Aug. 8, 2010

BERKELEY - The skies were cloudy and gray with a cool breeze that could be felt coming off the bay Sunday, but the Cal football team heated up Memorial Stadium during a spirited workout.

The team's activities for the day began with an early morning photo session, continued with a two-plus hour afternoon workout and will conclude with weightlifting, dinner and a series of meetings in the evening.

Most of the players heeded a warning to show up early for photo day and by the time the session was scheduled to start at 8 a.m., Alejandro Crosthwaite was the first in a long line of players waiting to take their photos. It probably didn't hurt attendance that breakfast had been scheduled right before the three-hour window for photos that ended promptly at 11 a.m. when the special teams unit took over the room for a meeting.

Every player in camp made it in to take a head shot that will be used in such things as television broadcasts and the 2010 Cal Kickoff gameday program.

Most of the vets were simply updating their head shot in this year's new polo shirts and seemed relaxed.

"You just got to look good up there," joked fifth-year senior Michael Costanzo as he sat at a nearby table.

Costanzo, who produces music along with teammate Alex Lagemann under the names "LOGGY" and "DJ BIG RED", also took advantage of the three-hour window to do a little moonlighting.

"I have 200 gigs of samples and instrumentals of music I have to go through," said Costanzo. "I'm pretty used to the whole camp scene. When I get time I've always got to take a nap first, but if I'm feeling up to it I have my laptop up here. It's a mobile beat lab so I can do anything on the road. I'm good to go."

Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson realized he was becoming a veteran and with it also took a more fun approach to the event than he has in years past.

"Today is my third photo day," said Johnson. "When you become a junior or a redshirt sophomore, you can start to develop character and you can have a little more fun here [at photo day]."

He went on to describe his "grit" pose that he said "hides all emotions." Make sure to come back to the new and improved CalBears.com All-Access page to check out the pose during a behind-the-scenes at photo day that will run on the official Cal Athletics website next week.

Rookie Austin Hinder was a little more business-like as he took his first official photo in Cal gear.

"I just put on the jersey and took a picture," said Hinder, who claims he was in and out in five minutes. "You show up early and get it done."

After the photo session, the Bears moved on to lunch and more meetings before taking the field for their second consecutive helmets only practice as they continued to go through the NCAA acclimatization period. The workout included a pair of full team sessions that was highlighted by strong offensive play, including impressive work by the team's young wide receiver group.

Head coach Jeff Tedford praised several members of his new receiver core when he was asked by a media member after practice who he considered his "big plays guys." "All of a sudden we have quite a few of them," Tedford responded. "We have Marvin [Jones] and Jeremy Ross. We have Keenan [Allen]. He's made quite a difference. We have Kaelin Clay; we have Tevin Carter. All of those guys are very, very fast."

All training camp practices are closed to the general public other than the team's annual Fan Appreciation Day following the final training camp workout on Saturday, Aug. 28. The public event will take place that day at Memorial Stadium from 11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Cal opens its 2010 season vs. UC Davis on Saturday, Sept. 4. The upcoming campaign also includes visits from Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and Washington during a seven-game home schedule.

As Cal football prepares for its final season in the current Memorial Stadium, it is important to purchase season tickets this year. Cal fans that purchase season tickets and maintain their donation levels will have access to the best possible season-ticket seat locations when Cal football plays at AT&T Park in 2011 and returns to the renovated Memorial Stadium in 2012.

Call the Cal Athletic Ticket Office at (800) GO BEARS or visit CalBears.com to purchase your 2010 season tickets now.