JUDGE MILLER TO ISSUE TREE SITTER RULING "PROMPTLY"

NBC 11

Here’s the link.

A judge said Monday that she will decide "promptly" whether to finalize her recent decision to allow the University of California, Berkeley to go ahead with its plan to build a new sports training facility next to its football stadium.  At a brief hearing Monday morning, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller said she issued a tentative ruling last Thursday in favor of the university's proposed 158,000-square-foot project, which is expected to cost about $140 million.  Miller issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 29, 2007, that temporarily halted the project, which had been approved by a UC Board of Regents committee on Dec. 5, 2006.  But on July 22, she ruled that the university could begin work because it had modified the project to address her concerns about environmental and safety issues.

Stephan Volker, attorney for the California Oak Foundation, one of three plaintiff groups that filed suit to try to stop the project, said after today's hearing that if Miller rules in favor of the university, he will return to the state Court of Appeal to request a stay that would continue to block the project while the appeal is litigated.  The university's attorney, Charles Olson, said he expects Miller to rule by the end of the day Monday.

Sacramento Bee: Cal looks to erase bad memories

Link.

By Joe Davidson

Worrell Williams has become a pest, the gnat buzzing in your ear.  The Cal senior linebacker implores Bears coach Jeff Tedford to put him in on offense. Not full time, mind you, just in goal-line situations – the good stuff.  "Asks me every day," Tedford said. " 'Coach, I'm ready. Come on, coach, put me in there.' I remind him we have guys for that. We need him to do what he does."   What Williams does best is flatten ballcarriers. His running days are well behind him, tracing back to Grant High School where he was as bullish with a ball as he was on ball carriers. At Cal, Williams has emerged as a leader, eager to do anything to help put last year's crash-and-burn season to rest.

Cal started 5-0 and climbed to No. 2, with the likely move to No. 1 had it defeated visiting Oregon State on Oct. 13. But a loss to the Beavers and the subsequent tailspin produced a bitter 7-6 finish that had Tedford wondering recently, "I'm not sure we'll ever know exactly what happened."  Williams has an idea. Loss of focus.  "We've been spoiled during the Tedford era," Williams said. "We allowed small mistakes in the games – missed tackle here, blown assignment there – to build, and it added up to losses. We've learned."  Williams and linebacking partner Zack Follett head one of the Pacific-10 Conference's top defenses. The secondary is led by Syd Thompson.  And here's a first: It's the offense that has questions. Tedford settled the quarterback debate by naming Kevin Riley the starter over Nate Longshore. But who will catch the ball? Cal lost all of its wide receivers, including DeSean Jackson. The new featured back is speedster Jahvid Best, and the offensive line includes All-America center Alex Mack. And there's always Williams, eager for an extra chance of contact. "I tell coach, 'Hey, put me in if you want to score, or at least let me block,' " Williams said, smiling.

 

ESPN: Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio Talks About Cal Game

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Quote:

You mentioned the Cal game. They obviously have a starter [at quarterback] now, [Kevin] Riley came on last year. How does he affect your preparation at all and how big is it to start off with a game like that?

 

MD: Cal has a couple of different unknowns there. One, they have a new offensive coordinator and two, they've gone to sort of a 3-4 defense, which they haven't run as much. Riley is an excellent quarterback. Both those guys are. A very well-coached football team, very tied together in all aspects, whether it's the passing game or protection. Defensively, the same thing could be said. So it will be a tremendous challenge for us, going out there on the West Coast, playing a team that at one point in time last year was ranked No. 2 in the nation. We're coming right into the fire. I think we'll learn a little bit about ourselves as we go. It will be a learning experience for us from that respect. I'm sure there's going to be adversity. I'm sure we're going to come away happy with some things and not so happy with some things, but that's football. We're going to be ready for the challenge, I can tell you that. We'll be focused.

Arizona Republic: Pac-10 breakdown: A new ending?

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California

Key player: Switching to a 3-4 base defense gives linebacker Zack Follett the opportunity to make plays, an area in which he has excelled. The 6-foot-1, 238-pound senior is a two-time All-Pac-10 performer, and a preseason candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the nation's top defensive player. Follett has recorded 13 careers sacks and 28 tackles for loss during his career. He also has forced eight fumbles.

What's to like: Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley give Cal two decent options at quarterback. Longshore is a two-year starter, but Riley was the MVP in last season's Armed Forces Bowl and coach Jeff Tedford's pick as starter. The winner will be well protected, as Cal returns three starters on the offensive line, including All-Pac-10 selection Alex Mack.

What's not to like: Cal has to be one the harder teams to figure out in college football. The Bears were title contenders last season but crumbled after a tough home loss to Oregon State. They lost five of their next six, including consecutive losses to Washington and Stanford. Expectations aren't high this season, which might be for the best after the Bears wilted in the spotlight.

Arizona Daily Star: Pac-10 team capsules

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GOLDEN BEARS

• Coach: Jeff Tedford (50-26 in 6 years)

• In 2007: 7-6, won Armed Forces Bowl

• Goodbye: Justin Forsett ran for 1,546 yards; DeSean Jackson, Robert Jordan and Lavelle Hawkins caught more than 2,100 yards of passes.

• Hello: Sophomore RB Jahvid Best, who averaged 7.6 yards in only 29 attempts last year, could be the conference's fastest player.

• The Big Question: With offensive firepower gone, can Tedford work his offensive-minded magic to rebound from a 2-6 finish last season?

• The Greatest: Food service ever — while protesters sat in trees at the Memorial Stadium oak grove to protest the building of a new athletic training center, campus police delivered bottled water and at least 1,800 calories worth of food per day.

• Best Name: RB Covaughn DeBoskie

• TiVo it: vs. Michigan State, 5 p.m., Aug. 30 (ABC)

Contra Costa Times: Longshore's focus the same despite new role as Cal's backup quarterback

Jonathan Okanes

Link.

Nate Longshore may have been passed over in the battle to become Cal's starting quarterback, but his mind-set appears to be the same as it was before the competition ever started.  "I'm just doing the same thing, focusing on getting better and improving, and focusing on doing whatever the team needs to win," Longshore said 48 hours after coach Jeff Tedford tabbed Kevin Riley as the Bears' starting quarterback. "I'm preparing the same way, preparing to play the best you can. Nothing changes. You're trying to go out there and win the game. No matter who's playing, it doesn't matter. I came out focused on getting better. That's all you can do."

That's the same message Longshore had at the beginning of spring practice and at the outset of fall camp. Longshore has repeatedly said he wasn't in a competition against Riley, but rather focusing on simply doing the best job he can.  And it's not as though Longshore now will become a forgotten man. Tedford said Longshore will still play in the season-opener against Michigan State and the position will continue to be evaluated throughout the season. "Every day is about development and doing what you can to improve as a player," Longshore said. "If you go out there and try to improve as a player, it makes the team better and goal of winning games better."  Longshore became only the second Cal quarterback ever to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season in 2006, but was inconsistent last season after suffering an ankle injury midway through the year. Tedford announced after the season that the position was open.  Longshore, a fifth-year senior, was rated as the top junior quarterback prospect in the country by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. before last season. Now, it appears his NFL draft chances are uncertain. "I'm comfortable with myself and I know my life is going to be a success and I'm going to be happy no matter what I do," Longshore said. "If that involves football, that will be great. If it doesn't involved football, that will also be great. My life will be perfectly fine with or without football."

Staying the course

Sophomore wide receiver Nyan Boateng said the coaching staff plans on starting Michael Calvin, LaReylle Cunningham and Sean Young in the season-opener. Boateng, a highly regarded transfer from Florida who has had some off-field troubles, expected to crack the starting lineup this season. "I felt like I was one of the best receivers here," Boateng said. "I did everything they asked me. I'm assuming it had to do with trust and stuff like that. I'm going to come out and work my butt off every day and try to get that trust level up. Hopefully, if they put me in the game, I can make a difference."  Boateng struggled in the spring but got off to a good start to fall camp. He appeared to have worked his way up to the first team but fell back to the second unit during the latter stages of camp. "I'm a competitor. It hurts a lot. I did everything they've asked me to do. I have a 3.3 GPA. I've stayed out of trouble. I've dedicated myself to the team. I've done everything I can do. "I've been through so much, I'm not going to stop now. Nothing is going to be given to me. I have to go out there and get it. When I get into the game, I'm going to make my mark to show everybody I'm worthy of the hype."

Extra points

Tailback Jahvid Best has sat out the past three practices, but Tedford said he will start practicing again in a full capacity Monday. "... Right guard Noris Malele (leg bruise) returned to practice. "... Tedford on fall camp coming to an end: "It was a good camp. I think we improved through camp, we had a physical camp and we got a lot of new guys acclimated to the pace of the game. It was very productive. Now it's time to hone in on game planning."

 

Kentucky Herald-Leader Ranks Cal 13th

John Clay, the Kentucky Herald-Leader’s sports columnist wrote (he apparently wasn’t following the QB competition too closely):

 

13:  California: Many thought Jeff Tedford had a golden chance to take the Golden Bears to the national title game last year, but a collapsing Cal finished 7-6. The flop should serve as a serious motivator, especially if quarterback Nate Longshore comes through.

Link.

SF Chronicle: The play's the thing for newly anointed Cal QB

Link.

By Rusty Simmons

It didn't matter what question was asked. Cal sophomore Kevin Riley had checked off goal No. 1 - winning the starting quarterback job - so his next matter of attention had taken hold of his lone focal point. "Um, get ready for Michigan State," Riley said Thursday. The question asked was aiming for Riley's emotions on beating out senior incumbent Nate Longshore. Never mind that Riley's response had nothing to do with the question; his answer gave an exact glimpse of his makeup. When Cal coach Jeff Tedford opened the quarterback competition during the offseason, Riley was "here to win the job," and Longshore was "here to do what's best for the team." Riley felt he had to play like "it's my job," and Longshore felt he had to play "the way I always have." Turns out, they both followed through.

Longshore, who is fourth all-time at Cal in passing efficiency, sixth in touchdowns and seventh in yardage, was consistent throughout training camp. Riley, who displayed the same confidence in losing to Oregon State and in overcoming a 21-point deficit to Air Force, was special. The most inspired portions of training camp have been red-zone drills. The most inspired play of training camp was Riley's in a red-zone drill. During a practice on Aug. 17, Riley was pressured out of the pocket. He avoided two tacklers before he turned and a fired a strike through traffic for a touchdown to tight end Anthony Miller. The play drew hoots and hollers from teammates. Even two on-looking defensive players exchanged a leaping high-five. "I think if a play breaks down, I have the ability to make a play with my feet," Riley said. "When I say 'playmaking,' it's not like I'm going to go out of my way to scramble around and try to make plays, but if something happens, I'm going to make something happen."

That might be the ultimate contrasting attribute between Riley and Longshore, but even in the quote, you can see another difference. Riley used the word "play" four times, and in a 5 1/2-minute interview, he used it 22 times. Football, and seemingly life, is "play" for Riley. Before he knew he would star in the Armed Forces Bowl, Riley was dancing around Fort Worth, Texas, in a cowboy hat. During a grueling conditioning period this week, he was laughing with and hugging linebackers Michael Mohamed and D.J. Holt. On the day he was named starter, Riley sat in a dark stadium with careerlong reserves Michael Costanzo and Garry Graffort and their families. "Our guys want to win, and that's what it's about," Riley said. "They would be behind whoever was going to be the quarterback, and they're giving me support. That's one more thing to keep working for: winning for every teammate." Riley made that comment without ever losing eye contact with the reporter. He stared right past the Band-Aid under his eye, which protects the hole left by a mole removed during the offseason. It wouldn't matter where the Band-Aid was. Riley gives the impression that he'd play anyway. "I just want to play ball," he always says, regardless of what question is asked.

SF Chronicle: Wide receiver Boateng disappointed in reserve role

Link.

By Rusty Simmons

Nyan Boateng, probably Cal's most physically talented receiver, has been relegated to a reserve role, and he's not happy about it.  "It hurts; it hurts a lot," Boateng said. "I can't just pack my stuff and leave."  By most reports, Boateng has been a model citizen since he was reinstated to the team before spring drills. Still, Michael Calvin, LaReylle Cunningham and Sean Young are ahead of Boateng on the depth chart.  "They didn't tell me the real reason why I'm not going to be in the starting lineup," Boateng said. "I'm assuming it has to do with trust and stuff like that."  Boateng, who was one of the nation's top two-sport (basketball/football) athletes out of Brooklyn, N.Y., played as a freshman at the University of Florida. He ran into legal trouble there. After transferring to Cal, another criminal charge was filed in Florida, leading to his suspension. But that charge was dropped.

Longshore speaks: Senior quarterback Nate Longshore on Saturday spoke publicly for the first time since it was announced that he had lost his starting job to sophomore Kevin Riley. "Nothing has changed the fact that we're trying to go out there and win games, no matter who plays or who takes the first reps or whatever," Longshore said. Cal coach Jeff Tedford said Longshore will play at some point during the season opener and the competition will be continuous. At this time last season, Longshore was listed as the top NFL prospect among junior quarterbacks by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. "I know my life is going to be a success, and I'll be happy no matter what I do," Longshore said. "My life will be perfectly fine, with or without football."

Lansing State Journal: Pregame chatter heightens interest

Link.

Spartans, Bears have few reasons to overlook opener

By Joe Rexrode

EAST LANSING - Before they cross helmets in six days, Michigan State and Cal should thank each other for helping each other slog through fall camp. August, with its heat and two-a-day sessions, is never easy for players. But unlike most teams in college football, the Spartans and Bears aren't opening with a lopsided matchup that equates to a fancified scrimmage.   They're opening in a prime-time affair Saturday at Cal's Memorial Stadium that should be one of college football's best first-weekend contests. That must have helped with the up-downs and the tackling drills.  "No question, it helps camp, it helps challenge us," MSU sophomore linebacker Greg Jones said. "Obviously we'd be excited regardless, but with a game like this we know where our focus is from day to day."  The Spartans have been paying close attention to the Bears since Aug. 3, when Cal's starting left tackle, Mike Tepper, told reporters this about his pectoral and hamstring injuries: "I'm about 80 percent right now. I don't think I'll get to a full 100 percent, but I'll definitely be able to push 245-pound defensive ends off the line."

That probably reached the MSU bulletin board within minutes after leaving Tepper's mouth.  "In this computer age we live in, everybody sees what everybody says," said MSU coach Mark Dantonio, and his 245-pound defensive end, Trevor Anderson, noticed the comment.  Alas, the Anderson-Tepper cage match probably won't happen. Cal coach Jeff Tedford told reporters Wednesday that it's "highly doubtful" Tepper will be healthy enough to start.

Other developments from both camps include:

Position battles

The biggest one on either side was decided Thursday evening when Tedford named sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley the starter over senior Nate Longshore.  Longshore took much of the heat for Cal's collapse from 5-0 and a No. 2 ranking to a 6-6 regular-season finish. Riley was terrific in his place at times, especially in leading the Bears to a 42-36 comeback win over Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl. Tedford emphasized that Longshore will play against the Spartans as well.  "We feel like Kevin has the ability to make plays," Tedford said. "We feel great about Nate's experience and knowledge and his play-making ability as well. We want to see with the roles reversed, how that works. We're looking for the best chance to be successful. It's so close, it's going to (be) continual evaluation."

The same goes for MSU's No. 2 running back situation, where no clear-cut leader has emerged. Junior A.J. Jimmerson, redshirt freshmen Andre Anderson and Ashton Leggett, and even true freshman Glenn Winston could be tapped to aid senior star Javon Ringer. Pass blocking will be the primary emphasis for this game, which favors Anderson and Jimmerson.

Injury list

The Spartans won't release specific information on injuries until Tuesday, but camp has seen its share of nagging setbacks. It appears most of MSU's regulars will be able to go, barring bad luck in the next few days.

Cal, meanwhile, has the Tepper situation, a knee bruise for starting right guard Noris Malele and a shoulder injury for starting cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson. Ankle injuries have hit the top two nose tackles, but Tepper is the only player expected to be held back Saturday.

New looks for '08

MSU had to switch up its secondary last week when projected starting free safety Roderick Jenrette was asked to leave the team for undisclosed "personal reasons." Jenrette, a junior, still is not back on the active roster. So starting cornerback Kendell Davis-Clark is a free safety, and it looks like he may stay there regardless of Jenrette's status.  MSU also is making a forced change at kick returner, trying to find someone explosive enough to replace departed receiver Devin Thomas, who set a Big Ten record with 1,135 kickoff return yards in 2007. Ringer likely will get a chance to be that guy, a move Dantonio has expressed no reservations about making.

Cal's big change is the move to a 3-4 defensive front, primarily to take advantage of its deep group of linebackers. The linebackers are the strength of the defense and perhaps the entire team.  The Bears also have been trying to diagnose and correct the intangible ills that surfaced during last season's collapse. That's a familiar theme in East Lansing.  But the Spartans discovered consistent competitiveness in their first year under Dantonio, finishing within a touchdown or closer in all six losses. Saturday is a chance for both teams to show they can finish - and start with an impressive victory. "We have the talent," MSU senior quarterback Brian Hoyer said. "We just have to do the little things to get over the hump and win those close games."

Sportingnews: Cal's New QB Is Charismatic, Pantsless

Check out the photos here.
Kevin Riley has been named the new starter at QB for Cal, beating out Nate Longshore for the job. How did he do it? By demonstrating the same qualities on display in his comeback victory against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl: agility, a knack for finding the open receiver, and a lucky pair of orange workout shorts that made it all happen.
Riley is showing off school pride there, and not merely dropping his pants in public: he went to Beaverton High School, whose logo is visible on the shorts, so it's really a kind of demented shout-out to his alma mater.

Further amusing pictures publicly available on Facebook display Riley's pride in his Irish ancestry, his comfort with his own masculinity, and an effervescent charisma that just convinced me to bump Cal into my rankings. A man with this much zest for living simply has to be a winner.

Daily Cal: Fall Camp Notebook: Day 18

Link.
By Matt Kawahara
Even though the Cal football team practiced for a solid two and a half hours Thursday afternoon, most of the major happenings occurred off the field. "Today was kind of the day of guys going to scout team, redshirting, that type of thing," coach Jeff Tedford said. "There were a lot of meetings today, a lot of talking." Following the final scrimmage of fall camp on Tuesday and personnel meetings yesterday afternoon, Tedford came to practice today full of news. Of course, his biggest announcement was that sophomore Kevin Riley will start for the Bears in their season opener against Michigan State. Nate Longshore will also see playing time during the game, and Tedford said that the competition would continue to be evaluated as the season progresses.
Depth chart announcements didn't stop there. Tedford also said that walk-on freshman David Seawright will be the team's starting field goal kicker, edging senior Jordan Kay for the job. The competition between Seawright and Kay heated up over the last two weeks of fall camp as the freshman showed a powerful leg to rival Kay's improved range and accuracy. Seawright converted all of his field goals in the first scrimmage, while Kay was perfect in the second. The two seemed to be in a dead heat, but Tedford had all but promised that a decision on the kickers would be finalized by today. "We felt like Seawright's got a great upside," Tedford said. "We're going to continue to evaluate, it's going to be a day-to-day thing, but as of today Seawright's the number one kicker. He struggled early in camp, but once he got his bearings he was very consistent, gives us a little bit more range." Tedford said that kickoff responsibilities are still up in the air.
Nothing definitive was decided about the receiving corps, although that might be because the receivers run so deep that a depth chart is unnecessary. "There's going to be probably a broader rotation than we've ever had at receiver," Tedford said. He added that there are "six or seven" wideouts who could be in the mix for playing time. LaReyelle Cunningham and Sean Young have had a majority of the reps with the first-team offense. Michael Calvin, who was back on the field today for the first time after being sidelined last week with a sprained toe, returned to work with the 1's. Jeremy Ross and Nyan Boateng have also seen regular playing time in fall camp, and Tedford confirmed today that Verran Tucker will play for Cal this season.
With so many options, Tedford said that he is currently unsure about who will be in for the opening plays against the Spartans. "We probably won't know that until game time," he said. "See how they practice with game planning and that type of thing, and see what the game plan turns out to be on how to use them."
Along with Calvin, a few other notable players returned today from injuries. Tailback Tracy Slocum was back in his white practice jersey after missing multiple days with turf toe. Mika Kane also practiced, having recovered from an ankle injury. Kane's return bolsters the nose tackle position, which will be a necessity during the season. On top of having to adjust to a new position, Cal's nose tackles will have to battle constant double teams as part of the new 3-4 defense.
"We're going to need to have some depth at nose to keep those guys fresh," Tedford said. "With Derrick (Hill), (Kendrick) Payne, (Mike) Costanzo, those four guys are all going to get into the rotation." Syd'Quan Thompson remained sidelined with a sprained shoulder, although he did do some one-on-one work with Tedford during practice. Tedford threw a few balls simulating kickoffs and punts to Thompson, who is a probable kick returner for the Bears.
Jahvid Best did not participate in seven-on-seven or team drills today as part of his designated rest plan. Shane Vereen handled the first-team duties in his absence and, afterward, drew some praise from the head coach. "He's gone through camp banged up, he's been hobbled through camp, and he's really kind of sucked it up and done a nice job," Tedford said. "Hopefully in the next couple days when they get a chance to rest a little bit, he'll be 100 percent." Vereen suffered a lower leg bruise early in camp, but he was cleared to participate in the team's first scrimmage and carried the ball 11 times for 71 yards. He has said recently that he still feels about a step slower than he would like to during the season, but it hasn't slowed his production in practice. As a result, Vereen will play the same role to Best that Best played to Justin Forsett in 2007. "They'll spell each other like we've always done with our tailbacks," Tedford said. "We've had the luxury of having two backs for a long time, be it J.J. (Arrington) and Marshawn (Lynch), Marshawn and Justin, Justin and Jahvid. Now it's Jahvid and Shane."

Dr. Bob's Preview of Cal Football 2008

Note from blogger: Last year the Wall Street Journal had an article on a former Cal classmate of mine who runs a very successful sports handicapping website. (He led my fraternity's IM football team, as QB, to a crushing defeat of the SAE's.) You can read the article here, and check out his website here. Here’s his analysis of Cal Football 2008:

Cal Preview
California went from the verge of the #1 ranking after their upset win at Oregon to losses in 6 of 7 games before coming back from a 0-21 deficit to win their bowl game against Air Force behind sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley. The Bears weren’t as good early in the season as their 5-0 start suggested, as they were lucky to win at Oregon (+4 in turnovers in that game while being out-gained 400 yards to 497 yards) and were a combined +11 in turnover margin in those 5 games. Starting quarterback Nate Longshore injured his ankle in that victory and the Bears lost the very next week at home to Oregon State with backup Riley getting his first collegiate action. Riley played well until trying to run with time running out rather than throwing the ball away and setting the Bears up for an easy game tying field goal attempt. Time ran out, Cal lost, Longshore returned the next week and the Bears’ spirit was destroyed with a close loss to UCLA. Longshore played the rest of the season on a bad ankle and his inability to step into his throws led to 11 interceptions in the final 6 regular season games - after throwing just 2 picks in the first 5 games. The only difference between Cal’s 5-0 start and their 2-6 finish was turnovers, as their compensated yards per play numbers were about the same in both sections of the season. For the first time in recent years the Bears are flying under the radar and there are plenty of indications that this will be a good season for Cal.

Longshore’s interception issues while injured got him on the wrong side of the Cal fan base and that sentiment was exaggerated after Riley came off the bench in the Armed Forces Bowl and led Cal to 6 consecutive touchdown drives after the Bears fell behind 0-21 early in the 2nd quarter. Riley’s 16 for 19, 269 yards and 3 TD pass performance sparked an open competition for the quarterback spot this summer, which probably won’t be decided until just before this game. While Longshore is the villain according to most Cal fans, it was Tedford that decided to keep sending him out there to play on a bad ankle when it was pretty obvious that he wasn’t right. When Longshore was healthy in 2006 and at the start of the 2007 season he was being hailed as a possible 1st round NFL draft choice and I don’t see how things are any different now if he’s healthy (unless last year’s failures have damaged his confidence). Riley’s attributes are pretty apparent too (552 yards on 60 pass plays for an incredible 9.2 yards per pass play), but Longshore was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation in 2006 (7.6 yppp against teams that would allow 5.7 yppp to an average QB) and early in 2007 despite an injury to star receiver DeSean Jackson that led to multiple dropped passes. Tedford has hinted that both quarterbacks will see action early in the season and whoever is in the game will be throwing to a brand new receiving corps. Most pundits see the departure of wide receivers DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan as a huge problem with this year’s team, but that trio – while outstanding in 2006 – didn’t play very well last season (especially Jackson with his early season hand injury and generally selfish attitude). Jeff Tedford has had great passing attacks with less talented receiving corps in the past and the young receivers filling the void this season will not be as much of a drop in talent as you might expect. Florida transfer Nyan Boateng has incredible talent that hasn’t been harnessed due to a lack of work ethic, but Boateng has worked hard this off-season, has shined in practice, and could be All-Pac 10 receiver by season’s end. Redshirt Freshman Michael Calvin, sophomore Jeremy Ross and true freshman Marvin Jones have all looked good too. The new crop of Cal receivers is not only fast, but they are far more physical than the finesse group the Bears have had in recent years. Cal’s pass attack went from +1.9 yppp in 2006 to just +1.0 yppp last year and I don’t see that number dropping this season considering that the Bears’ average pass rating in 6 years under Tedford is +1.3 yppp (most of those without DeSean Jackson). Cal also lost top running back Justin Forsett, who ran for 1546 yards at 5.1 ypr, but his graduation may enhance the Bears’ rushing numbers given that Jahvid Best is waiting in the wings to take his turn as Cal’s 1000 yard rusher. Best was one of the nation’s top rated running backs coming out of high school (and California’s 100 meter high school sprint champion) and he averaged an eye popping 7.6 yards per rush in limited duty last season before injuring his hip late in the season. Best is fully recovered from that injury and has looked great in camp, so I don’t see any drop in production. This scenario is very much like 2005, when Cal had to replace star runner J.J. Arrington, who ran for 2018 yards in his senior season at an incredible 7.0 ypr. His backup that year was Marshawn Lynch, who averaged 8.8 ypr, so it was pretty obvious that losing Arrington would not be an issue (and it wasn’t). It’s too early to tell if Best will be as good as Lynch, but Forsett was certainly not as good as Arrington was so Best doesn’t have to be as good as Lynch was to avoid a drop in the rushing numbers. All-American C Alex Mack returns to lead another great Cal line, so Cal could improve on last season’s impressive rushing numbers (5.3 yards per rushing play against teams that would allow 4.4 yprp to an average team, sacks are not including in rushing in my stats) – although I’ll call for them to stay steady for now. The Bears were 1.0 yards per play better than average offensively last season and I expect them to be about the same this season – and they could be even better if the inexperienced receiving corps is as good as I think they can be.

While Cal’s offense figures to be about the same as it was last season (although with fewer interceptions), the Bears’ defense looks like it will be improved. Cal was pretty good on defense last season (5.2 yppl allowed to teams that would average 5.8 yppl against an average team) and the Bears lost just one impact player in leading tackler Thomas DeCoud while 8 starters return. Cal has perhaps the 2nd best set of linebackers in the Pac-10 (aside from USC) with Zack Follett, Worrell Williams, and Anthony Felder all being potential All-Pac 10 candidates this season. The secondary looks about the same with Chris Conte or Darian Hagan stepping in for the marginal Brandon Hampton at the cornerback spot opposite star Syd’Quan Thompson and the defensive front should supply more of a pass rush as long as DE Rulon Davis stays healthy. Davis has been hurt in each of the last two seasons, but he has shown the ability to get after the passer when he has been on the field. The line should once again hold up well against the run (4.6 yards per rushing play allowed last year to teams that would average 5.3 yprp against an average defense) with a solid defensive tackle rotation returning and sophomore end Cameron Jordan showed signs of brilliance in training camp and adds another pass rushing dimension on passing downs. The key for the Bears to become better defensively is an improved pass rush (just 22 sacks last season) and they should get that this season with Davis and Jordan in the mix up front. Cal has the potential to be much better defensively this season, but I’ll just call for a slight upgrade until I see evidence on the field. Cal’s special teams has been great in recent years, thanks in large part to having Jackson returning punts (he ran back 6 of his 38 career returns for touchdowns), but the Bears probably won’t be as good in special teams this season. Cal has found a very good young punter in Bryan Anger to replace the consistently good Andrew Larson (37.6 net) and Jahvid Best is said to be a candidate to return kickoffs this season despite being the starting running back (he returned 15 kickoffs for 27.0 yards per last season), so the Bears will still be better than average in special teams – just not as good as the last couple of years.

Overall, the Bears look like an underrated team after being overrated last season. People see a team that lost 6 of their last 8 games and losses 3 top receivers and a 1500 yard tailback and figures such a team can’t be improved. Those people would be wrong. Cal is going to be in the hunt for the 2nd spot in the Pac-10 behind USC.

Dr. Bob's Analysis of 2008 Michigan State Football

Michigan State preview

Mark Dantonio improved Michigan State in his first season at the helm, but the Spartans continued their habit of losing close games. All 6 of MSU’s losses in 2007 were by 7 points or less and the Spartans were 2-6 in close games, including 2 overtime losses. Had the Spartans gone 4-4 in those close games they would have been 9-4 instead of 7-6 – so there is potential for a good season in East Lansing.

The Spartans’ attack will be led by steady quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was 0.5 yards per pass play better than average (6.3 yppp against teams that would allow 5.8 yppp to an average QB, yppp includes sacks) and threw just 11 interceptions. Hoyer should be a better quarterback, but his numbers may go down without TE Kellen Davis, who averaged 16.0 yards on his 32 catches and was #2 on the team in receiving yards. Top receiver Devin Thomas left early for the NFL (2nd round pick), but there are plenty of receivers with talent on the roster to fill that void. After all, nothing was expected of Thomas before the start of last season, so it’s likely one of the talented youngsters will step up like he did. Replacing a tight end that averages 16 yards per catch is not so easy and there are no obvious replacements in sight, so Hoyer will not have the luxury of a big target over the middle to throw to this season. I still expect the pass attack to be better than average and for RB Javon Ringer to have another brilliant season (he has 2761 career yards at an incredible 6.1 ypr), so the Spartans attack should be close to as good as it was last season (5.6 yards per play against a schedule that would allow 5.2 yppl to an average Division 1A team).

Michigan State’s defense was mediocre last season (5.2 yppl allowed to teams that would combine to average 5.3 yppl against an average defense), but that unit dealt with a lot of injuries and should be better in the second season of the defensive system. The Spartans do lose two impact defensive linemen in Jonal Saint-Dic (10 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss) and Ervin Baldwin (8.5 sacks and 10 TFL), but Cincinnati transfer Trevor Anderson looks like he’ll be better than Saint-Dic, and a talented group of young (and fast) linebackers should provide enough big plays to make up for the loss of Baldwin. The secondary should be better with a talented Otis Wiley having found a home at strong safety late last season and with a group of solid corners in Davis-Clark, Weaver, and Rucker. My returning statistics model calls for another mediocre defense, but the talent level on defense is higher and the Spartans are likely to be healthier this season. I’ll call for a better defensive rating this season despite the losses up front. Special teams is where Devin Thomas will surely be missed after he averaged 29.1 yards per kick return last season. It will be tough to duplicate those numbers, but the punt return team should be better after ranking near the bottom last season and punter Aaron Bates should improve as a sophomore. Kicker Brett Swenson followed a very good freshman season with a sub-par second year and I expect him to be better this season too. Overall, the Spartans look decent in special teams this season.

Michigan State is a team on the rise under coach Mark Dantonio, but they are still a middle of the pack Big 10 team unless the defense really improves. The Spartans should have better luck in close games, but I still see another 7-5 season coming.

KGO TV: UC Berkeley Trims Down Tree Sitters

Link with photos
BERKELEY, CA (KGO) -- The roar of chainsaws certainly got the attention of the tree protestors at UC Berkeley. It's the university's latest attempt to convince the final four to come down. Protestors say the demonstration has reached its 630th day. The university did what they could to try to make life a little more difficult for the remaining four tree sitters. A tree sitter raised a pole Thursday night as a symbolic gesture of victory. He claimed he grabbed it from arborists, who spent part of the afternoon removing tarps and other supplies used by the tree sitters. "We saw them eye to eye. Amen," said a tree sitter.
It is the latest chapter of the ongoing saga between protesters and the university, which wants to cut down more than 40 trees to make way for an athletic training center. However, despite Thursday's efforts, protesters remained defiant, even when arborists started cutting two dozen tree branches. "There's nothing to gain by this. There is absolutely nothing to gain other than what they perceive as a win by getting us down, which is not going to happen," said Huckleberry, a tree sitter. The university says with school starting, they had no choice but to prune the trees. Arborists cut the branches strategically aimed at making it difficult for the tree sitters to get around. "The pruning today was done for one reason and one reason only and that was to ensure that we can keep the tree sitters contained to a single tree. That will allow us to redeploy some of our police force to meet a real increase in the demand of their services as students return to campus this coming Saturday," said Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesperson.
Still, protesters question whether the university violated a court order that prohibits construction from starting at the site. They also say the university reneged on a promise that ensured them 72 hours notice before any drastic measures by police. "We feel slighted. We definitely feel slighted," said Zachary RunningWolf, a protest organizer. RunningWolf and other protesters met with UC Berkeley Police Thursday evening to voice their concerns. Although nothing was resolved, they say the day's incident has emboldened them. "Any time we see movement, we will react appropriately and in a peaceful manner, but we will react and we will save this grove," said RunningWolf. A hearing is scheduled for Monday when a judge could lift a court order that prohibits the university from stating construction.

SF Chronicle: Berkeley tree-sitters still refuse to leave

Link.

Workers in cherry pickers and a crane-suspended basket cut down tree limbs and plucked out supplies of tree-sitters Thursday as UC Berkeley officials tried to end a 21-month standoff next to Cal's Memorial Stadium, but the four protesters defiantly refused to leave their lofty redwood perch.  The developments came as a judge is expected to rule soon whether to lift an order barring the campus from cutting down the redwood and 43 other trees in the stadium grove to build an athletic training center.  Protesters in varying numbers have been sitting in the trees since Dec. 1, 2006, saying they will not leave unless UC spares the grove. "If they want me down, they will have to drag me down," a tree-sitter who goes by the name Huckleberry told reporters via a cell phone powered by a solar panel attached to the redwood. He spoke from the protesters' highest platform, which appeared to be at least 80 feet high on the top of the tree.

Perched in two cherry pickers, workers from a private firm hired by the campus trimmed 22 branches from the redwood and four other branches from two live oaks about 50 or 60 yards away, said campus spokesman Dan Mogulof.  By midafternoon, workers with long cutting poles in the cherry pickers and in a basket suspended from a crane had also removed tarps, a sleeping bag and other supplies from platforms and nearby limbs. Much gear nevertheless remained. One supporter of the tree-sitters, identified by police as Susan Rodriguez, 54, was arrested after she refused to stop blocking traffic on Piedmont Avenue in front of the tree grove. After the workers finished, UC Berkeley Police Chief Victoria Harrison ascended in the crane basket and asked the protesters to come down, but they refused, Mogulof said. "We will continue to do everything possible to avoid having to forcibly remove these people," Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom said in a statement. "The last thing we want is for anyone - our officers or the protesters - to be injured as the result of this misguided effort."

Before Thursday's tree-trimming, the university consulted with a horticulturalist who said that pruning branches would not harm the trees, Mogulof said. UC officials notified Alameda County Judge Barbara Miller at 9 a.m. Thursday about their plans to trim trees outside the stadium, and gave her the tree expert's affidavit along with photos showing the trees they planned to trim.  Miller ruled last month that the campus could proceed with building the athletic center, but the injunction blocking UC has not been lifted. The case arose out of three lawsuits seeking to block the project, filed by the city of Berkeley, the California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic Hill Association, a neighborhood group. The oak foundation and neighborhood group said they plan to appeal. The university wants to build the training center - estimated to cost at least $124 million - for the Cal football team and other student athletes. They currently used aging facilities inside the 1923 stadium, which sits on top of the Hayward Fault and is considered to be hazardous in a major earthquake. Opponents say the center should be built elsewhere. Mogulof said the court order that bars the university from construction on the site allows it to conduct limited pruning for safety and security reasons. On Monday, Miller will preside over a hearing in her Hayward courtroom intended to finalize her ruling.

The university moved to trim the trees Thursday because campus police resources will be strained beginning Saturday, when students move back into dormitories for fall semester, Mogulof said. "We are taking carefully considered steps that will support our ability to effectively manage this dangerous protest before our students return and before the first home football game on Aug. 30," Brostrom said. As chainsaws buzzed, former tree-sitter Amanda Tierney, 21, whose nickname is Dumpster Muffin, stood near police barricades on Piedmont Avenue and shouted at police and work crews, saying they had "no regard for (protesters') lives and safety."

Seattle Times: Cal football mending from 2007 slide

The Cal Bears football team, still awaiting approval of new facilities, focuses on fixing team unity after last year's promising start and eventual collapse.

Link.

By Bud Withers

We interrupt your morning Cheerios with this visual (Warning: You might want to put down the spoon for a few seconds).  Zack Follett, a California linebacker who is one of the Pac-10's best, recalls a scene from earlier this summer. The Bears' weight room looks out on the oaks surrounding Memorial Stadium, where Berkeley "tree people" have been lodged for almost two years to protest a major facilities renovation.

As Follett tells it, attempts were made with boom trucks to remove the protesters, ruled by a court injunction to present a safety and health hazard. But the protesters, he says, had been "saving up in glass jars" human waste.  "They were chucking bombs," Follett said recently of the tree-sitters. "It was pretty exciting." You can't really tell the story of Cal football, 2008, without the background of its proposed facilities project, just as you can't tell the story of this year's Bears without looking at 2007's.

First, the proposed improvements. Cal has sought to build the 142,000-square-foot Student Athlete High Performance Center next to Memorial Stadium — training center, locker rooms, meeting rooms, offices, for football and 12 other sports — against the tri-fold wishes of the city of Berkeley (fighting it over earthquake concerns), the Panorama Area residents and the California Oak Foundation.  The whole thing doesn't really hit home until, arriving for a football game, you see the planks and tarps — home to the oak folks — above you.  It has been a seemingly unending saga, with clauses in Cal coach Jeff Tedford's contract tied to the construction.  When Tedford spoke at Pac-10 media day July 24, he was cheered by the recent lifting of an injunction in Alameda County that has prevented construction since early 2007.

But that resolution has been clouded by an appellate court ruling that the decision was incomplete and kicked it back to the same court. A new ruling is due next week.  “We've been hearing the same thing the past two years," said Follett, a senior. "We're really not caught up into it until they start cutting the first tree.  "When I was a freshman, they promised [the improvements] were going to be here, and they promised it last camp [in 2007]. I'm never going to see it." The facility is seen as pivotal to a continued uptick in Cal football under Tedford.  Late last September, meanwhile, the Bears seemed poised to punctuate that rise, facilities or no facilities.

They won dramatically at Oregon to complete a 5-0 start and looked to have a strong chance to play for a national championship.  Then came a most rancid finish, as the Bears lost six of their last seven regular-season games and managed to overcome Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl only after an injury to Falcons quarterback Shaun Carney.  It was symptomatic when receivers DeSean Jackson and Robert Jordan and safety Thomas DeCoud didn't start the bowl game because of team rules violations. "I don't think the reason we lost was because we got 'out-strengthed' and teams were better," said Follett, referring to the slide. "I felt it was more internal. I think we had too many individuals on the team last year."  Tedford, an offensive mind who has had varying degrees of involvement with that side, has relinquished play-calling to new coordinator Frank Cignetti, whose last job was tutoring Alex Smith as San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach. "I felt I needed to go back to the other role," said Tedford, referring to the more generalized head-coaching description. "It's hard to feel the pulse when you're 100 percent into the game."

"Tedford would only talk with the offense," says Follett, adding, "The biggest thing I'm trying to do is get the guys to talk to each other more. You'd see guys walk by on campus [last year], and they wouldn't even talk to each other. That's how our team was."  Tedford spent much of the offseason repairing chemistry. He leaned on the book "Talent is Never Enough" by leadership guru John C. Maxwell and had coaches discuss chapters of it in front of the entire team.  "It was kind of a competition thing," Follett said. "The last thing the team wants is to meet every Tuesday and Thursday to go over some book report, but I was looking at the players' faces, and everyone was intrigued. You could tell it in their eyes."  Follett's linebacker group, including O'Dea High grad Anthony Felder and Worrell Williams, looms as the strongest unit on the team as the Bears move to a 3-4 defense.  But the most-watched position will be quarterback, where a decision is imminent on who starts, senior Nate Longshore or sophomore Kevin Riley. "It may take both of them for us to achieve our goals this year," Tedford said. Those are the goals beneath the oak trees, of course.

Video of Tedford Announcing QB Decision

Daily Cal: Tedford Names Riley Starter for Season Opener

Link.

By Andrew Kim

Following Thursday's practice, Cal coach Jeff Tedford announced that he has named sophomore Kevin Riley as the Bears' starting quarterback for the season opener on Aug. 30 against Michigan State.  Still on the field, he was quick to address the elephant in the room as he met with media members.  "Kevin is going to start, might as well cut to the chase," Tedford said. "Kevin's going to start the first game. We feel like both of them have had great camps. Kevin's going to take the first snaps, and we'll see how it goes from there."

Tedford, however, also asserted that further evaluations will be made on a week-by-week basis and that Longshore will see playing time against the Spartans as well. Today's announcement didn't seem to preclude the possibility of Longshore reclaiming his job at some point in the future.  "Nate will play (against Michigan State)," Tedford said. "I don't know exactly when."   Riley, meanwhile, was told of the decision "around lunchtime" and spent the team's first 11-on-11 drill with the first-team offense.  "It's an honor to be named starter, especially after what Nate's done at Cal," Riley said. "We're in good hands having two great quarterbacks here, so I've just got to prepare, watch film and get ready for this game."

Both Riley and senior Nate Longshore had been receiving reps with the 1's, allowing the anticipation to grow from as far back as spring ball. Tedford has now put a tentative end to arguably the most intriguing story of fall camp in handing the keys to Riley, who was last seen in his 16-of-19 (269 yards), three-touchdown performance at the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl.  Still, Riley's route to winning the job wasn't exactly paved with red carpet. Tedford had mentioned that Riley's performance in the bowl game didn't exactly give him an edge entering fall camp. And with a 50-50 chance pitted up against the incumbent Longshore, the sophomore went through his share of growing pains early on.  "My first day with the 1's was probably my worst practice at camp," Riley said. "After that, I calmed down, stopped thinking so much and played football ... I can't say exactly there is a moment (that he felt like he had clinched the job), but as camp went on, I was making good reads, and I was hitting receivers. I was completing the ball and making first downs in situationals, so I felt like I had a strong chance."  Riley appeared to regain his focus around the beginning of week two, and his recent showing in practice was the clincher.

Tedford stressed the sophomore's abilities to make plays and downfield throws as some of his strengths. Again, the decision has Riley's name scribbled in pencil rather than set in stone as far as the rest of the season goes. But if there's one difference between tomorrow and the past few months of practice, it's the knowledge that Riley will take the first snaps on August 30, and that the starting quarterback slot is his to lose.  "We felt like we want to see with their roles reversed, how that works," Tedford said. "We're looking for the best chance to be successful."

 

SF Chronicle: Sophomore Riley wins starting job

Link.

Sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley was named the opening-day starter by Cal coach Jeff Tedford on Thursday night.  Riley, who choreographed a 21-point comeback to earn Armed Forces Bowl MVP honors, emerged in the last portion of training camp. He consistently made the right reads, showed off his arm strength and created plays with his legs. "I'm excited to play," Riley said. "It's a dream come true to be a starter in the Pac-10, so I've got to take advantage of it." There are some caveats to the decision. Tedford said senior incumbent Nate Longshore will play at some point Aug. 30 against Michigan State, and the competition between the duo will be continuous. "Kevin is going to start the first game," Tedford said. "We feel like both of them have had great camps. Kevin will take the first snaps, and we'll see where we go from there. "We're confident in both of them, but we want to see the roles reversed and how that works. We're looking for the best chance to be successful."

Riley was 36-of-56 for 563 yards, five touchdowns and one interception as a redshirt freshman. His 269-yard, three-touchdown performance against Air Force seemed to erase his last-second debacle against Oregon State (when he was tackled without getting a pass off) in the eyes of fans. Longshore, who declined comment, ranks fourth all-time at Cal in passing efficiency, sixth in passing touchdowns and seventh in passing yards. His 18 wins are second in school history. "It's an honor to be named the starter, especially after what Nate has done at Cal," Riley said. "We're in goods hands, having two great quarterbacks here."

Briefly: Sophomore tailback Jahvid Best had the day off, which has been a common occurrence during training camp. Thursday's day off was odd, however, considering the team is not scheduled to practice today or Sunday. ... Tedford said walk-on kicker David Seawright has beaten out Jordan Kay for place-kicking duties, but the kickoff role is still being evaluated. "I feel like (Seawright) has a great upside with his leg strength. Once he got his bearings, he's been very consistent and gives us a little more range," Tedford said. ... Receivers Michael Calvin, LaReylle Cunningham and Sean Young took the majority of the first-team repetitions. Florida-transfer Nyan Boateng ran only one route with the starters. "We probably won't know the starters until game time, when we see what the game plan will be," Tedford said. "There will probably be a broader rotation than we've ever had with the receivers." ... Tedford said receivers Verran Tucker and Marvin Jones won't redshirt, joining defensive tackle Kendrick Payne, linebacker Mychal Kendricks, tight end Anthony Miller and safety Bryant Nnabuife as newcomers who will play right away. Corners Marc Anthony and Josh Hill could join that group.