Future Shock

Preparations for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl continued at chilly Memorial Stadium on Saturday; well, chilly by California standards at least. In addition to a practice report which includes lists of which players are practicing with each units, we also catch up with two players who hope to be a big part of the Cal defense in 2008.

Whether because of Alvin Toffler's book or Herbie Hancock's album, the term "future shock" has been part of the popular lexicon for more than 35 years. In Toffler's case, the term referred to impact of technological change on society, in Hancock's case, the term was title of a seminal album which produced a hit, Rockit, that spawned one of the first videos to break the monochromatic stronghold on MTV.

Rockit, which periodically turns up in video games, movies, and marching bands, was also one of the first singles with significant airplay that featured scratching; where a DJ made the turntable into an instrument.  Although Rockit featured all sort of instruments, it was Grandmixer DST's 45-second scratching solo, that opened a whole new dimension to world of one DJ and two turntables.

Which is not to be confused with to the Cal football team which has two DJs and one defense.

At the recent awards banquet, safety D.J. Campbell and linebacker D.J. Holt were named the defensive scout team players of the year, and based on their play in practices, they'll be strong candidates to push for playing time in 2008.  Both players are thoughtful, articulate, and are positive about the future of Cal football.

They also suffer from the same sort of problems that'll affect two good friends who hang out together who share the same first name, and coincidentally-or-maybe-not, the J stands for Jr.

"Sometimes people call us D.J. squared," said Holt.

"We don't have nicknames, though. People call us D.J.," said Campbell.

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Coming out of Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada, Campbell wasted no time in making an impression during fall camp, showing a nose for the ball and an ability to make plays.  Although his play has a fluidity that would suggest that the game comes easily to him, there was a lot of learning that went into getting to that point.

"This year went better than I thought," said the 6-foot, 185-pound Campbell.   "I thought I'd just be sitting a lot, but I had a chance to do a lot this year, to get a lot of reps in practice, to learn, and as the season went on I felt I was getting better and better."

While being on the scout team sounds unglamorous, it also means that week after week they're having to go up against the first-team offense every week.

"It was real helpful," said Campbell, who was a two-time first team all-state selection, and returned four interceptions for touchdowns as a senior. "Each day, I had the chance to go up against them, and I wanted to push myself to do better. If I started off doing decent, I wanted to do good. If I was doing good, I wanted to do great. Going up against them every time, they try to get into our heads a little bit, but we learned to not let that happen. They're one of the best receiving units in the contry and we learned a lot going against them."

For someone who's used to playing a major role with a team, it was difficult for him to watch on the sidelines and not be able to play a bigger role as the team went through its late-season struggles.

"It's been real hard," said Campbell, whose D.J. stands for Darion Jr. "It's important to stay into it emotionally and spiritually when times go rough.   But all of us on the scout team know that we have to wait our turn and keep working and we'll get our chance."

Being named a co-winner of the defensive scout team player of the year caught him off guard, but also serves to give him even greater motiviation for next season.

"I didn't see it coming," said Campbell. "Now, I feel like I've got something to prove. I've worked hard, and I want to come in next year and make an impact."

* * * * *

While Campbell was making an impression from the beginning, Holt had to wait for a few entrance issues to get clarified before he could join the team.  Because those issues weren't resolved until late, Holt ended up missing most of fall camp.

"It did set me back, but I had to get  here first," said the 6-2, 235-pound Holt. "I love the game of football so when I got here I had to work that much harder to make up for time."

Holt's spent much of this fall adjusting to a new position.  As a senior as Crespi Carmelite, he was a terror on the defensive line, with 73 tackles and 14 sacks enroute to being named the 2006 Serra League Defensive Player of the Year. This fall, not only is he playing linebacker, he's playing the Mike, which entails a substantially different set of responsibilities.

"In high school I played defensive end and not linebacker so I've had to learn coverages and how to react to the ball, while continuing to play aggressively," said Holt, who credits the linebackers for helping him adjust to the position. "We've got a lot of veterans here and from them you learn when to make moves,  how to do things correctly, and you learn to try to limit your mistakes and not make them twice."

"The whole linebacker group has been helpful," added Holt, who as a senior also ran for 250 yards and caught 47 passes. "I'm the youngest one there and they're always helping me to keep my head in it, to listen to the coaches and   to know my schemes. They've helped me through everything and they tell me to keep playing with effort."

In making the adjustment from high school ball, one thing has jumped out at him.

"Here, everybody's fast and everybody's good," said Holt, whose D.J. stands for Dorell Jr. "We've gotten a lot of good experience going against the starting offense."

As was the case with Campbell, for Holt it's been tough to watch the team go through a series of close losses, and while it may sound strange for players to derive motivation from a loss, listen to Holt's words closely.

"Me and DJ and the other redshirts know that this is a great team and going through those tough games makes us want to work even harder. We know that when we get out on the field, we want to be able to make a difference," said Holt. "We've had a few losses, but it's just a few plays here and there that have made a difference."

For those who wonder if the team's losses have put a strain on the team, according to Holt, the team's unity hasn't been an issue.

"We've stayed together and helped each other through it.  We're a team, and night and day we're helping each other and supporting each other. We understand that sometimes there's going to be some pain, but we love each other. We're a team."

* * * * *

While both players have adapted well to the rigors of balancing a full class schedule along with the time commitment of being part of a Division I football team, it's also important to note that they're also just a few months into their freshman year.

"The toughest part has been taking on more responsibility," said Campbell.   "Out here you have to do everything on your own."

His fellow DJ concurs.

"The thing I've learned most since getting here is time management," said Holt. "You have to be accountable. Your parents aren't here to account for you, and they're not here to tell you go do your laundry and go to class."

Being named defensive scout team players of the year, Holt and Campbell follow in the footsteps of teammates Worrell Williams and Charles Amadi, and will help fortify a defense that will lose five key contributors to graduation.

Pending the outcome of the Armed Forces Bowl, the Golden Bears will finish with either a six- or seven-win season, and either way observers might have doubts about what lies in store for 2008.  But if you listen to the words of not just Holt and Campbell, but other players on this team, the seeds for next season have already been sown. Opponents that might be tempted to lulling themselves into thinking that Cal might a team they can take lightly again may find that they'll have to brace themselves.

For the future shock.

Saturday's Practice

Even though there were a few players missing from Saturday's practice due to finals, there was a considerable amount of energy during 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s.  With starting quarterback Nate Longshore off taking an exam, Kevin Riley threw with the first team and looked sharp in completing passes across the middle and deep downfield.   Bryan Van Meter threw with the second unit, and did very well with short-range passing, but towards the end he completed an impressive deep pass to Michael Calvin.

Some of the highlights included another sterling set of runs by Shane Vereen, whose ability to stop suddenly, cut, and accelerate will make him a candidate to see lots of playing time in 2008; DeSean Jackson looking full of energy both as a receiver and as a punt returner. He caught a short pass in front of Jesse Brooks, who was in position to make a tackle, but before Brooks could step up, Jackson made a quick spin and was racing up the sideline.  Michael Calvin made a series of nice catches, but on one pass from Van Meter, Thomas DeCoud made a hit to break up the play, but the ball hung up just long enough for Brandon Hampton to make the interception.

Defenders always relish the chance to score in practice.  After picking up a fumble or interception, even though no points are at stake, a defender will usually run all the way to the end zone.  On one occassion, Gary Doxy picked up a loose ball, red-rovered his way through the line of offensive and defensive players and was headed to the end zone when center Alex Mack, who wasn't with the unit on the feet, playfully gave chase, helmet in hand.

With running back Justin Forsett being held out of practice, wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins as a tribute to his teammate, wore #20 during Saturday's practice.

In special teams play, Jordan Kay made several field goals of longer than 40 yards, and punters Andrew Larson and Brian Anger were getting excellent hang time.

Because the units were incomplete due to finals, don't read too much into who was or wasn't part of each unit. Also keep in mind that players were rotated in an out of each unit and that some players competed with multiple units.

First unit offense:  Kevin Riley, Mike Gibson, Brian De La Puente, Alex Mack, Noris Malele, Mike Tepper, Chet Teofilo, Craig Stevens, DeSean Jackson, Robert Jordan, Lavelle Hawkins, James Montgomery, Shane Vereen and Will Taufouu.

First unit defense:  John Allen, Derrick Hill, Cody Jones, Tyson Alualu, Zack Follett, Greg Van Hoesen, Justin Moye, Thomas DeCoud, Brandon Hampton, Darian Hagan and Bernard Hicks.

Second unit offense: Bryan Van Meter, Justin Cheadle, Mark Boskovich, Matt Laird, Mitchell Schwartz, T.J. Emery, Cameron Morrah, Michael Calviin, Cameron Toler, Brian Holley and Shane Vereen.

Second unit defense: Scott Smith, Cody Jones, Solomona Aigamaua, Cameron Jordan, Charles Johnson, Michael Mohamed, Shea McIntyre, Jesse Brooks, Marcus Ezeff, Gary Doxy, Robert Peele and Charles Amadi.

Third unit offense:  Brock Mansion, Mitchell Schwartz, Sam DeMartinis, Justin Prueitt, Justin Cheadle, T.J. Emery, Savai Eselu, Cameron Toler, Michael Calvin, Jeremy Ross, R.J. Garrett and Peter Geurts.

Third unit defense:  Tad Smith, Ernest Owusu, Justin Gates, Charles Johnson, D.J. Holt, Shea McIntrye, Charles Amadi, Brandon Jones, Bernard Hicks, Gary Doxy, Jesse Brooks and D.J. Campbell.

The football team will wrap up practice at the end of the week, then taking a short break before meeting up in Fort Worth on December 27th prior to the Armed Services Bowl.   

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