CALIFORNIA BEARS
Golden Bears Ready to Growl

With most key players returning from a 9-4 team that captured the 2008 Emerald Bowl for its school-record fourth-straight bowl victory, California has plenty of reasons to be optimistic in 2009.

In fact, prognosticators believe there could be something special about this year's squad. The Bears are referred to as a "legitimate national title contender" in Phil Steele's 2009 College Football Preview. Cal is ranked in nearly every top-25 preseason poll and in the top 15 in most.

"Our goal is to realize our potential," head coach Jeff Tedford offered calmly.

And this is a season full of potential.

Two of the primary reasons for the optimism are a defense that is arguably one of the top units in the nation and a running back in Jahvid Best who is one of the top Heisman Trophy candidates.

"I'm excited about the 2009 season and the possibilities," Tedford said with more excitement. "The team chemistry and leadership are some of the best during my time here."

The Bears will head into camp with a three-way competition for the starting quarterback job among junior Kevin Riley, sophomore Brock Mansion and redshirt freshman Beau Sweeney.

The trio will work with Tedford and first-year offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator of a high-powered Utah offense that contributed to the nation's only unbeaten record (13-0) and a No. 2 ranking in the final national polls.

"I believe that the addition of a couple of new coaches on the offensive side of the ball will bring some freshness to what we're doing," said Tedford in reference to Ludwig and new offensive line coach Steve Marshall.

On the defensive side of the ball, Cal is coming off its best showing since 1994 and expected to continue to improve under eighth-year defensive coordinator Bob Gregory.

The primary concern will be replacing starting linebackers Anthony Felder, Zack Follett and Worrell Williams. The three new starters will be supported by eight returning defensive starters as both the defensive line and backfield remain intact from a 2008 team that was among the national leaders in nearly every statistical category.

Should the Golden Bears have another successful season, Tedford will continue his rapid ascent into hallowed territory within the school's coaching annals. He has already taken Cal to more postseason bowl games (six) than anyone else in school history and needs just nine more wins to pass College Football Hall of Fame member Pappy Waldorf (67-32-4) on top of the modern-era victory list.

Tedford starts the 2009 season with a 59-30 all-time mark at Cal after leading the Bears to a 9-4 record, an Emerald Bowl victory over Miami of Florida and a No. 25 ranking in the final coaches' poll in 2008.

Cal begins 2009 by hosting Maryland in a nationally televised ESPN2 game at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 5. After a visit from Eastern Washington on Sept. 12, the Bears travel to play only the second game in a new on-campus stadium at Minnesota on Sept. 19 in a game televised nationally by ESPN.

The Pac-10 slate start the following week and the Golden Bears open conference action with nationally televised ABC games against two other teams holding serious Pac-10 title hopes, travelling to Oregon on Sept. 26 and hosting USC for homecoming on Oct. 3.

After a bye week, Cal rounds out October by making a trip to UCLA Oct. 17, hosting Washington State Oct. 24 and visiting Arizona State Oct. 31.

November features a pair of home games against Oregon State (Nov. 7) and Arizona (Nov. 14) before a short ride across the bay to Stanford for the Big Game (Nov. 21). After a second bye, the Bears close out the regular season at Washington on Dec. 5.

"I'm really looking forward to this team working very hard to accomplish our goal," Tedford said. "Our goal never really changes, and that's to reach our full potential. I know there are going to be high expectations on this team, and it's something we welcome. I have a lot of confidence that we are going to work hard and achieve what we have set forth to do."