'That' kid makes instant impact at Cal

By MOLLY YANITY

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

DeSean Jackson is "that" kid.  The one who ruffled Pete Carroll's feathers by reneging on a commitment to USC. The one who tried to flip into the end zone at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, but came up a yard short.  Yep, Jackson is that kid.

The one who bailed on USC so he could play wide receiver immediately for California. The one who ran away with the MVP award at the All-American Bowl. The one whose explosive college debut has the West Coast buzzing. The one Washington (0-1) will have to stop when it plays California (1-0) in a Pac-10 game Saturday at Husky Stadium. Jackson went to Berkeley from Long Beach Poly High School with all the swagger and ceremony one might expect from a big-time recruit, having been sought by LSU, Tennessee, Oklahoma and everyone in the Pac-10.  "Physically, there's no question, he's doing a nice job of finding the seam," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "He hits it and then he has great speed. Through camp, he has really shown that he's everything we expect him to be." Jackson is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound wunderkind. He runs the 40 in 4.4 seconds -- usually. He's been known to slip a hair under that, too.  USC was turned on by the five-star recruit.

Carroll, the Trojans' coach, said he wanted to diversify his receiving corps, to break away from the tall, rangy Steve Smith-types. Jackson fit the bill.  Jackson took the short trip from Long Beach in late January and reportedly told Carroll he would be a Trojan.  "I don't remember," Carroll said this week when asked about the details.   Two weeks after his visit to USC, Jackson announced on television that he was going to Cal.  "We had a great relationship with him. There was a trust level there from the get-go and I think he really enjoyed his time here. He felt comfortable here," Tedford said. "With us losing as many receivers as we did, he figured to be able to come in and be an impact player."

That is exactly what happened in his first game, a 41-3 victory over Sacramento State on Saturday. In the first quarter, he hauled in a pass from Nate Longshore and took it 31 yards for a touchdown. He caught just one more pass, for six yards, but showed his high gear with a 49-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. "I just wanted to come out and play football like I was always taught," Jackson said. "It's the same game, just a different atmosphere. I try to have the same approach." His approach includes some flash.

After scoring 15 touchdowns last season, Jackson was selected to play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. Named the game's most valuable player, he had seven receptions for 141 yards and threw a 45-yard touchdown pass. He would have had a touchdown reception, too, had his showboating not downed him at the 1-yard line.  "I think about that a little bit. I think about it now and know you've got to control all that stuff," he said.  Jackson said his role in the Cal offense will continue to expand. He said the Huskies can expect a team effort from Cal's offense, regardless of how well quarterback Joe Ayoob plays in place of injured starter Nate Longshore. "We're all just here for one thing -- to win a football game," Jackson said. "It's about 11 players, not a quarterback. Coach Tedford is changing some things up (for Ayoob), but you're going to see how everything is looking up."   Things already are looking up for "that" kid.