BearTalk

There are a few ways to tell the start of the season is now just a matter of days away. Billboards of players are being hung around Memorial Stadium (Linebacker Zack Follett and fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou are featured at the Prospect lot entrance. Maintenance workers were spraying down all the bleachers the other day. Other workers were installing power and phone lines in the press box, not to mention the all-important televisions. Oh, and of course, I wrote my Cal and Pac-10 previews.

A full scouting report of Cal will appear in tomorrow’s paper, along with capsules of all Pac-10 teams. AFter that, it’s simply time to get ready for Michigan State.

Wednesday’s practice was fairly uneventful. Quarterback Kevin Riley continues to play well. His accuracy during the last several practices has been impeccable. Wide receiver Michael Calvin continues to be held out of practice with his sprained toe, but coach Jeff Tedford said he hopes to get Calvin reps on Thursday. Cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson is doing more and more each day at practice and it looks as though he’ll be ready for Saturday.

Tedford was asked once again about the receivers after practice, and he continues to stress that six or seven guys will be rotated in and out. He said there will be new receivers on the field on practically every play. “It doesn’t matter who’s starting,” he said.

Tedford also said the coaching staff still hasn’t decided on who will handle kickoffs. Tedford previously announced that walk-on freshman David Seawright won the placekicking job over senior Jordan Kay, but the two are battling for kickoff duties as well. For the record, Seawright has been kicking with the first team in practice.

I haven’t been able to post links the past couple days so here’s a little catching up:

–As always, ESPN.com’s Ted Miller has some good stuff, some of it pertaining to Cal in his Pac-10 blog.

–A couple of experts attempt to predict this season’s bowl matchups, with Cal getting picked for the Holiday Bowl by one and the Las Vegas Bowl by another.

–Here’s the very latest on the student-athlete center. It looks like another appeal is imminent.

–Cal has made some changes in their home game operations. Some good information for fans, especially those attending Saturday’s game.