SB Nation Los Angeles: All Posts by Avinash Kunnath

Eddie Vanderdoes reportedly not headed to Notre Dame

2013-05-21T03:06:49Z

Eddie Vanderdoes' promising career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish could be over before it started. Multiple sources indicate that the consensus five-star recruit isn't headed to Notre Dame and will be looking for a new school. Lou Somogyi of 247Sports reports that the issue is academic, and Steve Montoya of MaxPreps indicates that Vanderdoes has to clear a high school course to get into Notre Dame.

Lot of speculation that national tecruit DT Eddie Vanderdoes may not be headed to Notre Dame after all. Tracking it now
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) May 21, 2013

Vanderdoes signed a binding contract with Notre Dame. Would need ND to release him if he wanted to head elsewhere - like UCLA. Tracking
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) May 21, 2013

Vanderdoes really liked UCLA. The Notre Dame appeal is powerful. Something is brewing but not exactly sure. High character kid he is
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) May 21, 2013

As emcee for Vanderdoes announcement on letter of intent day, EV was genuinely ecstatic about ND.Has worked out tirelessly of late
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) May 21, 2013

I did get this from Vanderdoes family: grades, eligibility or conduct/character "is not and has never been an issue."
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) May 21, 2013

Vanderdoes did officially sign his letter of intent with Notre Dame in February, so he would have to ask to be released from the school if he wanted to go elsewhere. Vanderdoes committed to Notre Dame over schools like USC (a school he was originally committed to last year before reopening his recruitment), UCLA and Alabama, so you'd figure that all those schools would be back in the mix if Vanderdoes doesn't stick with the Irish.

Vanderdoes is a tough physical tackle who could be an immediate contributor as a freshman to whatever school he ends up playing for in college. Vanderdoes is a five-star prospect who is excellent at stopping the run because of his ability to win one-on-one battles. He could be the type of player who pays off immediate dividends, dependent on which school he ends up choosing.

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Tashon Smallwood scouting report: High energy defensive tackle

2013-05-21T01:01:39Z

Tashon Smallwood is an imposing figure who should terrorize many a Pac-12 offensive lineman in the upcoming four seasons. The Fresno (Calif.) Central East defensive tackle made an early commitment in the 2014 recruiting cycle to the USC Trojans on February 24th.

Smallwood stands at 6'1 and weighs approximately 280 pounds. A consensus three-star prospect, 247Sports places Smallwood as the 39th best defensive tackle and the 50th best California recruit. The scouting service singled out his motor as his biggest asset, but Smallwood also earned high praise for his strength, point of attack, first step, hand quickness and athleticism. Rivals ranks Smallwood as the 22nd best defensive tackle while Scout positions him 12th overall.

As of mid-May, Smallwood also holds offers from schools like Arizona State, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Wisconsin, but it might take quite a bit to sway the central California defensive presence to switch from Ed Orgeron's unit.

You can watch Smallwood's highlights on Hudl and follow him on Twitter at @tsmallwood54.

Cal Football Recruiting: Ryan Gorcey Talks Defense, JuCos

2013-05-15T14:48:21Z

Who among the JuCo prospects (offense or defense) do you think will contribute the earliest? Is JuCo recruiting a big strategy of the new staff?

The JuCo signee who's going to make the biggest immediate impact is doing to be Kyle Kragen, hands down. Kragen has a high motor and is an absolute animal as a rush end, which is made all the more incredible by the fact that, coming out of Danville (Calif.) San Ramon Valley, he was just 6-foot-1, 212 pounds. Now, he's 6-3, 250 and still moves like a much smaller man. He caught my attention more than just about any other defender this spring, and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him as a regular in third-down situations.

More from Gorcey: Cal QBs & RBs WRs & TEs New coaches O-line & D-line

As for the JuCo route being a component of recruiting, I think what we saw this past cycle is going to be an aberration. The Bears took four Junior College players, but three of them were on the defensive line (Kragen, Sina and Marcus Manley). That was done because Cal needed to fill out the new four-man front with depth. I can see the Bears maybe picking up one JuCo guy this year, but given the fact that they're going to take around 15 players in total, that's about it. They've filled out both lines - which are traditionally the positions where guys can play sooner because they're more ready physically -- but I can maybe see a receiver like Nick Kurtz - who already has an offer - being an option at some point, but not as a Plan A option. It certainly won't be a running back; Cal wants to bring in two young studs who can grow up in the system.

Cal landed three high quality linebackers. Where do you see each of them fitting in the 4-3?

The first guy I have to mention is Chad Whitener. He's got a little baby fat on him, but he's very, very bright with a high football IQ that shows an uncanny ability to read plays. He is a prototypical middle linebacker in the 4-3, and although it was the previous staff who recruited him into a 3-4, I think he fits this system far better. He has thick, strong legs with a wide body and can take plenty of punishment. He's going to be one to watch, if he can get into better shape.

Edward Tandy is probably best suited to the Will. He's versatile enough to play outside linebacker, safety or rover, and he's great in coverage, but can come up and stop the run when he needs to. I was always surprised as to how little attention Tandy got during the process. We had him listed as only having offers from Cal, Colorado, Nevada and Washington. I won't go so far as to say he's a hidden gem, because if you start saying that to justify every recruit, eventually you look pretty foolish. But, if he puts on a bit of weight, he's going to be a very solid contributor on the weak side.

So, we've had "he's a little fat," and "he needs to gain weight," and now, we come to the Goldilocks of this group: Johnny Ragin III. Ragin is a physical freak. He had one of the highest SPARQ ratings in the nation last summer, ranking 24^th out of the top 150 players at The Opening. He has broad shoulders, looks like he's smuggling potatoes in his biceps and has a great V-shape to his upper body. At this point, Ragin's more of an athlete than a football player, but under Andy Buh, I can see him progressing rather nicely into a very good Sam backer who could also play in a 3-4 alignment to great effect. He's got a motor that doesn't stop, he's very bright and will put in the work. Expect him to redshirt and then maybe knock some heads on special teams before he blows up as a redshirt sophomore.

The Bears got a few nice cornerbacks in this class. Why did Cal have so much trouble recruiting safeties this class?

I'm going to take these as one question. Cameron Walker and Darius Allensworth are definitely more on the underrated side of things, and both are going to grow into big, physical corners with plenty of speed, to boot. Neither has the pure, burning get-up-and-go of a Steve Williams, but they provide depth to a unit that sorely needs it after Williams, Josh Hill, Marc Anthony and Tyre Ellison departed, and Alex Logan suffered a knee injury in the spring.

Of course, Logan and Hill are both safeties, and that's what this class is missing. There have been more than a few persistent whispers that after Ashley Ambrose replaced Al Simmons as Cal's DB coach, the self-styled ‘DB Guru' Tony Perry started discouraging his crop of defensive backs in the Central Valley to avoid the Bears at all costs. I won't presume to represent those events as anything other than speculation, but it certainly has the ring of truth to my ear. Given that Cal has put multiple safeties into the NFL in recent years, it gives at least some rationale behind the avoidance of the Bears by the state's top safeties. Lo and behold, we saw both Hatari Bird and L.J. Moore go elsewhere. I think this new staff is going to have a little more pull with Perry and the defensive backs he pumps out year after year down at Fresno Central East because of the reputation and longevity of Randy Stewart. This class is off to a good start with Koa Farmer already in the mix, and pretty darn gung-ho about his commitment after visiting earlier in the spring. Cal is in far better shape with safeties in this class, including J.T. Gray, Ladarius Wiley, Jeff Farrar, Glen Ihenacho, Naijiel Hale, Troy Vincent and John Plattenburg. Vincent, Hale and Plattenburg are listed as corners, but those of us who have seen these kids pretty much all think they'll grow into safeties in college, Vincent in particular, given his bloodlines. Cal is very, very sweet on Lavon Washington out of McClymonds. The Bears are the only team to have offered him at this point, but they've stopped by McClymonds a few times during the evaluation period. At 5-foot-11, 180, he certainly seems like he could develop into a nice strong safety, but we'll have to see what he does as a senior.

Pac-12 Undrafted Players: Brandon Magee, Michael Clay, Aaron Hester, Joseph Fauria Worth Watching

2013-05-10T16:00:09Z

David Piper, Addicted to Quack -- ASU's Brandon Magee and Oregon's Michael Clay were both highly productive college linebackers who went undrafted because, at 5'11", they both lack prototypical size for the NFL. However, both a very fundamentally sound and simply make a ton of plays. I wouldn't be surprised if both didn't find a place in the league as special teamers.

Jack Follman, Pacific Takes: UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester. I was surprised he wasn't drafted because I heard a lot of people saying that they thought he might be a sleeper that could go as high as the fourth or fifth round. The NFL is moving towards bigger cornerbacks and at 6'1 207, Hester is huge and has the athleticism to boot.

Gekko Mojo, UW Dawg Pound: I like Jack's pick of Aaron Hester, but I think that the undrafted guy with the best potential to make an impact is a different Bruin: Joseph Fauria. He's got some physical skills that are unique, he's entering into a league that is beginning to value versatile, field stretching TE's, the Lions have a clear need AND he has an NFL lineage that should open some doors.

Ed O'Bannon plaintiffs to depose Jim Delany

2013-05-09T23:31:17Z

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany might have to testify in the Ed O'Bannon case, as Judge Nathanael Cousins made the decision to allow the plaintiffs to depose him as part of an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA, Steve Berkowitz of USA Today Sports reports. Thanks to Cousins' ruling, Delany, Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone, Fresno State president John Welty and NCAA executive vice president Mark Lewis all can now be deposed.

Delany once commented that should the NCAA lose the case, he would consider moving the Big Ten to Division III to avoid paying players. Delany backed away from those comments later, saying he would prefer the NCAA would increase scholarships to cover education, but still would like to avoid paying players in specific sports.

Earlier today, an EA Sports producer admitted under oath that the company used player likenesses in games. The decision to determine whether the case reaches class action status will come on June 20.

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Oklahoma State QB Wes Lunt transfers out of Stillwater

2013-05-09T22:42:00Z

The Oklahoma State Cowboys have lost Wes Lunt. The sophomore signal-caller will be transferring out of the program.

Lunt played in seven games in 2012 and started five of them but struggled with injury. Lunt went down in the third game of the season against Louisiana-Lafayette. He only started two more games against TCU and Kansas State before being knocked out due to concussion-like symptoms. He completed 61.8 percent of his passes and threw six touchdowns, but also tossed seven interceptions.

The Cowboys do enjoy significant depth at the quarterback position, with Clint Chelf the likely starter (reports indicate he took all the first-team snaps in spring) and J.W. Walsh the potential backup. Daxx Garman also figures to factor into the rotation. With Lunt recovering from injuries, a redshirt season was likely, so one-year transfer rule might not be a big deal for him.

Several schools will probably target Lunt, like North Carolina State, Mississippi State, and South Florida (who are all currently looking at Penn State quarterback Steven Bench).

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Cal Basketball: Talking Monty Ball With John Foletta

2013-05-09T16:30:04Z

This is the second of our two-part interview with John Foletta, who was happy to dish with us on all the big issues regarding Cal men's basketball. Make sure to check out the Cal basketball big board over at Rivals ($)!

Do we know why Kaileb Rodriguez decided to transfer?

I know Kaileb’s father has suggested that the decision to transfer was made only recently and that it was his alone, but that’s just not the case. As early as December, I began hearing he would not be back with the team in 2013-14 due to what was framed as "off the court problems." There were no major transgressions as I understand. It was more the accumulation of smaller issues.

Can Jabari Bird come in and immediately fill in the void following Allen Crabbe's departure?

Depends what you think Crabbe’s contribution was. In terms of points and rebound production, no, Bird won’t be able to replicate those numbers on day one.

But, I do think Cal will be a better team next year. That’s by no means a knock on Crabbe.

Solomon’s growth last season was truly transformative and I’m confident – as are the Cal coaches – you’ll see a first-team all-conference season from him. The fact that he’s matured emotionally has had everything to do with his improvement.

Now, as opposed to slumping shoulders and sulky behavior when things aren't going well, Solo reconstitutes himself and works harder.

I'd rate him among the two or three most athletic big men in the Pac-12 and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 16ppg and 9/10rpg.

Where would you rank Cal's recruiting class among all of the Pac-12 schools?

This is a strong recruiting class, quite possibly Monty’s best in Berkeley. There’s disappointment among some Cal fans that the staff missed out on Gordon, Marcus Lee, and a few other pieces of local talent, but I wouldn’t dwell on that.

Cal, Washington, and UCLA have more or less been lumped together for the conference’s second-best class.

Outside of a point guard, though, I’m not sure the Huskies landed anyone really special. And while I think Alford’s son will be a nice addition to the Bruins, I don’t see how they plan on finding floor time for all the shooting guards they’ve signed.

Arizona does have an impressive class but that’s par for the course in Tucson, and both Gordon and Rondae Jefferson will experience growing pains. There’s no doubt Gordon’s a special talent, but keeping him and his sizable ego happy could create an interesting team dynamic.

Cal, on the other hand, got help in the two most important areas: shooting and size.

Monty hasn't been getting the big men while at Cal like he did when he was across the Bay, both with regards to quality and quantity. Is Monty the one to blame or does this has to do with his assistant coaches?

I don’t know that I’d assign blame to any one person.

I will say that Montgomery takes a far more judicious approach to recruiting than guys we typically label "great recruiters."

Where other coaches promise the moon, Monty undersells, believing it’s better for team chemistry and for getting the most out of his players.

This is a great staff. Travis DeCuire, Gregg Gottlieb, and John Montgomery are all excellent recruiters.

If you’re looking for a reason Cal hasn’t landed that marquee big man, it probably has more to do with Mike’s recruiting philosophy than with the staff’s ability to "sell" the program.

Is Cal purposely avoiding the 1-and-done type of talent?

No, not intentionally. But the Bears also aren’t going to take a run at a guy just because he’s a 5-Star stud. He has to fit the system. And they’re also not going to spend time on the road gushing over a kid enamored with the Kentucky’s of the world.

Many kids approach recruiting looking for their head coach to be their buddy. Montgomery doesn’t endorse that model. He’s of the mindset; do you want a buddy or do you want someone who’s going to make you the best possible player?

Who's Roger Moute a Bidas, and why should Cal fans think we have a chance to land him? (UPDATE: This question was asked before Moute's commitment).

Until recently, many expected Roger would reclassify for 2014, meaning he’d play prep ball for another year. That meant most programs eased off on the gas. Cal, however, stuck with him.

He’s 6-7, the brother of NBAer Luc, and is extremely athletic.

If there weren’t any academic concerns, this kid would have a sizable offer sheet.

He’s still raw, but VERY long and could provide Cal immediate help on the glass.

As for his feelings about Cal and what the story is with his academic concerns, we've got more on that here and here.

Cal Football: Strengths, Weaknesses, Expectations

2013-05-09T10:00:08Z

When you look at the depth chart, which position are the Bears the strongest?

On offense, it's the wide receivers. Cal has them in every shape and size - you name them, they've got them; speedsters (Kenny Lawler, Bryce Treggs), possession guys (Darius Powe, Maximo Espitia), and tight ends masquerading as wideouts (Jacob Wark, Spencer Hagan, Richard Rodgers). This allows them to mix and match as the situation requires, and whoever ends up winning the quarterback job should have more than a handful of weapons to choose from.

On defense, the Bears go six or seven deep at linebacker, all of whom are athletic, aggressive, and run very well for their size. Middle linebacker Nick Forbes has not been shy in saying Buh's 4-3 defense could take the team to new heights, and he could be a large part of why. Even better is the youth of this unit - none of the linebackers listed on the depth chart are seniors.

The biggest concern I have with Cal next season is ______ because of ________.

Offensive line, because of the shuffling that has gone on there - the presumable starter at both tackle positions, center, and possibly even right guard will be new this fall. Their task is clear - improve one of the nation's worst lines - but no less large. As of spring practice, there have been signs of improvement in their ability to keep the quarterback upright, but their ability to run block remains a massive worry, with none of the backs able to find consistent holes.

What's the record you project for the Bears this season based on what you've seen in practice?

6 and 6 seems more than reasonable, with a high of 8-4 and a low of 5-7. The talent is there, but the schedule is brutal, with ranked opponents like Ohio State, Oregon and Stanford all waiting. Rough. Still, the Bears should be more entertaining than they were all of last season - a good energy lives in the program again, and there is good reason for excitement in the near future.