BREAKING NEWS: Jeremiah Masoli has been suspended for the 2010 season. [Correction:] He has the option to redshirt in 2011. LaMichael James and Rob Beard are suspended for the opening game, ensuring they will only win by 20 against New Mexico.
"I've been in a really bad mood for a long time," he said this week. "You're always irritable after a loss, but then you have the next week to do something about it. You're forced to move on. It really leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you lose a bowl game, and I'm sure it does for the whole team.
"We need to improve. We want to make sure we stay positive, but if we want to compete, we have to make sure we're getting better."
Tedford and his reshaped coaching staff will tackle several pressing issues between now and April 24. That doesn't include replacing dynamic tailback Jahvid Best, who chose to enter the NFL draft after his junior season. Shane Vereen sparkled after Best went down with a season-ending concussion Nov. 7, making tailback one of the few set-in-stone positions.
Still, the Bears have plenty on their plate. They must integrate a new defensive coordinator (Clancy Pendergast), find answers in the secondary, upgrade their special teams, locate help for Marvin Jones at wide receiver and dramatically improve their pass protection.
And, oh yes, they also could use better play at quarterback.
As usual, the quarterback situation counts as the most compelling story line of spring. Senior-to-be Kevin Riley enters practice as the starter, but Tedford made it clear - as he did last year - that it's open competition to determine who starts the opener.
Beau Sweeney and Brock Mansion hadn't earned Tedford's trust at this time in 2009, but the coach now seems more open to the "open competition" concept.
"Kevin has been our starter - you hope everyone improves with experience, and it's no different with him," Tedford said. "He'll start (spring practice) as the starter, but Beau and Brock are right there on his heels. ... We're not going to come out of spring with anything guaranteed."
After the jump Best/Alualu/Syd talk about Pro Day and the Combine, Ted Miller interviews Kevin Riley, JO reports from the first day of practice, Cal's big win over Oregon gave the starters time to rest, ESPN lists Cal as a tourney team most susceptible to a "giant killer," and more.
Cal Football
- JO looks ahead to the start of spring practice and the questions Cal must answer if they hope to be at the top of the Pac this season. JO's first practice report has limited info, but some insight into the current depth chart.
- Best, Alualu, and Syd talked to JO about the Combine, Pro Day, the NFL, and more.
- Ted Miller interviews Kevin Riley and asks what went wrong last season and what he has been working on in the offseason.
- JO previews the secondary. Competition should be fierce in the Bears' secondary. The arrival of Pendergast, whose defensive backs thrived under his defense, should make things even more interesting.
- The schedule has undergone more changes, leaving Cal with only one bye week.
Cal Basketball
- Faraudo traces Cal's win over Oregon. Cal started strong and pulled away, giving the starters ample time to rest for today's matchup against UCLA. Faraudo has some postgame tidbits of information. Gary Peterson has a list of quick-hitters following Cal's win over Oregon. He goes on to address football, Tiger Woods, and a hodgepodge of other topics.
- After Randle's perfect half, there was nothing Oregon could do to keep up with the Bears.
- ESPN lists Cal among 10 highly seeded teams most vulnerable to a "Giant Killer." They cite Cal's defense as a potentially exploitable flaw in a first-round upset.
- Wilner has some thoughts on the first full day of the Pac-10 tourney.
- Faraudo has 20 questions for Robert Thurman, transfer from Norwich University in Vermont.
- Allen Crabbe, Richard Solomon, and Gary Franklin Jr continue to advance in the postseason.