BearTalk

ABC4 Sports in Salt Lake City has posted a story suggesting the possibility that Utah — but not BYU — could be a future target for Pac-10 expansion.

Colorado also was cited in the story as a possible future Pac-10 school.

Twice the story stresses that “this is all speculation.”

Jon Wilner of the Bay Area News Group talked Monday with Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, who said of possible expansion, “We’re looking at it very seriously.

“It wasn’t something identified for me by the presidents when I took the job. But it’s very natural as you look at the value of the conference from a media standpoint,” he said. “If we were ever going to look at expansion, this would be the logical time” (because negotiations for a new TV deal will begin next year).

Here’s the full report from ABC4 in Salt Lake City.

Pac-10 Conference commission Larry Scott has hired former Big 12 commissioner and one-time Big Ten executive Kevin Weiberg as the league’s new deputy commissioner.

Here’s the Pac-10’s official news release on the hiring, along with a story from Bud Withers in the Seattle Times.

• Here’s a transcript from Jeff Tedford’s live chat earlier today on calbears.com.
• Cal defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi has been named Recruiter of the Year by rivals.com.

Some of you may have realized this already, but there is one former Cal player playing in today’s Super Bowl — New Orleans outside linebacker Scott Fujita.

Jeff Tedford will be holding a live chat on calbears.com on Monday at noon. Fans can start asking questions now and Tedford will answer them on Monday.

Cal signees Allen Crabbe and Richard Solomon combined for 36 points, leading Price High to a 79-45 victory over Lutheran of LaVerne, with Bears coach Mike Montgomery and his wife, along with assistant Travis DeCuire among the crowd.

Crabbe had 23 points, including four 3-pointers, grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists, while Solomon had 13 points, four rebounds and five blocked shots. Price improved to 22-2 on the season.

On Senior Night, Montgomery visited with two of his four incoming freshmen and their parents after the game. Solomon said he attended the Bears’ Thursday night game at USC, and Crabbe indicated he plans to watch Cal play at UCLA on Saturday.

It was my first glimpse of the two, and both are quick and athletic. Crabbe, listed at 6-foot-6, isn’t much shorter than that — at least 6-5. He has a nice stroke, is fast up and down the floor with the ball and seemed unselfish. Of the two, Crabbe comes off as a more polished and confident player at this point.

Solomon was announced as 6-9, but is probably no more than 6-8. He’s very thin and will benefit from time in the weight room. He opened the game by sinking a pair of 3-pointers and made a couple of impressive blocks, but was not an aggressive rebounder in this game.

AROUND THE PAC-10

Here’s Saturday’s schedule . . .

– Cal at UCLA, 1 p.m.: The Bears (14-8, 6-4) need a win to halt a two-game losing streak and emerge from this two-weekend road swing at 2-2. They have lost six straight to the Bruins (11-11, 6-4), who have climbed into a four-way tie for first place.

– Stanford at USC, 4:30 p.m.: Can the Cardinal (10-12, 4-6) win a road game? Not so far after nine tries this season. A loss here, coupled with an Oregon State win over Oregon would leave Stanford in last place. USC (13-9, 5-5) would like to avenge a 54-53 loss at Maples Pavilion last month.

– Oregon at Oregon State, 3 p.m.: The Ducks (12-9, 4-5) arrive in Corvallis riding a two-game win streak, but they had won six in a row when they lost to the Beavers (9-12, 3-6) at Mac Court last month.

– Arizona at Washington State, 5:30 p.m.: The Wildcats (12-10, 6-4) had won four straight before falling Thursday at Washington. The Cougars 14-8, 4-6) have dropped three in a row, but beat UA in Tucson last month.

– Arizona State at Washington, 7:30 p.m.: The Sun Devils (16-7, 6-4), also tied for first place, blasted the Huskies (15-7, 5-5) 68-51 in Tempe last month, but UW is 15-1 at home.

– Pac-10 standings: Cal 6-4, Arizona 6-4, Arizona State 6-4, UCLA 6-4, USC 5-5, Washington 5-5, Oregon 4-5, Stanford 4-6, Washington State 4-6, Oregon State 3-6.

LOCAL HEROES

In a duel of former Oakland Athletic League standouts, Will Cherry (Oakland-McClymonds) scored 14 points to help Montana to a 75-61 win over Weber State, which got 24 points from Damian Lillard (Oakland HS). It was the 12th game of at least 20 points this season for Lillard.

• Here’s a transcript from yesterday’s live chat.
• Another wrap-up of Cal’s recruiting class.

Here’s more from my conversation yesterday with defensive coordinator Bob Gregory about the defensive haul the Bears brought in on Signing Day:

Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t forget. We will have a live chat Thursday from 1-2 p.m. to discuss Cal’s 2010 recruiting class. Hope you’ll join me.

A couple of other non-Signing Day items emerged Wednesday:

• No surprise here, but Jeff Tedford said the quarterback position will once  again be an open competition in the spring.
• That competition will not include redshirt freshman-to-be Allan Bridgford. Bridgford, who missed most of last season after suffering a shoulder injury while lifting weights, had surgery last month and is expected to be out 4-6 months. Tedford said an examination of his shoulder found further damage and surgery was necessary.
• Spring practice begins March 6