By Jack Ross
Corner Continues to Improve as He Prepares to Face Old Demons
Most who watched last year's game against Colorado State would have a hard time believing that then back-up cornerback Darian Hagan would be a starter only 12 months later. Hagan got beat for touchdowns late in the second half in the 34-28 win in Fort Collins, Colo., and carried some of the burden for keeping the game closer than expected. But a year later, Hagan has propelled himself to the top of the depth chart and settled into his role as a starting corner after beating out Chris Conte for the job late in fall camp. On Saturday, he gets an ample chance to erase that sour memory. One major turning point in Hagan's ascent may have been his own recognition of a need to work harder-evidenced by a phone call he placed to veteran linebacker Worrell Williams this past summer. "One time (Hagan) called me up out of the blue and said, 'Worrell, I need you to stay on me,'" Williams said. "That was it right there. Having the sense of urgency and awareness to know that I need to be on top of my things, so let me reach out to one of my teammates and make sure that he stays on top of me." Hagan himself pointed to the leadership secondary mates Syd'Quan Thompson and Bernard Hicks as legitimate factors towards his improvement. Not to mention Williams, who has been there every step of the way. "(Worrell) is a great leader," Hagan said. "When I'm doing wrong, he's there like a father figure to put his foot up my butt. If I'm down, I can look forward to him to pick me up and get it going." Coach Jeff Tedford cited Hagan's run defense as one area of improvement. Still, his overall talent shines through-a talent which is now complemented by sincere dedication.
"The talent's always been there, the skills have always been there," Williams said. "But he's really matured as a player. He understands the responsibilities and is accountable. It's a set-in concept for him. Now he takes it personally and is getting the job done."
Big Plays Could Play Big Role
It may not quite be an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, but the collision of the Cal offense and Colorado State defense does put forth an interesting parallel. The Bears' offense is about making big plays, particularly on the ground, as running backs Shane Vereen and Jahvid Best have combined for three runs spanning 80 or more yards. Meanwhile, the Rams' defensive side is about curbing big plays. In their opening three games, no opponent has turned in a play longer than 40 yards. "They keep everything in front of them," Tedford said. "I think they are doing a good job of eliminating the big play. They are putting themselves in the position to make plays."
Bye Week Draws Mixed Reaction
Having a bye after a loss was met with mixed feelings from the Cal players. Some didn't mind having an extra week to prepare after losing at Maryland. Senior wide receiver LaReyelle Cunningham was not one of them. "After a loss, I'd rather get back out there and play," Cunningham said. "I don't like losing and it's a bad feeling to go into a bye week with a loss, so we're all ready to get back out there." At the very least, though, the extra week of preparation led to a more lively and spirited practice at Memorial Stadium. That was immediately on display last Tuesday, when in the first practice after the loss, linebacker Worrell Williams set a serious tone by steamrolling reserve running back Peter Geurts in the backfield. "It was a lot more physical," senior Anthony Felder said of the recent practices. "We went live a couple of times, we had tackling drills ... I think the emphasis from the coaches was on physicality. We needed to get into a physical mentality."
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