Coach Jeff Tedford reopened California's quarterback competition Tuesday, giving equal practice time to Kevin Riley and Nate Longshore this week before choosing a starter for Saturday's game against Arizona State.
Not many teams averaging 445 yards and 43 points per game would be contemplating a quarterback change, but Tedford is wary of the Golden Bears' (3-1, 1-0 Pac-10) slow offensive starts in an embarrassing loss at Maryland and even Saturday's 42-7 win over Colorado State.
With a looming visit from the Sun Devils (2-2, 1-0) that could have a big impact on both schools' hopes for a major bowl game, Tedford is acting aggressively to shake up Riley, the starter who struggled in the start against Colorado State.
"We need a little boost there,"
Tedford said. "We cannot afford to continue to wait and wait and wait for things to happen, so we need to find out who's the best guy to put us in a position to start a little faster."
Cal will face Arizona State without starting tailback Jahvid Best. The school's leading rusher and receiver is out for at least one game with a dislocated left elbow. But while backup running backs Shane Vereen and Tracy Slocum have been outstanding in limited action, the Bears don't have a similar wealth of reliable options at quarterback.
Florida LB injured
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida linebacker Dustin Doe will have surgery Wednesday to repair a double hernia and miss at least two games.
Doe, a two-year starter who has 13 tackles this season, was hurt Sept. 6 against Miami. He played sparingly two weeks later at Tennessee, and the injury flared up again Saturday against Mississippi.
Coach Urban Meyer said he hopes to get Doe back before Florida's Oct. 25 game against Kentucky.
Sooners back soon
NORMAN, Okla. - Injured Oklahoma defensive linemen Demarcus Granger and Frank Alexander could return to practice next week and be ready to play against Texas on Oct. 11.
Sooners coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday there's a chance both players could be back by Monday.
