Huge senior lineman is the anchor of perhaps the nation's best offensive line
By Dave NewhouseSTAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — As big men go, Ryan O'Callaghan is a building. As an NFL prospect, the Cal offensive tackle could be a first-round draft choice. O'Callaghan, the 6-foot-7, 347-pound senior, is not only massive, but he also can move. He is a primary reason why Cal leads the Pac-10 in rushing. "He's a dominating player," said Cal coach Jeff Tedford. "He's so big, so athletic, so smart, and he knows our scheme so well that rarely does he make a mistake. I don't know if he's made any this year." Cal is averaging 249.0 yards rushing after two games, ninth best in the country, after averaging 256.8 last year with O'Callaghan a mainstay on the right side of the line.
"He's one of the best offensive linemen I've ever seen," Tedford said. O'Callaghan, a first-team All-Pac 10 selection a year ago, is the second biggest Cal player ever behind 6-8, 330-pound Langston Walker, now 30 pounds heavier as a starting guard with the Oakland Raiders. Walker received no postseason recognition at Cal, yet he was a second-round draft pick of the Raiders. O'Callaghan, an All-America candidate, would love to be a No.1 pick. "That's always on my mind. I think I had a first-round performance in this last game," he said of the 56-17 win at Washington. "I don't want to go any later than the first day, or the first round. But I've been told the draft is a subjective evaluation of potential."
O'Callaghan is one of Cal's most quotable players. He joshes with the media that he has to be careful about what he says publicly, because he was called into Tedford's office once and admonished. "It was something that was said out of context two, three weeks ago that gives the other team locker-room material," said Tedford. "It was one of those 'I didn't mean to say that' kinds of things. But I don't worry about him talking." For O'Callaghan, getting to 347 pounds was a major undertaking, since he was pushing 370 this summer. He contends he's not a big eater; he's just big. "I'm not buying that," said Tedford. "I think it's the pizza at midnight." Tedford, O'Callaghan and right guard Aaron Merz (330) all got on the same diet program that saw all three lose weight. Tedford even ran with O'Callaghan to shed pounds. O'Callaghan, Merz, center Marvin Philip, guard Erik Robertson and tackle Andrew Cameron make up "The Great Wall of Berkeley."
One magazine tabbed Cal as having the nation's second-best offensive line after Michigan. "I think we are the best," said O'Callaghan. "I watch a lot of film of offensive lines. I watched Michigan play Notre Dame, and I'd like to think we're better than them." O'Callaghan's honesty and his size come naturally. His dad, Tom, is 6-3. His mom, Evelyn, is 5-10. And older sister Lindsey is 6-0.
"In our house," said Tom O'Callaghan, a Redding lumberman, "we've always been very open. So Ryan's very honest. He's pretty centered, and he's confident, and he cares a lot about people. "He's known as the team clown at Cal. It's sure a lot easier to be happy than sad. As far as his size, he was 6-4 when he entered (Enterprise) high school. He's big, but he's not fat. He's really in good shape." O'Callaghan prides himself on being an intelligent player, but he believes machismo is more important than mind on the O-line. "It's more physical than anything else," he said. "I don't have the best strength. We have people here who bench 500 pounds and squat the house. My arms are tiny, but you don't need all that. The most satisfying thing is putting someone on his back, or making a good play." About that time, Tedford walked past. "Careful, those (media) guys are going to try and get you," Tedford said, grinning. "Oh, yeah," O'Callaghan said. "I won't get suckered in."
BEAR TRACKS: Tedford said after Wednesday's practice that defensive end Tosh Lupoi (sprained knee) won't play Saturday against Illinois and possibly the following week at New Mexico State. Saturday's availability of running back Marshawn Lynch (broken, dislocated finger), center Marvin Philip (sprained ankle) and linebacker Greg Van Hoesen (sprained ankle) won't be known until today, though Lynch's left hand still was in a cast Wednesday.
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