DAY 4: Cal Practices in Full Pads for First Time this Spring

Cal Practices in Full Pads for First Time this SpringAction heats up on warm afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Head coach Jeff Tedford took the Bears through their first practice in full pads this spring on Thursday.
Football Home

March 19, 2010
BERKELEY - Cal conducted its first practice of the spring in full pads Thursday as action heated up with hard hits and spirited play during a workout on a gorgeous warm afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
"We had some good hits out there today," said head coach Jeff Tedford when speaking to media members after the workout. "We cut them loose a little bit and guys were flying around."
The practice included a couple of extended full team sessions with two long scoring drives highlighting the latter.

The Golden Bears will be out of action during spring break before returning for the fifth of 15 spring practices on Tuesday, Mar. 30. Cal will open its final season with the current configuration of Memorial Stadium in 2010 on Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. UC Davis. Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and Washington will also visit Memorial Stadium this season to complete the Bears' seven-game home schedule.

Ryan GorceyBearTerritory.net PublisherBERKELEY-Thursday was the first time this spring that the Cal football team strapped on the pads and got to go full-speed ahead at one another, and when you're talking hard hits, you have to talk defense.That's just what BearTerritory did yesterday evening in a conversation with the Bears' new defensive coordinator, Clancy Pendergast, who has wasted no time getting elbow-deep with the Cal defenders

"You can put them on the field and they're not making little mistakes-wrong formations, wrong huddle calls, not sending guys in motion, sending guys in motion that they're not supposed to-all those things, it's slowed down for them a little bit," Tedford said. "There's a lot to comprehend at that position, and so now that they have a better grasp on it, they're able to do the little things. They're not panicking. I think that's the thing. Their eyes don't come down. When they take off, their eyes are still downfield. When you're young and the rush comes at you, you're eyes are down looking to run. Now, their eyes are downfield looking to make a play. That's a big sign of experience and them being comfortable."


Bell Earns All-District Second Team HonorsCourtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 03/17/2010

2010 NABC All-District Release

MALIBU, Calif. - Sophomore guard Keion Bell of the Pepperdine men's basketball team has been named to the All-District 9 second team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the organization announced earlier this week.
In 31 games, Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) led Pepperdine with averages of 18.5 points, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.5 minutes and was second on the team with 5.1 rebounds. He ranks second in the West Coast Conference in scoring, seventh in steals, eighth in assists and 15th in rebounding.

Bell, who was also named All-WCC honorable mention, scored in double-figures in 26 of 31 games, scored 20 or more points 15 times and topped the 30-point mark twice.
The NABC All-District 9 first team consisted of Matt Bouldin (Gonzaga), Elias Harris (Gonzaga), Orlando Johnson (UC Santa Barbara), Dior Lowhorn (San Francisco) and Omar Samhan (Saint Mary's). In addition to Bell, the second team included T.J. Campbell (Portland), Mickey McConnell (Saint Mary's), T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State) and Robin Smeulders (Portland). District 9 is made up of the West Coast Conference and the Big West Conference.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK — Lorne Jackson was named WCC co-Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in victories over Santa Clara and San Francisco. Mychel Thompson shared the award the previous week, giving Pepperdine two WCC Player of the Week honors in the same season for the first time since 2004-05.

Men's Basketball Advances To Sweet 16 With 75-68 Win Over No. 2 VillanovaCourtesy: Associated Press
Release: 03/20/2010

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -Omar Samhan was an unstoppable Gael force.
His career isn't over yet - and neither is Saint Mary's NCAA tournament run as the Gaels are improbably headed to the round of 16.
Samhan played the game of his career on basketball's biggest stage, finishing with 32 points and seven rebounds to lead 10th-seeded Saint Mary's past Villanova 75-68 on Saturday and on to Houston for the South Regional's Sweet 16.

Gonzaga Stumbles Against Syracuse, 87-65
The Orange move on to play Butler on March 25.

Elias Harris led Gonzaga with 24 points.Men's Basketball Home

March 21, 2010
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Wes Johnson scored a career-high 31 points and pulled down 14 rebounds and Andy Rautins added 24 points as Syracuse hit a dozen 3-pointers to stun Gonzaga 87-65 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Syracuse's storybook season - the Orange were unranked before the season and made it to No. 1 for the final week before losing to Georgetown in the Big East tournament - continues on Thursday. The Orange (30-4), the top seed in the West Regional, will play fifth-seeded Butler (30-4) in Salt Lake City.
Gonzaga (27-7) was trying to become the second team from the West Coast Conference to shock the Big East - WCC tournament champ St. Mary's stunned second-seeded Villanova on Saturday - but they were no match for the Orange.

SPRING PRACTICE IS HERE!

Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Simi Valley, CA
High School: Simi Valley HS
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 238
Position:TB
Experience: SQ

2009: A member of the team but did not see any game action.
2008: Redshirted ... did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year varsity starter who twice earned Team MVP honors ... rated No. 89 among the nation's running backs ... also a two-time All-Marmonte League selection as well as an All-County honoree as a senior when he rushed 230 times for 1,225 yards and 16 touchdowns after a 988-yard campaign with 10 TDs as a junior ... caught a combined 32 passes for 287 yards in his final two seasons ... also served as his team's punter, averaging 33.7 yards per punt as a senior.
PERSONAL: Full name is Langston R. Jackson ... born May 14, 1990 ... major is undeclared.
LAST UPDATED: March 8, 2010June 8, 2007
Cali back gets first offer
Dan Sorensen UteZone.com
The summer got off to a good start for Langston Jackson, a 6-foot-1 inch 200 pound running back from Simi Valley (Calif.) High School. He's gearing up for a successful senor campaign and just received his first Division I scholarship offer. The Utes for their part are looking to add depth to the running back corps and are looking to bring in at least two more in the '08 class.

July 25, 2007
Jackson plans NW visitGarrett Rudolph UDubSports.com
Langston Jackson already has an offer on the table from Utah, and could be on the verge of getting his first offers from the Pac-10. Washington, Oregon and California are the biggest schools paying attention to him, while Fresno State and UNLV have also shown some interest.

September 17, 2007
Simi Valley back turning headsThomas CellaUteZone.comThe Utes are looking to bring in two running backs with this class, and one such target is a young rusher out of Simi Valley (Calif.) named Langston Jackson. A relatively unknown commodity at this point, Jackson is poised to make some noise on the recruiting scene now with a breakout performance to start the season last week.

October 22, 2007Simi Valley back heating upDan SorensenUteZone.com
Simi Valley (Calif.) running back Langston Jackson has spent a lot of his senior season flying under the recruiting radar. However, the talented back is starting to turn heads, and the PAC 10 is taking notice. Do the Utes fall in Jackson's future plans? Click here to find out.

October 25, 2007
Jackson adds another offer
Cleodis FloydUDubSports.com
Langston Jackson has recently gained another scholarship offer. With Utah already offering, Utah State has decided to offer. Jackson has been having a great senior year so far. Many of the Pac-10 schools have been waiting to see his senior film.
2010 Cal Football Analysis - OffenseMonday, February 15, 2010

Ladies & Gents - your 2010 California Golden Bears on offense:Key losses from the 2009 roster:
Jahvid Best was one of the most electrifying players in memory. The loss of Jahvid to the NFL is offset by the emergence of Shane Vereen. Coach Ludwig is going to need other players step up on offense to complement Vereen's running attack. Marvin Jones and Anthony Miller may be close.
What is really going to be missed about this group of outgoing seniors is blocking. Nyan Boateng and Verran Tucker were fine downfield blockers. Skylar Curran and Brian Holley were unsung heroes of the 2009 team protecting Kevin Riley and opening up running lanes for Jahvid and Shane. Skylar had a memorable Senior Day game, catching a key TD against the AZ Wildcats. Brian should have received more attention for the job he did stepping into the shoes of Will Ta'ufo'ou.
Immediate needs: More playmakers besides Vereen in the passing game
2010 Season eligibility map:
via lh4.ggpht.com
Eligibility data and depth chart are taken from the active Cal roster (updated late
Looking ahead to the 2012 season (dotted box), the Cal offense will have discontinuities at WR and FB. Ross, Jones, Alex Lagemann, and Michael Calvin will graduate or depart by 2012. RB has the most depth for 2010 with Vereen, Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson, Isi Sofele, and Dasarte Yarnway, QB, OL and TE depth are staggered to add more depth in recruiting cycles.
Future needs: WRs, FBs
Now we are ready to discuss how Tedford & Co met needs with 2010 Golden Bears on offense.
Playmakers: It appears that the coaching staff has purposely recruited for speed at the WR position (LINK). Coleman Edmond (CGB interview), Tevin Carter, and Kaelin Clay are capable track stars with excellent speed. In his Signing Day press conference, Tedford told us that yards after catch was a special emphasis during recruiting. The 2010 WR class should be a big step toward addressing the need for new playmakers in the passing game.
Marvin Jones appears to have a starting WR spot locked down. Edmond, Carter, Allen, Montgomery, and Clay will compete against the incumbents of J Ross, Loggy, and Calvin. Spencer Hagan and Charles Satchell are big receivers currently sitting on the depth chart. Edmond may be most ready to contribute from the 2010 class both at WR and special teams with his physicality and toughness (highlights). Keenan Allen appears to have excellent hands and ball skills. I would speculate that if the 2010 WR recruits do not want to redshirt, they need to stand out in learning routes and downfield blocking.
Another consideration is Isi Sofele, a potential breakout player already on the squad. Word is that Isi is staying at RB and not moving to WR (LINK). His speed and elusiveness at the punt/kick returner position should add more intrigue to Spring Practice with the new Special Teams/Tight Ends Coach Jeff Genyk. Personally, I would like to see another punt/kick returner from the 2010 class on special teams to spell relief for J Ross. Maybe if J Ross does less he'll hold onto more passes in 2010.
More WRs: The group of Carter, Allen, Montgomery, and Clay all have different styles of play. ttgiang15's fine analyses on Edmond, Montgomery, and Clay (LINK, LINK, LINK) are worth the time to go over. It's fascinating how Montgomery creates separation between himself and defenders on tape because he is not the fastest, strongest, and tallest guy on the field. He doesn't shy away from contact which should help him lining up in the slot. Tevin Carter (HL) already looks like a young Randy Moss on tape, creating match-up problems with his size and speed.
I have not been able to find more highlights on Keenan Allen (HL). He doesn't look to have the speed of Carter or Clay, but has good vision and quickness to make cuts that take advantage of open spaces. His length is going to bother a lot of DBs in redzone situations, almost like $C's Dwayne Jarrett.Other positions: Austin Hinder (HL) and Jacob Wark (HL) are prospects who should provide more competition and depth. Hinder is a work-in-progress. Because of his slim physical statue, Hinder is almost 100% sure to redshirt. The comparison of Wark to Craig Stevens is fair. As Tedford described, Wark doesn't go down immediately after contact and is "violent" after the catch.
No FB was recruited this year. There are two possible interpretations. Eric Stevens is someone Tedford had made a note of before (LINK), and Langston Jackson could move back to FB. In general though FB doesn't seem to be a priority in Tedford & Co's overall recruiting. We could be fine with Stevens or Jackson competing for a starting spot in 2012.Tedford & Co added a trio of OLs in Chris Adcock (Sr, Jr HLs), Alex Croswaithe (HL), and Geoffrey Gibson (HL). Gibson is somewhat less heralded compared to Adcock and Croswaithe. He is another strong physical presence who controls the point of attack and sustains his blocks well. Coach Marshall should be happy about the talent he gets to develop along with RS FRs of Charles Ragland, Charles Siddoway, and Mark Brazinski.
Projecting the 2012 season:
via lh4.ggpht.com
The 2012 eligibility map assumes the RS FRs and 2010 class (in blue letters) all become major contributors. Many things can happen - players leaving early for the NFL, injuries, redshirts, etc. I am only projecting what I believe will most likely take place.
I think Sofele becomes a change-of-pace RB to complement the more powerful backs of DeBoskie-Johnson/Yarnway/Briggs. Briggs is "greenshirting" and should participate in Spring Practice staring March 6th. If Briggs can't climb up the depth chart ahead of DeBo and Yarnway, I think he redshirts in 2010 and seeks an extra year to distinguish himself in the same manner as Justin Forsett. Adcock, Crosthwaite, and Gibson will probably all redshirt like the OLs in the 2009 class besides Brian Schwenke.
The 2012 QB is going to be the biggest concern. If Beau Sweeney doesn't seize control of the starting QB position in 2010 or 2011, Zach Maynard could emerge as an option (HT dballisloose). Allan Bridgford & Hinder should also be in the mix for 2012. WRs are more difficult to project. Keenan Allen probably won't redshirt because of his versatility as a WR and nickelback in pass coverage. There isn't enough video evidence supporting that Carter can beat more powerful and speedy CBs in the Pac-10 who will want to jam him at the line and knock him off his route. I would think Carter redshirts along with Montgomery and Clay.
Final thoughts: Rather than focusing on individual talent, I think it's more important to take the team approach to evaluate recruiting classes. Tedford & Co's job is to put the most competitive team on the field year in and year out. 5-star talents would be great if they want to fit in and excel in the system. The 2010 class of the Golden Bears meets the team's needs and sets up Tedford & Co with talent and depth on offense for the 2012 season when Memorial Stadium reopens. FB seems to be the only position not addressed the 2010 recruiting. The history of Will Ta'ufo'ou and Brian Holley would suggest that Tedford & Co seems to prefer a developmental process for FBs. Regarding the lack of a LT in 2010 recruiting, the eligibility maps show that there is enough depth in development on the OL for a LT candidate to emerge through competition in 2010 and 2012. Granted, it would have been great to obtain the services of Arie Kouandjio or Roszell Gayden, but Tedford & Co systematically replenish the team with new recruits. 2011 scholarship offers have already gone out to Cyrus Kouandjio (LINK) and Christian Westerman (LINK). I am sure we are going to hear more.What are your thoughts looking ahead to 2010 and 2012? Chris Nguon BearTerritory.net Staff WriterTo put it bluntly, the Cal offense struggled in goal-line and short yardage situations last season. Sometimes, the ball carrier didn't run through the correct hole while other times, as Bears coach Jeff Tedford simply stated, "we needed to block better." For this year's corps of running backs, the name of the game is speed. And while athletes likes Jahvid Best and his compatriots can certainly lay a shoulder into a defender if needed, one player who might indeed help Cal's short yardage game down the line is walk-on Langston Jackson, a late add to the current roster.
Jackson is a nice add to the current Cal roster. Standing at a stout 6-foot-1, 215-pounds, the former Simi Valley (Calif.) High standout has been trying to acclimate himself with his new surroundings. Jackson held offers from Utah and Utah State leading up to National Signing Day in February but didn't find himself on a college roster when so many other athletes signed on the dotted line. Jackson kept pounding the phones however, and eventually caught up with Cal running backs coach Ron Gould, who decided to take Jackson on-board."Coach Gould had faith in me so I'm going to go out here and try to prove myself," Jackson said. "I got in contact with him before and then I called him again afterwards after Signing Day passed. I came up after that to a practice and watched everything. I liked what I saw."Jackson has received a couple reps here and there during the summer sessions this past week. While his road to Cal was much different than the scholarship athletes of the 2008 class, Jackson now finds himself in the same boat as his current class. Jackson has some impressive highlights in high school.YouTube video: Jackson lowers the boom"I love our team this year. I really think we are going to be good this year and I want to be a part of that," Jackson said. "Getting the plays down is rough. It's confusing. But it's fun."So what about his game stands out the most?"I can hit," Jackson concluded. "The coaches want me to play running back. My last year in high school I became more of a shifty 'back so I can be a power guy and a speed guy."Chris Nguon is the lead football writer for BearTerritory. He's well known for his recruiting and game coverage in the star-studded Oakland Athletic League, plus his numerous contributions with The Daily Californian, UC Berkeley's only independent, student-run newspaper. Nguon is also a correspondent with the Oakland Tribune, and will cover Cal football and basketball in 2008.Our Bus is Langston Jackson
Langston Jackson is the one who stands out in fall camp as a short yardage back; the guy is absolutely huge, but with quick feet and agility. Diagnosis? Put him in at 3rd and 1.
I thought Debo was much bigger since I heard he put on a lot of extra muscle during the off-season. I was very high on him…until I saw him at the spring game. He doesn’t look any bigger than Vereen and was stuffed about 4 times in a row at the Goal line. Diagnosis? Put on another 25lbs and be fullback please.
Yarnway is a mini-beast already. Next year, full fledged man-beast. Diagnosis? Redshirt.
Sofele is too good to keep off the field. Play him this year. He’s small but all muscle and fast twitch tendons. Diagnosis? Play him!
by DavidsonBear on Aug 19, 2009 I have to admit, I did hours of research for this post, and this is the first time I’ve ever heard of Langston Jackson, ever.
Kudos sir. Where’d you hear about Langston’s abilities?
Contact me: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Aug 19, 2009 10:12 AM PDT
He’s been mentioned on BI a fair amount, also I think a couple practice reports from JO in spring.
Some say his powerade gives you infrared vision...and that his sweat towels wipe away sin. All we know is he's called giantfan5.
by Spazzy Mcgee on Aug 19, 2009
He's #24; Redshirt Freshman. 225 lbs. Big as a full back, but plays TB.
He’s been mentioned in some of the fall camp reports. With Best and Vereen sitting out (as they should), Yarnway, Debo and Jackson have been getting reps.
Tedford commented on his agility and quickness for being a big guy. Personally, I think he’s going to see the field this year. He’s had good runs consistently on short yardage situations.
As you know, we have a terrible time with 3rd and 1 yard. Best and Vereen typically get -1 or 60 yards (ha). And I think we all remember Forsett trying to pound it unsuccessfully 2 years ago.

2010 Cal Football Spring Preview
March 11, 2010Get Your Season Tickets 2010 Schedule Spring 2010 Information: Roster Roster Quick Facts Cal begins its 2010 spring football practices having established itself as one of the Pac-10's top football programs under

Jeff Tedford, who is now in ninth year with the Golden Bears and the longest-tenured head coach in the conference. Cal has won more games during the period of time he has been the team's head coach than every Pac-10 school other than USC. Cal has also been ranked among the nation's Top 25 at the conclusion of four of the last six campaigns (2004-06, '08) and in the Top 10 at some point during five of the last six years (2004-07, '09). In addition, the Bears have made seven consecutive bowl appearances since with a lofty 5-2 mark in those contests.
Running Backs Coach - Ron Gould Trajuan Briggs (Fr., TB), Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson (Jr., TB), Nico Dumont (RFr., FB), Will Kapp (Jr., FB), Isi Sofele (So., TB), Eric Stevens (So., FB), John Tyndall (Jr., FB), Shane Vereen (Jr., TB), Dasarte Yarnway (RFr., TB) The Bears lost both of their 2009 backfield starters with the departures of TB Jahvid Best and FB Brian Holley but are confident they can replace the productive duo. Best started 19 of the 31 contests he competed in during three seasons at Cal. He earned a second-team All-American selection by College Football News and the second of his two first-team All-Pac-10 honors as a 2008 sophomore when he rushed for 1,580 yards (No. 2 on Cal's single-season list) and a school-record-tying 15 rushing touchdowns. He finished his career ranked tied for third on Cal's all-time list for rushing TDs (29), as well as tied for fourth in total TDs (39) and seventh in rushing yards (2,668).
Shane Vereen, who started the final four games last season after Best suffered a season-ending injury against Oregon State on Nov. 7, is most likely his heir apparent at tailback. Vereen earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors last season despite coming off the bench to spell Best for most of the season's first nine games. He finished as the team's leading rusher with 952 yards on 183 carries (5.2 ypr) and equaled Best's 12 rushing touchdowns. Vereen had a career day to lead the Bears to a Big Game win at Stanford, carrying the ball 42 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 566 yards on 108 carries after taking as the team's starter.
Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson (31 rushes, 226 yards, 1 TD) and Isi Sofele (12 rushes, 82 yards, 1 TD) saw limited action in 2009 but are expected to compete for a spot alongside Vereen for a Cal rushing attack that has traditionally shared the bulk of the workload between two tailbacks. Trajuan Briggs, Langston Jackson and Dasarte Yarnway are the team's other tailbacks this spring and should get a good look with one of Tedford's primary spring goals developing a complimentary player to Vereen. Both Briggs and Yarnway missed their respective 2009 seasons with injuries, with the early enrollee Briggs going down with an ankle injury in an early season prep game and Yarnway suffering a knee injury during training camp of his true freshmen season.
Will Kapp was the team's backup fullback last season and will be competing along with fellow returnees John Tyndall, Eric Stevens and Nico Dumont to replace Holley as the starter.
Former NFL Players Akili Smith and Ronnie Bradford Join Cal StaffSmith to serve as an administrative assistant for the offense, while Bradford will hold the same role for the defense.
March 13, 2010
BERKELEY - Former NFL players Akili Smith and Ronnie Bradford have joined the Cal football staff as administrative assistants. Smith will serve in his role for the team's offensive coaching staff, while Bradford will work with the coaches on the defensive side of the ball.
"We're pleased to have both Akili and Ronnie join our support staff," said head coach Jeff Tedford. "Both of these guys have been around football their entire lives and will be tremendous assets to our program." Smith, who has spent the past two seasons as the quarterbacks coach at Grossmont College in San Diego, was selected by Cincinnati as the third overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft and played four seasons with the Bengals (1999-2002). He attended training camp with the Packers (2003) and Buccaneers (2005) before finishing his professional football playing career with the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe (2005) and Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (2007). Smith played his collegiate football at Oregon from 1997-98 when Tedford was the Ducks' offensive coordinator. He was the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year as a senior when he set Oregon's single-season passing record with 3,763 yards and also threw for 32 touchdowns.
Bradford was a defensive assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009 under Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. He was previously with the Denver Broncos for six seasons from 2003-08, where he served in a variety of capacities both on defense and special teams. In his final year in Denver in 2008, Bradford coached the team's defensive backs, mentoring a group that featured nine-time Pro Bowl and three-time first-team All-Pro selection CB Champ Bailey, and two-time Pro Bowl selection Dré Bly. He spent the 2004-06 campaigns as Denver's special teams coach and was the club's assistant special teams coach in 2003. Over that four-year span, the Broncos qualified for the postseason on three different occasions, including the 2005 campaign when Denver reached the AFC Championship Game. During that same four-year time frame, PK Jason Elam ranked third in the NFL in both made FGs (107) and points scored (479). Bradford also played for 10 seasons in the NFL with Denver (1993-95), Arizona (1996), Atlanta (1997-2001) and Minnesota (2002). He was a member of the Falcons' squad that claimed the 1998 NFC title and advanced to Super Bowl XXXIII, where he registered an interception off Broncos' QB John Elway. Bradford played in 133 regular season NFL games, accumulating 523 tackles, 13 interceptions for 65 yards with one TD, 2.0 sacks (-19 yards), 70 passes defended, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He was a two-year starter and four-year letterwinner in college at Colorado and was a first-team All-Big 8 selection as a senior in 1992. As a sophomore, he helped guide the Buffaloes to an appearance in the National Championship Game vs. Notre Dame, where he blocked a PAT attempt in the final minutes to preserve a 10-9 victory at the Orange Bowl.