Contra Costa Times: Cal dealt another injury blow

By Jay Heater
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
BERKELEY - Cal tailback Justin Forsett saw something Monday that was more frightening than 11 defenders on the line of scrimmage. Bears offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan had a cast covering his right wrist. "I'm a little worried about that cast," said Forsett, who is third in the Pac-10 in rushing at 123 yards per game.
Forsett knows that his accomplishments to date wouldn't have been possible without one of the nation's top offensive linemen clearing his path. Against UCLA, Forsett had 153 rushing yards. He didn't know that O'Callaghan, who broke the ulna bone in his wrist, played almost an entire game with the injury. "That guy has heart," Forsett said. Although Forsett was worried about his teammate's availability for Saturday's game against Oregon State at Memorial Stadium, O'Callaghan said he wasn't concerned. "If the doctors say it can't get any worse, I'll play," he said. O'Callaghan said he bent his hand back toward his wrist after falling on the seventh offensive play from scrimmage against the Bruins. "I knew when it happened," he said. "I told (offensive guard) Aaron Merz that I thought I broke my wrist and he laughed. There was no use in sitting on the sideline and complaining. It wasn't going to matter. It's part of the game."
It's not part of the game to play with that kind of injury, unless you happen to be an offensive lineman at Cal. The unit particularly prides itself on its toughness.
"We're like wounded animals," O'Callaghan said. Although Cal's offensive linemen joke about their injuries among themselves, the sacrifice is noticed by their teammates. "I heard about what he did and it amazed me," said Cal cornerback Harrison Smith. "To play with a broken wrist is ridiculous. It shows a lot about him. You see that, so when you have X bruises, it's hard for you to sit out a play."
O'Callaghan knew that Cal couldn't handle another offensive line injury. Left tackle Andrew Cameron tore the ACL in his knee against Arizona on Oct. 1 and will be out the rest of the season. Bears center Marvin Philip missed the second quarter against UCLA due to a rib injury, but managed to get back for the second half.
"He's a warrior," Cal tackle Scott Smith said of O'Callaghan. "He plays hurt because that's what he does. He doesn't allow pain to bother him. As offensive linemen, we understand we have to play through pain. The nature of our position is that we are going to get hurt ... broken fingers and twisted ligaments. We pride ourselves on being tough."
O'Callaghan and Merz, who has had shoulder surgery as well, joke about their injuries. "We're very sarcastic," said O'Callaghan, who is well known for his dry humor. "I know ... Aaron and I are sarcastic ... that's hard to believe."
But joking about the injuries doesn't change the fact that someday they might be sore. O'Callaghan, who has had three surgeries on his left shoulder and one on his right, says, "I just hope I can play with my kids." He tried to remember the last time he felt completely healthy. "It was probably in high school, or my freshman season," he said. For now, he will forge ahead, hurt or not. "To see our offensive linemen play through these kind of things to watch my back gives me more confidence," Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob said. "I didn't even know O.C. was hurt against UCLA. After the game, I saw this big, gaping crease on his wrist. Are you kidding me?" Cal coach Jeff Tedford has seen O'Callaghan play under similar circumstances, noting that the big tackle played with a broken wrist last season that was never publicized. Tedford was asked how O'Callaghan can play with such an injury. The coach curled his right hand up into his chest and looked out at the reporters. "It goes with his bad shoulder," he said.