Best Ends Suspense

After a season of speculation, culminating in heightened anticipation after Cal’s big recruiting weekend, the Bears received the commitment many local fans had been waiting for.

The Bear Insider finally confirmed today with Salesian Head Coach Chad Nightingale what many had speculated for days: That highly sought-after running back Jahvid Best has given a verbal commitment to play for the Cal Bears.

"I can confirm that Jahvid has committed to Cal and that he's okay with the information to be released," said Nightingale.

Keeping the biggest star players from straying to other successful programs is always a priority for Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford and Best had to be considered amongst the top of the local Bear wish list.

The list of competitors for Best’s services was imposing, with USC, Notre Dame, UCLA and Oregon serving as Cal’s main rivals for the talented tailback -all having offered scholarships to Best.

Best led his Richmond-based Salesian squad to a North Coast 1A championship this last season. The Chieftans fell just short of returning to the finals this year, bowing out to eventual NCS champ St. Patricks this season. The 4 star running back put together one of the most prolific seasons in Bay Area sports history with his 3,255 yard, 48 td season, tying a 29 year old touchdown record for the CIF North Coast section.

“First and foremost, Jahvid will bring phenomenal speed to the next level and that’s something that opponents just can’t deal with,” said Nightingale.

"There are players that everyone knows are fast and teams plan their game plans to stop those players," said Nightingale. "But in the 26 games we've played in the last two years, Jahvid has had 13 first-touch touchdowns.

“No matter how much you prepare, you just can't prepare for speed and running ability like Jahvid has. Nobody on opposing teams have players that can simulate the speed that Jahvid plays at so there’s only so much you can do."

Many wonder if Best is a track star who simply outruns his opponents. But Best has shown uncanny ability to find seams and burst through holes that only the most talented running backs could hope to achieve. He’s proven durable and possesses a lean, muscular physique -ideal for a speedy running back.

“Jahvid is currently playing at 183 lbs.” said Nightingale. “He’s only 17 years old so I can easily see him playing at 195 or so in coming years. Those extra 10 pounds or so can make a world of difference at the next level.

“Jahvid has excellent hands as well, so he’s a weapon out of the backfield, too.”

Best brings world-class speed to the track as well, running an incredible 10.39 100 meter personal record in the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in April this year. He also ran the second-fastest 200 meter race in the state, winning the highly-competitive Sacramento Meet of Champions with a time of 21.03.

Best undoubtedly became Cal Men’s Head Track Coach Chris Huffins’ favorite Christmas package, as Best will compete for the Cal men’s track squad in 2008. Best will bring an instant jolt of top-flight competitiveness to the program, where speed is often found quite lacking.

One of the hallmarks of a Tedford recruit is the character that his players bring to the program. Best is certainly no exception to the rule.

“More than anything else –I’ve been around some good athletes when I played at Cal (as a receiver in 1985-89) –I think the thing that stands out most about Jahvid is the fact that he’s so incredibly humble. That’s just something you don’t see out of the caliber of athlete that Jahvid is. You would never know that he ran for 3,245 yards and scored 48 touchdowns this year.

“You see Jahvid in the halls with his friends or with other kids or standing in the parking lot and he’s not at all a ‘styling, profiling’ kid. He’s just a low key kid with incredible abilities.

“He’s really just a kid that deserves all the success that he’s having. Hopefully we and his teammates played some small part in that,” concluded Nightingale.

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