SF Chronicle: QB Ayoob tries to stay loose, ready for Bruins

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Quarterback Joe Ayoob, facing his biggest game yet at Cal, was asked how he felt about playing at one of the most storied venues in college football -- the Rose Bowl.  "I hadn't thought about it until just now," he said.  So much for the defense mechanism he employs in pressure-filled weeks of "just trying not to think about it."  Ayoob leads No. 10 Cal (5-0) into Saturday's game against No. 20 UCLA (4-0) in Pasadena. The Bruins will be the toughest team the Bears have faced, after running through three nonconference and two Pac-10 opponents, all with losing records.

And for Ayoob, it's one more step in the transition he has had since transferring from City College of San Francisco, where he was a JC All-American.  Things haven't come as easily at Cal, where coach Jeff Tedford can be a demanding taskmaster for his quarterbacks.  "I think he's comfortable," Tedford said. "This will step it up another notch."  Ayoob has been showing steady improvement. He is 56-for-100, throwing for 813 yards and eight touchdowns. He has been intercepted twice.  Ayoob said he would give himself somewhere between a B and a B- on his current play. He said he's not happy with the way he's throwing the ball, admitting he was troubled by his over-throwing open receivers on deep routes in Saturday's 28-0 win over Arizona.  "They're right there," Ayoob said. "It's a matter of dropping it in there. We're just that one step off."

He said that at City College, he didn't think, he just threw. At Cal, where he faces more sophisticated defenses, he sometimes hesitates on a read. For example, he said, he might pause a beat to look for the safety before releasing the ball.  "I've got to get that unconscious level back," he said.

He also acknowledged that the over-throws could be a sign of nervous excitement, saying, "That's when it comes out real hot."  And that's where his offensive linemen come in, taking it upon themselves to keep the quarterback relaxed.  Specifically, guard Aaron Merz and tackle Ryan O'Callaghan -- 700 pounds of fun -- do their best to keep it loose.  Ayoob laughs as he recalls Merz kidding him about his cultural heritage, which he describes as Lebanese and Mexican. O'Callaghan might offer a line stolen from the latest episode of "South Park.''  "We joke around a lot," O'Callaghan said with a chuckle. But only, he added, during timeouts. "We know when there's a time to be serious."  They've found a receptive audience in Ayoob, who says he especially appreciates their sarcasm.  A little levity might come in handy Saturday, with UCLA officials expecting a large crowd and the game carried on national cable television.  "I've never played in front of anything like that," Ayoob said. "I think it will be fun. The more, the merrier." Tedford is aware of the increased stakes in this game. He's not worried about his veterans.  "To me, it's just another game," O'Callaghan said.  And Tedford is confident that Ayoob and his other new players are ready for the challenge.  "It doesn't get any better than this," Tedford said.