Here is the link.
Excerpt:
Starkey came away disappointed in both the 49ers' and the league's underestimation of Cal star DeSean Jackson. "When the Niners had a shot at him at (No.) 39, I thought for sure they were going to take him," he admitted. "I thought he'd be the perfect slot receiver for Mike Martz. Plus, there's his ability as a returner. He'd have been perfect."
Per this report in the SF Chronicle, Christopher Hollis was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the shooting death of Meleia Willis-Starbuck. The incident started as an argument between a group, including Willis-Starbuck, and some Cal football players. Willis-Starbuck, apparently angered after it was pointed out that she resembled Chewbacka, the gruff but loveable bear-like creature from Star Wars, called Mr. Hollis and ordered him to “bring some heat.” He complied, fired into the crowd, killing Willis-Starbuck and wounding a Cal football player. The Oakland jury believed that he was only trying to “disperse the crowd.”
Rusty Simmons
The in-house word last season was that Cal was missing Desmond Bishop and Marshawn Lynch, guys who were vocal enough to gain their teammates' attention throughout the practice week and athletic enough to demand it for Saturday game days. Though injuries stood in the way of the development of some of the sexier stories during spring, the leadership problem, which was mostly blamed for the fall from No. 2 in the nation to a 7-6 record, might have been answered. Before Saturday's practice, the Bears swarmed around defensive end Rulon Davis, who emphatically notified them that this was their final day to improve. After practice, Davis again moved front-and-center, screaming at a decibel level that should act as a reminder throughout the summer. "I'm really happy with the team chemistry, the ways we're working together and the attitude, focus and camaraderie of the team," coach Jeff Tedford said. "If the spring is any indication, the togetherness and the camaraderie will carry on over the summer. They'll all invest the time to be ready to go in August."
Davis is a 6-foot-5, 275-pounder who served in the Marines for three years and survived a motorcycle crash. Through an injury-plagued two seasons in Berkeley, Davis has shown flashes of brilliance, like Saturday when he had three tackles for losses and a sack in about 20 snaps. "I think he's stood out this spring," defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "He's really taken charge and tried to get the guys going, and he plays with a lot of energy." While lack of player leadership might have been last year's biggest problem, little on-field issues were solved during the spring. Incumbent Nate Longshore's pectoral injury stopped the headline-grabbing quarterback battle with Kevin Riley, the three receivers who will move on to NFL rosters next season have yet to be replaced as injuries plagued the possible fill-ins and the defense is amid a major overhaul.
"Of course, at some time, it's frustrating because some guys get hurt and other guys take more of the load and they end up with injuries," Tedford said. Tedford, however, appeared confident about each of the questions, and offered one final answer, projecting that lightning-in-a-bottle tailback Jahvid Best will be fully recovered from his hip injury by training camp. Tedford also said Michael Calvin and Nyan Boateng made noticeable strides at receiver, and he's in no hurry to name a starting quarterback. "We're going to go through the summer and fall camp and see how it shakes down," Tedford said. "We're in good shape because we have two very good quarterbacks and a young guy, who has a lot of ability as well."
As for the defense, it appears as though the Bears have shifted to a 3-4 base after struggling to stop the run and get quarterback pressure last season. Gregory maintains that the 3-4 has always been part of the package, but the team did little to nothing from a 4-3 set during the spring. "The guys did a nice job of absorbing all the new stuff," Gregory said. "The 3-4 gives us much more flexibility in what we can do, and it helps in recruiting because those guys who look like Rulon are hard to find."
By Jonathan Okanes
BERKELEY -- Cal may not have found out as much as it would have liked about its quarterback situation this spring, but the Bears may have made a discovery that is just as important. Cal wrapped up spring practice Saturday, and coach Jeff Tedford didn't hesitate when asked afterward what he has learned over the past four weeks. "I'm really happy with the team chemistry," he said. "The way we're working together, the attitude of the team, the focus, the camaraderie -- it's all very positive." It's a component that Tedford and the players have been raving about all spring, and it's especially important considering a lack of intangibles may have been a major reason for the Bears' disappointing 2007 season.
Tedford has placed an emphasis on improving the overall culture of the program, and spring practices were substantially more lively and enthusiastic than last season. The Bears also seem to have found some on-field leaders, something that was sorely lacking last year. Leaders have emerged especially on the defensive side, where Cal has much more experience than the offense. Defensive end Rulon Davis and linebackers Zack Follett and Worrell Williams have especially stood out. Davis wrapped up an exceptional spring by making a handful of plays during the situational scrimmage portion of Saturday's practice. He tackled running back Tracy Slocum in the backfield twice and forced quarterback Kevin Riley to throw a pass away with pressure.
"I think Rulon stuck out," Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "He's really taking charge and starting to get the guys going. He plays with a lot of energy." Gregory all but confirmed the Bears will be switching to a 3-4 base defense this season. Cal didn't run a single rep of 4-3 during the spring, and with the Bears' deep nucleus of linebackers, the 3-4 seems to suit their personnel well. "What did you guys see this spring?" Gregory asked reporters with a smile when asked about the switch. It was a more laborious spring than usual for Cal's defense, as much of practice entailed walking through different looks of the 3-4. The Bears seemed to take to it well, and the defense had a good day against the offense Saturday.
"We probably got to a point mid-spring where we probably had too much (teaching)," Gregory said. "You want to try to get as much as you can in, but we kind of had to scale it back this past week. You have to be careful having too much in. I think it gives us much more flexibility as to what we can do."
The quarterback competition between Riley and Nate Longshore was supposed to be the prevailing storyline this spring, but it fizzled when Longshore suffered a pulled pectoral muscle during the second day of practice and missed the final three weeks. Tedford said Longshore's absence had no effect on the race for the starting job because it will be decided in the fall.
"Nate was doing a great job the first week," Tedford said. "He really showed well. Kevin did a nice job through spring. We're in a good position. We have two very good quarterbacks and a young guy (Brock Mansion) who has a lot of ability as well. We feel like we're in good hands at quarterback. We're going to go through summer and we're going to go through fall camp, and then see how it shakes down."
After being inconsistent through much of the spring, Riley came on during the final week and played well Saturday. Not coincidentally, the same thing happened with the Bears' inexperienced corps of receivers. Michael Calvin and Nyan Boateng both looked good Saturday.
"I got more comfortable with the receivers," Riley said. "That was pretty much the main thing. I thought I did my job. I know the offense improved every day, which was our goal." The receiving corps is perhaps the Bears' biggest uncertainty heading into fall camp. Gone are the explosive trio of DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan. Cal's current group of receivers has just 12 career catches combined.
"As you install plays all through the spring, there's a lot on their mind," Tedford said. "When things started slowing down, they were just able to play. When they
The results of the 2008 NFL draft make it hard to believe Cal finished ahead of only one team in the 2007 Pac-10 standings. The Bears had six players picked in the seven-round draft, the most Cal draftees since the draft was reduced from 12 rounds to eight in 1993. What's more, it was the greatest number of draft picks from Cal since six players were selected in 1977; the Bears have not had more than six since 1952, when 10 players were drafted, including seven taken between rounds 11 and 29.
Only three colleges - USC with 10, Virginia Tech with eight and LSU with seven - had more players drafted this year, and all three finished ranked in the top 10. The Bears were 3-6 in the Pac-10 and 7-6 overall. As prominent as Cal was in the draft, Stanford was a no-show, having no players drafted for only the second time since 1962. Among players from Bay Area high schools, Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon (San Leandro High) and San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson (Oakland Tech) were both taken in the fifth round Sunday, Dixon by Pittsburgh and Johnson by Tampa Bay.
Two other quarterbacks with East Bay roots - Nebraska's Sam Keller, who attended San Ramon Valley High, and Miami's Kyle Wright, who was rated the nation's No. 1 recruit by several recruiting services during his senior season at Danville's Monte Vista High - were not drafted They all took a backseat to Cal, which had five players selected on the second day of the draft.
The first Cal player taken Sunday - and the first since DeSean Jackson was chosen in the second round Saturday - was tight end Craig Stevens. The big numbers posted by Cal wide receivers Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan overshadowed Stevens, who had 17 receptions as a senior. But he was consistent and has no glaring weakness, which, combined with a good showing in the NFL combine, helped him become a third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans.
Stevens initially thought he was headed to Baltimore. Tennessee was on the clock and the Ravens were on deck when Stevens got a call. "Baltimore was on the phone, and they told me they were going to draft me," Stevens said. "Then I hear my call-waiting, and it was Tennessee. One minute I thought I was going to Baltimore and the next I'm going to Tennessee." The Titans acquired four-time Pro Bowl tight end Alge Crumpler in the offseason. Stevens later found out Hawkins will be his teammate as the Titans took Hawkins in the fourth round. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper called Hawkins the best pick of the second day. Before Hawkins was selected, the Atlanta Falcons took Cal safety Thomas DeCoud in the third round. DeCoud could compete for a starting spot as a rookie because the Falcons' No. 1 strong safety is 34-year-old Lawyer Milloy. "I heard he's a really good safety," DeCoud said, "and it would be great to be an understudy to him and learn from him. I would like to contribute right away, but we'll see how the cookie crumbles."
Cal running back Justin Forsett was drafted by Seattle, but not until the seventh round, later than expected. Guard Michael Gibson was taken earlier than projected, going in the sixth round to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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“..the Eagles again traded out of the first round and used their first pick in the second round on another defensive tackle (Trevor Laws), and then used their next pick on a very fast part-time wide receiver and full-time return specialist who is the size of a 10th-grader (DeSean Jackson), and also traded a fourth-round draft choice for a smallish running back the 1-15 Miami Dolphins didn't want anymore (Lorenzo Booker).”
It must have been the longest four hours and 49 minutes of his life. Cal wideout DeSean Jackson seemed to be a certain first-round NFL draft pick based on his game-breaking speed and agility, but on Saturday he had to wait until the 49th pick to hear his name called. Six receivers were picked before the Philadelphia Eagles snagged Jackson with the 18th pick in the second round. Concerns about his size-he weighed 169 pounds at the NFL combine-may have caused his stock to plunge on draft day.
"I definitely was surprised because I felt like I would go higher than I did, but God had a plan for me, and I knew it would be a team that would pick me up and put me in a great position," Jackson said to the San Francisco Chronicle. "Everything happens for a reason, and I think this is going to be a great fit for me."
Jackson was the first of six Bears players to be chosen over the draft's two days, a school record in a seven-round draft. Tight end Craig Stevens and wideout Lavelle Hawkins were both taken by the Tennessee Titans, in the third and fourth round, respectively, while safety Thomas DeCoud went to the Atlanta Falcons in the third round. The Eagles picked offensive tackle Michael Gibson in the sixth round, while tailback Justin Forsett became the last of five Cal offensive stars chosen, landing with the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh.
Jackson did not endure the same wait as some of his teammates, but his may have been the most excruciating. ESPN kept cutting to shots of Jackson and his family sitting patiently by the phone in Southern California before it became apparent that he would not be picked in the first round.
No receiver was selected in the first round and then six were taken toward the top of the second, including players from Coastal Carolina and Houston. Jackson, once considered the top receiver in the draft, blamed his fall on questions of his size and durability. "I have been hearing about (my size) all my life," said Jackson, who ended his three-year career at Cal ranked third all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns. "It has been something to motivate me. Sitting back and waiting for my name to be called, I kind of figured that a lot of people were afraid of my size, but like I tell everybody else, my heart is bigger than my size and I play larger than I really am."
But Jackson's costly wait-last year's 49th selection received $1.7 million in guaranteed money while most first-round picks received over $5 million-did little to damper a banner weekend for Cal. It was the first time the Bears had six players selected since 1977, when the draft included 12 rounds as opposed to the seven currently. "I'm really just hoping that everything works out for all those guys," coach Jeff Tedford said. "They've all done a lot for our program and we're excited about their next step."
The Cal football team ended spring ball the same way it started with regards to its quarterback situation-uncertain. Coach Jeff Tedford said throughout the spring that he was not prepared to make a decision on who would be the starting quarterback come fall and he continued that train of thought after the team's final spring practice Saturday. "We're going to go through the summer, we're going to go through fall camp and kind of see how it shakes down through fall camp," Tedford said. Last year's starter, Nate Longshore, missed most of the spring with a pulled pectoral muscle. He was present on practice Saturday, but did not participate in any drills.
This gave backup Kevin Riley time with the first-team offense and allowed redshirt freshman Brock Mansion to take more reps in the spring. But Tedford said that the injury to Longshore will not weigh on his decision to name a starter. "Nate was doing a great job this first week. He really showed well," Tedford said. "Kevin did a nice job through spring and Brock got better as the spring went along. "We're in good shape. We have two very good quarterbacks and a young guy who's got a lot of ability as well, so we're in good hands at the quarterback position."
Bears defensive coordinator Bob Gregory still seemed hesitant to say for sure whether or not the 3-4 defense will be Cal's base scheme next year, although he did allude to it. "We always have the 3-4," he said. "What did you guys see out there?" The Bears practiced almost exclusively out of the 3-4 defense this spring-which features three down linemen and four linebackers.
This may be beneficial for Cal-which finished last in the Pac-10 in sacks last year with 22-especially with a veteran linebacker group coming back next year, headlined by Zack Follett, Worrell Williams and Anthony Felder. "With all the one-backs that we see I think it gives us much more flexibility," Gregory said. "I think it's easier to find those kind of guys, those backer guys, than guys that look like Rulon (Davis)."
The memories of the way the Bears ended their 2007 campaign have not been lost on the team. If anything, it has helped Cal this spring. The Bears were ranked No. 2 in the country in early October, before they lost six of their last seven regular season games-which knocked them out of BCS contention-and dropped the Big Game to Stanford for the first time in six years. "We use last year as motivation, I think," senior center Alex Mack said. "We had a winning schedule, but we want to do better than that and we came out here knowing that."
Standout offensive skill position players have distinguished the Jeff Tedford-era at California, from Kyle Boller to Aaron Rodgers to J.J. Arrington to Marshawn Lynch to DeSean Jackson. But that doesn't appear to be the case this spring, so feel free to crack wise about why Tedford handed off play-calling duties to new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, even though that had nothing to do with the decision. It's not necessarily about a lack of talent. It's just the talent needs name tags. And good health and consistency.
The only non-no-name of the bunch -- quarterback Nate Longshore -- is engaged in a tight competition with fan favorite Kevin Riley. At least he was until a pectoral muscle injury sidelined him and made it clear the competition will continue well into the fall. Meanwhile, the pecking order at receiver and tailback remains hard to gauge, in large part because of injuries. Elusive junior Jahvid Best would be the frontrunner at tailback, even if James Montgomery hadn't opted to transfer to Washington State, but he's out with a hip injury -- the sort that makes coaches nervous even though Best's prognosis is optimistic. Junior Tracy Slocum, speedy redshirt freshman Shane Vereen -- who's been mostly sidelined by a hamstring injury -- and true freshman Covaughn DeBoskie have no carries to their credit, and all three are listed at under 200 pounds.
The story is the same at receiver. Jeremy Ross exceeded expectations until spraining his ankle, while LaReylle Cunningham and Drew Glover also have been hounded by injuries. Redshirt freshman Michael Calvin and Florida transfer Nyan Boateng are physically talented -- and likely will be in the top three next fall -- but they were inconsistent until producing an uptick the final couple of workouts. In other words, little has been settled heading into the offseason.
Here’s the link.
There is no movement on the Cal front. Tomey and Jeff Tedford discussed a possible series a while back, but SJSU has not heard from the Bears since the fall. “I’m assuming their silence means they are not interested,” Bowen said.
New Bears offensive coordinator is in charge of the offense as Tedford pays more attention to all facets of the team
BERKELEY -- There's a different look at Cal spring practice this year. The coach directing traffic on offense is not Jeff Tedford. Tedford still is involved in the unit's affairs, but new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti is the one hovering behind Cal's quarterbacks, blowing the whistle when he sees something he doesn't like.
It's all part of the Bears' new regime that has Tedford as more of an overseer and Cignetti running the offense. Tedford made the move following last season, removing himself from play calling duties to pay more attention to all facets of the program. "He's done a great job," Tedford said of Cignetti. "He's worked very hard and is very detailed. He's enthusiastic and has really brought a lot of energy." Cignetti brings his own offensive philosophy to the Bears, but has been careful to adjust to the team rather than the other way around. Tedford and Cignetti both said they are combining on ideas, and that their philosophies are similar.
"It's a situation where you want to make as little changes as possible for the players, so I'm the one who needs to do most of the learning," Cignetti said. "So there's definitely an adjustment period. I've enjoyed every day." Cignetti has a lot of experience adjusting to a new workplace. Cal is the eighth stop during his coaching career, including three stints with NFL teams. "I've done this many times, making changes," Cignetti said. "There is always an adjustment period to the university itself, the coaches and the players, learning a new language. It's been a great situation so far."
Cignetti is taking over an offense that is loaded with questions. The Bears don't have any experience at wide receiver and not much at running back. The team is attempting to decide on a starting quarterback, a competition that has been slowed because of an injury to Nate Longshore. "We're pleased with our progress," Cignetti said. "When you look at the three phases of offense -- the running game, protection and the passing game -- we feel like we're making progress and getting better with each practice."
No holding back
With only three more practices left, Tedford said he wants the team to "cut it loose" today and Saturday. "For the young guys who haven't been through it before, it's definitely important," Tedford said. Many of those young guys are at wide receiver, where the Bears are trying to figure out who is going to replace DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan. Cal's inexperienced receiving core has been a work in progress this spring, and injuries have taken their toll. Michael Calvin has been the team's best receiver, but he hasn't been spectacular. Jeremy Ross had been playing well before suffering a sprained ankle last weekend. Drew Glover had been a revelation before incurring a separated shoulder and Nyan Boateng has been inconsistent. "We need to get better," Tedford said. "They're working hard at it and trying to get better every day. That's what spring is all about."
Extra points
Walk-on Richard Fisher has started to get first team reps at left guard in place of Mark Boskovich. The Bears need to replace Brian De La Puente at that position. ... Tight end Cameron Morrah missed Monday's practice after having an asthma attack. Tedford also said a flu bug has hit the team pretty hard.
By Andrew Kim
The replacements. The new guys. The inexperienced.
A total of 6,218 yards, 454 receptions and 47 touchdowns later, wideouts DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan shed those labels and left the Cal football team as a unit to enter the 2008 NFL Draft, having risen as one of the nation's top receiving corps upon exit. After assembling a potent passing attack over the past few seasons-not to mention the stable of running backs that the program has graduated-the Bears are left with mere traces of their recent brilliance at this year's spring camp, with names like Michael Calvin, Nyan Boateng, Jeremy Ross and LaReylle Cunningham in queue.
Reinsert first paragraph here.
Suffice it to say, Cal's aerial attack remains clipped at the wings, as its depth chart at receiver was wiped clean by the departure of the aforementioned trio. The Bears have rebuilt their stash of receivers in the past, though never as exhaustively. Still, as should be expected from a top program, there are plenty waiting in the wings for a chance to become the quarterback's favorite hookup. Arguably Cal's best player not to dress for a game in 2007, Calvin has patiently learned about, well, patience. Like most of his teammates, the redshirt freshman was the go-to guy during his prep career at San Lorenzo High, racking up 22 touchdowns on 1,454 receiving yards in his final two seasons.
But the 56th-best wide receiver recruit in 2007-according to Rivals.com-had to stay content with simulating, instead of facing, the Bears' opponents once he entered Cal. Undeterred, Calvin responded by claiming Scout Team Player of the Year honors on offense, serving up a big 6-foot-2, 205-pound target for the Bears' defensive backs-a bulk that the featherweight starters couldn't mimic. "I talked to my high school coach, and he told me it's just all about being patient," says Calvin. "I just sat back, I learned the game. I took mental reps, and I prepared myself for this day now. "The award just shows that I work hard through everything, I don't take plays off, I go 100 percent. I give it my all, man."
Today, Calvin boasts NFL-type measurements and a self-proclaimed 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash. While Cunningham (knee) and Ross (high ankle sprain) continue to recuperate from injury, Calvin and another 6-foot-2 wideout have emerged as prime candidates for slots on the starting 11. An explosive athlete with hops better reserved for the hardwood, Boateng was recruited by a bevy of SEC staples like Florida and Tennessee despite an injury that caused him to miss his senior campaign. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native, however, struggled to impress the Gators staff as a freshman and opted to transfer to Cal, only to run into trouble with the law with charges of burglary, battery and criminal mischief before he played a single snap at Memorial Stadium.
A rocky rapport with coach Jeff Tedford seemed inevitable. "Coach 'T' and I had a great relationship when I first came in," says Boateng. "Then all the other stuff happened to me, so it was kind of a setback. But now he's starting to open up the trust level a little bit with me. It's a process, you know." Boateng seems to have reciprocated Tedford's efforts to improve their bond. "At first, I didn't understand why he did certain things with me, but now I do," says Boateng. "I read about him a little bit, saw something on YouTube about his life and I respect him as a man and everything he's been through." The soft-spoken receiver also assured that he's in the best playing shape of his career, Florida days included. After muffing a punt return early in Saturday's practice, Boateng later impressed teammates with a touchdown scamper off of a quick slant. The same type of resilience could serve him well in his first full season in years, in which he'll see his share of lumps. "He's getting better every day, and that's what spring football is all about," says Tedford. "It's about learning the system, it's about getting used to the speed of the game ... I'm pleased with his progress, but he has a long way to go."
Complementing the emerging pair of newcomers are old faces with largely new roles, likely to add stability and toughness to the position. A special-teamer for most of last season, Ross had impressed Tedford leading up to his injury, leading his coach to spare some relatively lofty words for the receiver: "Early, Jeremy Ross was doing a real good job," says Tedford. Look no further than the cause of the same high-ankle sprain-the wideout's willingness to drag defenders after the catch-for proof of his big-play potential.
The public got a glimpse of his grit during open practice two Saturdays ago, as Ross absorbed the initial contact and gained a dozen extra yards, only to be stopped by a gang of incoming tacklers. A horse collar grab from behind coupled with multiple hits across the chest resulted in the sprain. But despite the setback, Ross doesn't seem like he'll turn soft any time soon. "Oh yeah, that's my big aspect," says Ross. "When I get hit, it's gonna take more than one guy to take me down because I'm more physical and strong. I plan on catching the rock and getting more after that." Cunningham, meanwhile, continues to build strength in his right knee. The senior, who returns as the elder statesman of the receiving corps with 155 career receiving yards and a touchdown, said his legs felt about 75 to 80 percent healthy.
Another 6-foot, 200-plus pounder, Cunningham implied his preference for leading through action, Robert Jordan-style.
"I help out when guys come to me to ask questions," says Cunningham. "I let them know what's going on. I'm more of a not-so-talkative leader, but I'm there. I'm there for it." Despite the talkativeness of the rest of Cunningham's crew, none was able to express the optimism surrounding this group better than first-year wide receivers coach (and former quarterbacks coach) Kevin Daft. Perhaps the fact that he is new to his own assignment gives the receivers a coach to whom they can relate. "They're very hungry to play," says Daft. "It's been a while since they've played, every single one of them, extensive amounts of time since high school. I think that's good because they want to learn, they want to get better and they want to be great with everything."
In times of despair, comfort can be found from a parent's sympathetic ear or words of encouragement. And if there was ever a time that California quarterback Kevin Riley needed compassion, it was after the second-ranked Bears lost 31-28 to Oregon State on Oct. 13. With Cal in range of a short field goal that would've forced overtime, Riley – then a redshirt freshman making his first career start in place of injured Nate Longshore – ran from the pocket rather than throw a clock -stopping incompletion in the game's final seconds. He was tackled at Oregon State's 9, and time ran out before Cal could line up for a field-goal attempt.
Cal's hopes of an undefeated season were over, and the chance to ascend to No. 1 in the nation (top-ranked LSU had lost to Kentucky earlier that day) for the first time since 1951 was gone. Disappointed fans in Berkeley blamed him for the loss. They blamed him for ruining the season. They blamed him for killing their buzz. A few minutes later, Faustin Riley - a football coach at Beaverton (Ore.) High School who had proudly watched the youngest of his four children grow from a 5-foot-5, 107-pound eighth-grade overachiever into a 6-3, 215-pound college quarterback - met with his son outside Cal's locker room. "The first thing he said to me was, 'You really messed up,' " Kevin said.
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“Stanford, Cal and San Jose State are looking for No. 1 quarterbacks and No. 1 tailbacks. And there has been no resolution on either front at any school during spring practice. At Cal, injuries to quarterback Nate Longshore and tailback Jahvid Best have added to the murkiness. Longshore is due back in August to compete with Kevin Riley for the starting job. But how effective will Best be after a major hip injury?
Add the departure of James Montgomery, and the Bears have more questions in the backfield than at any time during the Jeff Tedford era.”
By Gary Peterson
BERKELEY -- Cameron Jordan is on a roll. Literally. Cal's 6-foot-4, 286-pound defensive end is down on the rubberized fake grass of Memorial Stadium, rolling from one goal line to the other. Practice -- the 10th of 15 Cal will conduct this spring -- is over. An autumn-like chill is in the Friday evening air. The weekend awaits, smelling of promise. But Jordan continues his long, strange trip. Roll on, you Bear. He's at the 50... the 40... he could roll all the way. In fact, that's the purpose of this little team-building pseudo-punitive exercise, typically assigned to a player for some minor violation of a little-known -- perhaps even nonexistent -- team rule. A small gaggle of Jordan's linemates shepherd him down the field, heckling him, cheering him, reorienting him when he veers off course.
He almost crashes into a small group that includes coach Jeff Tedford, who is holding a post-practice session with the team's receivers. Tedford lobs high-arcing passes which force the receivers to catch the ball while looking straight back over their heads. (Note to Cal's 2008 opponents: Be alert for the Ghost to the Post.)
Eventually, Jordan reaches the far goal line. There he gets the bad news -- now he has to roll back. Goofy? Yes. Sophomoric? Well, Jordan is a sophomore. A good sign? That's the word on the rubberized fake grass.
Football is fun again in Berkeley. That's what you keep hearing. Knee-jerk reaction: Well, duh. After a 5-0 start in 2007, Cal lost six of its final eight games. That included the Bears' first Big Game defeat of Tedford's tenure.
"There was a lot of pressure to perform," senior offensive lineman Alex Mack said. "People got down on each other." From within sniffing distance of the school's first No. 1 ranking in 56 years, Cal plummeted out of the Top 25 and landed with a thud in the Armed Forces Bowl. (Nothing against the Armed Forces.) What wouldn't be more fun than that? Sure enough, senior linebacker Zack Follett said he first noticed an uptick in the team's mood even before spring ball. "Right when we hit the weight room," he said. But this good vibe seems to transcend what happened last year, time's healing properties, the low-stress environment of off-season drills, and the natural euphoric cocktail of spring, the great outdoors and the best years of a young man's life.
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While many involved Cal fans know that the oak tree protest in the grove
west of Memorial Stadium is just a side show to the real issues being
combated in court, the public-relations impact of the protest has been
negative and enormous. Articles about it have appeared in national
newspapers like USA Today and the New York Times - and elsewhere - even
internationally.
University attorneys now say they expect a favorable decision from Judge
Barbara Miller of the Alameda County Superior Court about the proposed
Athletics Center in just a few weeks. If that happens, and if the injunction
that has to date prevented project construction is dissolved, the University
will immediately clear the site and begin construction.
And should that happen, the tree-sitters and the small grove of landscape
oaks will be the first to go - and that will result in international
headlines.
Accordingly, writer Gary Moore (an occasional contributor to the Bear
Insider website) has written an Op-Ed piece that attempts to place the
oak-grove protest into an appropriate context.
We have published his article; here's a link to it:
http://california.scout.com/2/747537.html
It has become apparent over the last year that few understand the real - and
almost irrelevant - issues at stake in the oak grove protest, so we request
that you distribute the link to Moore's article as widely as possible.
Thank you for your help.
Chris Avery
Publisher
The Bear Insider
Scout.com - Always on our Game
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“I really want to spend some time with Jeff Tedford. He obviously came into a (football) program that was really struggling and got it turned around. I want to know what he saw, what he sells, how he sells it, because I think he's done a marvelous job of obviously figuring that out. Whatever he did, we need to be able to pick up on that. Joanne Boyle, with women's basketball, will be a great resource.”
Practice notes from Wednesday, April 16th. The defensive Bears are behaving offensively; Cal fans hope for some balance.
By Jon Wilner
It didn’t occur to me until Jim Harbaugh made mention of Stanford’s tailback situation following the Spring Game: Not only do the locals have quarterback questions; they also have backfield questions. The Bears, Cardinal and Spartans are all looking for No. 1 quarterbacks and No. 1 tailbacks.
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CAL
Quarterback: My feeling at the end of the ‘07 season was that Nate Longshore might bolt for a Mormon Church Mission rather than compete for the starting job with bowl sensation Kevin Riley. Instead, he opted to compete — creating the possibility that their duel would last through training camp and possibly stretch into the season, with neither establishing himself as the clear-cut No. 1. And now Longshore’s out with a torn pectoral muscle, leaving most of the spring snaps to Riley, who obviously needs them more given the disparity in experience.
Best guess: Longshore works his butt off over the summer and looks very good in August, so good that Coach Jeff Tedford can’t give Riley the job.
Tailback: My feeling at the end of ‘07 was that Jahvid Best’s career might be over because of the hip injury, and I’m glad I was wrong — you hate to see players retire in college because of injury. But there’s no telling how effective Best will be in training camp, and without Shane Vereen (hamstring) and James Montgomery (transfer), Cal has been light on experience in spring ball.
Best guess: Tracy Slocum and Covaughn DeBoskie are getting most of the reps now, but look for a tailback-by-committee approach, at least early in the season. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking this will be, by far, the most wide open tailback situation of the Tedford era.
