This appeared in our paper today, from editorial columnist Daniel Borenstein.

scout.com reports that the Bears received a 2009 oral commitment from Mission Viejo High School quarterback Allan Bridgford, who received offers from a couple of other Pac-10 schools as well as Texas Tech.

Cal’s football program had a pretty good showing in the Academic Progress Rate report released Tuesday by the NCAA. The Bears ranked in the 80-90th percentile and 50-60th percentile among all sports. Click here to see the NCAA’s official report on Cal.

Not surprsingly, Cal center Alex Mack is finding himself on several preseason awards lists for 2008. Here’s a recap, provided by Cal media relations.

The Pac-10 announced today that Cal’s season-opener against Michigan State on Aug. 30 and its Nov. 8 game at USC will be televised by ABC and kick off at 5 p.m.

The disappointing second half of the Bears’ 2007 season didn’t seem to dissuade ABC from putting them on prime time. This is no different than last season, when Cal also had two games selected for the 5 p.m. time slot during the spring — the season-opener against Tennessee and the game against USC.

Other TV information and kickoff times will be announced in the coming months. The Bears could still be on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 a handful of other times when the network selects games in its six-day and 12-day window.

I know this isn’t exactly a cutting edge issue, but it’s worth discussion now that it appears there won’t be any change to the NCAA Division I football playoff format for awhile. BCS officials announced Thursday that it will not change the way it crowns its annual national champion as it prepares to negotiate TV contracts through 2014.

The one-plus format is the lastest proposal to get some momentum, but it was ultimately shot down. Under one-plus, the top four teams in the final BCS standings would play semifinals and then a championship game.

I still think there should be a playoff system, and it should be more than four teams. If it’s OK for the other divisions of college football, it should be OK with Division I. And I don’t buy the argument that it will take the luster off the regular season. Just because a team loses one or two games doesn’t meant it isn’t the best team in the country. A team loses a game in September and it’s almost as though its season is over. Let them decide it on the field.

Now, your thoughts?

If all the signs didn’t point toward running back Justin Forsett being a mid-round draft pick during this weekend’s NFL draft, it may not have been as surprising that he almost wasn’t picked at all. Forsett doesn’t exactly have the breakaway speed or brute size that makes him highly coveted by NFL scouts.

But what Forsett does have is shiftiness, balance, strength and most important, productivity. It is those traits that made him, by most prognosticators, a solid fifth or sixth round draft pick.

But it took 233 selections for Forsett to finally hear his name called Sunday. With just 20 picks remaining, Forsett was picked up in the seventh round by the Seattle Seahawks, reuniting him with former teammates Brandon Mebane and Nu’u Tafisi.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Forsett said by phone Sunday afternoon. “This is what my life has always been like, like just getting into Cal. This is nothing different.”

Forsett said he actually went to sleep during the draft and was woken by phone calls by teams pursuing him as a free agent once the draft was complete. He said he actually was on the phone with the Buffalo Bills when the Seahawks called to inform him they were taking him.

“I had to hang up and take their phone call,” Forsett said.

Forsett was one of six Cal players taken in this year’s draft, a school record for a seven-round draft. The Bears had six players picked in the 1977 draft, when it consisted of 12 rounds.

Some may have been surprised that tight end Craig Stevens went in the third round to the Tennessee Titans, but after his performance in the combine in February, I had heard he could even slip into the second round. Stevens didn’t put up huge numbers last season, but he has proven he can make plays in the passing game and is well regarded as a blocking tight end. He was the seventh tight end taken in the draft.

Stevens sounded excited that he will be reunited with wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins in Tennessee. Hawkins was picked by the Titans in the fourth round. I think that may have been a bit low. Hawkins may have hurt his cause with a disappointing 40-time at the combine, although he improved on it at Cal’s pro day. But after his fine performance at the Senior Bowl, it seemed as though Hawkins had moved firmly into the second round. I think Hawkins could end up being a very good pro.

Safety Thomas DeCoud went right where he was believed to go, in the third round. He also went to a team that he said was very interested, the Atlanta Falcons. DeCoud actually had held out hope he may sneak into the second round because Atlanta and Miami, the two teams that seemed the most interested, had a combined five second-round selections.

It was a mild surprise that Mike Gibson was taken in the sixth round, by the Eagles. Gibson put himself on the map with an excellent combine, but he seemed to be a fringe draftee. After playing tackle at Cal, he will move to guard or center in the NFL. Gibson said he had no idea the Eagles were interested in taking him.

Gibson will also be reunited with a former teammate, wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Of course, it was a big story Saturday when Jackson slipped into the middle of the second round.  It turns out his dimunitive stature likely was a turn-off to NFL teams, after all.

There should be a few other Cal players who get a look via free agency — wide receiver Robert Jordan, punter Andrew Larsen and possibly guard Brian De La Puente.

Spring practice for 2008 came to a close this morning under a beating sun as the Bears capped off their workouts with a three-hour session that included two long stints of situational scrimmaging.

After spending most of the spring practicing in the brisk early evening that typically saw media types and friends of the program trying to keep warm in heavy jackets, it was t-shirt and shorts weather Saturday as the Bears wear their full uniforms under a warm sun. As has been the case each Saturday during the spring, the Bears brought in an officiating crew to simulate game conditions and cut it loose with some spirited hitting and practicing.

Both the offense and defense did some good things. In general, the defense had the upper hand as the Bears get more and more comfortable with the 3-4 defense. Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory still won’t say definitively that the Bears are switching their base to the 3-4, but he’s done everything but. When asked today if he was ready to acknowledge the 3-4 is now the team’s base, he just smiled and asked reporters “What did you guys see this spring?” But he basically admitted the change when he answered a question about other teams using the 3-4 and said, “I think we’re the only base” in the Pac-10.

Unlike earlier this spring when the coaching staff was unhappy that the defense gave up too many big plays in the situational competition, it was the defense that made more plays Saturday. Defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Tyson Alualu, linebacker Zack Follett and safety Gary Doxy had sacks and the Bears registered a handful of other quarterback pressures. Follett and defensive linemen Rulon Davis and Mika Kane also came up with a handful of tackles of running backs behind the line of scrimmage.

Davis had an especially good day. He tackled running back Tracy Slocum behind the line on two different plays and also forced quarterback Kevin Riley to throw a pass away with pressure. Davis had an excellent spring, once again proving that if he can ever stay healthy, he could be a real force up front.

Backup defensive back Charles Amadi also had a big play when he forced freshman running back Covaughn DeBoskie to fumble right before crossing the goal line. 

While the defense played well, Riley and the receiving corps finished up a good final week of practice that should make them feel good about themselves heading into the summer. Riley and the inexperienced receiving corps was inconsistent for most of the spring but started to click during the final three or four practices. Riley looked much sharper this past week and receivers Michael Calvin and Nyan Boateng became more consistent as well.

Calvin had an especially good week of practice. Saturday, he came up with a big play after catching a pass over the middle and then bouncing off a potential tackle by safety Marcus Ezeff. He also caught a short touchdown pass from Brock Mansion, and would have had another TD catch but the officials blew the whistle to give Follett a sack.

Coach Jeff Tedford agreed that Cal’s receivers came on during the final week of spring practice. “As you install plays all through the spring, there’s a lot on their mind,” he said. “When things started slowing down, they were just able to play. When they can just cut it loose and are sure about what they are doing, they can play unconscious, and that’s the key.”

The offense scored another touchdown when Mansion rolled right and dumped a pass to fullback Peter Geurts, who rumbled into the corner of the end zone.

When asked what he learned most this spring, Tedford said “I learned that I’m really happy with the team chemistry, the way we’re working together, the attitude of the team, the focus, the camaraderie — all very positive.”

Tedford and several players have raved about team chemistry this spring, something the coaching staff has placed an emphasis on since the end of last season. Clearly, chemistry and other intangibles were a problem last year, and Tedford and the staff want to make sure they improve in that area.

The Bears also appear to be improving in on-field leadership, something that was a glaring weakness last season. Davis and Worrell Williams have emerged as leaders this spring, especially Davis. He’s become one of the most recognizable voices on the field during practice and looks like he has the potential to become one of the inspirational leaders of the defense.

“He’s really taking charge and starting to get the guys going,” Gregory said. “He plays with a lot of energy. We talked to all the seniors about (leadership). He’s kind of taken to it.”

Tedford reiterated that Nate Longshore’s absence for most of the spring doesn’t have any effect on the quarterback competition. Tedford said Longshore played well before suffering a pulled pectoral muscle that sidelined him after the first week of practice, and that he was there every day taking mental reps. He said the decision still won’t come until near the end of fall camp.

“Nate was doing a great job the first week,” Tedford said. “He really showed well. Kevin did a nice job through spring. Brock got better as spring went along. We’re going to go through summer and we’re going to go through fall camp, and then see how it shakes down through fall camp.

“We’re in a good position. We have two very good quarterbacks and a young guy who has a lot of ability as well. We feel like we’re in good hands at quarterback.”

Gregory seems very impressed with the leadership skills that Williams exhibited throughout the spring.

“He did a really good job of really communicating on the field, being a vocal leader in terms of x’s and o’s, and getting guys going off the field.”

Converted tight end Tad Smith didn’t practice the last few sessions because of bone bruise in his knee. The coaching staff kind of held its breath with Smith because he has a history of ACL problems, but Tedford said it’s not serious. Smith was a revelation after switching from defensive end and could push Cameron Morrah for the starting job this fall.

Tedford also reiterated that tailback Jahvid Best will be 100 percent at the beginning of fall camp. Best looked sharp all spring during individual drills, displaying the same explosiveness and speed as last season.

Fridays have been a light day of practice this spring because the Bears have been practicing in full pads on Saturday morning, and this time was no different. Cal went for about 1 hour, 45 minutes instead of the typical 2½-hour practice, and it included no crossover where the offense goes against the defense 11-on-11. The only thing close was a 6-on-8 drill without linemen, and even that was a lot of running plays and conservative pass plays.

With Saturday’s final practice of spring looming, the Bears appear to be getting healthier. Tight end Cameron Morrah apparently had a dramatic turnaround from an ailment because he was back on the field. Coach Jeff Tedford said Morrah suffered an asthma attack on Monday and was very sick. Wide receiver Drew Glover dismissed his yellow jersey, indicating he’s healed from his shoulder injury, and running back Peter Geurts was also back on the field. Defensive end Tyson Alualu, who missed Wednesday’s session because he was sick, also returned.

Tedford said he was looking forward to Saturday’s practice, which will once again be a situational scrimmage in full pads with an officiating crew. When asked what he will be looking for, Tedford simply said he wants to see a lot of spirit and enthusiasm from his team. It’s just one more practice, but Tedford said it will provide one last chance for players in competitive situations to perform.

There’s not too much more to report today because of the limited nature of practice, but there should be some good stuff coming out of Saturday’s finale. You can look for a story in Sunday’s paper about it, as well as more information here.

Cal’s offense had one of its better practices of the spring, as quarterback Kevin Riley had one his best sessions in a while, as did the Bears’ receivers.

Riley looked more confident during the two-minute drill near the beginning of practice, dealing with the defense’s pass rush to complete short passes to Nyan Boateng and Tad Smith and a screen to Tracy Slocum. During one-on-one drills, Riley also made a nice pass deep down the field to Boateng, but it was broken up on a nice defensive play by defensive back Jesse Brooks, who had a pretty good day of practice. During the same drill, Riley also connected with receiver Michael Calvin on a deep ball down the sideline, a pass in which Calvin made a nice catch while being pretty well-defended.

During crossover near the end of practice, Riley threw about a 65-yard touchdown pass to Calvin, on a play where cornerback Chris Conte stopped running and Calvin was wide open down the field.

Calvin also had a terrific catch on a long pass from Brock Mansion, with Brooks draped all over him. Calvin had another touchdown catch when he took a pass from Mansion on a crossing pattern and turned up the sideline all the way to the end zone. Defensive back Marcus Ezeff tried to run him down but couldn’t catch up.

Receiver LaReylle Cunningham, who has been limited in the spring as he’s recovering from a knee injury, had one of his better days of practice. He performed well in drills and made a nice catch in traffic during crossover on a pass from Mansion.

Wide receiver Drew Glover made a nice catch during the two-minute drill on a pass from Mansion, going over the middle and taking a big hit but still holding on.

The offensive line looked very good during a crossover drill without receivers or defensive backs. The drill includes the line, tight ends and running backs, and virtually every play is a run. The line consistently opened up big holes for Cal tailbacks, and Shane Vereen looked explosive during the drill. Vereen looks pretty healed up from the hamstring that has hampered him throughout a lot of camp. He’s hitting the hole hard and exploding down the field.

Linebacker Zack Follett was a force during the two-minute drill near the end of practice, forcing Riley to scramble on three consecutive plays. Follett gave right tackle Chet Teofilo all he could handle during the drill.

The flu bug that is running through the team caught up to defensive end Tyson Alualu, who missed practice. Tight end Cameron Morrah is still out, and coach Jeff Tedford said he believes Morrah has pneumonia. “He’s as sick as I’ve ever seen anybody,” Tedford said. Defensive back Gary Doxy also has missed the past couple practices with the flu.

Tedford also said defensive back Sean Cattouse will sit out the rest of the spring to concentrate on academics, but he fully expects Cattouse to be back for the fall.