True homecoming for Cal freshman

Campus visit was key for UW fan

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, September 8, 2005

When Anthony Felder was growing up, he wasn't much of a college football fan.  "I was too busy being a kid," he said.  But like everyone else in his family living in Shoreline on the north side of Seattle, he eventually became a University of Washington fan.  On Saturday, the freshman linebacker plays his first game at Husky Stadium, in a role he never really anticipated -- as a member of the Cal Bears in the Pac-10 opener for both teams.  "I always knew it as more of an academic school," he said. "Their football team never stood out."  That, of course, was before coach Jeff Tedford, three straight winning seasons and, most importantly for Felder, his campus visit.   "You couldn't miss what Cal had been doing lately in football," he said. "Then I visited and it was an eye-opening experience."

He liked everything he saw, on both the academic and athletic sides. He had found a new home, turning down LSU, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon State and Washington.  Meanwhile, Tedford and his staff had found a relatively rare commodity -- a freshman able to play without taking a redshirt year to ease the transition from high school to college.  "He's a great athlete, has good instincts, can really, really run and is a great tackler," Tedford said. "Some guys who come in as freshmen are not ready to play physically. Anthony is."   Cal's coaching staff, anticipating last year's attrition at linebacker, had targeted players who could contribute immediately. They eventually found Felder at O'Dea High, a football powerhouse in Seattle, where he was an All-American and set a school record for most tackles in a game with 22.  Both Felder and fellow true freshman Zack Follett, out of Clovis High, are in the rotation. In their first game, Saturday's 41-3 win over Sacramento State, Follett had four tackles, splitting time with CCSF transfer Desmond Bishop in the middle. Felder had one, backing up Greg Van Hoesen at one of the outside spots.  Tedford said Felder would play increasingly more as he gets additional reps in practice and becomes more comfortable with the college game.  "It was pretty dramatic," Felder said of the home-opening crowd of nearly 66,000 last weekend at Memorial Stadium. "I had only played in front of 8,000, tops, in high school."  Saturday also could be dramatic for Felder, playing at the stadium where he often attended Huskies games as a youngster.

"It was an awe-inspiring experience," he said of going to games at Husky Stadium, with its distinctive cantilevered roofs and its view of Lake Washington. "Even sitting in the bleachers was exciting."  The old venue could turn into hostile territory for Felder this weekend -- save for Cal fans making the trip north and the Felder party of 15.  "We are trying to take it light with him and make sure he is comfortable and doesn't have to put too much pressure on himself because he's at home," Tedford said.  Felder appears to be taking it all in stride. His only worry seems to be making sure his family gets enough tickets.  "I don't really have the freshman jitters," he said.