Oakland Tribune: Cal's Ayoob has shown he's a winner

QB will have to be at his best against UCLA

By Dave Newhouse  STAFF WRITER 

PASADENA — Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob wore his favorite New York Yankees cap all this week, tilted jauntily.  "They're always in it," he said of the Yankees' playoff history. "They're like the teams I played for, always playing for the championship."  Ayoob spoke of his Little League days in Marin County, his three-sport experience at Terra Linda High School and his football time at City College of San Francisco.  His life has been about championship games. The next one in his sights is the Pacific-10 Conference title. That means USC in the big picture, but inside a smaller frame, UCLA today in Pasadena.  It's rare when Cal and UCLA meet with undefeated records, and ranked besides. That will be the case at 4:30 p.m. in the Rose Bowl. The 5-0 Bears are ranked ninth and 10th, while the 4-0 Bruins are 16th and 20th.  Ayoob was asked the other day which Yankees he likes the best. There were two: Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.  "Jeter's always consistent, always having good years. And the bigger the moment, the better he plays," said Ayoob "Rivera because it's three up, three down."  Ayoob sees a comparison between those two Yankees and himself.  "I like to see that in myself, that the bigger the moment,the better I play," he said. "This is a big test for us — a midterm."  Ayoob actually had two midterms late this week, but the UCLA game represents the halfway point of Cal's regular season. So today is, indeed, like another midterm exam for Ayoob.  "If I had to give myself a grade," Ayoob said of his progress so far, "it would be a B- to a B. I expected (the transition from CCSF to Cal) to be hard, but I thought it would be much easier."  Ayoob will need an A- to A effort today if Cal is to remain unbeaten and in the Top 10. UCLA is Cal's first serious opponent, thus the Bears will discover whether they are overrated or deserving of their ranking.  "I feel more comfortable every week," Ayoob said. "I try to work every day on my mechanics, and I feel my teammates have confidence in me."  This will be the largest, most hostile crowd Ayoob has played in front of, and with the most at stake.

"The more people want you to do bad, it makes you want to do great," he said, seeingly unfazed.  Ayoob has had great and ghastly moments at Cal. He ranks ninth among Pac-10 quarterbacks with the lowest completion percentage of 56.0, yet he has thrown eight touchdown passes to only two interceptions.  "It takes a while,"he said of getting his timing down with receivers. "On a 5-yard out, somebody could take four steps and cut, while somebody else could take four yards and cut. I'm getting to know everyone's pass routes."  Ayoob missed several open receivers last week against Arizona. But while scrambling to the left, his opposite side, he uncorked a 39-yard beauty to Robert Jordan for a touchdown.  "That pass was a reaction," said Ayoob. "It reminded me of my City College days, just seeing and throwing. I need to get that unconscious state back."  This afternoon would be the perfect time.