Open practice today

Today is the open practice (scrimmage), which begins at noon but has burritos starting at 11. The equipment sale is also going on right now — it was scheduled to begin at 9:00. Also, there’s free parking on campus.

This week, the biggest news is QB Nate Longshore has not taken any reps — he pulled his pectoral muscle and may be out the rest of spring practice. However, Kevin Riley has failed to really shine on the first team in Longshore’s absence. Brock Mansion has struggled, as well. Watch for Riley to step it up in today’s scrimmage.

The defensive line is consistently getting good marks from observers, which is a really good sign. With DE Cameron Jordan bulked up, Rulon Davis healthy and Tyson Alualu experienced, it could be a good year for the unit. Meanwhile, DT Mika Kane has been the primary first team nose tackle in the 3-4, not highly recruited Derrick Hill. Watch for Hill to step it up in the fall in that position.

TE Tad Smith, converted from the defense, continues to make plays and impress. TE Cameron Morrah has finally appeared in a few reports as well, making some nice catches. However, TCGB reports that their blocking “left me wanting Stevens.”

LB Devin Bishop looked pretty good, delivering some solid hits. The linebacking corps is deep.

P Bryan Anger stood out on special teams, making booming punts that should make us feel comfortable after losing Andrew Larson to graduation.

Look for a report on today’s scrimmage later this evening.

Sources and links:

• BearTalk: Monday, Wednesday, Friday reports
• TCBG: An Evening with Cal Football (Wednesday)
• TCBG: Best Birthday Party Ever (Friday)

Montgomery leaves Cal

Originally posted on March 18: Jonathan Okanes over at BearTalk reports that James Montgomery is leaving Cal. At one point, Montgomery was listed as the starting running back for the 2008 Bears offense. Fortunately, the Bears have plenty of depth at running back though it is highly untested.

EDIT by ERIC 3/27: Walk-on QB Bryan Van Meter has decided to leave the team to try rugby. Van Meter would likely have been a backup behind (in no particular order) Kevin Riley, Nate Longshore, and redshirt freshman Brock Mansion.

EDIT by ERIC 4/1: More on Montgomery’s situation in our Spring update.

EDIT by ERIC 4/8: Sadly, Montgomery’s hopes to become a Florida Gator did not work out — he has decided on the Cougars with a verbal commitment to Washington State. Montgomery will have to sit out one year, according to NCAA transfer rules.

Gameday shirt, open practice and sale

Cal has released the 2008 Game Day shirt, available online for pre-order. It features a “Every Game Counts” tagline, which I think is a little goofy, and lists the home schedule on the back. The shirt will also be available for sale during the Open Practice on April 12 at noon (Cal Day).

In addition, Cal will hold a surplus sale that morning, beginning at 9 a.m. Last year, I picked up a bunch of Cal football shirts, shorts, and shoes at bargain prices. It is definitely worth a look if you are in the area.

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.

Movement in the trees

As a fan of Cal Football, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the renovation of Memorial Stadium. The renovation plans would be a great boon to recruiting, as the current dilapidated state of things is not that impressive to visiting high school athletes. As the date approaches for the judge’s final ruling on the tree-sitter’s lawsuit, many of the protesters have started to dissipate, with only a handful of die-hards still in the trees. Yesterday morning, UC Berkeley Police began to take minor actions against these individuals, sending an arborist into the trees to dismantle excess platforms and cut down the ropes the tree-sitters are using to travel from tree to tree. It’s a minor step, as none of the tree-sitters were removed and they are already scrambling to repair their ropes, but at least it’s a positive step forward in preparation for what will hopefully be a favorable ruling.

For those that don’t know the specifics of the lawsuits, the second half of the article above has a brief summary of what’s going on.

Signing Day

EDIT: No recruiting surprises — all commits are official. Cal’s 2008 class is rated #35 in the nation by Rivals and #32 by Scout.com.

Today is Signing Day, when verbal commitments from high school and junior college recruits are finalized in official letters of intent.

Coach Jeff Tedford usually lands one surprise recruit at the last minute, so we’ll keep you updated on the progress of the 2008 class.

In the meantime, you can see the list of received LOIs in real-time on the Cal Bears website, as well as the list of verbal commitments on Scout.com.