Other valuable Bears that missed the top 10 - part one

June 29, 2:09 AMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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Vereen could still end up becoming just as
valuable as Best by the end of the season

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• No.   3 - Devin Bishop
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• No.   1 - Jahvid Best

After finally finishing up my top-10 MVB's for 2009, I decided that I'd wrap up all of the listing by telling you which other guys on the squad almost cracked the list.

There's no particular order to this list, but each player/position merited consideration at the time I created the top 10.  All of the following made it difficult to maintain the list in its original form, because a case could be made about each and every one.

Shane Vereen (TB) - After rushing for 715 yards on 142 carries for an average gain of 5.04 yards, Vereen proved that he's nobody's second fiddle.  While he's second on the depth chart, he more than showed that he can carry the load when called upon, and do it in a way that made him the best backup rusher in the Pac-10 -- maybe the country.

He tied for second-most receptions with 27 for 221 yards and a touchdown.  He also added four more touchdowns on the ground.

When Jahvid Best wasn't able to play due to injury, Vereen filled in, and helped keep the Cal offense moving.  There's definitely room for improvement, (he only had two 100-yard days rushing), but for his first year with solid playing time, not bad at all.

What makes him so valuable?  Jahvid Best.

It's no secret that Best had a few problems staying on the field last season.  While I'm not questioning the toughness of Best, it is football, and injuries do happen.

Tracy Slocum was excused from the team, James Montgomery transferred to Washington State last year, and so whoever is behind Vereen this year will be getting on a Div I field for the first time.

See where I'm going with this?  Even if Best stays healthy, an injury to Vereen would still bring a new player on the field to fill in when a rest is necessary.

Since you can't prognosticate the future on 'ifs', Vereen was dropped from the list.  He's still pretty valuable in the grand scheme of things, but I couldn't justify putting him in the top 10.

FB/TE positions - Alright, everybody say it with me, "CHEESY."  Look, I know that it's kind of a cop-out to mention two positions instead of the players filling those roles.  The fact is, I'm not sure that even Jeff Tedford is certain who those guys will be when the season starts.  Actually, I'm positive.  Why else would they hold training camp?

Cameron Morrah leaving early, against Tedford's advice, was a blow to the tight end position.  He wasn't Craig Stevens, but it was thought that his senior senior season would be on par with an All-Pac-10 selection.  After the spring practices were done, the converted defensive end Tad Smith was atop the depth chart.

Will Ta'ufo'ou may have been one of the better fullbacks to play at Cal, as he led the way for not just one 1,500-yard rusher, but two.  Fullback falls into the category of, "it's a tough job..."  Well, you know.  The Golden Bears will be looking for another strong, athletic, and quick-thinking player to step into the large shoes left behind by the current Chicago Bear.  Right now, that person is slated to be senior Brian Holley.

Both Morrah and Ta'ufo'ou were part of a growing tradition of great tight ends and fullbacks to have played at Cal.  Something tells me that whoever fills those roles will do it well enough to keep the tradition going - and that's why these positions were not included in the top 10.

There are three more to go, but you'll have to check out part two sometime mid-Monday to find out who they are.  Don't worry, part two is the end of it, and then we'll move on to something else.

What's left?  One player is on offense and the other two are defenders.  Any guesses?

Check back later for more!

Part two is up!  Check it out here!