Sunday, August 28, 2005

Never-say-never attitude keeps Lupoi on field

The defensive end was granted a sixth season by the NCAA last year
Cal notebook
Contra Costa Times
Cal defensive end Tosh Lupoi knew the 2004 Bears were going to be something special, so he prepared himself to face a season of pain so that he could be part of it.
A senior who had broken his foot on June 24, 2004 -- before training camp opened -- Lupoi was pushing as hard as possible to rehabilitate himself.
But on the final day of training camp for the 2004 season, Lupoi found out that he had made a mistake. The bone, the fifth metacarpal in his left foot, hadn't healed properly and had broken again. Lupoi couldn't walk, much less play football.
"I rushed everything getting back," he said. "I never let it heal. But I thought I would be able to just deal with the pain."
The punishment for his mistake appeared to be severe -- he would have to watch from the sideline in his fifth and final season.
But Lupoi wasn't done quite yet. He applied to the NCAA for a sixth season due to the fact he had missed his first season of 2000 due to a knee injury. Midway through the 2004 season, Lupoi got the news that the NCAA had granted his request.
"Losing my senior year was the worst moment of my life, so I guess you could say that getting it back was the best moment, or at least close to the best," he said. "I had been told that I only had about a 5 percent chance to get my senior year back. But I wasn't going to think negatively and I knew I met the criteria."
Lupoi, a 6-foot-4, 260-pounder who had 37 tackles in 2003, has done well in his return and will be a starter at defensive end on Saturday when Cal hosts Sacramento State in the season opener. "In the beginning of camp, I had to get the rust off," he said. "Now I feel pretty good. I can't wait for the season because I've been blessed with good health. I've only missed one practice."
Cal will have only four returning starters from last season's defense, but both Lupoi and rover Donnie McCleskey were starters in 2003. McCleskey played a part-time role last season due to shoulder and knee injuries.
"This defense has an awesome capability," Lupoi said. "We started out rough in camp, but every day we come one step closer to where we need to be."
At 24, the former De La Salle High star is an elder statesman on the team. "David Lonie (26 years old) is older than me," Lupoi offered. "And so are Marvin Philip and Nu'u Tafisi."
Tafisi was nearby and he noted that he is a year younger than Lupoi as is Philip. "Don't believe him," Lupoi said.
Cal coach Jeff Tedford doesn't mind having a little additional maturity on his squad. "Tosh has been a great leader," Tedford said. "And if you want to talk about somebody who appreciates what he has got, it's Tosh. He is still able to play a game that's his passion. He went through a time where there was a chance it might not be there."
Position battles
Cal finished a rather quiet camp with little movement in terms of starters on the depth chart. The marquee matchup between freshman quarterback Nate Longshore and junior college transfer Joe Ayoob will be decided officially on Monday, although Tedford has said all along that Longshore has had the edge.
Perhaps the most competition for a job came at left guard where junior Erik Robertson held off sophomore Brian De La Puente, freshman Noris Malele and senior Bryan Deemer.
Senior cornerback Harrison Smith will shift back to free safety as sophomore Thomas DeCoud, who came into camp as the starter, continues to learn the position. Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said DeCoud will see plenty of time on the field as he rotates defensive backs.
Junior David Gray figures prominently at tight end after switching from wide receiver.
Extra points
Tedford said he was very pleased with training camp. "Our work ethic and our camaraderie were very good," he said. "You always wonder how your young guys are going to jell." ... The only major injuries of camp were ankle sprains suffered by De La Puente and freshman linebacker Worrell Williams. Both are out indefinitely.
-- Jay Heater

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