University of California Athletics

Feb. 4, 1998

Speed is Key Word in Cal's 1998 Football Recruiting Haul

A blur.

That, more than anything else, describes Cal's 1998 recruiting effort as head coach Tom Holmoe today announced the signing of 23 new athletes to letters-of-intent.

The frenetic pace of Holmoe's coaching staff during the past two months traveling the recruiting trail was just one element of the eventual theme of the '98 recruiting campaign. Also, it was how quickly Cal received verbal commitments, finalizing the majority of its recruiting list by mid-December, a full six weeks before the official signing date. But, mostly it is the leg speed that truly characterized the new group of Golden Bear players.

From day one of this recruiting season, speed was the key element in Cal's recruiting effort and that emphasis obviously has paid off as the Bears have added eight different skill position athletes with 4.5 or better speed in the 40. Add in a pair of linebacker who can motor with the best of them, clocking 4.6 times in the 40, and it's easy to see why Holmoe and his staff are enthusiastic about the years to come.

"If there was one area that we focused on in our efforts, it was to improve our team speed," said Holmoe. "Looking back on last season, the simple fact was that we didn't make enough big plays, on either side of the ball. Adding team speed was our main recruiting focus and, without equivocation, I'm thrilled with our results.

"We're a better team when we step on the field next September 5 and we're a better program for years to come. I credit our coaches for their recruiting efforts and it also make me confident that we can recruit a really solid class after a down year. That's a great omen of what we can do when we have more success."

Wide receiver was the major focal point of Cal's '98 recruiting efforts and that emphasis obviously paid major dividends. In what some will describe as the best group of receiving recruits in college football, the Bears signed five different highly acclaimed receivers.

The "Quick Quintet" combined to account for 227 receptions, 72 touchdowns and average an amazing 20.8 yards per catch last season.

While it's hard to differentiate from the amazing statistics all of Cal's new receivers accumulated over the past few seasons, clearly Mike Ainsworth and Omar Bennett attracted the most attention -- turning down offers from schools such as Ohio State and Tennessee to sign with the Bears. However, Holmoe indicates any one of the five receivers could emerge as impact players as they all have incredible statistics coming out of high school.

Ainsworth (6-1, 180) had his choice of most schools across the nation, being wooed as both a receiver and defensive back. It's hard to ignore his seven interceptions in '97, which included three being returned for touchdowns, but it's also hard to ignore his 21.0 ypr average on 43 catches (904 yards). He not only was on everybody's All-America list, but he earned a perfect 10 votes on the prestigious Best in the West poll by the Long Beach Press-Telegram. The Cal coaching staff likens him to Bobby Shaw given his great hands and fearless attitude catching the football in traffic. However, he is regarded as faster than the former Cal All-America receiver.

Cal won't change its zip code to 90210, but Bennett (6-1, 170) from Beverly Hills HS hopes he can make the football world realize that his hometown can produce more than TV stars. After hauling in 62 catches for 984 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, Bennett turned down offers from Wisconsin, Michigan State and Arizona before electing to stay in his home state and attend Cal. He brings with him 4.5 speed along with good size to Berkeley.

Another player who came up with 62 receptions last year was Ronnie Davenport (6-2, 180) from Woodside HS and he has the type of skills that will make him hard to keep off the field. He was somewhat of a sleeper after transferring last fall from Palo Alto HS, but those who found film on this player were instant converts. He wound up with 24 touchdowns in 1997, attracting offers from Washington, USC and Arizona, among others.

Cal picked up another speed-burner in Atwater HS's Eddie Macha (5-10, 185). This player may not be tall in stature, but he has big numbers on his football resume. During the past two seasons, he's accounted for over 2,400 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns while leading his prep team to 26 victories in its last 28 games. He'll be busy this spring as he bids to become a finalist in the state track and field championships in the sprint events. Macha posted a 10.71 electronic time as a junior and figures to improve on that clocking this year. He was being recruited by most of the Pac-10 schools and considered Washington and USC before committing to come to Cal very early in the recruiting process.

One of Cal's most versatile recruits is speedy Brian White (6-0, 175) from Ayala HS in Chino. White can play any number of positions including wide receiver, but he has the earmarks of a big play performer. The new Cal recruit played in a Wing T offense and didn't get much of an opportunity to catch the football, but when he did, he made the most of it. He ended the year with 11 catches for 362 yards, an impressive 32.9 yards per catch average. He also was called upon to run the football and he responded with 184 yards on 23 carries. A player with a 10.7 clocking in the 100 meters, his leg speed could also allow him to play in the secondary if a need arises.

Another major target for Holmoe and his coaching staff was the secondary and they came away with the two superior athletes at cornerback and a pair of safeties who are known for their hitting ability.

Jemeel Powell (6-1, 170) has 4.45 speed and covers like a blanket. He grabbed six interceptions last season at Serra HS and became one of the top cornerback recruits in the West, turning down offers from Arizona State and Oregon to come to Cal. He may contend for immediate playing time with the Bears.

The Bears landed a great all-around athlete in LaShaun Ward (6-0, 185), who made headlines as a quarterback at Muir HS in Pasadena, but will move to cornerback as a collegian. His natural athleticism and 4.5 speed had some schools recruiting him as a quarterback and others as a wide receiver. After rolling up over 5,000 yards of total offense the last two seasons, he should flourish with his full attention being turned to secondary play.

Cal went across the country, reaching into New Jersey to nab safety Bert Watts (6-1, 200). Like Ward, Watts got most of his prep headlines on the other side of the ball as he earned all-state honors as a running back. He accounted for 25 touchdowns (19 rushing, 2 receiving, 2 kickoff returns, 1 punt return and 1 interception return) as a senior. Watts grew up in nearby Piedmont, CA before his family moved East and thus was thrilled when Cal offered him a scholarship, choosing the Bears over Air Force, Army and Miami.

The Bears also added some maturity in the secondary with the addition of JC All-America safety Damien Marzett from Southwest JC in Los Angeles. Marzett made a lot of things happen last season as he not only picked off four interceptions and recorded 75 tackles, but he had six sacks, deflected 17 passes, caused two fumbles, recovered four fumbles and blocked five kicks (including three punts). He played cornerback in JC, indicating his agility, but is slated on the inside for the Golden Bears in 1998. As he's already enrolled, he'll have the added advantage of participating in spring football drills at Cal this April.

Cal took only one other junior college recruit, a radical departure from a year ago when 13 JC players were inked by the school, but he likewise could have an immediate impact on Cal's defense. Defensive tackle Kasey Jackson (6-3, 280) is a powerful player who bench presses 500 pounds, squats almost 700 pounds and should immediately contend for starting duties. He only played one year at Dixie JC after transferring from the Univ. of Hawaii and missed part of the '96 season with a knee sprain, but showed enough to attract offers from UCLA, Illinois and Wyoming before signing with Cal.

While Jackson will be a force from day one on Cal's defensive interior, Vallejo High School's Zech Whittington (6-4, 235) could be a huge boost to Cal's outside pass-rushing force. Whittington has the type of explosion off the line of scrimmage that everybody looks for and could eventually develop into a sack machine for the Bears. Although he did take five recruiting trips, including ones to Arizona State and Utah, he didn't receive a lot of notoriety. That didn't bother the Cal coaching staff who evaluated him as one of the top defensive end prospects in the West this year and were thrilled to sign him.

The cornerstone of Cal's defensive haul is linebacker Jamaal Cherry (6-3, 250) from Clark HS in Las Vegas. Built like a rock, this player has the type of physical ability that should see him bidding for playing time right away. He already bench presses close to 400 pounds and recently turned in a 4.68 time in the 40, indicating that he'll not only be able to stuff opponent running games but also should be able to track down ball-carriers from sideline to sideline. He missed most of his senior season with a foot injury, but did average over 21 tackles per game in the four contests he played last fall. He was one of Washington's prime recruiting targets but disappointed the Huskies when cast his lot with Cal.

Having linebackers with leg speed and athletic ability is crucial in coordinator Lyle Setencich's defensive schemes and Paul Ugenti (6-0, 200) of San Jose's Leland HS fits that description perfectly. Ugenti is in the mold of fellow Leland HS grad Pat Tillman, who earned Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors at Arizona State last year, in that he's undersized, but can run, is smart and has absolutely no fear on the football field. He turned down an offer from ASU to come to Cal.

Linebacker Jason Smith (6-0, 230) will sit out the coming season after transferring from Vanderbilt University, but he also has the type of leg speed that seems to flourish in the Cal defensive system. He originally was recruited by Setencich out of Curtis HS in New Orleans when the Cal coach was at Arizona State.

Cal signed four new players in the offensive backfield, including tailback Chris Hanks (6-0, 180) out of Cathedral HS in Los Angeles. Hanks played at a small school against small school competition, but it's impossible to ignore the numbers he put up. He had a pair of games in which he rushed for over 460 yards and had one four-game streak as a senior in which he scored seven touchdowns in each of those contests. He ended the season as the state's second leading rusher with 3,260 yards, averaging over 11 yards per carry.

Fullback Ryan Stanger (6-2, 225) is a rugged player with 4.53 speed who missed most of his senior season at Rocklin HS due to a knee injury, but is fully recovered and appears set for a great college career. Like many of Cal's recruits, he announced his intention to come to the school early last fall, spurning interest from the likes of UCLA and Arizona State.

Cal also re-signed fullback Saleem Muhammad (6-0, 195) who played at undefeated De La Salle HS in 1996 but sat out last season while fulfilling a class requirement. He earned several honors a year ago, ranking among the Top 30 prospects in the West by SuperPrep magazine and has the type of all-around skills that should make him both a running and pass-catching threat out of the backfield in Cal's offense.

The Bears landed an interesting quarterback prospect in David Page (6-1, 175) from No. Rankin HS in Brandon, Mississippi. Page is an unknown quantity to many since he played only one full year of high school football, but he impressed the Cal coaches when he attended the school's summer camp last year and was immediately offered a scholarship. He completed 29-of-56 passes for 485 yards and 5 TDs in two games as a senior before being shelved with a neck problem. However, he is fully recovered and should give the Bears needed depth at the quarterback position.

Cal only wanted to sign one player at the tight end position and the Bears got a superior prospect in Marcus Helfman (6-5, 225) from Agoura HS. Helfman has great size, figuring to easily be able to carry 240 pounds or more on his frame, and also is a great athlete. He was recruited by several schools as a basketball prospect and is averaging more than 20 points a game as a senior. He also played quarterback some as a senior when a teammate went down with an injury.

The Bears added to their offensive line with the addition of three players. Cal reached into Oregon to nab Brian Gray (6-4, 260) from Marshfield HS in Coos Bay. Gray has the type of athletic ability that one wants on the offensive line and could emerge as a blue-chipper as he matures in college. He took recruiting trips to Nebraska and Oregon before choosing Cal.

Massive Warren Rick (6-6, 300) from Sunnyvale's Fremont HS obviously has the size to become a force at the collegiate level. Being a black belt in karate also indicates he has some athletic ability and if he can put everything together, he could emerge as a cornerstone at one of Cal's offensive tackle positions for years to come.

A player who can player any of the offensive line positions is Adam Fisher (6-4, 275) from Huntington Beach HS. An avid weight-lifter, Fisher's work ethic makes the Cal coaches believe he'll play an important role at Cal in the near future.

Cal ended its recruiting haul with the signing of Matt Nixon (6-1, 210), a combination linebacker and long snapper who caught the coaching staff's eye with his ability to make things happen on a football field. He doesn't fit the computer in terms of size, but the coaches loved his instincts and felt he could be a contributor to the Cal defense plus immediately contend for starting duties as a long-snapper.

Cal Recruiting Notes

4.45 or faster  Eddie Macha
4.50 or faster  LaShaun Ward, Jameel Powell, Omar Bennett
4.55 or faster  Ronnie Davenport, Ryan Stanger, Chris Hanks,
                Brian White
4.60 or faster  Paul Ugenti
4.65 or faster  Marcus Helfman, Saleem Muhammad, Bert Watts,
                Damien Marzett, David Page
4.69 or faster  Jamaal Cherry, Zech Whittington

Name            Receptions Yards   Ave.  Touchdowns
Mike Ainsworth      43       904   21.0  14 rec, 3 ret, 3 int = 20
Omar Bennett        62       984   15.9  16 rec, 2 ret = 18
Ronnie Davenport    62      1390   22.4  24 rec
Eddie Macha         49      1071   21.9  15 rec
Brian White         11       362   32.9  3 rec, 4 rush = 7
Totals             227      4711   20.8  72 rec = 84 TDs