hill, Jamar Williams, and Dale Robertson must give solid contributions or ASU's defense may be even worse than last year. The secondary, decimated by injury, will have to step up or the team will most definitely suffer. If ASU can apply pressure on the quarterback and cover better, the Sun Devils might end up in the top 20 again.
California (8-4, 5-3)
The 2004 California Bears had one of the most successful years in the school's history. Their 11-2 record was truly unexpected, and they also had an excellent shot of beating the Trojans last year. This year, expectations have been revised downward with the departures of Aaron Rodgers.
The good news for Bears fans is that there are two capable looking men hoping to take his place. Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob both impressed Jeff Tedford during spring workouts. One thing is for certain, whoever comes out of camp as the primary quarterback will inherit a team with the cupboards bare at the skill positions.
I'm sure Jeff Tedford wishes his new quarterback would have the luxury to throw to Geoff McArthur and Chase Lyman. These two receivers combined for over 1,200 yards last year, and their departure leaves the Bears uncomfortably slim in that area. At running back, Marshawn Lynch as the unenviable task of replacing J.J. Arrington, one of the all-time greats. Last year, Lynch did a solid job filling in for Arrington as needed, but can he continue his success as a starter? This will be a very important question for Cal to answer.
On defense, only three of the Bears' front seven return from last year. The good news for Cal fans is that Brandon Mebane is one of them. The sophomore will star in a rejuvenated front seven that will continue to be one of the best in the country. This will take some pressure off of Jeff Tedford's offense because they won't have to put up 40 points to win. If they can average over 24, the Bears will have an excellent 2005.
Washington State (7-5, 4-4)
I think that there will be a three-way tie for fifth-place in the Pac-10 between Washington State, Oregon, and Oregon State. Luckily for the Cougars, I feel that they will own the tiebreakers. Washington State's 2004 campaign was a great example of inconsistency. They struggled against teams they should have destroyed, and played much better teams tough. They have a decent chance at a bowl game this year, and it will depend on their offensive production.
Josh Swogger and Alex Brink were both unimpressive last year and they will have to improve if the Cougars have any shot of a bowl game. The best way for them to get better is to throw to Jason Hill. He might end up being the best receiver in Cougar history. Jerome Harrison can also catch the ball, but he will do most of his damage running through and around opposing defenders. Harrison was a nice surprise for the Cougs and he should continue to solidify the running back position.
Pullman, the home of the Cougars, has always been a tough place to play, but will be even tougher this year because of Wazzu's defense. This year's squad will be led by Will Derting. Derting just might be the best linebacker in the conference. He is the "Ray Lewis" of WSU's defense and his playmaking abilities should allow for this squad to continue improving. The front seven is similar to Cal's in that it is very strong against the run. The key point of improving will be in the secondary. If Washington State's can get contributions from Wally Dada and Eric Frampton, the Cougars might win as many as eight games.
The Pac-10 has always been one of the most overlooked conferences in all of college football. Even though the national champion resides within its borders, the conference still yearns to get the respect that it deserves. In this article, the Pac-10 gets the red-carpet treatment. Let's take a look at the teams that will separate themselves from the rest of the "Pac."
Southern Cal (Projected Record: 12-1, League: 7-1)
Is there anyone that will argue me on this point? The Trojans come into 2006 with depth at just about every position. Matt Leinart, the Trojan quarterback, is coming back for his senior campaign after winning the Heisman last year. He will have an experienced group of receivers to throw to, including Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett.
However, the most deadly Trojan of all is Reggie Bush. I truly feel that this young man has to be the frontrunner for this year's Heisman. He can, of course, carry the ball, but he is most dangerous when he lines up as a receiver. Even the best linebackers in the Pac-10 have no shot of guarding him.
Speaking of defense, the Trojans are still solid, even with the departures Shaun Cody and Lofa Tatupu. Darnell Bing will anchor a defense that will once again be the true strength of the team. The Trojans' only Achilles heel is the continuity of the team after the loss of offensive coordinator Norm Chow and line coach Ed Orgeron. These two coaches were invaluable to the success of USC last year, and depending on the success of this campaign, they may be sorely missed.
UCLA (9-3, 6-2)
In 2004, UCLA came about as close as anyone to beating USC. They outplayed the Trojans and had it not been for an interception on their final drive, the Bruins might have pulled off the most shocking upset last year. Let's take a look what UCLA brings to the table in 2005.
Drew Olson will spearhead an offense that will continue to improve. At running back, Maurice Drew will anchor a position that has strong for the Bruins for the last 10 years (Skip Hicks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and DeShaun Foster, to name a few). The receiving corps for the Bruins will be led by a tight end. Marcedes Lewis will no doubt be Olson's favorite target, and if he stays healthy, could be a first or second round draft choice. The Bruins will be hurt on offense by the departures of Manuel White and Craig Bragg, who were both selected in this year's NFL draft.
On defense, Spencer Havner and Justin London are two of the best linebackers in the country. The loss of Ben Emanuel hurts the Bruins in the secondary, but Jarrad Page will be more than ready for the task. The Bruins have their toughest matchups (Oklahoma, Arizona State, and Cal) all in the Rose Bowl this year, and if their run defense and offensive line can improve, the Bruins will give the Trojans all they can handle.
Arizona State (8-4, 5-3)
Last season for Arizona State was a successful one. They were consistently ranked in the top 20 and defeated Purdue in the Sun Bowl. There was much reason for optimism for Dirk Koetter's team until the tragic arrest of Loren Wade for murder this spring. Loren Wade was one of my picks to really excel at running back this year. He would have given ASU many reasons to smile, but unfortunately, all he has given them is heartache.
Also, having Andrew Walter at quarterback would help, but ASU's new QB, Sam Keller, will surprise some people. He has a strong arm and understands this offense well. Another positive for Keller is that he will have Derek Hagan to throw to. Hagan is one of the top 10 receivers in the country. He is, by far, the best receiver in the country that no one has heard of. He is primed for an All-American run this year, and if Keller can be consistent, ASU's offense will be nearly as dangerous as it was last year.
On the other side of the ball, the Sun Devils must improve strongly if they have any hopes for a Pac-10 title. Jordan Hill, Jamar Williams, and Dale Robertson must give solid contributions or ASU's defense may be even worse than last year. The secondary, decimated by injury, will have to step up or the team will most definitely suffer. If ASU can apply pressure on the quarterback and cover better, the Sun Devils might end up in the top 20 again.
California (8-4, 5-3)
The 2004 California Bears had one of the most successful years in the school's history. Their 11-2 record was truly unexpected, and they also had an excellent shot of beating the Trojans last year. This year, expectations have been revised downward with the departures of Aaron Rodgers.
The good news for Bears fans is that there are two capable looking men hoping to take his place. Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob both impressed Jeff Tedford during spring workouts. One thing is for certain, whoever comes out of camp as the primary quarterback will inherit a team with the cupboards bare at the skill positions.
I'm sure Jeff Tedford wishes his new quarterback would have the luxury to throw to Geoff McArthur and Chase Lyman. These two receivers combined for over 1,200 yards last year, and their departure leaves the Bears uncomfortably slim in that area. At running back, Marshawn Lynch as the unenviable task of replacing J.J. Arrington, one of the all-time greats. Last year, Lynch did a solid job filling in for Arrington as needed, but can he continue his success as a starter? This will be a very important question for Cal to answer.
On defense, only three of the Bears' front seven return from last year. The good news for Cal fans is that Brandon Mebane is one of them. The sophomore will star in a rejuvenated front seven that will continue to be one of the best in the country. This will take some pressure off of Jeff Tedford's offense because they won't have to put up 40 points to win. If they can average over 24, the Bears will have an excellent 2005.
Washington State (7-5, 4-4)
I think that there will be a three-way tie for fifth-place in the Pac-10 between Washington State, Oregon, and Oregon State. Luckily for the Cougars, I feel that they will own the tiebreakers. Washington State's 2004 campaign was a great example of inconsistency. They struggled against teams they should have destroyed, and played much better teams tough. They have a decent chance at a bowl game this year, and it will depend on their offensive production.
Josh Swogger and Alex Brink were both unimpressive last year and they will have to improve if the Cougars have any shot of a bowl game. The best way for them to get better is to throw to Jason Hill. He might end up being the best receiver in Cougar history. Jerome Harrison can also catch the ball, but he will do most of his damage running through and around opposing defenders. Harrison was a nice surprise for the Cougs and he should continue to solidify the running back position.
Pullman, the home of the Cougars, has always been a tough place to play, but will be even tougher this year because of Wazzu's defense. This year's squad will be led by Will Derting. Derting just might be the best linebacker in the conference. He is the "Ray Lewis" of WSU's defense and his playmaking abilities should allow for this squad to continue improving. The front seven is similar to Cal's in that it is very strong against the run. The key point of improving will be in the secondary. If Washington State's can get contributions from Wally Dada and Eric Frampton, the Cougars might win as many as eight games.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Cal football team volunteers at church
Jun. 12, 2005
By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
OAKLAND - A group of about 20 men started to line up in the basement of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church and all of them were peering into the kitchen to see what Harrison Smith was doing.
They cared little that Smith just happens to be a starting cornerback on Cal's football team. On this night, Smith's job as a volunteer salad mixer was much more important. As he backed away from the huge salad bowl, the men knew a meal was coming their way soon.
"In Berkeley, we see people who need a meal every day," said Smith, who is a Skyline High School-Oakland graduate. "It's hard to look at it, but it opens your eyes."
Free meals at the church have become a regular offering to anyone in need. During the regular school year, a couple of local grammar schools -- Aurora and NOCCS -- draw upon their resources to find volunteers to help cook, serve and clean the church. But it's a program that has trouble functioning in the summer.
"We were having an event in May and I thought we would be short people," said Stephen Etter, who became involved in the free meal program because his son Daniel attends Aurora. "I called Tosh Lupoi (a Cal defensive end) and Ryan Foltz (a Golden Bears linebacker), who were students of mine at Cal, and asked if they would give me a hand. They came."
Etter, a San Francisco businessman, Cal grad and volunteer professor at Cal, said that he explained to Lupoi and Foltz about the difficulties of finding help in the summer. "Tosh said to me, 'We will do it. These people won't go hungry.'"
So Lupoi and Foltz went back to their teammates, explained the problem and then hung a volunteer sheet on the wall. "No one was there to feed the homeless, so that's where the Cal football team stepped in and filled the void," Lupoi said. "We will donate some Friday nights, provide meals and cook and clean. Basically, it's just a great way to help out the community and establish more unity within our own team."
More than 30 Cal players showed up on Friday night to help serve about 100 free meals. Lupoi divided the volunteers into shifts to help set up, cook and clean and he had to send home teammates who wanted to work longer hours because he didn't have the room in the kitchen.
"Guys like Tosh and Ryan are what a student-athlete should be all about," Etter said of Lupoi, who is a De La Salle High graduate, and Foltz, who attended Westlake High. "They are the kind of role models I want Daniel Etter to be like. They are humble, young men who don't like the limelight."
Cal coach Jeff Tedford said his players participate in many community projects that go without notice. "The kids continually are asking me if there is anything going on they can help with," Tedford said. "I know these kind of things give them a great feeling of self-worth and they are very gratifying. We have great kids who will continue to do things worth noticing. It's just whether people take the time to notice."
Etter agreed with Tedford that the public seldom gets a glimpse at the true nature of most of the athletes. "They're doing a lot more than we read about," Etter said. "Everyone would be surprised how large the campaign really is."
Anyone who would like to find out more about the program can call the church at 510-658-3665. The church holds benefit concerts featuring local artists the second Friday of every month to help fund the program. Admission is $10.
By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
OAKLAND - A group of about 20 men started to line up in the basement of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church and all of them were peering into the kitchen to see what Harrison Smith was doing.
They cared little that Smith just happens to be a starting cornerback on Cal's football team. On this night, Smith's job as a volunteer salad mixer was much more important. As he backed away from the huge salad bowl, the men knew a meal was coming their way soon.
"In Berkeley, we see people who need a meal every day," said Smith, who is a Skyline High School-Oakland graduate. "It's hard to look at it, but it opens your eyes."
Free meals at the church have become a regular offering to anyone in need. During the regular school year, a couple of local grammar schools -- Aurora and NOCCS -- draw upon their resources to find volunteers to help cook, serve and clean the church. But it's a program that has trouble functioning in the summer.
"We were having an event in May and I thought we would be short people," said Stephen Etter, who became involved in the free meal program because his son Daniel attends Aurora. "I called Tosh Lupoi (a Cal defensive end) and Ryan Foltz (a Golden Bears linebacker), who were students of mine at Cal, and asked if they would give me a hand. They came."
Etter, a San Francisco businessman, Cal grad and volunteer professor at Cal, said that he explained to Lupoi and Foltz about the difficulties of finding help in the summer. "Tosh said to me, 'We will do it. These people won't go hungry.'"
So Lupoi and Foltz went back to their teammates, explained the problem and then hung a volunteer sheet on the wall. "No one was there to feed the homeless, so that's where the Cal football team stepped in and filled the void," Lupoi said. "We will donate some Friday nights, provide meals and cook and clean. Basically, it's just a great way to help out the community and establish more unity within our own team."
More than 30 Cal players showed up on Friday night to help serve about 100 free meals. Lupoi divided the volunteers into shifts to help set up, cook and clean and he had to send home teammates who wanted to work longer hours because he didn't have the room in the kitchen.
"Guys like Tosh and Ryan are what a student-athlete should be all about," Etter said of Lupoi, who is a De La Salle High graduate, and Foltz, who attended Westlake High. "They are the kind of role models I want Daniel Etter to be like. They are humble, young men who don't like the limelight."
Cal coach Jeff Tedford said his players participate in many community projects that go without notice. "The kids continually are asking me if there is anything going on they can help with," Tedford said. "I know these kind of things give them a great feeling of self-worth and they are very gratifying. We have great kids who will continue to do things worth noticing. It's just whether people take the time to notice."
Etter agreed with Tedford that the public seldom gets a glimpse at the true nature of most of the athletes. "They're doing a lot more than we read about," Etter said. "Everyone would be surprised how large the campaign really is."
Anyone who would like to find out more about the program can call the church at 510-658-3665. The church holds benefit concerts featuring local artists the second Friday of every month to help fund the program. Admission is $10.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Cal Kicking Game Redux
More problems with Cal's kicking squad...http://california.scout.com/2/385657.html
Stanford Gets a Stadium
As always, cash talks best of all
Ray Ratto
Wednesday, June 8, 2005 now part of stylesheet -->
Even given all the giggly self-congratulations emanating from the John Arrillaga Center about Stanford's football stadium plan, there was a problem nobody wanted to face:
Namely, that the new stadium is likely to be obsolete by the time Cal gets its new box, and that could play havoc with Big Game ticket splits.
To more fully understand Stanford's downscaled but shiny new tackle emporium, one needs to understand exactly why it is getting a new stadium.
One, because it has an ATM with feet -- coincidentally, named John Arrillaga.
Two, because Arrillaga can squeeze Susan B. Anthony dollars out of a contractor's ear.
Oh, there are other reasons -- Stanford's average football attendance has been in a pronounced decline for years now, the old stadium is finally out of slivers to put in people's behinds, and 84 years is enough time for anything this side of Winston Churchill. I mean, they cited Pompeii as an influence on the old stadium architecture, which indicates that there might be 2,000-year-old, soot-encased Italians buried beneath the north end scoreboard.
But when you get down to the mere matter of money, Arrillaga and his pals at Vance Brown Building Stuff, Inc., can get the new joint designed and built for $85 million out the door, without bank debt, maybe even by the time the 2006 season begins.
In stadium cost terms, that's pure fast-food prices in fast-food time.
On the other hand, there's the Cal stadium, which is still in the throat- clearing, hemming-and-hawing, "Gee, Jeff, we're going as fast as we can" stage.
As we know, continents have formed in the time it takes Cal to go "as fast as we can."
In Cal's defense (which was absent without leave in the Holiday Bowl, but we digress), its stadium project includes offices, meeting rooms, weight- training and medical facilities. It also sits on an active and potentially twitchy earthquake fault, so $85 million isn't going to cut it. Twice that isn't going to cut it. To do the whole project, think $250M and watch the donors race for their angina medication.
That's the other problem. Stanford athletic director/rich donor extortionist extraordinaire Teddy Leland said the only reason the school announced its stadium plan at all was because details were leaking out; otherwise, "we probably would have waited until we had most of the money already. I mean, they say you should never announce anything until you have at least half the money."
Stanford already has 70 percent of what it needs.
Cal, on the other hand, claims to have $25 million, between 10 and 12 percent of the likely cost of its project, and is still trying to decide on an architect, let alone plans.
While Stanford has been discussing its stadium plan for less than a year, Cal has been on this topic for nearly a decade, through three or four (we forget the number at this point) athletic directors.
In other words, the only things keeping Cal from a new football stadium worthy of its program are (a) money, (b) will, (c) direction and (d) details.
While this has the additional motivation of keeping football coach Jeff Tedford mollified about a new plant, it makes you wonder if Cal couldn't ask to borrow Arrillaga when Stanford is done with him.
Cal has donors, sure, big donors. But the big-daddiest donor, Ned Spieker, reportedly is leery of committing money to a stadium plan he has neither seen nor has had priced. If he won't leap, the story further goes, neither will the other fat-wallets.
In addition, athletic director Sandy Barbour is still trying to overcome some alumni resentment about having gotten the job instead of other candidates (notably Mark Stephens and Dan Coonan, both of whom have left the hill for flatter land and better jobs).
Cal people also will complain about the Berkeley City Council without much provocation, and yes, the townies aren't terribly malleable on this sort of thing. Still, Cal's not moving the franchise to Las Vegas. Berkeley isn't going to become an offshore casino, so maybe more creativity and less bitching is what's needed here.
Besides, with the problems Cal already has with this not-quite-yet-a- project, the city council is about issue No. 9 on the list.
So Cal, with the coach who has been promised a new plant, is still in full-court dither, Stanford, with a coach who would have played on University Avenue to get the job, is making a new yard in record time, and on budget, because of the handy not-to-exceed-this-cost clause in the construction deal.
The lesson: Money on the hoof is good.
The ancillary lesson: You can get decent odds on Stanford expanding its stadium to 80,000 before Cal schedules a ribbon-cutting.
The asterisk: Maybe Tedford will keep Memorial Stadium filled enough to keep people from noticing that it's still Memorial Stadium. A Cal fan can only hope.
And donate.
Ray Ratto
Wednesday, June 8, 2005 now part of stylesheet -->
Even given all the giggly self-congratulations emanating from the John Arrillaga Center about Stanford's football stadium plan, there was a problem nobody wanted to face:
Namely, that the new stadium is likely to be obsolete by the time Cal gets its new box, and that could play havoc with Big Game ticket splits.
To more fully understand Stanford's downscaled but shiny new tackle emporium, one needs to understand exactly why it is getting a new stadium.
One, because it has an ATM with feet -- coincidentally, named John Arrillaga.
Two, because Arrillaga can squeeze Susan B. Anthony dollars out of a contractor's ear.
Oh, there are other reasons -- Stanford's average football attendance has been in a pronounced decline for years now, the old stadium is finally out of slivers to put in people's behinds, and 84 years is enough time for anything this side of Winston Churchill. I mean, they cited Pompeii as an influence on the old stadium architecture, which indicates that there might be 2,000-year-old, soot-encased Italians buried beneath the north end scoreboard.
But when you get down to the mere matter of money, Arrillaga and his pals at Vance Brown Building Stuff, Inc., can get the new joint designed and built for $85 million out the door, without bank debt, maybe even by the time the 2006 season begins.
In stadium cost terms, that's pure fast-food prices in fast-food time.
On the other hand, there's the Cal stadium, which is still in the throat- clearing, hemming-and-hawing, "Gee, Jeff, we're going as fast as we can" stage.
As we know, continents have formed in the time it takes Cal to go "as fast as we can."
In Cal's defense (which was absent without leave in the Holiday Bowl, but we digress), its stadium project includes offices, meeting rooms, weight- training and medical facilities. It also sits on an active and potentially twitchy earthquake fault, so $85 million isn't going to cut it. Twice that isn't going to cut it. To do the whole project, think $250M and watch the donors race for their angina medication.
That's the other problem. Stanford athletic director/rich donor extortionist extraordinaire Teddy Leland said the only reason the school announced its stadium plan at all was because details were leaking out; otherwise, "we probably would have waited until we had most of the money already. I mean, they say you should never announce anything until you have at least half the money."
Stanford already has 70 percent of what it needs.
Cal, on the other hand, claims to have $25 million, between 10 and 12 percent of the likely cost of its project, and is still trying to decide on an architect, let alone plans.
While Stanford has been discussing its stadium plan for less than a year, Cal has been on this topic for nearly a decade, through three or four (we forget the number at this point) athletic directors.
In other words, the only things keeping Cal from a new football stadium worthy of its program are (a) money, (b) will, (c) direction and (d) details.
While this has the additional motivation of keeping football coach Jeff Tedford mollified about a new plant, it makes you wonder if Cal couldn't ask to borrow Arrillaga when Stanford is done with him.
Cal has donors, sure, big donors. But the big-daddiest donor, Ned Spieker, reportedly is leery of committing money to a stadium plan he has neither seen nor has had priced. If he won't leap, the story further goes, neither will the other fat-wallets.
In addition, athletic director Sandy Barbour is still trying to overcome some alumni resentment about having gotten the job instead of other candidates (notably Mark Stephens and Dan Coonan, both of whom have left the hill for flatter land and better jobs).
Cal people also will complain about the Berkeley City Council without much provocation, and yes, the townies aren't terribly malleable on this sort of thing. Still, Cal's not moving the franchise to Las Vegas. Berkeley isn't going to become an offshore casino, so maybe more creativity and less bitching is what's needed here.
Besides, with the problems Cal already has with this not-quite-yet-a- project, the city council is about issue No. 9 on the list.
So Cal, with the coach who has been promised a new plant, is still in full-court dither, Stanford, with a coach who would have played on University Avenue to get the job, is making a new yard in record time, and on budget, because of the handy not-to-exceed-this-cost clause in the construction deal.
The lesson: Money on the hoof is good.
The ancillary lesson: You can get decent odds on Stanford expanding its stadium to 80,000 before Cal schedules a ribbon-cutting.
The asterisk: Maybe Tedford will keep Memorial Stadium filled enough to keep people from noticing that it's still Memorial Stadium. A Cal fan can only hope.
And donate.
BAD NEWS
Our spies at practice this week have revealed that the team is worried about the QB situation. Apparently the new QB prospect throws more like Billy Kilmer than Aaron Rodgers. Tedford is going to earn his salary on this kid!
Monday, June 06, 2005
Stanford's stadium plan leaves Cal in the dust
By Mark Purdy
Mercury News Staff Columnist
If you can't beat them, outconstruct them. Stanford has always grasped the fundamentals.
Over the past three football seasons, Cal has chewed up Stanford and spit out little bits of Cardinal crumbs, winning the annual Big Game by a combined total of eight zillion to three. Or so it has seemed.
Ah, but now comes sweet revenge. Stanford is going to kick butt in new-stadium building.
In fact, it won't even be close. If this were a hot-dog-eating contest, Cal would already be in negative weiner amortization.
Sometime in the next few days, Stanford's board of trustees is expected to approve plans for a football facility that will cost between $80 million and $90 million. The new stadium will involve a major reinvention and remodeling of the current stadium, reducing the capacity from 85,500 to a more intimate 55,000.
Not only that, but there is apparently enough money and support to get things started and complete the project in time for the 2006 season. Demolition will begin after the final play of the 2005 season. The new structure will be completed in less than a year.
``There won't be any need to play home games at Spartan Stadium or SBC Park for even one season,'' says one voice who should know. ``The plan is to get it done by October of 2006 when the first Stanford home game is scheduled.''
Compare this, if you will, to the ongoing slog in Berkeley, where Memorial Stadium is desperately in need of repair. For the past five years, Cal administrators have been laboring to cobble together some sort of . . . well, some sort of general prospective plans for a possible new stadium that might be feasible. Potentially.
If only that were an exaggeration. Cal has tried to amp up the stadium fever to keep Coach Jeff Tedford from looking elsewhere. But the last official word from Cal on this topic occurred May 10. In a conference call with reporters, a Cal associate vice-chancellor named Tom Lollini said that construction on a football stadium would ``hopefully'' be under way in early 2007. But before that can happen, more money must be raised. Trouble is, there is no cost estimate yet for the project. There are also no specific design plans, although an architectural firm has been retained.
Still, associate vice-chancellor Lollini claimed that the framework for building a new stadium is ``on track.''
This appears to be true, in the same sense that the framework for Adam Sandler to win an Oscar is ``on track.''
Perhaps if you are an associate vice-chancellor, you know more than the average person. But here is how the situation looks from the outside:
As the Cal community has dithered and thrashed about in pursuit of a new stadium, the Stanford community has figured out a way to just get it done. Cal has had a five-year head start in the stadium chase, but Stanford is going to complete the details, get out the heavy equipment and be ready to open for business before Cal even breaks ground -- if ground is indeed ever broken.
And you want to know the hilarious part? This has happened before, with almost the exact same plotline.
Eighty-five years ago, neither Cal nor Stanford had a large stadium on campus. The Big Game was always played in San Francisco. So in the spring of 1921, Cal announced a campaign to build a football facility to honor World War I veterans. A million dollars was raised to get the project started. But bureaucratic procedures needed to be followed, slowing down the process.
Meanwhile, Stanford officials heard about the Cal plans and rushed into action. Stanford vowed to erect a new home for its own football team, and to complete it quicker. Three engineering professors drew up blueprints for a stadium. Teams of mules and men were assembled. A large oval-shaped hole was dug out on the campus' east edge. Bleachers were installed. Stanford Stadium was completed in four months, just in time for the 1921 Big Game.
Memorial Stadium in Berkeley did not open until November 1923.
Now, you could claim that Stanford has always had an unfair advantage in these things. Stanford is a private school and can move more rapidly without filling out as many forms and getting the approval of as many associate vice-chancellors.
You could also claim that Cal's stadium site is far more problematic, because it cuts into a hillside, straddles the Hayward Fault and needs significant earthquake mitigation.
But we all know the only factor that truly matters when big money is needed -- and that's the big money. Stanford is somehow able to find it. Cal is not. Stanford is the more gentrified school by reputation, but Cal has three times as many graduates -- and some of them are millionaires, too.
So it might be just a matter of style and culture. The new stadium project at Stanford is expected to be guided by John Arrillaga, the billionaire developer who has been Stanford's most loyal athletic contributor. When he steps up and offers to drive, Stanford hands him the keys.
That never could happen at Cal, where Arrillaga would be told to sit in the back seat and enjoy the ride while three associate vice-chancellors try to program the GPS device by the steering wheel. Forced to play under those rules, Arrillaga would probably not even climb in the car.
We can empathize with Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, who must navigate the UC red tape (and gold tape and blue tape). But she knew the job was dangerous when she took it -- which is why one person who has been involved with the Berkeley stadium quest says it could easily end with the Golden Bears playing their home games at Oakland's McAfee Coliseum in 2011, after the Raiders' lease expires.
By that time, Stanford's new stadium will already be six seasons old. Location, location, location.
Mercury News Staff Columnist
If you can't beat them, outconstruct them. Stanford has always grasped the fundamentals.
Over the past three football seasons, Cal has chewed up Stanford and spit out little bits of Cardinal crumbs, winning the annual Big Game by a combined total of eight zillion to three. Or so it has seemed.
Ah, but now comes sweet revenge. Stanford is going to kick butt in new-stadium building.
In fact, it won't even be close. If this were a hot-dog-eating contest, Cal would already be in negative weiner amortization.
Sometime in the next few days, Stanford's board of trustees is expected to approve plans for a football facility that will cost between $80 million and $90 million. The new stadium will involve a major reinvention and remodeling of the current stadium, reducing the capacity from 85,500 to a more intimate 55,000.
Not only that, but there is apparently enough money and support to get things started and complete the project in time for the 2006 season. Demolition will begin after the final play of the 2005 season. The new structure will be completed in less than a year.
``There won't be any need to play home games at Spartan Stadium or SBC Park for even one season,'' says one voice who should know. ``The plan is to get it done by October of 2006 when the first Stanford home game is scheduled.''
Compare this, if you will, to the ongoing slog in Berkeley, where Memorial Stadium is desperately in need of repair. For the past five years, Cal administrators have been laboring to cobble together some sort of . . . well, some sort of general prospective plans for a possible new stadium that might be feasible. Potentially.
If only that were an exaggeration. Cal has tried to amp up the stadium fever to keep Coach Jeff Tedford from looking elsewhere. But the last official word from Cal on this topic occurred May 10. In a conference call with reporters, a Cal associate vice-chancellor named Tom Lollini said that construction on a football stadium would ``hopefully'' be under way in early 2007. But before that can happen, more money must be raised. Trouble is, there is no cost estimate yet for the project. There are also no specific design plans, although an architectural firm has been retained.
Still, associate vice-chancellor Lollini claimed that the framework for building a new stadium is ``on track.''
This appears to be true, in the same sense that the framework for Adam Sandler to win an Oscar is ``on track.''
Perhaps if you are an associate vice-chancellor, you know more than the average person. But here is how the situation looks from the outside:
As the Cal community has dithered and thrashed about in pursuit of a new stadium, the Stanford community has figured out a way to just get it done. Cal has had a five-year head start in the stadium chase, but Stanford is going to complete the details, get out the heavy equipment and be ready to open for business before Cal even breaks ground -- if ground is indeed ever broken.
And you want to know the hilarious part? This has happened before, with almost the exact same plotline.
Eighty-five years ago, neither Cal nor Stanford had a large stadium on campus. The Big Game was always played in San Francisco. So in the spring of 1921, Cal announced a campaign to build a football facility to honor World War I veterans. A million dollars was raised to get the project started. But bureaucratic procedures needed to be followed, slowing down the process.
Meanwhile, Stanford officials heard about the Cal plans and rushed into action. Stanford vowed to erect a new home for its own football team, and to complete it quicker. Three engineering professors drew up blueprints for a stadium. Teams of mules and men were assembled. A large oval-shaped hole was dug out on the campus' east edge. Bleachers were installed. Stanford Stadium was completed in four months, just in time for the 1921 Big Game.
Memorial Stadium in Berkeley did not open until November 1923.
Now, you could claim that Stanford has always had an unfair advantage in these things. Stanford is a private school and can move more rapidly without filling out as many forms and getting the approval of as many associate vice-chancellors.
You could also claim that Cal's stadium site is far more problematic, because it cuts into a hillside, straddles the Hayward Fault and needs significant earthquake mitigation.
But we all know the only factor that truly matters when big money is needed -- and that's the big money. Stanford is somehow able to find it. Cal is not. Stanford is the more gentrified school by reputation, but Cal has three times as many graduates -- and some of them are millionaires, too.
So it might be just a matter of style and culture. The new stadium project at Stanford is expected to be guided by John Arrillaga, the billionaire developer who has been Stanford's most loyal athletic contributor. When he steps up and offers to drive, Stanford hands him the keys.
That never could happen at Cal, where Arrillaga would be told to sit in the back seat and enjoy the ride while three associate vice-chancellors try to program the GPS device by the steering wheel. Forced to play under those rules, Arrillaga would probably not even climb in the car.
We can empathize with Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, who must navigate the UC red tape (and gold tape and blue tape). But she knew the job was dangerous when she took it -- which is why one person who has been involved with the Berkeley stadium quest says it could easily end with the Golden Bears playing their home games at Oakland's McAfee Coliseum in 2011, after the Raiders' lease expires.
By that time, Stanford's new stadium will already be six seasons old. Location, location, location.
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