Picking up the pieces
Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
Cal tailback Marshawn Lynch has been changing, growing into an every-down back, emerging as a team leader and learning to deal with adversity. At least, that's what coach Jeff Tedford and Lynch's teammates are seeing. Lynch doesn't see that. For him, football doesn't change, nor does he. He has a mantra he uses in many interviews. "I'm just having fun." Lynch heads into the Big Game on Saturday at Stanford just 71 yards short of his first 1,000-yard season, something many running backs would consider an important landmark. "No, it's not," Lynch said. "If it happens, great. If it doesn't, great." Lynch has had some setbacks this year. He struggled with a couple of minor injuries early in the season, then broke his left little finger in the Sept. 10 win at Washington, missing the second half of that game and all of the next two. He was suspended for the first quarter of the loss at UCLA on Oct. 8 for missing a running backs' meeting. He was benched in the second half of the loss to Oregon State on Oct. 15 after giving up two first-half fumbles.
He didn't brood. He didn't grumble. He watched backups Justin Forsett, Marcus O'Keith and Terrell Williams fill the void. "They are really good backs," Lynch said. "I just sit back and enjoy watching them run." And he's gotten better down the stretch while his job has gotten tougher. As the Bears' passing game has struggled, teams have begun to focus more on stopping Lynch. He ran for 160 yards in the win over Washington State on Oct. 22 and 189 in the Nov. 5 loss at Oregon. In last Saturday's loss to USC, Lynch ran for 87 yards on 13 carries, impressive given the sad state of the Bears' passing game and the strength of the Trojans' defense.
Tedford said the recent performances reflect Lynch's growth from backup to every-down back. "He's really become a physical back," Tedford said. Last year as a freshman Lynch gained 628 yards playing behind 2,018-yard rusher J.J. Arrington. Going into the year, coaches said his biggest challenge would be the transition to the high-pressure, starting position. Tedford would like to use Lynch in a variety of roles, much the way USC uses Heisman Trophy contender Reggie Bush at tailback, wide receiver and on returns. But the broken finger limited Lynch's use as a receiver and on returns. He only recently was moved to kickoff returns. With his 11 catches for 97 yards and 12 kickoff returns for 348 yards, he leads the Bears in all-purpose yardage with 1,269. "Marshawn has been one of the guys that leads by example," center Marvin Philip said. "Now he's become vocal." Lynch, shying away from the attention, denies that. "That's not my job," he said. "I just practice hard and play hard." Still, his new role is apparent. As quarterback Joe Ayoob has struggled and been booed at Memorial Stadium, Lynch has been one of the most outspoken and demonstrative players to come to his defense in both public comments and privately in the locker room. Lynch came into the season with high expectations. As good as he has become, he hasn't reached his potential. Fullback Chris Manderino said Lynch was "only going to get better." Manderino says he's had to change his blocking style for Lynch. "I have to stay on blocks a little longer," he said. "You never know when he's going to go down or come back to the other side of the field."
Manderino also has watched Lynch's mental growth throughout the season. "Some of the things that come along with being a young guy and also learning the expectations of being a starter, it's a tough thing to come into," Manderino said. "He'll mature even more and be just fine next year." "He's on his way," Tedford said.
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