Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
When it was reported that USC quarterback Matt Leinart was taking only one course this semester -- ballroom dancing -- the news was met with some snickers. Don't count Cal coach Jeff Tedford and his players among those academic snobs.
"In his early years, he did a great job," Tedford said. "He's earned it, he deserves it." Leinart, like many football players, took advantage of the NCAA rule that allows players to spread their four years of eligibility over a five-year period. Most take a redshirt year as a freshman, easing the academic and athletic transition to college. Going into this season, Leinart -- who leads the No. 1 Trojans against the Bears on Saturday at Memorial Stadium -- was two credits short of earning a degree in sociology at USC. So he fulfilled his academic requirements by taking the ballroom-dancing course with his girlfriend, USC basketball player Brynn Cameron. Athletes must be taking 12 units to be eligible to play -- unless they are in their final semester or quarter. Cal fifth-year senior offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan doesn't begrudge Leinart for his easy-appearing academic load. "He busted his ass the last four years," O'Callaghan said. In fact, O'Callaghan is taking a course on comic Dave Chappelle's television show. "Lots of guys on the team hopped in that one," fifth-year safety Harrison Smith said, "but it's been hard work for them." O'Callaghan said the students in the Chappelle class do an essay after each show on serious topics such as the media's portrayal of African Americans. Smith, who acknowledges that he's "taking the Leinart route," is satisfying the final requirements for a degree in sociology with a class in African American studies and another on conflict resolution. He said he took the classes because they sounded interesting and because he wasn't ready to apply to graduate school. Fifth-year senior linebacker Ryan Foltz has earned his degree in business administration and is studying for a master's in education.
He is taking a course on sports in society, is receiving credit for an internship in which he tutors other athletes and is working on a thesis on how the negative stereotype of student-athletes affects their social and academic life at Cal. Tedford acknowledged the irony of stressing to his players the importance of earning a degree while needing to sometimes slow them academically so they don't run out of eligibility. "At some point, if you have too many units, they want you out of here," he said. Fifth-year senior guard Aaron Merz said he was far enough along that he had the luxury of dropping a class this semester so he could focus on football. He is taking the final eight units for his degree in sociology with a class on the sociology of child care ("Something I can use in the distant future") and a seminar on national identity and patriotism. O'Callaghan is four classes short of graduation. He is taking three courses this semester and plans on focusing on training for the NFL Draft in the spring. "Berkeley is going to be here forever," he said, "but you only get one shot at getting drafted." He guffawed at the suggestion that he might not return to Cal to finish his degree. "I'm not going to waste 41/2 years," he said.
Briefly: Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and athletic director Sandy Barbour will unveil a master plan for the long-awaited renovation of Memorial Stadium on Thursday. The plan is expected to include updated team facilities called for in Tedford's contract as well as an academic building shared by the business and law schools. The university would not say whether specific cost figures or the amount of money already raised would be revealed.
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