Cal begins with great expectations

There's nothing steady about it anymore. National expectations have been heaped on the Bears before the season starts.

"In 2004, the buzz took awhile to build, but it's here right away," said Cameron, who decided against an offseason retirement. "We definitely have enough talent and the right coaching to do something special."

That opinion is being adopted across the country. Cal's No. 9 preseason Associated Press ranking is the school's highest since it was No. 8 in 1952, and five major preseason polls have ranked the Bears among the nation's top 10 teams.

The highest praise came last Saturday, when ESPN analyst Lee Corso picked Cal to beat West Virginia in the national championship game.

"It's nice that that was said, and that our program is viewed like that, but it really means nothing," coach Jeff Tedford said. "I give a lot of people credit for that, starting with our very first team, which laid the foundation by rededicating themselves to be successful."

Tedford's 2002 team, his first at Cal, went 7-5. The Bears went 1-10 the year before, and they hadn't had a winning season since 1993.

"I don't think about the 1-10 thing, because we weren't really part of that," Tedford said. "We came here with different expectations from Day 1. Our goal coming here was to consistently challenge for the Pac-10 championship ... and hopefully, we can do that this year."

Others, however, are thinking about it. And talking about it.

The best example might have come during a conversation between fans who were waiting in a line that stretched from the 50-yard line, past the goal line and out through the north tunnel of Memorial Stadium at last Saturday's Fan Appreciation Day.

One fan said: "This is the best Cal team ever, but I say that every year."

The other responded: "You didn't say it in 2001."

Indeed, times have changed for the Bears.

"Oh yeah, there's way more buzz around here than any time I've ever been here," said receivers coach Dan Ferrigno, who had two previous coaching stints (1980-81 and 1996-99) at Cal. "Once you have some success, the expectations go up, and that's a good thing."

Senior receiver David Gray has seen the good and the bad days at Cal.

"It's good that people have high expectations for us, but we've always held ourselves to a high standard," he said. "I haven't felt the vibe that anyone here is concerned about rankings or outside expectations."

Though the Bears appear to be handling the expectations, there are some lingering questions.

Tedford named Nate Longshore the starting quarterback Tuesday. The sophomore has played barely more than a quarter of collegiate football, but he'll be expected to provide steady play.

He'll have plenty of help. Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett and Marcus O'Keith make up one of the deepest running-back units in the nation, and DeSean Jackson, Robert Jordan and Lavelle Hawkins give Longshore speedy threats in the passing game.

"To tell you the truth, I don't need to be involved in (the passing game) at all with the great receivers we have," said Lynch, the nation's No. 2 rusher among returnees, "but if they get me down the field, I'll make it happen."

Seven starters are back from the defense that allowed the fewest points in the Pac-10, but three of the players lost are from the secondary. Graduated safeties Donnie McCleskey and Harrison Smith and injured cornerback Tim Mixon combined for 191 tackles last year.

"We've got some guys who have played in the secondary," Tedford said. "I think we'll be fine."

That will be aided by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, linebacker Desmond Bishop and cornerback Daymeion Hughes, who all probably will be playing on Sundays in 2007.

"This defense has a chance to be real good," Bishop said, "and, maybe, we can end the idea that we don't play defense in the Pac-10."