Full pads came on in Berkeley Friday morning, as the product in Memorial Stadium started to look something like football.

"I liked the energy of our guys, particularly early," defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said, "we've got to sustain the intensity of our guys, we had some waning moments in there, overall our first group, I like where they're at, they're playing with a hard edge. First day in pads there was a different intensity. We had 'two-huddle' today, which I think is a great drill that coach (Wilcox) has come up with, where you've got two offensive huddles peppering at us one after the next, and we've got to be in there. We're playing base defense, they know we're playing base, we know they're running, so let's find out who's tougher on that play."

DeRuyter noted that they're installed all the basic concepts that they've wanted to get to on defense so far, and that includes the base 3-4 that they spent the team two huddle drill in. That first group saw Luc Bequette at nose with Zeandae Johnson at one end, and Lone Toailoa and Brett Johnson rotating at the other.

"(Luc) has responded well, he's got the physical toughness, he's a veteran, he understands what we're doing," DeRuyter noted. "The techniques are going to be a little bit different, he's got the right attitude about things as well. He knows we're going to try to put the best 11 on the field, piece where they fit. He's a great teammate and wherever we need him he's going to play. (Brett)'s coming along, he has a lot of the physical tools we're looking for, but he's been on campus for a month and a half. Coach Browning's doing a great job with developing him, we're trying to limit some things when he comes in so he doesn't have the entire menu, so he can feel good about the package. We're going to continue to develop him, and I like his progress."

"I've played a little nose, last year in some packages," Bequette added, "I've never really gotten to do the main base packages and stuff with it. I don't think it'll be a problem for me, I think with repetition I'll get it down."

All that said, Cal didn't go to live tackling situations today, so it may take a bit longer to evaluate how much growth there is both in the pass rush and in the run game. On the outside though, cornerback Branden Smith had an excellent day, with a couple interceptions in the one on one WR/DB drills.

"He's really done a nice job progressing," DeRuyter said of Smith, "he came in here as an under-sized guy, but he competes. He's a competitor, he gets out there, and he wants to win a job. The longer he's been here, the more confident he's gotten. As a nickel/slot guy, he's done a great job, Traveon's out right now and so he's earned some reps and taken advantage of those reps, Traveon better get himself healthy."

Smith, who's going into his redshirt sophomore season, could end up playing the nickel for the Bears after Beck graduates.