BearTalk

Since Cal holds its weekly press luncheon on Tuesdays, Jeff Tedford usually doesn’t address the media after practice that night.

Tonight was different, and for all the wrong reasons.

Tedford was forced to talk about the disturbing arrest of backup fullback R.J. Garrett, who along with former Cal defensive back Gary Doxy, were charged with robbery stemming from an incident in a dorm room on Sept. 30. Garrett has been kicked off the team and Tedford was left to answer questions about an incident that can always be harmful to the image of a program.

“Obviously, it’s unfortunate,” Tedford said. “I have a lot of confidence in our team that it will stay focused on what it needs to get done. Their job is to pay attention to what’s important for them, and right now, that is to prepare for the game.”

According to the university, Doxy and Garrett, using BB guns, entered a room on the Clark Kerr Campus just before 1 a.m. and took a laptop and wallet. Police say the incident was racially motivated.

You can read more about the arrests in the story our news reporter, Matt Krupnick, wrote for Wednesday’s paper. Here are more of Tedford’s comments after practice Tuesday:

–Tedford was asked if he sees any racial tension on campus: “I don’t’ see it. We have a lot of teams here in this environment and it’s never been better. The camaraderie among teams, men and women and cultures, I see everyone getting along great.”

–On what he is telling his teams in terms of diversity: “I just told the team about it. We’ll touch on other things, but I have a lot of confidence in the environment and what we do here every day.  It’s never been better as far as inclusion and things like that.”

Garrett, a redshirt sophomore, never got into a game at Cal. Doxy would have been a junior this season but was kicked off the team by Tedford after he missed meetings with tutors to try to get his academics in order.

Things were a little more positive earlier in the day at the press luncheon, despite coming off a loss. The Bears seemed encouraged that they still only have one loss in Pac-10 play and are “right in the hunt” as more than one person said.

Defensive back Marcus Ezeff referred to the athletic department’s marketing slogan for the season, “Every game counts” in making the argument that the Bears will bounce back Saturday against UCLA. Ezeff also said the Bears “feel pretty confident” they are going to win the Pac-10.

Tedford reiterated that Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley will once compete once again for the right to start Saturday. He said both players need to show improvement, although each was also hurt by dropped passes against Arizona.

“We had a lot of balls go off people’s hands,” Tedford said. “They weren’t perfect throws. We can improve on accuracy and we can improve on making some plays when the ball is around us.

I thought Nate did some real good things in the first half _ but not perfect, by any means. And I thought Kevin did a couple of good things when he was in there. But it also wasn’t perfect. We need to be more consistent at quarterback; both of them, not one of them.”

Tedford also said that Longshore’s pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Devin Ross was a bad decision.

“Obviously, the interception for a touchdown is a chance that you just can’t take,” he said. “If you feel like it’s close, just throw the ball out of bounds.”

While Tedford said both Longshore and Riley need to improve, he also said the receivers need to step up their game as well. Not only were there several dropped balls against Arizona, there were other plays that could have been made when a throw wasn’t perfect but still catchable.

“I think they have the ability to make the tough catch,” Tedford said. “Every now and then if the throw isn’t there because there is somebody in (the quarterback’s) face, you would hope we could come up with a play here or there. They have the ability to.”

Cal inside linebacker Worrell Williams you “get shocked a little bit” after a performance such as Saturday’s. His comment came as an answer to the question whether it was surprising the defense struggled so much since it had been playing so well recently.

“It’s the duty of me and guys like Zack (Follett) to make them understand that ‘Hey, that’s football’,” Williams said. “Sometimes teams are going to get some. Arizona has a good offense, no doubt about it. It’s about getting your mindset right, understand that you’re going to be in a dogfight for awhile and be ready for it.”

Kicker Giorgio Tavecchio made an appearance at the luncheon and talked about his first experience placekicking. He said the 50-yard field goal on his first career attempt was longer than any attempt he ever had at Campolindo High School. I’ll have more on Tavecchio later in the week. One charming note: About a half-hour after he left the press conference, Tavecchio returned to tell the media assembled that he forgot to thank his kicking coach from high school, Mark Ahr, and that he told himself over and over the night before to make sure to thank him. Tavecchio said he got all the way back to his dorm room at Clark Kerr before turning around to relay his message.

There should be some fun storylines in Saturday’s game. UCLA feature running back Khalil Bell played against Ezeff in high school in the North Bay. And cornerback Darian Hagan, a Los Angeles native, said he knows several of UCLA’s players, including leading receiver Terrence Austin. Hagan and Austin played against each other as prepsters in Southern California and still talk about every other week, according to Hagan. Hagan said he talked to Austin earlier Tuesday and told him “he better be ready.” Hagan said Austin reassured him that he will.

As for news updates, running back Jahvid Best didn’t practice Tuesday but it’s probably just because the Bears want to rest his sore elbow. Tedford said it was muscle soreness and not his joint directly. Right guard Noris Malele, who limped off the field late in Saturday’s game, practiced fully. Kicker David Seawright didn’t kick during practice and it looks as though Tavecchio will continue to be the placekicker this week.