Friday, September 30, 2005

San Jose Mercury: Cal runners follow O'Callaghan's blocks

By Jay Heater

Knight Ridder

College defenders get through the DMV line faster than they get around Cal senior offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan. Just ask Golden Bears senior linebacker Ryan Foltz. ``It's pretty much the most frustrating thing ever,'' Foltz said about facing O'Callaghan in practice. ``He pretty much smothers you. He is just an unbelievable player. If he gets his hands on you, you're eliminated from the play.'' Indeed, O'Callaghan has been abusing just about every defender who stands in his path, a fact noticed by the Pacific-10 coaches who named him a first-team all-conference selection in 2004. ``And he is showing more consistency this season,'' said Arizona Coach Mike Stoops, whose team faces Cal on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. ``He is going to have a long career in the NFL. He is a big guy who is difficult to get around and he is so athletic. He has a big presence on the field.''

The 6-foot-7, 345-pound O'Callaghan might be an imposing presence, but fans probably don't spend a lot of time watching him as much as the runners who benefit from the holes he opens. The Bears are averaging 275.6 yards rushing per game, and the school record is 270 set in 1948. A Cal player has rushed for more than 100 yards in 16 consecutive games. While that streak represents four tailbacks, O'Callaghan has been a constant. Just don't expect him to draw attention to himself. ``I'll drive a guy into the turf, but I'm not the kind of guy who will stand over him and yell at him,'' O'Callaghan said. O'Callaghan gets plenty of attention from his teammates, Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob said. ``Just seeing Ryan out on the field makes me feel comfortable,'' Ayoob said. ``It takes a guy five minutes just to get around him. ``And when I turn around to watch a run, I see this big guy running down the field chasing after some little defensive back. I know this guy is playing his heart out.'' O'Callaghan was asked if he thought he might be a first-round draft pick. ``I hope to be,'' he said. ``Sometimes I come out of a game and think, `Was that a first-round performance?' ``Right now, though, I am just focused on getting better each week.''

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