SF Chronicle: DeCoud out of haze - and Studying the Hit

Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer

Coach Jeff Tedford knew safety Thomas DeCoud was fine by Sunday morning. "I found him in here watching replays of the hit," Tedford said. "I think he had to watch it, because he didn't remember it." DeCoud was knocked unconscious in Saturday night's 38-24 win over UCLA after keying DeSean Jackson's 72-yard punt return with a crushing block on Korey Bosworth. "He had a little bit of a headache that night, but he's feeling fine," Tedford said. "He was laughing and doing well by Sunday."

Reluctant traveler: Tailback Marshawn Lynch and receiver Robert Jordan usually share the same line of thinking, but when it comes to the Heisman race, the cousins couldn't differ more.

"I want him to win it," Jordan said. "I want it more for him more than he does." Lynch has not been to New York, where the ceremony is held, and even an invitation might not sway him to head east. "If that happened, I'd tell them to FedEx it to me," Lynch said.

Making the grade: Asked for the biggest surprise that greeted him at Cal, Lynch said his success (3.0 grade-point average) in the classroom. "I've been told my whole life that I'm nothing in school, so it's a self-goal to get a degree," said Lynch, who rarely had better than a 2.0 in junior high. "It's all about putting forth the work and the effort." Jordan also has learned that lesson, too. He once typed a 12- to 15-page paper on a Sidekick, a communication device that has a miniature keyboard, because his laptop wasn't working.

Speed racers: A common school of thought is that grass plays slower than synthetic turf, but the Bears, one of the fastest teams in the conference, aren't worried about playing on grass Saturday at Arizona for the first time since the season opener. "We've been playing on grass since Pop Warner, so we're used to it," safety Bernard Hicks said. "I think we're fast on any surface." Left tackle Andrew Cameron does see one difference. "If anything, it creates more work for our laundry people," he said. "Getting grass stains out can be tough."

Loud mouths: Arizona is in the middle of the conference pack, averaging 55,435 fans for its home games, but those in attendance are louder than the numbers might indicate. "I noticed that Oregon State's offensive line started the game in a regular formation, but they were holding hands by the end of the game," Tedford said. "Noise must have been a factor."

Briefly: Defensive end Rulon Davis has missed the last three games and was on crutches Saturday with a bone bruise in his leg, Tedford said. "Hopefully, he'll start healing, because he was getting some playing time and he was really improving," he said. ... Cal officials expect to be able to release possible bowl-ticketing information next week.