After injury last season, senior DB ready to regain All-Pac-10 form
By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER
Alameda Times Star
BERKELEY — Take Sting away from the Police, Don Henley from the Eagles and Gladys Knight from the Pips, and they aren't the same groups. The music dies.
Take Donnie McCleskey away from Cal, and head coach Jeff Tedford wouldn't have the same defensive group either.
Cal didn't exactly crumble defensively last year with McCleskey injured, but the senior rover back automatically makes any secondary better. Healthy again, he has All-America ability.
"I strive for excellence," he said Monday. "I try not to give up anything. If I make 10 good plays, and one play is bad, I didn't have a good game. I want everything to be 100 percent."
In Monday afternoon's practice, McCleskey's impact was evident. He knocked down several passes, wasn't beaten deep, and once stole the football. It's clear he's primed for something special this fall.
"I want to go out on top," he said, "to be the best team and individual the country has ever seen."
McCleskey isn't short on confidence, but Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory expects that attitude from this competitor.
"He's a great person, understands his priorities, will graduate in four years from Cal without redshirting," Gregory said. "And he's a really good football player. He has natural instincts. He is not, by any means, the fastest guy or the strongest guy. But anybody who starts in this league as a true freshman is pretty good. He's just a stellar guy."
Fortunately, with McCleskey bothered by shoulder, knee and ankle injuries in 2004, Ryan Gutierrez and Matt Giordano had standout years at safety.
With both testing NFL waters, McCleskey's presence becomes even more vital.
"He is such a leader in all aspects," Gregory said. "Guys rally around him. He has a great nose for the football."
"He has such a winning, positive attitude," Tedford said of the 5-10, 190-pounder from LaPuente. "He was one of our first recruits. I'll never forget him saying, 'I came here to win a championship, coach.' He didn't care that they were 1-10 before. His attitude is contagious, and it rubs off on the rest of the kids."
After making All Pac-10 in 2003 with 102 tackles, including 12 for losses and five sacks, McCleskey had only 38 tackles, three tackles for losses and two sacks in 2004, playing in intense pain the entire way. "It hurt in my heart not to be able to give everything I have," he said. "But I gave it my all even if it wasn't my full potential. Mentally, it made me stronger and made me learn more about the game.
"Now I feel great. No holding back, no extra tape, no nothing. I was blessed by the Lord and my teammates, everybody sticking with me. It's been a wonderful experience."
With his sunny perspective, McCleskey took a negative and turned it into a positive. Now he's primed for a pip of a farewell.
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