#2 OffSeason Story - Nate Longshore/Kevin Riley QB "Controversy"

WHAT? This is only Number 2 on the list!?

Yeah you crap stirrers. Only Number 2. After Longshore's "contribution" to last year's "Callapse," and Riley's redemption party at the Armed Forces Bowl, everyone was set for a good old quarterback controversy as to who would be taking the snaps under center this fall.

It had been set up beautifully.

In one corner you had Nate Longshore, the veteran quarterback who after seeing great success in his first full year as a starter, entered last season as the top rated junior quarterback and led his team to a 5-0 start and a #2 national ranking. Then after "catching a break" at the end of the Oregon, Longshore became the scapegoat for his team's 2-6 finish for his erratic play in the 4th quarter and inability to perform in the clutch on three game-ending drives.

In the other corner, you had Kevin Riley, the now redshirt—oops I mean blueshirt Sophomore who has shown Cal fans a remarkable ability to make amazing plays in both good and bad ways. What he's lacked in experience, he's delivered in better mobility and a competitive fire that had many Cal fans, and players, believing in him by the end of the season. Helping to erase the boneheaded play at the end of the Oregon State game, Riley shined in his appearance at Armed Forces Bowl, leaving many to proclaim Riley nothing short of the second coming of another great Cal quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

All we needed was someone to set it off and we were ready to go. And it came quickly. Seconds after Cal's last game of the season, Tedford immediately declared that every position would be open to competition for the upcoming season—especially at Quarterback.

"Let's Get Ready to RUMBBBBBLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!"

The verbal jabbing began:

Riley:

"I'm going to have the attitude that I'm going to be the man. I want to be the guy. I want everybody on the team to want me to be the guy, and not leave any doubt. I want to make sure they want me in the game and they trust me."

Oh SNAP!

Then Longshore:

"To me, it's about improving and doing the best job that I can do. I'm just trying to get better. I'm not worried about beating any other quarterback. I'm out there to beat the defense. I'm not out there to beat anybody else on our team."

Dang son! You hitting low!

Riley verbally B*tch smacks Longshore back:

"We're teammates. We're not mad at each other. We go in there, and we still help each other. But we both understand what's going on. It's just part of the game. Nate has played two years of college football and has done some great things. He's a great quarterback. If I want to win this job, I have to outplay him. That's why you play college football, for competition — to be that guy."

OHHH!! You gonna take that Nate?

"If I put everything I have forward and I improve, no matter what happens I'll be happy with myself," Longshore said. "I'll be able to look myself in the mirror and know I did everything I could. If you're really satisfied with everything you've put into it and how hard you worked, you don't care about playing time. You can look yourself in the mirror."

It was obvious that these two warriors were going to be ruthless. Kimbo style. And then Spring came…

And nothing.

Nada. Zip. Zilch.

The spring was off to a quiet start, with the team focusing its offensive attention on running plays. Neither QB had a chance to really show anything off and both quarterbacks made their share of good throws, and bad throws. Nate appeared to be performing slightly better, but that wasn't too surprising as Nate has always practiced well, and regardless, hadn't shown enough of an edge to put himself ahead of the race.

Then Nate pulled his pectoral muscle last week (reportedly turning it blue and black), thereby ending his participation in spring practice. Riley hasn't exactly seized the moment with the first team, but has looked fairly sharp in recent practices.

The truth is, nothing will be decided until the fall, most likely in the last few days of the last week of practice. You have to take into account how much new OC Cignetti will have to say about the matter. We have to wonder where the team's devotion lies at this point, and how much that might matter.

While the media will continue to make a story out of nothing, the QB decision is still something that everyone eagerly anticipates. We're left to critique and overanalyze everything, like each QB's motivation in drive, as was done in an article in today's Contra Costa Times. One quick comment about that article by the way, don't look too lightly in Longshore's comments about wanting to do everything he can and improving himself first and foremost. Many have been quick to mistake Nate for not being competitive or not caring enough for not punching himself in the face after interceptions, or getting in the face of his linemen, or talking about how he needs to just work on getting better. I think there are a lot of examples of athletes who choose to be competitive and better themselves in different ways.

Personally, I'm in the camp that believes that unless Longshore really begins struggling in fall camp or Riley begins lighting it up, that Tedford will go with Nate as the starter in the first game unless he suspects a Rudy Carpenter/Sam Keller type of mutiny coming. You have to think that if Longshore and Riley are pretty much equal come end of fall, Tedford is going to lean first with the more experienced QB. I wouldn't be surprised if he said something similar to what he said when he announced Longshore as the starter over Joe Ayoob two years ago before the Tennessee game.

"They've both had great camps, [but] somebody has got to take the first snap," Tedford said. "It's very possible they'll both play. Nate has run the offense very well. There wasn't a lot of difference between them, but Nate has been real consistent." (Seattle Times)

But again, remember this is April, and there's a whole lot we don't know, and a whole lot that may happen from now until kickoff against Michigan State. So stay tuned for the "slobberknocker" that awaits.