Oregonian: Cal's Ayoob feels wrath of disappointed fans

Friday, October 21, 2005

KEN GOE

California quarterback Joe Ayoob told reporters he was taken aback at the vitriol he faced coming off the field after the Golden Bears' 23-20 loss to visiting Oregon State last week.  It wasn't coming from OSU fans or from the student section, but from middle-aged people in Cal regalia.  It was loud, angry and often laced with profanity.  "Kind of weird," Ayoob said. "I don't know how to explain it. You get sad for a second. Then you take 10 more steps and you forget it."  Ayoob's sin? He didn't play with the cool efficiency exhibited by Aaron Rodgers, the Cal quarterback last season who now backs up Brett Favre for the Green Bay Packers.  Rodgers also had some rocky moments in his first season at Cal. In fact, two years ago, Rodgers was 9 of 34 in a 35-21 loss to OSU.  Ayoob, a junior who transferred from City College of San Francisco, was 13 of 39 against the Beavers on Saturday.  But there were extenuating circumstances. Both of Cal's starting wide receivers -- Robert Jordan and DeSean Jackson -- were hurt in the game. So was Cal tackle Ryan O'Callaghan, a 2004 first-team all-Pacific-10 Conference selection.  The Bears played the second half without tailback Marshawn Lynch, benched for the second half after fumbling twice. And OSU's defense mounted a merciless pass rush.  "All I can say is that we got into some obvious passing situations, and they brought some heat," said Ayoob, who will start this week against Washington State. "There was one play where I could see Lavelle (Hawkins) running down the field, and I could see the middle safety going with the tight end. That left Lavelle all alone in the seam. But I didn't have time."

Great expectations: USC is 6-0 and No. 1 in all of the major polls, but that doesn't mean the Trojans aren't feeling some pressure.  They barely squeaked past Notre Dame last week, 34-31. It was the fourth consecutive game they didn't meet their own expectations, which led to lots of introspection and at least two meetings this week.  Cornerback John Walker, guard Fred Matua and others called a players-only meeting.