Defense steps up in spring ball

On Friday, the offense had trouble moving the ball in the off-season’s first practice in helmets and shoulder pads. As J.Okanes reported, “neither Nate Longshore or Kevin Riley separated himself” on a day when the defense stepped up.

* Secondary

Apparently, Syd’Quan Thompson took only “minimal reps,” with cornerbacks Charles Amadi and Jesse Brooks getting in the rotation on the first team. However, this might just be an effect of Thompson’s suspension earlier this week. When asked about the front-runner to start at cornerback on the other side (see video interview), Thompson said:

I don’t even know, everybody’s out here competing. I mean, I’m even competing to keep my job. Like I said, we’re just out here trying to work to get better as a unit.

The “open competition” mindset seems to be paying off. When pressed about competing to keep his spot:

If I felt comfortable, that would mean I could take days off. I can’t afford to take days off.

Thompson also talked about taking some reps at punt returner — apparently, he was very good at it in high school.

* Defensive Line

On the ends, Rulon Davis and Cameron Jordan are looking very good. J.Okanes mentioned that Davis “stood out” and had this to say about Jordan:

[He] looks like he could be a real force next season. Already blessed with rare athleticism, Jordan looks as though he’s put on a great deal of muscle since the end of the season. He no longer looks like an undersized defensive end, and the extra weight doesn’t seem to have affected his athleticism. When lineman run sprints at the end of practice, he still blows the competition away.

Jordan already made an impact as a true freshman last year, so it will be exciting to see how he will fare with a year of experience and added bulk.

Meanwhile, DL Tyson Alualu shined in one-on-one drills against the OL, “consistently beating his man and getting kudos.”

This is all good news, as the defensive line unit was one of the weaknesses of last season that needed improvement.

* Other notes

(Continue reading “Defense steps up in spring ball”…)

Thompson returns, and more spring updates

* Thompson returns to practice

CB Syd’Quan Thompson returned to practice today (Wednesday), following a one-practice suspension for violating team rules. Coach Jeff Tedford gave Cal fans a scare on Monday when he suggested that the suspension might be indefinite. While the reason for the suspension has not been revealed, Thompson said:

“I’m just glad to be back out here and have a chance to make up for what I missed Monday.”

Thompson didn’t waste any time getting up to speed, as he and CB Chris Conte intercepted QB Kevin Riley on consecutive plays.

* Best takes limited reps

While Tedford indicated that RB Jahvid Best would not be participating in any team practice drills for the spring on Monday, Best already took a few reps with the first team offense today. Of course, he was still wearing a red non-contact jersey, and he is not expected to take any hits for all of spring ball. Tedford said:

“Actually, I think he did sneak in on a couple of plays . . . He’s going to do some ball-handling and he’s going to run some, but we’re not going to bang him.”

* OL Mike Tepper moves to LT

Mike Tepper has been moved back to left tackle, where he played two years ago. There was some speculation that center Alex Mack might be moved to LT following his decision to stay his senior year, but it looks like Tepper will be the guy protecting the QB’s blind side. In general, left tackles are chosen higher in the NFL draft than centers.

* WR Glover, WR/PR? Boateng emerging

(Continue reading “Thompson returns, and more spring updates”…)

Spring practice opens

Today, Cal’s spring practice began with a few news items of note.

#1: RB Jahvid Best is already well enough to be out doing individual drills in a red noncontact jersey.

Best, who suffered a major hip injury last season, is not expected to participate in the team drills this spring. After practice, Best said:

“I was just told to come out here and go as hard as I can and see how my hip responds. After today, I feel pretty good. The only thing I felt is that I’m a little bit out of shape from not doing too much in a long time. But I felt fine . . . they basically just wanted to see how it responds if I act normal, and then go from there to see how it plays out.”

J. Okanes says that Best “looked like the blur he usually is during individual drills” as his “speed was there.” He even saw Best “cut definitively a few times and it looked like the Best of last season.”

“I’m past the point of being scared to cut or scared to run fast,” Best said. “I’m just trying to go out there and act normal.”

#2: CB Syd’Quan Thompson has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.

This development is a big surprise — Thompson is a returning starter, largely expected to be a leader of the team this season. Coach Jeff Tedford said “he’ll be out until I deem he can come back,” which does not sound too good.

#3: QB Nate Longshore is still taking reps with the first team.

As Tedford mentioned after last season, Longshore has begun spring practice with the first team offense, while Kevin Riley has been taking second team reps. Redshirt freshman Brock Mansion got a few snaps as well. Tedford has stated that he may not name a starter until the end of fall practice.

#4: RB James Montgomery was in the “doghouse” and hopes to transfer to Florida.

(Continue reading “Spring practice opens”…)

Spring update

Originally scheduled to begin today (Monday, March 17), spring practice has been delayed until March 31 and will run through April 26. J. Okanes singles out RB James Montgomery and DT Derrick Hill as players who will benefit from the extra time to recover to 100% strength:

“Coach Tedford thought it would be most beneficial for the team to delay the start of spring practice. It will give some players some time to recover from injuries so they can participate fully in spring ball.”

Meanwhile, the CC Times reports that Coach Jeff Tedford has reinstated “Tedford Law” during conditioning:

“At some point we lost our confidence,” Cal linebacker Worrell Williams said. “We lost the fun in the game. So (Tedford’s) bringing a whole new attitude.”Tedford is drawing on some of the team- and morale-building skills he used six years ago when he arrived in Berkeley and took over a demoralized group coming off a 1-10 disaster. …

“Coach Tedford’s on us harder than he’s ever been,” [LB Zach] Follett said. “He’s reinforcing the ‘Tedford Law’ around here. When I first got here, I saw how it was. Then two years went by, and I saw how much lenience was being allowed.  He kind of recognized that. That’s the No. 1 change that he’s been making. That’s helping our team.”

Follett said he welcomed the return of a tougher, more demanding Tedford. After what happened last season, it’s not surprising that Tedford’s players are receptive to anything that will help them avoid a repeat.

Finally, the courtroom battle over the construction of the new athletic facilities is still raging on. A final hearing was originally scheduled for last Friday, March 14, but the presiding judge has delayed the hearing without giving a reason. The judge previously asked for expert testimony about the specifics of the project, and it appears that UC made a stronger case. This Scout.com article covers some of the background and recent news of the situation.

Rodgers gets his chance: Favre to retire

 

Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre has announced his decision to retire.  This finally opens the door for former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers to get his opportunity to play after being chosen in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft:

The team will now shift to Aaron Rodgers, a former first-round pick, who has had few opportunities to play since being selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2005 draft. But when Favre was injured in a Thursday night game against Dallas this past season, Rodgers looked pretty good in relief. The former Cal star completed 18 of 26 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown — the first of his career — and nearly rallied the Packers to the win.

DeSean: NFL decision today

EDIT 1:40 PM: DeSean Jackson has declared for the NFL. Listen to an audio recording of his Q&A with the media here (from Scout.com). Read ESPN’s article about his decision here. Good luck in the league, DeSean.

EDIT 12:15 PM: 45 minutes until Jackson’s announcement. In the meantime, here is a clip from the Chronicle:

It’s widely suggested that a player being assured a first-round selection should not risk injury with a return to college. …

“I don’t even get with that,” Bill Jackson said. “He could be like Brady Quinn, sitting there all day. Education is the most important thing to our family.”

Bill Jackson said he was under the impression that his message had resonated with his son.

“I really think he was leaning toward coming back to school,” he said. “If he was going to go (to the) draft, he would have to be working out. He’s been relaxed and hanging out with his partners.

“Of course, he blew my mind with his last decision. I thought he was going to SC.”

DeSean Jackson ranks third all-time at Cal in receiving yards (2,423) and receiving touchdowns (22) and sixth in receptions (162). He has 28 touchdowns in 36 games, including a school- and conference-record six punt returns for scores.

He has 52 career plays of 20 yards or more – 23 percent of his 226 touches – including a 40-yard touchdown reception in the Armed Forces Bowl. DeSean Jackson came off the bench from an undisclosed rules violation to catch five passes for 81 yards from backup Kevin Riley in Cal’s 42-36 comeback win over Air Force.

“With Riley’s performance, it’s going to be a really hard decision,” Jackson said after the Dec. 31 game. “I could come back and get like 100 catches. The way he played gives me something to think about.

At 1pm today, WR/PR DeSean Jackson will announce whether he intends to stay his senior year at Cal or declare as a junior for the draft. Throughout this past season, Jackson has been pegged as a definite first-round pick.

Today is the deadline for underclassmen like Jackson to make their decision — he has waited to literally the last minute to make his decision. Given this drawn-out delay, there might be some slight hope that Jackson will return. We’ll see in a few hours.

Mack returning for senior season

Center Alex Mack, winner of the Morris Trophy for the Pac-10’s best offensive lineman, has decided to return for his senior season:

“There is a lot I can do at Cal to improve my game and to further my career,” Mack said Tuesday. “I didn’t want to miss the experience of my senior season and helping the team get back on track and finish things right. This also gives me an opportunity to finish my degree and continue my education.”

This is good news for the Cal offensive line, which allowed only 11 sacks this season. There is still no word from WR DeSean Jackson as to his plans for next year.

QB, news from Fort Worth

First thing: Coach Jeff Tedford made it clear that all positions will be open come spring, specifically the quarterback position (including freshman Brock Mansion).  Tedford said this about the competition:

Asked to define compete, Tedford said: “It’s going to be wide open to compete for all positions.”  Junior Nate Longshore is the two-year incumbent – and would be a three-year starter if not for a broken ankle in the 2005 season-opener – but he has struggled in comparison to his sophomore numbers. …

“Oh yeah, there’s going to be competition (at quarterback),” Tedford said. “Last year, (the young quarterbacks) really hadn’t been in our system. Now, there are guys in the system, and they’ll all get a chance to play in the springtime.”

Though Tedford hadn’t said publicly that any position would be open in the spring, he apparently announced the decision to the team after its loss to Stanford in the regular-season finale.

He had these words to say about Mansion:

“He has a lot of talent and has a bright future,” Tedford said. “He’ll compete, there’s no question about it. He’ll have an opportunity to compete in the springtime.”

In other news, WR DeSean Jackson and Robert Jordan, and FS Thomas DeCoud will not start the bowl game due to a violation of team rules.  Jon Okanes reports:

Tedford didn’t elaborate but said it wasn’t a major violation. He said the three players still will play but didn’t know how long they would stay on the bench at the beginning of the game.

This doesn’t sound very serious, but I thought it might be worth mentioning.

Best: good news

Freshman RB Jahvid Best‘s hip injury is not as serious or career-threatening as previously speculated.  The Chronicle reports:

Dr. Cindy Chang on Thursday spoke positively about the freshman tailback’s recovery.  “Most people equate crutches to a bad injury, but actually, (Best) is doing very well, clinically,” said Chang, the head physician of Cal’s 27 athletic teams since 1995. “We haven’t seen anything that we have to go in and fix. There’s no reason to be invasive and operate at this point.”  …

There have been all kind of mysterious theories or worst-case scenarios for Best, the player viewed as the centerpiece of the Bears’ future. “It’s the unknown that makes people start to second-guess,” Chang said. “We’ve been in very clear communication with Jahvid, his parents and the three hip specialists we’ve consulted nationally. Everyone agrees with us on our diagnosis and on the plan we’ve set.”

As Cal coach Jeff Tedford originally said, Chang called Best’s injury a bruised hip bone.

This is great news for Best and the team, but he will not play in the bowl game nor participate in track this spring.

Recap

My apologies, but 1L is getting the best of me and the discouraging season hasn’t helped. Here’s a digest of what we’ve missed here in the past week.

Cal in the news:

• Freshman RB Jahvid Best is probably out for the year with a hip injury.
• WR DeSean Jackson‘s bad thigh injury makes him probable to play but limited on Saturday. Also out: TE Cameron Morrah and DT Matt Malele.
• DE Rulon Davis will be back in action for Stanford.
• Coordinators Bob Gregory (defense) and Jim Michalczik (offense) are on the short list of candidates for WSU’s head coach. Gregory is near the top of the list.
• Everything is not OK with Coach Jeff Tedford.

Honors:

• East-West Shrine Game invitees: FS Thomas DeCoud, OT Mike Gibson, WR Lavelle Hawkins, RB Justin Forsett, and TE Craig Stevens
• Senior Bowl invitees: DeCoud, Forsett, and Hawkins

Cal-related:

• Former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers fills in magnificently for Brett Favre: 18-26, 201 yards, 1 TD, no picks.