BearTalk

The Associated Press preseason top 25 was released today and Cal checks in at No. 12, the same spot the Bears are at in the USA Today top 25. The ranking equals the second-highest spot the Bears have had in the AP preseason poll since Jeff Tedford took over at Cal in 2002. The Bears’ only higher preseason ranking was No. 9 in 2006.

Other Pac-10 entries include No. 4 USC and No. 16 Oregon. Oregon State was the first team listed among others receiving votes. Arizona received  13 votes to come in at No. 38 and UCLA is tied for 41st with seven votes.

Cal senior defensive end Tyson Alualu has been named to the watch list for the Lombardi Award, given annually to the nation’s top offensive or defensive lineman who also exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.

Filed by Ben Enos, filling in for Jonathan Okanes

The Bears enjoyed a quiet day in Strawberry Canyon on Monday, eschewing pads in favor of just helmets and shorts in a workout that lasted just under two hours.

Read the rest of this entry »

–Care to see who Jahvid Best’s competition is for the Maxwell Award? Here’s the complete list.

–Finally catching up to this: Best was named to the ESPN.com preseason All-America Team.

–My story yesterday examined the career so far of defensive lineman Mike Costanzo, who has yet to live up to the expectations that surrounded him when he arrived at Cal.

–Former USF football star Burl Toler, whose son and grandson both playe at Cal, passed away Sunday.

–Cal freshman Isi Sofele has some pretty good moves, and not just on the football field.

–The university has released its access plan for navigating home games during construction of the SAHPC.

–Cal corner Syd’Quan Thompson has been named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. This is the third watch list for Thompson.

Filed by Ben Enos, filling in for Jonathan Okanes

With Jahvid Best using Thursday as a rest day, the rest of the Cal football team focused on position drills and even worked in their first two-minute drill of camp in a well-paced workout.

Read the rest of this entry »

–Here’s a story I wrote today, taking a look at the battle for the weakside outside linebacker spot, vacated by Zack Follett.

–ESPN.com’s Ted Miller continued his entertaining “Best case-worst case” series with his entry on Cal. Good stuff.

–Jahvid Best is fourth in ESPN.com’s preseason Heisman Watch.

Comcast SportsNet Caliifornia is airing “2009 Cal Football Preview” next Tuesday at 6 p.m. It will also replay Aug. 20 (6:30 p.m.), Aug. 21 (10:30 p.m.) and Aug. 22 (9:30 p.m.)

Here’s a sampling of what Jeff Tedford had to say following practice Tuesday night: 

(On Isi Sofele): “You see a lot of explosion, a lot of quickness. He’s very talented, can catch the ball, can run with it, can do a lot of things. He plays at a different speed. He’s really quick.”

(If Sofele has a chance to play this season as a true freshman): “It’s still early, but there’s a possibility of that.”

(On Justin Cheadle taking first team reps at right guard): “He’s doing a good job. We’re rotating all of them through there, giving them a chance to work together and trying to find the right combination. I wouldn’t make too much of where a guy is playing here or there on any day. We’re just trying to give everyone an opportunity to get into the rotation.”

(On Verran Tucker’s status on the depth chart): “He’s going to have to work his way back up. He’s doing a nice job. We’ll just have to see how it goes. I don’t like talking too much about the depth chart. It’s so early. Nobody has earned a spot yet.”

(On the kicking competition): “There is a lot of evaluation that needs to go on there. That’s a very competitive spot right now. All three guys are doing a nice job. They are all talented.”

(On the fullback competition): “It’s hit and miss. They’re doing some good things and then they’re busting some other things. That’s why we’re out here practicing. All those guys really haven’t played before so every day is a learning process for them to feel it out. You get them making all the right decisions, then you let them show their physical abilities.”

Here is some reading from the past few days:

–Here’s some notes, leading with David Seawright’s new role as backup punter.

–Cal’s receivers have more of a comfort level than this time last year.

–Cal checked in at No. 12 in ESPN.com’s preseason power rankings.

–Two ESPN.com writers make their bowl projections, with one having Cal going to the Holiday Bowl and the other to the Sun Bowl.