A day after Oregon offensive coordinator Gary Crowton left the Ducks for Louisiana State University, another former Oregon coordinator agreed to a new contract.
The Associated Press reported that California football coach Jeff Tedford has agreed to a four-year extension that will keep him on the sidelines in Berkeley through 2013. It is expected to be officially approved Thursday.
Tedford, Oregon’s offensive coordinator from 1998-2001, is two years into a five-year deal worth a possible $2 million per season. The new extension would kick in for the 2010 season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Tedford is well-known for his quarterback developing talent. Prior to arriving at Oregon, he was quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Fresno State where he tutored Trent Dilfer and David Carr into NFL-caliber quarterbacks.
While at Oregon, Tedford sent Akili Smith, A.J. Feeley and Joey Harrington to the NFL and in his five years at Cal, Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers both became first-round draft picks.
In 2001, the year before Tedford arrived in Berkeley, the Bears were 1-10, the laughingstock of the Pacific-10 Conference and were averaging only 33,000 fans per game. Cal had only sold out three games not against Stanford at Memorial Coliseum since the 1950s.
Since then the two-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year has compiled an overall record of 43-20 and restored respectability to the program.
This past season, his fifth at Cal, Tedford led the Golden Bears to a 10-3 record, a share of the Pac-10 title for the first time since 1975, averaged over 64,000 fans per game and sold out three games, including the Oct. 7 45-24 win over Oregon.
His 2004 team finished 10-2 and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation. Tedford has also never lost to archrival Stanford.
California’s resurgence under Tedford has led to renewed enthusiasm for the program, which in turn has helped the school pay for new amenities such as a large training complex and a much-needed renovation of Memorial Stadium.
The Bears are losing Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marshawn Lynch to the NFL Draft, but still return starting quarterback Nate Longshore, the nation’s top return man in DeSean Jackson and backup running back Justin Forsett who ran for 999 yards in 2005.
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