College quarterbacks

Interesting article on espn.com talking about college quarterbacks and what it requires to be one. There are also some good quotes from Tedford talking about what he looks for in a quarterback recruit.

“But it takes a special breed to be a great quarterback, with a unique mix of attributes. This is Tedford’s five-part recruiting checklist when shopping for a QB:

1. Mental and physical toughness. “Obviously, physically, you’re going to take a pounding, and you’ve got to get up and have your team follow you. You have to be mentally tough because if you throw a couple picks, you’ve got to be tough enough to come back.” 2. Intelligence. “You’ve got to be able to understand and control the offense.” 3. Competitiveness. “We look for a guy who wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line.” 4. Escape dimension. “Not everything happens the way it’s drawn up. We want a guy who can elude the rush and make something happen when a play breaks down.” 5. Natural throwing motion. “He’s got to be able to get the ball around the field.”

Click here for the full article.

Cal lands big TE

Spencer Ladner (6’7″/235) has given a verbal to Cal. He comes out of Kansas City, MO and lists Cal’s reputation as the #1 public school in the nation as a primary reason for choosing Cal. He is rated as a 3 star TE by Scout.com and a 4 star recruit by Rivals.

There’s a couple reasons that this signing means a lot. First, this guy is BIG. Just for reference, Lebron James is 6’8″/250. Craig Stevens is 6’5″/254. With a year in the weight room, Ladner can be a great endzone target or a blocker in the Tedford tradition. Second, Ladner comes from Missouri. This shows that Cal’s reach on the national recruiting front has grown even further after last year’s record number of out-of-state commits. Third, this confirms that Cal’s reputation as an academic leader will continue to land some top recruits.

EDIT BY ERIC: Also, it’s noteworthy that Ladner turned down offers from traditional powerhouse schools like Michigan and Oklahoma, showing that Cal is really on its way up in terms of nationwide recruiting.

ESPN GameDay in Berkeley

HUGE news. ESPN GameDay will reportedly be in Berkeley on 9/1/07 for the Cal-Tennessee game. Scout.com reports that ESPN has chosen Berkeley to host this staple college football show from the Berkeley campus because of the spectacular matchup that this game offers. The probable location on campus will be on Sproul Plaza which will offer pre-game festivities, though it is not actually close to the stadium. I would wager that Maxwell Family Field is also being considered, though there is no report of this at all, since it is right next to the action.

Why is this so big? This offers national exposure for the Bears, and not just for the football team. It gives a chance for the nation to see how much the fans and students support the team and to show great enthusiasm. Also, potential recruits will be able to see how much the community gathers around the team and how lively the campus is. Basically, the show will be broadcasting all day long from Berkeley. Cal fans, be ready to bring your excitement and support to show the nation what Cal football is about.

Marshawn as offensive ROY?

There is a great mention of Marshawn in SI’s Monday Morning QB by Peter King.

7. I think they might as well go ahead and inscribe the Offensive Rookie of the year trophy with Marshawn Lynch‘s name. With a run-blocking offensive line coach in Jim McNally, two very high-priced line free agents in the fold (Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker) after being trained in run-blocking in their previous places, and the likelihood that Lynch will get 300 carries if he stays healthy … I mean, unless Calvin Johnson catches 80 balls or some Hofstra receiver comes out of nowhere again, Lynch should win it in a walk.

Look for a great year from Marshawn behind what looks to be a rebuilt OL of the Buffalo Bills.

Cal adds second recruit

J.P. Hurrell, a linebacker out of San Mateo, CA, verbally committed to Cal today. He is listed at 5’11″/195 lbs and runs a 4.58 40. Although he played linebacker in high school, he is expected to play as a safety in college.

While probably not a big name recruit, it is good to see the Bears get a second recruit on board. It is also significant that Hurrell comes out of the Bay Area, showing that Cal can keep recruits at home. He also had offers from BYU, Washington, and Oregon. Hurrell joins Tyler Rigsbee as Cal’s second recruit of the season.

Cal players in the draft

Along with Marshawn Lynch being projected to Green Bay in the first round, other Cal players are also being projected in the draft. Todd McShay over at ESPN projects other Cal players in his draft projections.

Marshawn Lynch – 1st Round, 16th pick, Green Bay
Brandon Mebane – 3rd Round, 68th pick, Tampa Bay
Daymeion Hughes – 3rd Round, 77th pick, Pittsburgh
Desmond Bishop – 5th Round, 164th pick, N.Y. Jets
Tim Mixon – 5th Round, 169th pick, Indianapolis

While it is great to see 5 Cal players projected to be drafted, it is a bit disconcerting to see how far Hughes has dropped in draft projections. Before the combine, Hughes was being projected in the late 1st round by the same guy. Apparently the speed concerns are really dropping Hughes. My bet is that he will come into the league with a vengeance and show himself to be the best CB of this year’s draft.

It is good to see that Mebane is projected into the early 3rd round, and even Mixon, who sat out all of last season will probably have a chance to prove himself in the NFL.