Golden Nuggets: Tedford Addresses Backup QBs and Pass Protection at ASU Week Presser

With pass protection and QB play emerging as big issues Cal has to solve against the conference's better defenses, Tedford specifically addressed the O-line and QB play at today's press conference.

On his concerns about pass protection and whether personnel changes are possible following two games in which Kevin Riley faced a lot of pressure
"We would always consider that. If someone's not playing well then you do have to evaluate that and make changes if needed. This week, we're not. You know, one of our best offensive linemen, Mitchell Schwartz, got beat pretty clean one time [at USC] - is that a cause to make a change there? It's going to happen from time to time. It's about mentally making sure that we have all our assignments down, and then physically of executing. But against good people you're going to get beat from time to time. You just hope that people just don't take turns, because you know one time it's that and one time it's the next thing and so on and so forth. We have to play together, and especially that group up front has to play as a unit."

On ASU's front seven on defense
"Been game-planning for them the last two or three days and they're very good, they're very physical. [DT] Lawrence Guy is very physical. They're very fast. The linebackers are very physical and fast. [James] Brooks on the edge, the whole front seven that they have are very physical and very fast, very athletic, so they can bull-rush you, so they're very strong, and they can beat you with speed as well. So it's a great group, they always have been, on defense and it really hasn't changed. They're still very solid."

On whether, other than due to an injury factor, he envisions QB Beau Sweeney getting any playing time this season
"No. Kevin is our starting quarterback and gives us our best chance to win. We're not going to make a change there unless something unforeseen happened."

On whether Sweeney and QB Brock Mansion are progressing as he had hoped
"If they were close to being the best quarterback that we have on this football team then they would see time, and that's not the case. Kevin's experienced and Kevin still does some very good things and, like I said, still gives us the best chance to win, and those guys aren't to his level right now."

After the jump Cal is a 3-point favorite over ASU, Ted Miller wishes he could quit the Bears, Mohamed and Tedford discuss their emotions after the loss, and Ted Miller envisions a possible Cal-Nevada rematch this season.

Football

• Cal is a field goal favorite over the Sun Devils.
• Ted Miller projects an Emerald Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl for the Bears.  Unless Nevada defeats Boise St, such a bowl would probably be a rematch against Nevada.
• Wilner argues that something has gone terribly wrong with the Bears.  For whatever reason, these blowout losses are starting to become a regular occurrence.
  
• Tedford addresses his apparent lack of emotion after the USC game.  He said he makes it clear behind closed doors that the team knows how disappointed he is in outcomes like that.  He's not one to yell and scream, but he is confident that the team knows how he feels.
• Mike Mohamed talks about the difference between getting mad at each other in the locker room and directing that anger towards the upcoming opponent.  After losses like that, he says it is crucial to ensure that guys focus more on the latter than the former.
• The 12-day window has come and gone and no one has picked up the Cal-OSU game.  It's looking like it might not be televised in California...
• Jon Wilner grades Cal's performance at USC.  Take a wild guess on the grade we received...
• Ted Miller previews how the middle of the conference might be sorted out.  Among the middle teams, Cal has the most home games, though one of the toughest schedules.
• Cal earns another frowny face from Uncle Ted in his weekend rewind.
• Cal has fallen to 8th and Ted Miller, our eternal optimist, says he wishes he could quit the Bears.
• Scout has many questions and too few answers after Cal's faceplant at USC.