ESPN: Trent leads surprising WSU D, tackle's arrest doesn't help

Link.

Ted Miller

Washington State's hope for a miraculous burst of success upon the arrival of new coach Paul Wulff was quashed by a 39-13 defeat to a middling Oklahoma State team in Seattle's Qwest Field last weekend.  The reality is the Cougars are thin, and preseason injuries -- among other issues -- have made them thinner. "It was rough how it turned out," linebacker Greg Trent said. "It hurts because losing never feels good but we know it's something we can build on and fix. It's not going to keep us under water or nothing."  Trent was one of the bright spots. He led the Cougars with nine tackles and a sack, and the defense as a whole played fairly well despite getting little or no help from special teams or an anemic opening effort from the new non-huddle, spread offense.

"I think our defense played pretty good," Wulff said. "They were put in some terrible situations throughout the ball game and they responded."   News today wasn't great for the D, though. Defensive tackle A'i Ahmu, the Cougars best interior lineman, turned himself in to the WSU Police Department on Wednesday after a warrant for his arrest was issued because he missed a court date on a minor-in-possession of alcohol charge, according to the Seattle Times.

Wulff told the newspaper that he wasn't sure yet whether Ahmu's issue would keep him out of the game Saturday against California in Martin Stadium.  If Ahmu can't go, his replacement is senior walk-on Adam Hainline.

Cal's offense figures to offer an even stiffer test than the Cowboys. It rolled up 467 yards against Michigan State, including 203 yards on the ground. The Bears offensive line is physical, and tailbacks Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen are as speedy a combination as any in the conference.   "They've got powerful, strong, explosive offense," Trent said. "Cal is a pretty good team."  How is WSU going to stop them? "Nothing that I can say -- don't want to give away the game plan," Trent said.  In the preseason, even though eight starters were back on defense, most thought the offense would lead the way for Washington State. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-10 in scoring defense a year ago (32.4 ppg), while the offense looked fairly skilled, even if it was breaking in a new QB to a new scheme.  That feeling is now mostly reversed. At least until Wulff's plan starts to click with QB Gary Rogers.  "There a lot of optimism," Wulff said. "And it starts with our defense. They are going to keep us in ball games."  How many of those games will the Cougars end up winning, though? They were almost universally picked to finish last in the conference during the preseason, and their performance in game one did little to alter that perception.  "We don't pay much attention to that -- they always pick the Cougs to finish last but we always end up shocking some people," Trent said.

 

Daily Evergreen: Cougars face a tough game in home opener

Link.

The Cougars get another chance at a fresh start.  Coming off a season-opening defeat at Qwest Field in Wulff’s first game as head coach, the WSU football team (0-1) is poised to bounce back this Saturday against Cal at the newly renovated Martin Stadium as fans get their first look at a new coach and quarterback in Pullman.  The stadium will host its first game of the 2008 season against Pac-10 rival Cal, a team coming off a 38-31 triumph over Michigan State University at home last weekend.  “They’re a very physical football team on both sides of the ball,” Wulff said. “They’ve got an athletic quarterback, and from a talent standpoint, they’re definitely one of the top teams in the conference.” The Golden Bears defeated WSU 20-17 last season on the Bears’ home turf and claimed the previous matchup in Pullman, trouncing the Cougars 21-3 in 2006. However, the Cougars have won nine of their last 10 games against Cal at Martin Stadium and are looking to get back on track after an abysmal opener in Seattle.  Quarterback Kevin Riley led Cal in its opener, completing 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was delivered to the Golden Bears’ top tight end, junior Cameron Morrah, who also caught five passes for 93 yards.

“It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for us,” Wulff said. “But at the same time we have them at home, and if our kids take steps that we believe they can take, it’s going to be a heck of a ball game.” The Cougars will keep busy with Cal’s somewhat stingy defense, made of four senior linebackers. The Golden Bears looked defensively sound against the Spartans in their opener, with no defensive touchdowns allowed, five punts forced and one interception in the first half to build a 10-point cushion.  “They play fast, they play hard,” WSU quarterback Gary Rogers said about Cal’s defense. “We’re looking to go out there and match their intensity. They’ve got some really good players. The front line and the linebackers are the strength of their defense.” The Golden Bears collapsed on defense in the second half, allowing MSU to tally 17 points in the fourth quarter but held on for the victory.  Cal runs a stealthy 3-4 defense that’s sure to cause problems for the WSU offense, which hopes to create an improved tempo from its loss to Oklahoma State University.  “They’re all aggressive and explosive,” WSU wide receiver Brandon Gibson said. “They’re a good defense and a formidable opponent. We want to play with a better tempo.”

Notes:   The Cougars have won 14 of their last 16 Martin Stadium openers, including a current seven-game winning streak.

The kicking situation hasn’t improved for the Cougars, who are still searching for a kicker to solidify the starting job. Wade Penner, Patrick Rooney and Nico Grasu all struggled at Wednesday’s practice. Penner is the current starter, but he missed an extra point in the team’s opener versus OSU.

The 1988 WSU football team, which claimed the Aloha Bowl title and halted an 82-year bowl drought for the school, will be honored at halftime of Saturday’s game. Wulff and WSU special teams coach Steve Broussard are among those honored on the 20th anniversary of the 24-22 victory over No. 14-ranked Houston.

San Jose Mercury: Cal's early Pac-10 game poses some problems

Link.

Jonathan Okanes

Cal's game Saturday at Washington State will be the earliest the Bears have commenced Pacific-10 Conference play since 1993, when they defeated UCLA in the season opener. Cal would prefer to know a little more about itself before starting conference competition, but the Bears will have to proceed with the knowledge they have for the matchup at Martin Stadium.  "This really matters," Cal All-America center Alex Mack said. "This is for the Rose Bowl, the Pac-10 championship. It's conference play. At least it's not the first game. It's important and big, but it will also keep us focused." A handful of other conference games are being played early this season. Stanford played Oregon State and Oregon took on Washington in openers last weekend. Stanford plays at Arizona State on Saturday. Ideally, teams play all of their non-conference games before beginning Pac-10 play. But television opportunities and scheduling conflicts sometimes force teams to move up conference games. Cal Coach Jeff Tedford isn't a big fan of playing a conference game so early, especially on the road. He said because of the 64-player roster limit for Pac-10 road games, the coaching staff has had to speed up personnel evaluation in certain areas this fall. "You like to play your non-conference games first and then get to conference play," Tedford said. "You like to be able to figure out who's exactly going to play for you in special teams, and get some game experience for guys before you have to get into conference play. That's a challenge this week to cut down to 64 for the road. You're still evaluating some situations on special teams and so on and so forth."

This will only be a taste of Pac-10 play for the Bears. They follow Saturday with two more non-conference games before resuming the conference schedule Oct. 4 against Arizona State. Not only are the Bears starting Pac-10 competition early, they also are facing an opponent with a new coaching staff that has implemented a no-huddle, spread offense. Tedford said the Bears have watched film of Eastern Washington, Washington State Coach Paul Wulff's previous stop, but don't have a lot to go on for the conference opener. "You just don't know what to expect," Tedford said. "We've obviously seen tape of Eastern Washington from last year to try to get a gauge on who they are. But their personnel is a little bit different at Washington State. There are a lot of unknowns playing a conference game so early, especially against somebody you don't have a lot of history with. That makes it more difficult to play a conference game that early when it's a new coach." The MRI exam on punter Bryan Anger's sprained knee came back negative, Tedford said. Anger is expected to be ready by Saturday.

SF Chronicle: Former Bears help Cougars prepare

Link.

Rusty Simmons

Washington State's James Montgomery says he'll spend this week's practices running faster than ever.  "I'm doing the best I can to prepare our defense for Jahvid Best's speed," Montgomery said. "I'm not sure they realize yet just how fast he is." Few know better than Montgomery, who was in the Cal program for two seasons before transferring to Washington State in March. Though Montgomery was listed as the Bears' No. 1 tailback going into spring practices, he probably would have dropped to No. 3 by the season-opener. Once Best proved he had recovered from a hip injury and redshirt freshman Shane Vereen developed into a versatile backup, there weren't many carries left for Montgomery. The remaining Cal tandem combined for 212 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards in Saturday's 38-31 win over Michigan State. "The depth chart played no factor in my decision to leave," said Montgomery, who ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. "Year in and year out, they have great backs, so I knew I'd have to compete. "I just really never wanted to go there, so I could never play to my full potential."

Cornerback Brandon Jones, who also transferred from Cal to Washington State during the offseason, had a similar sentiment. The Seattle native, who contributed on special teams for the Bears, also wanted to be closer to home. "I didn't think that Berkeley was the place for me, and I wanted to see what else was out there," Jones said. "I knew I could stay and compete for a starting job and hopefully be playing, but that wasn't the best thing for me." Both Montgomery and Jones have to sit out this season, although they can practice, per NCAA rules. There don't seem to be any hard feelings toward their ex-teammates. "I'm a big-time supporter of all of the guys," Montgomery said. "I want them to do well, because those are my guys, but at same time, I want us to win," Jones said. "Every other game, I hope they win."

Ups and downs: The meteoric rise of freshman kicker Giorgio Tavecchio may be matched by just as swift a fall. The 5-foot-8 walk-on from Campolindo arrived on campus just three days before the Michigan State game and won kickoff duties. After five relatively short kicks on game day, Tavecchio was replaced by freshman David Seawright and may not kick against Washington State. A travel squad can be no larger than 64 players and coach Jeff Tedford said he rarely includes two kickers.

Briefly: Asked about the banner, which hangs in the trees south of Memorial Stadium and reads "We can have old trees + new gyms," quarterback Kevin Riley said, "I don't think anyone on this team really cares. We can't do anything about it." ... Cal's offensive line paved the way for 203 rushing yards and 264 passing yards against Michigan State. Senior center Alex Mack's assessment: "We gave up one sack, and that's too many." ... Tedford said cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson (shoulder) would be in the mix at punt returner if he was healthy, but the team is satisfied with sixth-year senior Sean Young for now. "We have the most confidence in Young fielding the ball. The (top) objectives are to make good decisions and to field the punt, and Young is the best at that."

 

Daily Cal: Gregory Believes Cal D Can Be Even Better

Link. (Hit link to watch a video interview of Zack Follett on the Daily Cal website)

Having had the time to review last week's game film, defensive coordinator Bob Gregory delved a bit further into the Bears' showing against Michigan State.  To recap, Cal was tested late in the game with a two-touchdown lead, but held off a scrappy comeback. Still, Gregory implied his unit isn't yet a finished product.  "When we went fast, I think our effort was there on Saturday, no question," he said. "But I don't think we played smart all the time. We gave up a couple touchdowns that I think we shouldn't have given up.  "I think we played hard, and I think we played fast. We can improve, and that's another positive."  Defensive end Tyson Alualu has also been highlighted as a positive from the win over the Spartans. And as if they needed help, Alualu and senior Rulon Davis will welcome sophomore Cameron Jordan back to the rotation.  Jordan, who served a one-game suspension against the Spartans for violating team rules, has been on a tear in practice, as was evident in Wednesday's 1-on-1 drill between the defensive and offensive linemen.  "Yeah, definitely," Gregory said when asked whether he's noticed Jordan's efforts this week. "He's a guy that can rush the passer, and we need that kind of guy to come off the edge."  Although the official depth chart lists Jordan behind sophomore Keith Browner as of Aug. 31, Gregory confirmed that Jordan will be the No. 3 guy behind Alualu and Davis upon his return.

Davis, meanwhile, was his typical merciless self in drills, while defensive tackle Mika Kane appeared to have gained an extra step in recovering from a bum ankle.

Cal ran an 11-on-11 situational in practice last night, setting a fourth-quarter scene that saw the offense trailing 23-21 with 1:30 remaining on the clock.   Quarterback Kevin Riley played with the 1's and went 2-for-4 in leading the offense to a David Seawright field goal. Wideout Nyan Boateng, who hasn't shown a trace of Saturday's off-night thus far in practice, wowed his teammates with a one-handed grab that secured a critical first down.  "He's doing fine," coach Jeff Tedford said of Boateng. "He had a couple tough balls last game, some real low balls, so we worked hard this week on making diving catches ... It's not something you get a chance to do all the time, but he's been practicing really well."  After turning in a fairly innocuous Cal debut during which he wasn't quite 100 percent (toe), receiver Michael Calvin also seems poised to see more action in Pullman, Wash. Calvin took reps with both the first and second teams.  "There's no question (Calvin) was our leading receiver coming into camp, and he had a great camp," Tedford said. "Definitely, it'll be a little boost to have him healthy."  Meanwhile, offensive tackle Mike Tepper remained in a no-contact jersey, though he showed up as a scout team defensive tackle. Tepper has been regularly participating in individual drills with the O-line as well.

As the scout team quarterback, redshirt Beau Sweeney has been giving the Bears defense all sorts of looks. The first-unit defense had simply observed Sweeney's out-of-pocket endeavors during fall camp, but in the past few days, they've been the ones to chase his trail.  "He's definitely a runner," Gregory said. "He's a good athlete."  Despite being rough around the edges, Sweeney seems to be Cal's best option at simulating Cougars quarterback Gary Rogers and their no-huddle offense.  "I think their scheme is really good," Gregory said. "They're hard to defend, they spread the field, they do a lot of different things shift-wise, motion-wise. You have to be on your game."

Punter Bryan Anger's MRI results came back negative, and he will likely make the Cal football team's 64-man travel roster for Saturday's tilt, Tedford said following Wednesday's practice.  Anger has been sporting a protective knee brace on his right (kicking) leg this week, but it appears the redshirt freshman and his golden leg will be available for the roadie.

 

SF Chronicle: Cal Gets Go-Ahead for Sports Training Center

Link.

Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer

(Note from Blogger: Fire up the freakin’ chain saws!)

 

A state appeals court today refused to block UC Berkeley's plans to build a sports training center next to Memorial Stadium, denying a request from oak tree advocates and a neighborhood group for a new order stopping the project.  The court's action came after an Alameda County judge last week lifted her order preventing the university from beginning construction in a grove of trees occupied by protesters opposed to the campus' plans for the $124 million center. "As far as we're concerned, we're clear to begin construction," said campus spokesman Dan Mogulof, who added that he did not know when the university will act. "The State Court of Appeal ruled quickly and decisively on this, and for us that's extremely significant." Any action at the grove adjacent to the stadium will almost certainly bring a confrontation with four remaining tree-sitters who've been living in the grove. Stephan Volker, who represents the tree advocates, including those who are sitting in a grove of trees where the training center is planned, said he will ask the California Supreme Court on Friday to issue a new order blocking the project. "We're disappointed in the Court of Appeals' ruling, but we will persevere," Volker said. Opponents of the training center say it poses serious environmental and safety risks. The city of Berkeley, the Panoramic Hill Association and a group of oak advocates filed suit in December 2006 to stop the university from building the project because of its proximity to the Hayward Fault and the planned removal of several dozen oaks, redwoods and other trees.

While the three-judge appeals panel declined today to issue an order blocking construction, the court said it would hear the plaintiffs' appeal of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller's ruling in favor of the university. Miller ruled that the project complied with state earthquake and safety laws, following the university's offer to limit non-football events at the stadium and remove a grade beam that would have supported the stadium's west wall during construction of the sports training center. The mood was calm today at the oak grove, where a dozen or so supporters of the tree-sitters have been camped for almost two years. "We're just waiting and watching," said "Stump," one of the protesters. "They could cut or they can wait. They have a choice. But if they decide to cut, we're ready for it." Michael Kelly, president of the Panoramic Hill Association, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the Court of Appeal ruling. "This means they can go ahead and start the project," he said. "Certainly we feel there should be an injunction, and we still feel it's in everyone's best interest to wait on this." The university facility would provide offices, locker rooms, meeting rooms, medical exam rooms and training spaces for football and 13 other varsity sports. It would also provide upgraded facilities for the 100 or so coaches and other staff who work daily at Memorial Stadium, a 1923 landmark in dire need of seismic upgrades. The training center is part of a broader development plan for the southeast corner of campus. A parking garage and Memorial Stadium renovation are the next phases of the project. Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said she was "absolutely delighted" by today's court ruling. "The real winners are the more than 400 student athletes who will now have the safe and suitable facilities they deserve," she said.

Bellingham Herald: Cougars Wary of Cal's Speedy Duo

Link.

Despite his Cougars giving up a plethora of points in their 39-13 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday, Washington State head coach Paul Wulff still found plenty to be happy about with his defense, even after watching the game film.  “I thought we were OK there,” Wulff said. “Obviously there were some things we could have done better, but our tackling was pretty good.”  Indeed, while other teams around the country clearly looked rusty when it came to making crisp open-field tackles, the Cougs seemed to be moderately efficient.  “We stressed this from the day I got on campus,” Wulff said. “You can talk about it, but we worked on it. Every day we work on it, even on the days we’re not in pads. I think there’s a lot of progress made.” But Wulff was the first to admit that the defense needs to be even better this week, because the California offense is far more talented and explosive than Oklahoma State.

“From a talent standpoint, they’re definitely one of the top teams in the conference,” Wulff said.  It seems that way every season. Bears head coach Jeff Tedford always seems to have talented players waiting to contribute when players like running back Justin Forsett and receiver DeSean Jackson move on. As a unit the Cal offense rolled up 467 yards of total offense against Michigan State. “We’re facing two of the fastest running backs without question, so for them to be able to tackle those guys, we’ve got an even tougher challenge on our hands,” Wulff said.   Those two running backs would be sophomore Jahvid Best (111) and freshman Shane Vereen (101), who combined for 212 yards last weekend, becoming the seventh Cal duo to rush for 100 yards in the same game.

While the Cougs figure to have their hands full with the Bears’ rushing attack, they also have to be wary of the passing attack. Sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns last week against Michigan State.  “He’s a good player,” Wulff said. He’s very efficient. He takes care of the football and he’s not going to force a lot of things with his arm. For a young guy to show that kind of trait this early in his career that’s obviously a very good thing for Cal.”

Injury update: Wulff hopes to have offensive lineman Vaughn Lesuma and punter Reid Forrest practicing the whole week. Both players will take it day to day and if all goes well, they will play this weekend. “We’ll see how they practice and go from there,” Wulff said. Lesuma has been battling an aching back for the past few weeks, but his presence on the offensive line would bring back some much needed experience. Redshirt freshman Steven Ayers started in his place last weekend and looked like, well, a redshirt freshman at times. … Forrest, who injured his ankle in the spring, could be even more valuable. Backup Daniel Wagner struggled against Oklahoma State getting much height or hang time on most of his punts. His low line drives never allowed the coverage to get in place and led to some long returns. … Wide receiver Jeshua Anderson (hernia surgery) is also getting closer to returning. Linebacker Jason Stripling is also day to day with a sprained big toe.

Contra Costa Times: Right scenario plays out for Cal

Link.

By Gary Peterson

It's been an ongoing issue, but it was an open question until Cal football coach Jeff Tedford answered it Tuesday:  Barring any unanticipated developments (injury, a blowout win or loss, the release of incriminating photos), Kevin Riley will pitch a complete game against Washington State on Saturday.  "Kevin's going to play," Tedford said at Cal's weekly football luncheon. "He earned it last week."  This is both a departure from, and the result of, last Saturday's season-opening win over Michigan State. Tedford's plan entering that game was to start Riley, who had outplayed Nate Longshore during an offseason quarterback competition, but find time for Longshore, who had entered the three previous seasons as Cal's unquestioned starter. It was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser, given that quarterback job-shares almost never work out to anybody's satisfaction. Either one quarterback outplays the other, which typically leaves the underperformer feeling like he didn't get a fair shake. Or they both struggle, which creates the impression that neither is up to handling the scrutiny. Or they both play so well that neither can understand why he isn't playing more.  Given that Tedford always seems to have 17 really good reasons for everything he does, it seemed like a highly imperfect compromise. That said, the first part of the plan went well enough. Riley completed 5 of 7 passes for 25 yards on his first three drives, after which Cal led 10-0. (It bears noting the touchdown came on a return of a blocked punt.)

Then came Longshore's turn. The first thing he did was whip a laser to tight end Cameron Morrah for a 50-yard gain. Two more completed passes put Cal on the Michigan State 16-yard line. It looked like scenario No. 3 — two outstanding quarterbacks creating an embarrassment of riches — was about to assert itself. Then Longshore threw over the middle and was intercepted by Otis Wiley. "The first interception was a defensive back making a great play," Tedford said.  There was, of course, a second interception. On Cal's next possession, Longshore threw into a four-pack of defenders. Wiley got this one, too, and returned it for a touchdown. Riley played the rest of the game, finishing with 202 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. "Nate made a very poor decision on the second interception," Tedford said. "But Kevin played well enough to be the guy. I'm not a huge fan of going back and forth." So why do it in the first game? Tedford said he was still evaluating the situation.

"Our plan was to play both quarterbacks," he said. "We were going to put Nate in for a few series in the second quarter. We were playing it by ear. Unfortunately there were a couple big plays that weren't positive for Nate. If the roles had been reversed, we may have changed our thinking." Which leaves Tedford with scenario No. 1 — one quarterback does well at the other's expense. This makes Tedford one lucky coach, given that everything we've learned about Longshore over the past three-plus years suggests he will take his role as a backup just as seriously as he took his role as a starter. "I think Nate did an awesome job in the second half (against Michigan State), staying involved, suggesting plays," Tedford said. "He's such a team-above-self guy."  As exhibit A, Tedford recalled the day he informed Longshore that Riley would start the opening game. Not only did Longshore take the news stoically, he went out for team stretching and called out commands as he usually does. Apparently there's more than one way to be a senior leader. So something good came out of a seeming no-win situation. It doesn't appear to have broken Longshore's spirit, and it hasn't polarized the team. This is a good thing for two reasons.  One, a happy team is better than the alternative, as Cal found out last season. And two, this is tackle football, as Longshore found out three years ago when his season ended with a broken ankle after 11 pass attempts. That created a true quarterback quandary for Tedford and the Bears, given that Longshore had no experienced backup. This one? A piece of cake by comparison. And it's all settled. As we speak.

 

 

 

Contra Costa Times: Cal's Riley to start at QB; Longshore might not play this week

Link.

Jonathan Oakanes

It appears it's now Kevin Riley's team at Cal.  Riley will start at quarterback Saturday at Washington State and there are no plans to use Nate Longshore in relief, Coach Jeff Tedford said. "Kevin earned it last week," Tedford said Tuesday. "Kevin played well enough to be the guy. I'm not a huge fan of going back and forth." Riley won the quarterback competition during training camp, but Tedford said the evaluation would be ongoing. Tedford decided before the season opener against Michigan State to give Longshore some playing time. Longshore played two possessions, each of which ended in an interception. The second came deep in Cal territory and was returned for a touchdown.  "Nate made a very poor decision on the second interception," Tedford said. "The first interception was a defensive back making a great play. Unfortunately, there were a couple big plays that weren't positive for Nate. If the roles had been reversed, we may have changed our thinking (for Saturday's game)." Riley was 17 for 24 for 202 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions.

"I thought after the game this might happen," Riley said. "They named me the starter and Coach told me not to look over my shoulder, and I didn't.  "Nate is a great teammate. It's a tough situation. He's a team guy. I think he understands it's the coaches' decision and if he gets a chance, he has to be ready." The Bears didn't record any sacks against Michigan

State, but they put consistent pressure on Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer. "We didn't have any sacks, but we had a couple of good hits on him," nose tackle Derrick Hill said. "We plan on turning those hits into sacks. We're trying to take on a whole new attitude as far as our whole identity." Cal had just 22 sacks last season — last in the Pacific-10 Conference — and just 10 from its defensive linemen.

Wide receiver Michael Calvin (sprained toe) was feeling better Tuesday, Tedford said. Calvin saw limited action Saturday.  Left tackle Mike Tepper (pectoral muscle surgery, hamstring) will continue to rest this week.  Junior cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, who had one of the best games of his career Saturday despite recovering from a sprained shoulder, will get some extra rest this week, Tedford said. Six true freshmen played for Cal on Saturday — wide receiver Marvin Jones, linebacker Mychal Kendricks, kickers David Seawright and Giorgio Tavecchio, linebacker Robert Mullins and nose tackle Kendrick Payne.

Washington State Fans Mock Cal Players

You’ll need a Scout password to access the thread here, but WSU fans have taken photos from the Cal roster and matched them with supposed look-alikes. Here’s a sample.

Ryan Theimer...and Howdy Doody

Alex Mack...and Egghead

Nick Sundberg....and Beaker

Solomona Aigamaua....and Sanjaya

Mitchell Schwartz....and Sasquatch

Marvin Jones...and the Alien from MIB

Nyan Boateng...and Seal



Richard Fisher...and Molly Ringwald

Will Kapp...and the Bearded Lady


Bryan Anger...and Angry Baby...or Yellow Bastard

Rulon Davis....and actor John Amos

And former coach Keith Gilbertson...and Oski

SF Chronicle: Cal football notes: Riley gets official nod

Link.

By Rusty Simmons

Cal coach Jeff Tedford put an end to the quarterback debate Tuesday, announcing that sophomore Kevin Riley is the starter and senior Nate Longshore will be used in a customary backup fashion.  Riley was named the starter during the last week of training camp, but Tedford said he'd use a two-quarterback system and evaluate the position. That all ended Tuesday. "Kevin's our quarterback," Tedford said. "He's earned that right with his last two performances and a solid camp."  Riley was 17-for-24 for 202 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in Saturday's 38-31 win over Michigan State. Longshore, who entered on Cal's first possession in the second quarter, was 3-for-5 for 62 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. The debate actually dates back much further than this season and has been filled with ups and downs. During it all, Longshore has seemed unfazed.  "I'm so impressed with Nate's attitude and his support," Tedford said. "He continues to be a team-above-self guy and brings so much leadership to the game and to game-planning."  The 6-foot-5, 233-pounder won the starting job as a redshirt freshman but endured a season-ending ankle injury in the 2005 season opener. He regained the job at the start of the 2006 season and appeared poised for greatness.  Longshore was the second quarterback in Cal history to throw for 3,000 yards, and he led the Bears to a share of the Pac-10 crown as a sophomore. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. rated Longshore as the top NFL prospect among underclassmen quarterbacks.

Longshore struggled after spraining his ankle in the fifth week of last season. He took much of the external blame for Cal's second-half debacle, during which it fell from a No. 2 national ranking to a seventh-place tie in the Pac-10.  He still threw for 2,580 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, but he had 13 interceptions, which often came in the late stages of close games. The boos directed at Longshore and the clamoring for Riley began last year in the Oct. 20 loss to UCLA when Longshore threw three interceptions and reached its maximum decibel Saturday after his two picks against Michigan State. "Nate's a strong guy," Riley said. "He won't let it get to him." Anger appears OK: An MRI exam on the right knee of punter Bryan Anger came back negative, according to Tedford. The redshirt freshman sprained his kicking knee when Michigan State's Jesse Johnson blocked his punt after a botched snap.  Anger, who averaged 48 yards a punt and pinned three of his four kicks inside the Spartans' 20-yard line, will rest most of the week. Tedford expects Anger to be ready by Saturday.

New look, new attitude: Along with switching to the 3-4 scheme, defensive tackle Derrick Hill said the unit is playing with a new mind-set. "We don't want to just get sacks; we want to put people out of the game," Hill said. "We're not nice guys on the field. Maybe off the field, but on the field, we plan on putting guys out of the game and making plays. "We've tried to take on a whole new attitude and make a whole new identity."

 

Seattle Times: Cougars prepare for California game

Link.

By Nicholas Geranios

Washington State football coach Paul Wulff is not planning any immediate changes in his kicking game, despite a terrible performance by special teams in the season-opening loss to Oklahoma State.  A series of special teams blunders helped Oklahoma State beat the Cougars 39-13 last weekend in Seattle. On Saturday, the Cougars (0-1) host California (1-0) in Pullman in the Pacific-10 opener for both teams.  Wade Penner will remain the place-kicker, despite missing an extra point attempt. Converted quarterback Dan Wagner is likely to continue punting, even though his line-drive kicks allowed the Cowboys to average nearly 25 yards per return. Wagner was pressed into duty because of an injury to Reid Forrest.

The Cougars also gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return. "It's a work in progress, like I thought," Wulff said Tuesday. "Special teams obviously can get a lot better." Washington State's defense played well for much of the game, despite constantly being left in a deep hole by an offense that managed only 196 total yards.

"They are going to keep us in ball games," Wulff said. The defense will likely get a severe test from a Cal offense that opened with a 38-31 win over Michigan State. Cal quarterback Kevin Riley and running backs Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen had great games against Michigan State.  The no-huddle offense that Wulff brought from Eastern Washington this season failed in its first test. Quarterback Gary Rogers threw for only 82 yards in the first start of his career, although receivers dropped numerous balls. Running backs Dwight Tardy and Chris Ivory did well, however.  "Offensively we can do a lot better," Wulff said. "We knew we were not executing great in practice, and knew it wouldn't occur in a real game."  His players are still learning the fast-paced offense, Wulff said. Injured left tackle Vaughn Lesuma may be recovered enough to play this weekend, Wulff said. But receiver Jeshua Jackson and linebacker Jason Stripling are questionable.

Washington State has won seven straight openers at Martin Stadium, and 14 of their past 16. For Wulff, it will be his first time on the stadium sidelines as a participant since he graduated in 1989. Wulff, in his first season as Cougar coach after coming from Eastern Washington, played football at WSU from 1986-89 and is the first alum to coach the Cougars since Phil Sarboe left in 1949. Fans coming to Martin Stadium for Saturday's game will see many changes.  A new video screen in the west end zone is a dramatic improvement over the fuzzy, smaller screen. The new screen is approximately 53 feet wide by 25 feet high, over double the size of the previous board. There's also a new sound system, and new scoreboards in the west end zone and in the southeast corner. There are new restrooms in the east end zone. along with new concessions and new entry gates. One thing that isn't changing is the booze policy. Recent news that hard liquor will be sold at WSU's new Palouse Ridge Golf Course clubhouse and at a new restaurant in the Compton Union Building should not confuse people, athletics director Jim Sterk said. "We are maintaining our practice in the field house and corporate tent area of making only beer and wine available to those 21 and older with valid ID," Sterk said.

 

Contra Costa Times: Cal's walk-on place-kicker 'in a dream'

Jonathan Okanes

Link.

That was a pretty good fast one pulled off by Cal's coaching staff.  When asked about the competition to handle kickoffs during training camp, coach Jeff Tedford talked only about senior Jordan Kay and freshman David Seawright. Little did anybody know that the Bears were waiting for walk-on Giorgio Tavecchio to join the team once the fall semester began. Tavecchio, a freshman from Campolindo High School, participated in his first Cal practice on Wednesday, the day classes began. Three days later, it was Tavecchio who got the 2008 season under way when he kicked off to begin the Bears' opener against Michigan State. "It was an honor to start off the 2008 Golden Bear season," Tavecchio said. "I feel like I'm in a dream. On Thursday, I was just happy to be here." Seawright, another walk-on, beat Kay for the right to handle field goals. It was believed it was just those two who were vying for kickoff responsibilities, but neither had a very good camp kicking it deep. Tavecchio consistently kicked it farther than the other two during Thursday's practice. He was told after practice he would be kicking against the Spartans.

"They hadn't really told me much," Tavecchio said. "I thought I would just tag along with the other kickers and then get a chance to show what I got. I thought it would be a couple of weeks before I really got a chance. I went in trying to absorb as much as I could. I guess the coaches liked what they saw and decided to give me a shot."  Tavecchio handled the first four kickoffs against Michigan State. Seawright took the final two. Tavecchio said he expects the competition to continue. "I walked out on to the field and the hair was standing up on my neck," he said. "I saw all the people and I felt this great sense of enormous adrenaline pumping through my body. It was a once in a lifetime experience, something I've never felt before. My goal is to contribute to this team as much as possible."

Smashing debut

Cal punter Bryan Anger said he didn't see or hear anybody in the stands Saturday. That means he missed the "oohs" and "ahs" coming from the fans as they watched punt after punt soar through the sky. Anger, a highly regarded redshirt freshman playing in his first college game, reeled off punts of 56, 59 and 56 yards on his first three attempts. His last punt near the end of the game went just 21 yards, but he still finished with a 48.0 average for the game. "I did not see anybody. I did not hear anything," Anger said. "People told me not to pay attention to the stands, so I didn't see anything going on. I was just watching where it went."

Anger also mishandled a snap that he recovered and tried to punt, but it was blocked. He suffered a sprained knee on the play but said he expects to play this Saturday at Washington State.

Extra points

Cal's game at WSU marks the earliest the Bears have opened Pac-10 play since playing UCLA in the season opener in 1993. ... The Cougars lost their opener to Oklahoma State 39-13.

Daily Cal: Few Questions, More Answers On Defense

Link.

By Andrew Kim

Allowing 31 points, the Cal defense probably didn't impress the "national" TV audience.  The Bears gave up 402 yards of total offense to Michigan State, who scored 24 points in the second half, while Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer overcame a slew of dropped balls for a 321-yard performance.  But while a drowsy East Coast won't believe it until they see it, I think it's safe to say the 62,956 fans in attendance -- as well as a small Michigan slice of the ABC coverage map -- saw more than just glimpses of a lights-out defense.

For one, the linebacking corps came as sharp as advertised. Zack Follett made a couple Zack Follett-type plays, while the lesser-known Eddie Young, making his first career start, matched Worrell Williams with four tackles. Has he already proved that he belongs?  Yes, and Anthony Felder, arguably the top performer of the defense Saturday, agrees.   "Eddie isn't afraid of anything, and that's perfect for the position he plays, the Sam (linebacker), because it's his job to set the edge, and that means there's going to be a lot of collisions with fullbacks, tight ends and pulling guards," Felder said.  "It's not a spot for somebody that's timid, and Eddie's not afraid to stick his nose in there and jam things up."

In the trenches, tackle Derrick Hill and the defensive end unit challenged the linebackers as the deepest position on the Bears roster. Despite their lack of sacks, Rulon Davis and Tyson Alualu hurried Hoyer often enough, a point coach Jeff Tedford emphasized during the post-game press conference.  Keith Browner, who has the talent to soon be a starter according to Davis, was also dominant during a series in the second half, while freshman Kendrick Payne (6-foot-2, 288 pounds) is a prototypical 3-4 end.  The fact that Javon Ringer was limited to 81 yards on 27 carries is proof for the above assessments. But just a couple things stand between the Bears and a truly dominant defense.  Though he finished 20-for-48, Hoyer deserves his due for nearing a comeback. Still, it's hard to believe he would've had the same success had the Spartans faced Cal later in the season.  To paraphrase, Bears defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said some time during fall camp that the ability to "go fast" would be one of the defining characteristics of a finished product on defense. What does that mean today?

By reducing Ringer to only a few decent scampers, Cal proved that its defense has the mettle to stuff the everyday run, but it was evident that Gregory has a couple things to smoothen out in the upcoming weeks -- things that are expected to take a couple games, like playing against a hurry-up offense.  Beyond the front seven, there's one final piece to Cal's defense, a player who "got robbed on some calls," according to Felder.

His first start might have drawn mixed reviews, and sure, he was picked on a bit as a result of playing opposite Syd'Quan Thompson, but corner Darian Hagan has nowhere to go but up.  We all know he's got the athletic ability -- his (recovery) speed might have single-handedly won him the starting job over now-No. 3 corner Chris Conte -- and the coaches have noticed his newfound work ethic. At this point he represents the final question mark surrounding the Bears' defense.  And it was half-answered Saturday. All in all, Hagan had a decent night despite a lot of forces going against him. He dropped a couple interceptions, on top of the ones that were negated, while Hoyer seemed to view his side of the secondary as the only viable opening to cracking Cal's raging defense.  The coaches will make their evaluations upon watching film this week, but what was clear during the game was that Hagan never lost his confidence.  "I think he responded well," Gregory said. "He actually wasn't out there for most of the third quarter, he couldn't because of cramps. To his credit, he came back and played well."  Hagan is by no means a finished product, but he'll get plenty of practice in the first few games for Cal. He saw his share of work in the opener, but next week's roadie against Washington State isn't going to be a breeze either.  After the Cougars, who plan to line up returning first-team all-conference wideout Brandon Gibson across anyone not named Thompson, we'll have enough sample points to map out Hagan's learning curve.

Oregon Register Guard: Fans Boo Longshore

Link.

Excerpt:

Nice support in Berkeley

One guy who might also be glad to be in Pullman is Cal quarterback Nate Longshore. Once the starter who lost the job this season, Longshore was booed off the field after being in for two series against Michigan State. Granted, both series ended with interceptions thrown by Longshore, one ending a potential scoring drive, the other returned for a touchdown by the Spartans. But boo one of their own?  After deciding that sophomore Kevin Riley won the quarterback competition in the preseason, Cal coach Jeff Tedford said that Longshore would still play in the game Saturday.  Well, Cal fans should be assured Tedford made the correct choice. Still, that response from the fans is cold, and Riley was on the sidelines gesturing for them to temper their angry display.

“I don’t think it’s really respectful of the fans to boo one of our players,” Riley told the Contra Costa Times newspaper. “They don’t even know what happened on the (interceptions). ... He went in there and did his best. Things didn’t work out the way he wanted them to. That’s about it.” Yeah, until Longshore’s next interception. Or the next time he takes the field in Berkeley.

San Jose Mercury: Grading quick start for Bay Area teams

Jon Wilner

Link.

Excerpt:

Cal Report Card

Result: Beat Michigan State 38-31

Grade: B+

Comment: Yes, quarterback Kevin Riley played like a veteran (two touchdown passes, no turnovers) and tailback Jahvid Best handled a heavy workload (24 carries, 33 total touches).  But equally significant was the play of Cal's new 3-4 defense, which more than held its own against Michigan State's physical running game.

The Pacific-10 Conference might be filled with spread offenses, but there is at least one team that, like Michigan State, will challenge the Bears with a power-football approach.  "USC, even though they throw the ball, is a great running team,'' Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "They'll come at you. And UCLA will play that way. Stanford, too ..."You come out of (Saturday's win) thinking, 'OK, we have a chance to stop the run in the 3-4 scheme.' "

Next up for Cal: at Washington State, Saturday,

3:30 p.m. (CSN)

The matchup: How will Riley handle the first road start of his career? Even if he makes a mistake or two, the Bears should have the game in hand in the fourth quarter. WSU is the worst team in the Pac-10.

Daily Cal: Cal's Statement On Saturday: Pac-10 Teams Are Physical Too

By Jack Ross

In the waning moments of Saturday's opening win over Michigan State, Cal running back Jahvid Best sent a message without even knowing it. Spartans cornerback Johnny Adams got the memo loud and clear.  With the Bears protecting a 38-31 lead and needing to run 2:59 off the clock to secure their first win, Best took a handoff wide right on a simple dive.  Sensing a bit of daylight, Best sprinted towards a small opening. But with both hands fiercely wrapped around the ball, he lacked his usual explosion, allowing Adams to enter the picture.  The 165-pound freshman jumped aboard Best with the intentions on wrestling him down. Things didn't quite go according to Adams' plan. In a flash, Best hit a figurative eject button, throwing Adams to the ground and making him look as if he'd just failed his first bucking bronco ride.  Physical moments like those typified the Cal victory and served a simple notice that the Bears are trying to deliver to the rest of the college football country-Pac-10 football is anything but soft.

 "They give the Big Ten more credit than the Pac-10 as far as physicality goes," senior linebacker Anthony Felder said. "The Pac-10, and us in particular, are just as tough as anyone in the country. The physical game is our style of football. We're ready to go toe-to-toe with anybody when it comes to that." That newfound style was clearly on display for the 62,956 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium, especially concerning the Bears' ability to dominate the run on both sides of the ball.

The contributions of Best and fellow sophomore back Shane Vereen-both of whom are only 19 years old-were practically impossible to ignore. Combined, the duo compiled 46 touches, 394 total yards and two touchdowns. In fact, Vereen's 81-yard touchdown carry equaled Michigan State back Javon Ringer's rushing total-except Ringer needed 27 carries to get there.  Spartan safety Otis Wiley acknowledged that his team's defense wore down towards the end of the game.  "I don't really know what was going on," Wiley said. "They were just pounding us. I don't know if it was miscommunication or the calls, but we need to get better at that."  On the other side of the ball, the Cal defense may find it difficult to defend the run better than it did. Prior to Saturday, the Bears' front seven fielded a litany of questions concerning the susceptibility of their 3-4 alignment, with many wondering how a smaller bunch would stand up against the bruising, downhill Michigan State ground game.

Yet the Bears were up to the challenge in slowing down Ringer. Despite coming into the game with glowing national recognition, the Heisman candidate was limited to only three yards per carry with no run longer than 10 yards. To put that into perspective, Ringer's 2007 campaign saw only one game in which he averaged less than three yards a carry-against the stingy defense of national runner-up Ohio State. "The biggest emphasis for us (was stopping the run)," Felder said. "(Michigan State) likes to run the ball a lot, even in their conference games. And they might've had the misconception the Pac-10 was the soft conference." Chances are, they don't anymore.

 

Cal Nominated as 1 of 4 Game Changing Performances

Here’s the link.  Please vote for Shane Vereen’s 81 yard touchdown run.

Video Highlights of Cal over MSU

I found this on a post on Bear Insider by a user name PRD74.

 

“For those out-of-towners who missed the game on TV, here are some hurriedly put together YouTubed highlights. Try the "watch in high quality" mode.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY0aMwvjhZ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JrlX0MSTXk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS-npggClpI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk6b7ZSmisg

Cal is Still Unranked

Neither the AP or the Coaches’ poll have Cal ranked.  Cal received 79 votes on the coaches poll  Interestingly, Stanford received 1 vote.

Tacoma News: The Cougars' next opponent: California

Link.

RYAN DIVISH

3:30 p.m. Saturday at Martin Stadium, Pullman; FSN, 850-Am, 1090-AM

Coach: Jeff Tedford, 51-26, seventh season at California.

Last week: The Bears jumped all over Michigan State early thanks to tailbacks Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen and two touchdown passes from quarterback Kevin Riley. Though Cal had trouble holding down the Spartans passing attack late, the Bears held on for a 38-31 victory.

Against the Cougars: Cal leads the series, 39-25-5. Before being upset by the Cougs last season, 14-0, Cal had won the previous eight meetings.

Washington connections: Senior LB Anthony Felder (Seattle/O’Dea); freshman DT Trevor Guyton (Woodinville/Redmond); Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory, a native of Spokane, played defensive back and linebacker at WSU from 1984 to 1987. Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik of Port Angeles was a three-year letterman at WSU (1986-88) and earned all-conference and All-American honors as a senior.

Scouting report: The Bears come into this season with far lesser expectations than last season, which ended in disappointment. Gone are talented skill players such as running back Justin Forsett and wide receiver DeSean Jackson. However, the Bears seemed to have reloaded with the tailback duo of Best and Vereen, who combined to rush for 212 yards against Michigan State. Best carried a career-high 24 times in the game and scored a touchdown. Vereen set a school record for most yards rushing in a freshman debut. Most of it came on an 81-yard touchdown run that was also the longest in school history. Triggering the Cal offense is sophomore Riley, who beat out incumbent starter Nate Longshore this fall. Riley threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing in just his second career start. … Defensively, the Bears got a big game from O’Dea graduate Felder, who was credited with 12 tackles. … Special teams came up big for the Bears, blocking a punt and returning it for the first touchdown of the game.

 

The Oregonian: Kevin Riley is sharp as opening-day QB for Cal

by Mike Tokito

Kevin Riley, the former Beaverton High graduate, shows that Jeff Tedford made the right decision in naming him Cal's starting quarterback as he completes 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-31 win over visiting Michigan State. Writes the SF Chronicles' Ray Ratto:

The signature Riley moment, though, was a 26-yard strike to tight end Cameron Morrah late in the third quarter, while Riley was trying to avoid a sack that would have forced Cal to punt in a 24-21 game. He was supporting two Michigan State pass rushers when he found Morrah open to the right, stayed upright long enough to hit him and extend the drive, turning a deteriorating 3rd-and-13 play into what became the decisive touchdown.

It was the zenith of a 17-for-24 night, in which he threw for two scores, no interceptions and ran the offense with sufficient crispness that he didn't have to do much of the oh-hell-what-do-I-do-now improvisations that marked his high points last year.

Riley gets plenty of help from running back sensation Jahvid Best, whose do-it-all performance includes 111 yards rushing on 24 carries, five receptions for 63 yards and four kickoff returns for 103 yards. The downside for the Golden Bears was that they have trouble putting away the Spartans.

Daily Cal: Right Man for the Job

Jeff Tedford Left Oregon to Rebuild at Cal. After Six Years, It's Still a Perfect Fit.

By Andrew Kim

It's a sunny afternoon, and another day of fall camp has passed for the Cal football team. Once again, coach Jeff Tedford lectures his players from the middle of the field, saying they shouldn't leave those "watermelon things" lying around the stadium.  Having addressed the media, Tedford treks up the Memorial bleachers, reaching below for trash. His hands are full by the team he reaches the second level.  He sits in his office amid the accolades, the flat-screen LCD and the infamous bed-couch that serves him a handful months each year. Six years have passed since the Bears' spectacle of a win over Michigan State in East Lansing.

Read the rest of the article here.

Rivals.com: Cal's Riley Matures in Wake of Mistakes

A play-fake caused the Michigan State defense to flow right as California quarterback Kevin Riley rolled out to the left.  Riley looked downfield. He saw one receiver covered. Then another. Finally, he cocked his strong right arm and hurled the football about 40 yards.  In response, the majority of the 62,956 paying customers inside Memorial Stadium, and a couple of hundred freeloaders up on Tightwad Hill, roared approval. Never has an incomplete pass caused such a stir.

But progress has many faces. The last time Riley played a game on his home field, he didn't throw the ball away and instead ran on an ill-advised scramble that allowed the clock to expire and cost the then-No. 2 Bears a chance to force overtime in a 31-28 loss to Oregon State last October.  "I thought he did a nice job of making good decisions," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said.  Dumping the ball showed Riley has learned from his mistakes. Perhaps the Bears have, too.  In recent seasons, victories such as Saturday night's 38-31 win over Michigan State were seen as evidence the Bears were on the verge of national prominence. And it would be tempting to think that again.

Read the rest of the article here.

Seattle Times: Cougs have room for improvement

(Cal’s next opponent is Washington State in Pullman).

An adage in football goes like this: "The biggest improvement in a season is made between Week 1 and Week 2. " That's wonderful news for the Washington State Cougars, who are still licking their wounds after a 39-13 defeat against Oklahoma State at Qwest Field on Saturday ruined Paul Wulff's coaching debut with his alma mater.  Despite the 26-point loss, most players and coaches were relatively upbeat after the game, perhaps anticipating a better outing this Saturday against California at Martin Stadium.  "I expect tremendous growth," quarterback Gary Rogers said. "We showed just a little bit of what we can do. We got a lot of potential on this team and I think we're only going to get better."  In order for the Cougars' hurry-up offense to work effectively, Rogers must develop a better rapport with all-Pac-10 receiver Brandon Gibson. Last year, he racked up 136 receiving yards against Cal in a 20-17 defeat at Memorial Stadium.  It was one of six games in which he had at least 100 yards receiving. He finished with a school season record — 1,180 yards on 67 receptions, including nine touchdowns.

Much like the WSU offense, Gibson is off to a slow start this season.  He was shut out in the first half Saturday and finished with six receptions for 53 yards. Rogers threw in Gibson's direction three times before halftime. One pass sailed high, but Gibson, a 6-1, 200-pound senior, had a couple of passes fall through his grasp because of Oklahoma State's harassing defense. "I want to get him the ball as much as possible," Rogers said. "We were trying to establish the running game early and that started to come along a little bit. Eventually we got him the ball, but we definitely need to do a better job of getting him the ball early."

Gibson jump-started the Cougars' offense in the second half with a reverse run that gained 14 yards to midfield. Five plays later, he hauled in a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Still, the second half wasn't flawless. Tight coverage prevented Gibson from catching a 5-yard pass in the end zone and no WSU receiver made a reception in the fourth quarter. "I'm not going to get down on a guy for dropping a ball," Rogers said. "You obviously would like for it not to happen, but it's going to happen. I have all the faith in the world in them." Ideally, Wulff would rather start the season against a couple subdivision opponents before beginning conference play. WSU (0-1) has little time to clean up mistakes on offense and special teams before facing California (1-0), which beat Michigan State 38-31 Saturday.

"We need the Pullman crowd to really make it extremely difficult for them," Wulff said. "If we do that and we improve our execution, then it ought to be a heck of a ballgame."

Daily Cal:Matchup at Running Back Highlights Opener

By Jack Ross

For the last two years, the season-opening story of Cal football has read the same-a menacing SEC opponent and a steady chorus of questions about the team's national standing.

Tennessee is finally out of the picture but, for the third consecutive year, the Bears get an immediate test. Big Ten challenger Michigan State hits Berkeley's Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m. for the first time since 1957.  The dangerous Spartans equaled Cal's 2007 win total-seven-and only fell short in their six losses by a combined 31 points. "The schedule is what it is," Bears coach Jeff Tedford said. "Obviously, the Tennessee game last year was a great experience. The year before, not such a good experience. It's great to get that tough test early. We're going to figure where we are." Thanks to last season's opening win over the Volunteers, there are now fewer questions concerning the Pac 10-SEC debate-but more questions about the altered face of the Cal squad.   That said, this season's most pressing question no longer needs to be asked-sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley will be Cal's starting signal caller.  Last week, Tedford handed the reins to Riley, starter of only seven collegiate quarters, over incumbent Nate Longshore, the second winningest quarterback in Cal history. Tedford did maintain that the senior will be under center at some point on Saturday.

"They both had great camps," Tedford said. "It just felt like Kevin ended up very well last year in the (Armed Forces) Bowl. I think he brings a little more elusiveness to it, being able to make some plays with legs a little bit more."  Both quarterbacks will scan the field Saturday for fresh faces at receiver-goodbye DeSean Jackson and Lavelle Hawkins, hello LaReylle Cunningham and Sean Young-as well as a playmaking Spartan defensive unit nationally ranked in the top 15 in sacks and tackles for a loss last season.  Returning linebacker Greg Jones is the most decorated of Michigan State's six returning defensive starters. As a true freshman, he compiled a team-leading 78 tackles en route to Freshman All-American honors. Now, the sophomore is leading the charge to put his team's late struggles, including a Champs Sports bowl defeat, behind them.   "I don't think anyone wants to look back on that," Jones said at a press conference. "Every game last year we were so close, we just couldn't punch it in. We really want to go into Cal and get that taste out of our mouths."

To do so, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio will likely need to find a way to contain electrifying Cal sophomore running back Jahvid Best. After sitting out three games in 2007 with a hip injury, the swift-footed Best has proclaimed himself 100-percent healthy and was anointed as the Pac-10 preseason Offensive Player of the Year by an ESPN.com writer. "We see him in practice, and people who have an angle on him to catch him, they just don't," All-America center Alex Mack said. "It's going to be exciting. Hopefully we can open up some holes and get him into some open field where he can really show off that speed."

On defense, the Bears will have their own containment issues in stopping the powerful 5-foot-9, 202-pound Javon Ringer. The Heisman Trophy candidate gained almost 1,500 yards last year and, like Best, gets touches in multiple ways-through rushes, kickoffs and passes from senior quarterback Brian Hoyer, who threw for 20 touchdowns last season.  Then, there's the Bears' ballyhooed switch to the 3-4 defensive alignment. Everyone in the Bears' front seven-from senior linebackers Worrell Williams, Anthony Felder and Zach Follett to redshirt sophomore lineman Derrick Hill-sound comfortable in the new scheme.

Ready or not, here they come.

"I think we're ready just to hit other people," Follett said. "We've been going against each other for four weeks straight now and that's getting kind of tiring, and I think I'm ready to just go out there and hit other people, make a play and I think a lot of guys are."  Does that mean the Berkeley crowd should expect the same game-changing, bone-jarring hit that Follett delivered against Tennessee's Erik Ainge in last year's opener?  "At Fan Appreciation Day, I think every person I saw wanted another hit like that against Michigan State," Follett said. "I told them I'd do my best."

San Jose Mercury: Thoughts on the Game

By Jon Wilner

Link.

Seven quick thoughts on Cal’s 38-31 victory over Michigan State and one longer thought on the performance of backup quarterback Nate Longshore, and what it means …

1. The Bears simply had too much speed, which allowed its defensive line to generate pass pressure with a three-man rush and the linebackers to fill holes and contain MSU tailback Javon Ringer (81 yards on 27 carries). And speed obviously was a factor in everything Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen did.

2. The Cal defense was very good, allowing just two touchdown drives of any substance (one MSU touchdown came off an interception, another on a short field following a fumbled punt).  The Bears contained Ringer, were solid on third down/short-yardage situations and were at least as physical as the Spartans.  Cal will need several more first-rate defensive efforts while the offense finds its rhythm with a new coordinator, quarterback, tailback, receivers, tight end, left guard and left tackle.

3. A Kevin Riley thought that might be obvious but seems noteworthy:   The biggest pass of the game, 26 yards to Cameron Morrah, on third down, in the fourth quarter, was the result of Riley stepping up in the pocket, buying time and making something out of nothing. It was a play, and a pass, that Longshore never could have made.

4. My (Cal) stars of the game:

Three-stars: Defensive end Tyson Alualu, who was fantastic — much better than his tackle total (three) indicates — and quarterback Kevin Riley, who threw two touchdowns and didn’t commit a turnover.  Two stars: Best, who had 277 total yards; Brett Johnson, whose blocked punt led to Cal’s first touchdown; and inside linebacker Anthony Felder.  One star: Cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson; Morrah; and punter Bryan Anger.  (I was going to give Anger two stars until he mishandled that snap; his first-quarter punts were huge in the field-position game and he rolled one to the MSU three yardline late in the third quarter.)

5. I thought new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti called a good game, especially when it came to getting Best the ball on the perimeter, where he’s most effective. Best was used between the tackles but had plenty of opportunities on screen/swing passes and sweeps. Cignetti also made a terrific call on the third-and-10 midway through the fourth quarter — the inside screen to Sean Young that went for 13 yards. With all the misdirection plays, you can see why Jeff Tedford felt he and Cignetti were on the same page philosophically. “He did a nice job mixing it up with the run and the play action and drop back stuff,” Tedford said.

6. That said, the Bears are a major work in progress offensively. With a couple exceptions, the new receivers had trouble getting open or dropped the passes thrown to them (especially Nyan Boateng). The downfield passing game to receivers was almost non-existent. Cal’s best options are screen/swing passes to the backs, Morrah over the middle/seam routes, or perimeter runs by Best.

7. In case you’re wondering: That was a Pac-10 officiating crew on the field and in the replay booth.  The decision to overturn MSU’s first-half touchdown was correct (Mark Dell never had possession), and the crew probably made the right call on the long pass play in the fourth quarter.  I thought Darian Hagan had more of the ball than Dell, but it was close enough that you could see why the replay officials would let the call on the field (a reception) stand.

*** Now, to the Longshore situation …

The first interception was a bad throw into double coverage; the second interception was an awful pass into quadruple coverage (it didn’t look like Morrah, the intended receiver, even realized he was the intended receiver). Frankly, I was surprised Longshore was sent back out for the second series. At this point, you have to figure that the coaches have lost some confidence in Longshore, and that the Bears have lost some confidence in Longshore, and that Longshore has quite possibly lost some confidence in himself. And that could be a huge problem for the Bears over the next three months. It’s hard for me to believe that Riley will stay healthy enough to take every meaningful snap the rest of the season, and that he’ll avoid a rough patch along the way. If he gets hurt, if he slumps, then the Bears will need Longshore to step in, possibly in a critical situation. And then what happens? How will the senior — who not only lost his starting job but, when given a chance to prove himself, threw interceptions on back-to-back possessions — react? It sure seems like the chances of Longshore playing well in relief got significantly more remote after what happened Saturday. He needs a pick-me-up. Maybe Washington State will provide it.

 

Personal Observations of Longshore After the Picks

Note from blogger:

I brought my extremely high-powered binoculars to the game Saturday, and zoomed in on Nate Longshore after each interception. After the first pick, he chatted briefly with Kevin Riley, then walk up and down the sideline. Many of his teammates either patted him on the back or shoulder, apparently giving him encouragement.

After the second interception, I didn’t see anyone but Kevin Riley speak to him, and he no longer was given any pats on the back. After approximately 30 seconds of pacing, he headed over to Cameron Morrah, and Nate was gesturing with his hands to him, as if he was blaming Cameron for a botched play. It’s interesting to note that in the above article, Jon Wilner writes “The first interception was a bad throw into double coverage; the second interception was an awful pass into quadruple coverage (it didn’t look like Morrah, the intended receiver, even realized he was the intended receiver).”

From my crappy vantage point, it looked like a horrible pass, so I’m not sure how Cameron Morrah could have changed that.

Here are a couple of photos from the game that Beth, a reader of this blog, emailed me. If you have any of your own, feel free to forward them and I’ll post them.

On a final note, I thought it was interesting that Jon Wilner wrote "Meant to have this posted hours ago but had technical difficulties … I always have technical difficulties in Strawberry Canyon. Maybe it’s Dumpster Muffin sending off bad karma." I intended to post numerous photos and updates to this blog during the game, using my iPhone on AT&T. It was a disaster. I think the network was simply overloaded. It took numerous attempts, and over a half an hour, to send one photo. I constantly got error messages telling me that no network could be found. I thought it was very odd, then, the the announcer was constantly advising the fans to text message their votes for some fake game on the videotron using AT&T, further clogging the network.

Detroit Free Press: Spartans come up short in spotlight

Link.

Shannon Shelton

After months of waiting, Michigan State discovered on Saturday night that it wasn’t yet ready to take that next step to becoming part of college football’s elite.  The Spartans had a golden opportunity to make a statement on Saturday night when they faced California in their season opener. Not only were they playing before a national audience in ABC’s coveted 8 p.m. time slot, they were attempting to prove to themselves that they were poised for a breakout season after going 7-6 last year.  They might still be on the cusp of something great — but just not yet.  MSU fell, 38-31, to Cal at Memorial Stadium after suffering through early special teams miscues, penalties, offensive line breakdowns and a failure to find balance in its passing and running games. The Cal defense was also solid, and limited MSU to 81 yards rushing.

“We made mistakes,” said MSU quarterback Brian Hoyer. “Whether it was turning the ball over or penalties, we can’t do that.”  The Spartans were never down by more than two touchdowns, but they never were able to climb from the hole they created in the first half.  In the fourth quarter, for example, MSU was behind, 31-24, with 4:21 left when Cal’s Shane Vereen ran 81 yards for a touchdown, widening Cal’s lead to 38-24.  Hoyer connected with Mark Dell for a 29-yard score on the next drive, but MSU failed to score on its last drive. Dell had a strong game, collecting 202 yards on nine receptions.

Although MSU was down just 24-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Cal quarterback Kevin Riley made the play that shifted the momentum permanently in the Bears’ direction. With MSU defenders approaching from all directions on a third-and-13 at MSU’s 49, Riley still managed to get a 26-yard pass off to Cameron Morrah.  Sophomore running back Jahvid Best, who led all rushers with 111 yards, ran 19 yards to set up the eventual touchdown play. With Riley’s five-yard throw to Will Ta’ufo’ou, Cal took a 31-21 lead.  The Cal defense put plenty of pressure on Hoyer, and MSU’s offensive line couldn’t open enough holes for Ringer, who averaged just 2.8 yards per carry in the first three quarters.

Modesto Bee: Sixth-year receiver helped Cal escape

Link.

It took Sean Young six years to finally make an impact.  Cal's wide receiver, who redshirted his first season and was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA in the offseason, made his first career start Saturday night and had four catches for 81 yards to help the Bears beat Michigan State 38-31 in their season opener at Memorial Stadium.  "I told him during pregame at stretch that this is what he's been waiting for for six years," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "He had a great camp. It's nice to see him contribute to the team."

A series of injuries led to Young amassing just three career catches coming into the season. Young was the Bears' most consistent receiver during training camp and simply continued that production Saturday night.  "The opportunity came, and I took advantage of it," Young said. "It feels good to contribute. I wasn't nervous at all. I felt comfortable out there."  Three of Young's four catches went for at least 10 yards. His 24-yard catch helped set up a Jahvid Best's touchdown run, and a 42-yard grab set up a Cameron Morrah touchdown catch from quarterback Kevin Riley.