STARS OF 2008:

LB Zack Follett -- He's the big-play guy on Cal's defense, finishing last season with a team-high 12 1/2 tackles for loss and 5 1/2 sacks. He had 64 tackles overall and forced two fumbles. He's a force coming off the edge.

RB Jahvid Best -- The speedy freshman showed some flash in his rookie season, rushing 29 times for an average of 7.6 yards per carry. He also caught 13 passes and averaged 27.0 yards on 15 kick returns. Best, who missed the final three games because of a hip injury and likely will sit out spring, will have a much larger role in 2008 as an all-around threat.

LB Worrell Williams -- The middle linebacker will be the top returning tackler on the team with 105. He will help give Cal one of the best linebacker groups in the conference.

QB Nate Longshore -- He will have to re-earn the starting job, competing with Kevin Riley, after a disappointing 2007. Certainly, a midseason ankle injury was part of the problem, further limiting his mobility. Longshore completed 230 of 384 passes for 2,580 yards, with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Many of those interceptions came in critical late-game situations.

TOP NEWCOMERS

TE Spencer Ladner -- The four-star recruit had 28 catches for 279 yards and three touchdowns as a high school senior. Cal lost starting tight end Craig Stevens and could use a tall, pass-catching tight end. Should be a good sibling rivalry, too, as Ladner's brother, Ben, plays tight end at Stanford.

WR Marvin Jones -- The incoming freshman will have every chance to get in the mix right away in a new-look receiving corps. On the fringe of being a national top 20 receiver recruit, he had 81 catches for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.

DB Marc Anthony -- Had offers from most of the Pac-10 schools, as well as Michigan, Nebraska and Colorado. Was rated the fourth-best prospect in the state of Arizona by Rivals.com. Had 77 tackles and four interceptions as a senior.

RB Shane Vereen -- The redshirt freshman will get a chance to play a larger role because of James Montgomery's transfer. The 5-10, 185-pounder can be an all-around threat.

ROSTER REPORT

--CB Brandon Jones left the team after last season. He played in 12 games last season, making nine tackles.

--DE Phillip Mbakogu, trying to come back from multiple knee surgeries, has decided to give up football.

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