Cal, which has had a strong running attack under coach Jeff Tedford, will have to do more scrambling than expected this spring at tailback.

James Montgomery, who would have been a sophomore, decided in mid-March to transfer. He rushed 36 times for 171 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman backup to Justin Forsett, who completed his eligibility last season.

"Berkeley is not the most normal place in the world," he told the Sacramento Bee. "Coming from Sacramento, I just didn't like the surroundings. I pretty much didn't like the Bay Area."

With running back Jahvid Best likely out for spring because of a hip injury, Montgomery was the leading candidate in the backfield.

"James Montgomery asked for his release, and I granted it," Tedford said in a statement. "He felt like there would be a better situation for him somewhere else."

The candidates this spring will be sophomore Tracy Slocum, redshirt freshman Shane Vereen and incoming recruit Covaughn Deboskie, who enrolled in January.

Cal has had a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the past six seasons.

"There's still a great stable of running backs," Forsett told the San Francisco Chronicle. "So they'll have a great year and carry on the tradition."

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