Although Tedford announced this morning that Maynard will start against WSU, Allan Bridgford is eager to have an opportunity to compete for the starting role.
Tedford wouldn't say how he would split the first-team reps this week but made it clear Bridgford will get a legitimate look.
"It gets your blood going, for sure," Bridgford said.
"It would be super exciting and I'm ready for it. I'm going to do whatever the coaches ask me. I'm just ready to have fun out there."
Bridgford was one of the nation's highest-rated quarterback prospects coming out of Mission Viejo but suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder while weightlifting early in his freshman season. He didn't practice for most of that season and ultimately had surgery.
Bridgford played on Cal's scout team last season but said he didn't feel completely back to normal until spring practice this year.
"I've never forgotten about those times, and that's what makes football so fun for me right now," he said. "I feel like I've really discovered a new love for the game. It took a long time for it to feel normal again. It feels great right now. That's all that matters."
Tedford has spent much of the season cautioning that Maynard will have a steep learning curve since he transferred from a smaller program in Buffalo and had to sit out last season. Tedford acknowledged Maynard's learning curve "needs to improve, there's no doubt" but was encouraged his interceptions Saturday weren't a product of wrong reads as they were against USC.
"He's making the right reads. Now it's matter of being accurate with the ball," Tedford said."
After the jump the Bears open as 9.5-point favorites over Washington State, Bryan Anger becomes a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, and both basketball teams prepare for exhibition games.
Football
- Wilner gives the Bears a D- in the loss to UCLA.
- The Bears have opened as 9.5-point favorites over Washington State.
- Cal's final home game at AT&T park against Oregon State was not picked up for television.
- JO reports from Sunday's practice. Tedford, Bridgford, and Maynard talk about the QB competition.
- Bryan Anger is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award. He was a semifinalist in 2008 and 2010 and was on the watch list during each of his four years at Cal.