Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, September 16, 2005
Robert Jordan, at the tender age of 19, has had to become better as a person and a player. He's learned from his mistakes. Cal's sophomore wide receiver is playing at a new level, with everyone from coach Jeff Tedford to Jordan himself crediting the change to his newfound maturity. Jordan ended last season with a costly error in Cal's loss to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. Then he was arrested in the offseason on a concealed-weapon charge. Last week, in his first outing of the season, he caught 11 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns in Cal's 56-17 win at Washington. "The maturity, not only physical, but mental and emotional, he gained over the last six or eight months has been awesome," Tedford said.
"I understand the offense more, the game more," Jordan said. And he understands himself better.
He was arrested by Berkeley campus police last February on a concealed-weapon charge. In fact, the concealed weapon was a small ornamental dagger and whistle on a chain around his neck -- a Christmas present from his grandfather -- that was under his zipped-up jacket. The charge was dropped, but Jordan was suspended for the first game this year and the lesson was learned. "It's something I had to take in stride," Jordan said. "We're in a fishbowl, everybody is looking at us. You have to go through some things to understand. It's a growing process." The other impetus for change came in the second quarter of the Holiday Bowl when Jordan bobbled a pass with Cal leading 14-10. The loose ball was intercepted. Texas Tech went on to score the go-ahead touchdown and never trailed again en route to a 45-31 win. "I don't ever want that feeling again," Jordan said. "That drove me in the offseason to get out there and run some routes. I still think about that game." When it was suggested that last Saturday's performance might help erase that memory, Jordan said, "It's just one week. Let's see what happens next week." Jordan, the only returning starter from last year's injury-decimated wide-receiving corps, came into the season in the shadows of freshman DeSean Jackson, a high school All-American, and Lavelle Hawkins, a junior college All-American. He acknowledged their credentials, and said, "And me, I kind of struggled my freshman year." Jordan, initially expected to redshirt, was rushed into the starting lineup last year because of injuries. He finished the season with 29 catches. "I think last year consistency was an issue with him," Tedford said.
Jordan agreed, and spent the offseason working with Jackson and former Cal receiver Geoff McArthur. He has gained 20 pounds since he came to Cal, bringing his nearly 6-foot frame to 168 pounds. He also found inspiration in his cousin, tailback Marshawn Lynch. "He's always been one of the best on the team," Jordan said. "He told me 'you could be doing this too.' I love that dude." Jordan and Lynch room together. "Sometimes we eat off the same plate at night," Jordan said. And they also share a strong sense of family. "Football is fun and everything, but it's something we depend on," he said. "We have people that need help in our family. That's why it might seem like we play harder. ... We're not a rich family."
But the family has a wealth of football talent. Jordan's older brother, Randy Jordan, played at Kansas State. Lynch's uncle, Lorenzo Lynch, played in the NFL. A third cousin, Virdell Larkins, is a freshman cornerback at Cal. "Our bloodlines are crazy," Jordan said with a laugh. Jordan said he was mostly raised by his grandmother, Frances Johnson, who is Lynch's aunt. She called him after the Washington game, not to talk about his bust-out performance but to ask if he had fun. Then she inquired about Lynch's broken finger. " 'How's my baby doing?' she said. I said 'He's alright, granny,' " Jordan said. Tedford said Jordan had become a team player. He was set to start the Washington when Tedford told him that Hawkins and Jackson would start because he wanted to use their speed in going deep. "It didn't faze him a bit," Tedford said. "It kind of caught me off guard, but I wasn't tripping about it," Jordan said. "I was more concerned about winning."
Catching on
Robert Jordan's 192 receiving yards on Saturday were the sixth-most in school history and by far a career high for the second-year player:
SATURDAY
Receptions...11
Yards...192
Touchdowns...3
LAST YEAR
Receptions...29
Yards...332
Touchdowns...2
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