Sunday, July 11, 2010

2 NEW SEASONS - LET'S BALL!!!

An Early Look at Cal Football 2010
The offseason has finally gotten to me. Cal Football is like that bad, bad girl(or boy) you know will be the death of you. You're going to have good times and bad, be led on, and ultimately have your heart broken. And yet, you keep coming back for more. So without further ado, here are some early thoughts regarding the 2010 Cal Football team. Please consider these to be the inexpert thoughts and opinions of a casual fan. (Hopefully, the smarter and more knowledgeable posters can be induced to fill in the gaps and provide corrections as needed.)

Additional Disclaimer: This is based solely on personal observations (tv) and an OCD approach to reading every scrap of Cal-related internet info that I could find over the past few months. I have not yet taken my annual pilgrimage to the bookstore to cry over peruse all the pre-season magazines nor do I have access to any game tape or live practices.

2009: A member of the team but did not see any game action.

2008: Redshirted ... did not play.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year varsity starter who twice earned Team MVP honors ... rated No. 89 among the nation's running backs ... also a two-time All-Marmonte League selection as well as an All-County honoree as a senior when he rushed 230 times for 1,225 yards and 16 touchdowns after a 988-yard campaign with 10 TDs as a junior ... caught a combined 32 passes for 287 yards in his final two seasons ... also served as his team's punter, averaging 33.7 yards per punt as a senior.
PERSONAL: Full name is Langston R. Jackson ... born May 14, 1990 ... major is undeclared but considering Media Studies.

LAST UPDATED: June 9, 2010


April 17, 2010

Ryan Gorcey
BearTerritory.net Publisher

BERKELEY-Now, we're even.
That declaration on the part of the Cal football team's offense was made loud and clear on Saturday, as the Bears offense put on a show for the Cal Day crowd, tallying seven touchdowns and two field goals and getting the better of the defense for the first time this spring. Most impressive, though, was Langston Jackson, who carried the ball three times for 21 yards and looks like a dark horse candidate to get at least some meaningful snaps next season.

Post #96

Add Buddy Re: A long look forward.

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Given the role of the FB in Cal's offense, the idea of Kapp playing FB is a joke. He's only 220 lbs! Cal uses the fullback as a blocker about 95% of the time, so they'd be much better off converting Langston Jackson to FB if they insist on pretending that the FB is a RB in Cal's offense. An even better idea would be to use a backup OL, DL, TE or LB with the size to pound LBs into the ground.

Ryan Gorcey
BearTerritory.net Publisher


SAN FRANCISCO-"And the Children Shall Lead." It's more than just the title of an original Star Trek episode. On Wednesday evening at AT& Park, it was a young child who fired perhaps the most pointed question at Cal head football coach Jeff Tedford during the question-and-answer period of the AT&T Coaches Tour event.

Shortly into the give-and-take with the crowd, a young towheaded boy stepped up to the mike. Before the boy opened his mouth, Tedford chuckled, sensing just what was in store.

"This is a quarterback question, I can feel it," Tedford said, eliciting a chorus of laughs from the crowd. "I can feel it. Somebody put him up to it. Everybody always puts the little kids up to ask the quarterback question."

"Is Kevin Riley quarterbacking again?" the young boy asked, followed by an even louder cacophony of laughter."I've done this a few times. I know," Tedford laughed. "Yes, he is playing quarterback."

After some more laughter, the child asked who Riley's backups would be. Smart kid. Probably gunning for my job.

"Very smart. That's the way to ask who the starter is, right?" Tedford said, to more laughter. "The quarterback situation, we're very competitive there. Kevin obviously has a step up because of his experience level and game time. Beau Sweeney, right now, is No. 2, and he's going to compete very strongly for that spot. Brock (Mansion) is in third right now."

As BearTerritory readers already know, Mansion sprained his left foot/ankle during spring practice, but Tedford offered an update to a small gathering of press after the event.
"He's doing fine," Tedford said. "He had a sprained ankle/foot, and now he's had time to recover. I don't think he's 100 percent yet, but he's back at it (throwing to teammates). Brock's pretty good at rehab and doing what he's told. It's just unfortunate that he didn't get to play down the stretch in the spring."

Tedford also spoke on several other injuries, saying that sophomore linebacker Mychal Kendricks is healing well, but freshman defensive lineman Keni Kaufusi will likely miss "most of the season" recovering from shoulder surgery.

Another injury that Tedford addressed during the Q&A was the shoulder surgery that freshman QB Allan Bridgford underwent that cost him all of last season.

"He's throwing now. He just started throwing this week, so he'll be in the mix," Tedford said. "It'd be great to see him out there, because he was very frustrated by that (injury), obviously. He'll be in the mix, and he's got a lot of ability, so we can't wait to get him back into it. He's a very quick study and a very smart guy. He's competitive. So, it'll be nice to see him start to compete a little bit."

As for the quarterback competition heading into fall, Tedford addressed that during the Q&A, as well.

"We're going to let it play out, all through the summer and all through fall camp, and then we'll make a decision about a week and a half before the first game on who's going to be the starter," Tedford said. "Right now, Kevin, his whole deal through the spring was consistency-trying to get him to be more consistent with his fundamentals-and he's really worked hard at that. He's a great competitor, and I know he wants the job and he provides some leadership there for us, as well."

When asked about the offensive line, Tedford gave fans at least a glimpse of the possible starting five in the trenches.

"I think we have a chance to be solid there," Tedford told the crowd. "We really do. I think Chris Guarnero is going to be the center, we have a couple returners. Mitchell Schwartz will be a tackle, we're going to move Matt Summers-Gavin to tackle. We're very athletic up there."

Later, Tedford specified that Summers-Gavin would take the place of departed senior Mike Tepper at left tackle.

"We have some flexibility with Donovan Edwards playing at center and guard and tackle. But, right now, coming out of the spring, Matt was our best left tackle," Tedford said. "But, Schwartz was hurt, so we've had to do a lot of moving around."

Still undecided is who will be the No. 2 running back behind the prohibitive favorite for the starting job, junior Shane Vereen.

"I don't know who that second back is going to be," Tedford said. "I do know this: Shane is very talented. He can do a lot of things. But, we cannot hand him the ball 42 times like the Stanford game. After that, he wasn't the same for the next two games. We kind of beat him up in that game, and he played great and all that, but we can't do that. We have to utilize him in some places, probably even at some receiver as well, with our youth at receiver. But, Shane can do it all.

"We have to be very smart, and Coach (Ron) Gould, our running backs coach, does a phenomenal job of making sure he's spelling those guys and keeping them healthy and things like that, so one of the goals, and one of our challenges going into fall camp will be who is that next back, or maybe who are the next two backs to help spell Shane a little bit and keep him fresh."

With all the depth-chart talk behind him, Tedford also addressed the looming spectre of Pac-10 conference expansion as the room emptied after the event.

"I think there could be some benefits to it," Tedford said. "I need to learn more about it, obviously, and see how the league would be aligned and what the rotation would be, with who you play and how often. I'm anxious to find out more about it. I don't know enough specifics. I think it's exciting. It's exciting to have a championship game. That would be pretty cool. It'd be competitive, I know that."

During his prepared comments earlier, the Bears' head coach was a bit more demonstrative in his thoughts on the subject.

"Obviously, this Pac-16 thing adds a lot of buzz. There's no question about it. It should be very exciting," Tedford said. "Actually, I'd like to get another cut at Texas after they kind of screwed us. I don't know how your guys' memory is, but I know when we got screwed out of the Rose Bowl that year by Texas, I won't forget that, so hopefully, we can get another shot."

And that shot may come earlier than when the two teams finally meet on the gridiron. That shot may come in the recruiting battles in the Lone Star State.

"I think in recruiting, for a kid who says, 'Hey, I want to play these teams,' or even for a Texas kid, we could go to Texas and recruit more, because they know that they get to go home and play Texas teams and stuff.


Top 120 countdown No. 38 California


Coach: Jeff Tedford (67-35, ninth season)
Staff


Last season: 8-5, 5-4 (T-5th in Pac-10); lost to Utah in Poinsettia Bowl


Returning starters: Offense-8. Defense-4. Special teams-2.
Depth Chart


Final 2009 Rivals.com ranking: 31st
Last season's Rivals 120


Beware the Cal Bears: When little is expected from them, much often is delivered.

No doubt, little is expected in Berkeley following last season's disappointment that included five losses by double-digit margins. Even the freeloaders on Tightwad Hill felt gypped.

That was the fourth time in the past five seasons Cal was ranked among the nation's preseason top 20 but failed to finish there. But Cal often exceeds modest expectations, as was the case in 2002 when coach Jeff Tedford's first team improved on a 1-10 debacle the previous year and notched seven wins. In '04, they opened the season ranked 13th but finished ninth and almost beat national champion USC. In '08, they opened unranked but posted nine victories.

So could the Bears surprise again?

That will require efficient quarterback play, a stronger offensive line and an improved secondary that may depend heavily on freshmen.


OFFENSE

THE SCHEME: California employs a pro-style system that also utilizes elements of the spread. The Bears typically have a productive running game. A streak of seven consecutive seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher ended last season, but only because of a season-ending injury to starting TB Jahvid Best. Best and Shane Vereen, who started late in the year, combined for more than 1,800 rushing yards.

STAR POWER: Vereen, a junior, finished just 48 yards shy of 1,000 last season -- and he was a backup. Now that Best has gone to the NFL, Vereen's workload figures to increase substantially. So does his output. When replacing an injured Best in the starting lineup for the final four games of '09, Vereen rushed for 566 yards and six touchdowns. He had more than 100 yards in every game in which he received at least 17 carries. Look for him to get at least 20 every game this season.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Cal's backup running back typically gets a significant share of the rushing load, and the Bears need a reliable backup for Vereen. Although there is no shortage of candidates, one possibility is redshirt freshman Dasarte Yarnway, a former four-star prospect who rushed for more than 2,100 yards as a high school senior. At 6 feet and 223 pounds, Yarnway can provide an element of power.

STRONGEST AREA: There is great big-play potential at running back. Vereen had touchdown runs of 61, 42 and 36 yards and a 50-yarder in which he didn't score. Cal typically shares the rushing workload, and there are no shortages of candidates to back up Vereen. Sophomore Isi Sofele has gnat-like quickness and size (5-7/186 pounds), and given a crease he has the speed to score from anywhere on the field. Sophomore Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson averaged 6.8 yards per carry while rushing for 211 yards in a limited role last season. And there's the touted Yarnway.
BIGGEST PROBLEM: QB Kevin Riley takes a lot of heat, but he could sure use more help from the line. A year ago, the Bears' offensive front allowed 31 sacks, the second-highest total in the Pac-10. Four starters return, but obviously they have to raise their performance level. The Bears hope moving Matt Summers-Gavin, who missed five games because of injuries in '09, from guard to tackle will help solve that problem.


DEFENSE

THE SCHEME: Cal uses a 3-4 set. First-year coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who comes from the NFL, has supervised units that created pressure and forced turnovers. Look for the Bears to be more aggressive and blitz frequently from all angles.

STAR POWER: ILB Mike Mohamed distinguished himself as one of the Pac-10's best in '09. He led the league with 112 tackles, 16 more than anyone else. He also grabbed three interceptions. His interception of Stanford's Andrew Luck on the 3-yard line clinched the victory over the Bears' archrival. An All-Pac 10 selection, Mohamed will contend for even greater honors if he follows up with a similar performance this season.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Cal assembled one of the country's best 2010 recruiting classes. One big reason is DE/OLB Chris Martin, a five-star recruit ranked the No. 18 prospect in the nation. Martin posted 11 sacks as a high school senior and figures to be a perfect fit for Pendergast's system.

STRONGEST AREA: Mohamed's return and Martin's addition makes linebacker an easy choice. Furthermore, the Bears have plenty of other veterans returning, too. D.J. Holt got eight starts in '09, so the Bears should be solid inside. Last year in his first season as a starter, Mychal Kendricks posted 71 tackles -- the second-highest total on the team. Yet he isn't assured a place in the starting lineup. Keith Browner, a 6-6, 260-pound senior, could be an imposing presence on the outside.

BIGGEST PROBLEM: The secondary play was terrible in '09. The Bears ranked 111th in the nation in pass defense; they allowed 20 touchdown passes and made just 11 interceptions. Three of last season's starters have departed. That may be a good thing.

SPECIAL TEAMS

P Bryan Anger is so good that he averaged 41.5 yards per attempt last season, and some felt he had a subpar year. Anger had 14 punts that covered at least 50 yards and killed 24 kicks inside the opponents' 20. So, a "good" season would really be something. Kicking hasn't been a problem, nor has it been an area of strength. A year ago, Vince D'Amato and Giorgio Tavecchio combined to convert 15 of 24 field-goal attempts. Vereen is dangerous on kick returns, but he may not continue in that role. The Bears still will be solid there. Jeremy Ross averaged more than 21 yards on punt returns and can be effective on kickoffs, too. The coverage units need work.

DATE OPPONENT
Sept. 4 UC Davis

Sept. 11 Colorado

Sept. 17 @ Nevada

Sept. 25 @ Arizona

Oct. 9 UCLA

Oct. 16 @ USC

Oct. 23 Arizona State

Oct. 30 @ Oregon State

Nov. 6 @ Washington State

Nov. 13 Oregon

Nov. 20 Stanford

Nov. 27 Washington

SCHEDULE
Cal typically gets off to a fast start, and 2010 should be no different. The Bears open with Cal-Davis, then face Colorado and Nevada to complete the non-conference portion of the schedule. Pac-10 play requires road trips to Arizona, USC and Oregon State, which should be strong contenders for the conference championship. The Bears also must close with home games against Oregon, Stanford and Washington.


OVERALL OUTLOOK

Cal is usually good, but never quite good enough. The Bears have notched at least eight victories five times in the past six seasons and have posted the second-most victories among Pac-10 teams since coach Jeff Tedford took over eight years ago. But they haven't managed a championship in that span. There are reasons for optimism this season. Vereen and WRs Marvin Jones and Ross provide big-play potential on offense, and Pendergast's addition and an influx of young talent should boost the defense. In addition, there aren't great expectations for Cal, which could have the element of surprise in its favor. But Riley has been inconsistent throughout his career, and the offensive line and secondary have to show dramatic improvement. Overall, the Bears figure to be good again, just not good enough to win a title.


- Olin Buchanan

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.

extension with a pay cut »




College Football 2010 Rankings: No. 42 California

California, Orlando Sentinel Preseason Rankings 2010, college football — posted by andrea adelson on July, 20 2010 6:00 AM Discuss This: Comments(0)
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The Orlando Sentinel’s 2010 college football preseason rankings will count down Football Bowl Subdivision teams from 120 to 1.


Today at No. 42: California


Jeff Tedford leads California.

Why is California No. 42? The Bears lost several of their best players, including RB Jahvid Best and Tyson Alualu. But they got a glimpse of life without Best last season, after a serious concussion cut his campaign short. California is going to need more consistency out of QB Kevin Riley and in the secondary to challenge for the Pac-10 crown.

2010 spring prospectus

2010 schedule

Capsule, by Brendan Sonnone

Coach: Jeff Tedford (67-35, ninth season)

2009 Record: 8-5 (5-4, sixth in Pac-10)

Look back: California has had a difficult time living up to preseason expectations under Tedford. Last season was no different. Starting the season ranked No. 15, the Golden Bears got off to a fast start as Heisman hopeful Jahvid Best ran for 412 yards in landslide victories against Maryland, Eastern Michigan and Minnesota. But the fast start ended abruptly. California lost its next two games to Oregon and USC by a combined 66 points. Best later sustained a serious concussion following a scary fall in loss at Oregon State and missed the rest of the season. California ended the year with consecutive double-digit losses against Washington and Utah in the bowl game.


Offensive starters lost/returning: 5/6

Defensive starters lost/returning: 6/5

Key losses: RB Jahvid Best (867 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns), DL Tyson Alualu (65 tackles, 7.5 sacks), WR Verran Tucker (453 receiving yards), OL Mike Tepper.

Top returnees: LB Mike Mohamed (112 tackles, 3 INTs), RB Shane Vereen (952 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns), WR Marvin Jones (43 catches, 651 receiving yards, 6 TDs), QB Kevin Riley (2,850 passing yards, 18 TDs, 8 INTs).

Strengths: Last year, the Golden Bears finished third in the Pac-10 with 112 rushing yards per game and have the potential to be just as successful on the ground in 2010. Cal returns four starters on the offensive line and Vereen comes back as the team’s leading rusher. Vereen filled in for Best admirably last year and will have an increased load as a junior. Mohamed anchors a defensive front seven that returns four starters from last season. DE Cameron Jordan, who had six sacks in 2009, is a good fit in the team’s 3-4 scheme and the Golden Bears expect big things from NT Kendrick Payne.

Weaknesses: While the run game has been strong for the Golden Bears, the passing game has been mediocre in recent years. Riley was serviceable at quarterback last season, but in the games that Cal lost, he made too many mistakes, especially in losses to USC and Oregon. Jones stepped up as a reliable receiver for Riley but there weren’t many more dynamic players for him to throw the ball to. The secondary returns safety Sean Cattouse, who emerged as a starter later in the season, but it is comprised of cornerbacks Darian Hagan, Josh Hill, and Bryant Nnabuife, who all rotated as starters but never locked down their spot on the depth chart.

Outlook: The pieces are in play for California to go bowling again. Vereen proved his worth as a reliable running back and Riley just needs to improve his efficiency (completed 54 percent of his passes last year) for Cal’s offense to be one of the league’s best. If the defense—especially the secondary—can step up, Tedford’s squad should be solid again in 2010.

Video extra: Highlights of California’s 2010 spring scrimmage.







Pepperdine Waves Summer Report


WCCTV will bring you Summer Reports on all eight WCC men's basketball teams


The Waves return 13 letterwinners and all five starters from last year's squad.

Headlining the list of returners is junior guard Keion Bell who earned All-WCC honorable mention status last season. Bell led the Waves and ranked second in the conference in scoring with 18.5 ppg. Bell is also one of the top rebounding guards in the conference as he averaged 5.1 rpg to go along with 3.2 apg.

Bell had a career-high 37 points at Gonzaga (1/21), which included 34 second-half points en route to setting a McCarthey Athletic Center scoring record by an opponent. It was the highest-scoring game by a WCC player in 2009-10.

The Waves also return senior wing Mychel Thompson, son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson and brother of current Washington State standout Klay Thompson. Thompson turned in a solid junior season, ranking second on the team in scoring with 11.8 ppg to go along with 5.0 rpg en route to All-WCC honorable mention accolades.

Thompson opens the season with 931 career points and should become the Waves' 36th 1,000-point scorer. He also enters the season ranked seventh all-time at Pepperdine in three-pointers made with 139.


Junior point guard Lorne Jackson returns to run the Waves offense. Jackson was solid for the Waves last season, ranking third on the team in scoring with 8.1 ppg, while handing out 2.7 apg.
Junior forward Taylor Darby returns to add muscle to the Pepperdine frontline. Darby started 23 games last season, leading the Waves in rebounding for the second straight season with 6.0 rpg. Darby is one of the most active rebounders on the offensive glass, ranking second behind only Saint Mary's Omar Samhan in offensive rebounds per game last season with 2.5 per game. Darby, who added 6.3 ppg, scored a career-high 18 points vs. Loyola Marymount in the WCC Tournament (3/5) while pulling down a season-high-tying 12 rebounds.

WCC Men's Hoops Summer Report Schedule

June 23 - University of San Diego Summer Report

June 30 - Loyola Marymount Lions Summer Report

July 7 - Pepperdine University

July 14 - Santa Clara University

July 21 - University of San Francisco

July 28 - Saint Mary's College

August 4 - University of Portland

August 11 - Gonzaga University


Post #32
 Re: Running Back
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some posters are really funny...you keep forgetting the biggest and toughest back on the team. Jackson Good thing the coaches know who he is. By conference time, you will see who will get the ball for short yardage!

Just like USC's RB depth, there are stars on the bench.


Recap from Men's Basketball Trip to Italy

May 20, 2010
By Dick Dornan

Special to PepperdineSports.com

MALIBU, Calif. -- What a trip it was for the Men's Basketball team in Italy! For 10 days, the Pepperdine coaching staff and players had the opportunity of a lifetime. From five-hour bus rides of laughter and team camaraderie, to enjoying the sights and sounds of famous landmarks and cities, to cherishing the amazing taste of Italian dining and to playing four games against European competition, the Waves got to experience a culture and a country that they will appreciate for a lifetime.

"It was great -- a wonderful experience," Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. "It was good from a basketball standpoint and even better from a cultural standpoint. Just a great experience for the guys."

The tour consisted of visits to Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain) and the Rome City Center (Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel), Florence (Accademia Gallery- Michelangelo's David, Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio), Venice (St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola rides) and Lake Como (Bellagio).

"The highlight for me was the bus rides, and the conversations with the guys and staff," associate head coach Marty Wilson said. "The camaraderie that was built was great. If the guys are better off the court, we will be a whole lot better on the court.

"I thought the trip was great. Our guys learned more than they probably ever expected to. All of our guys were really appreciative. They were just blown away by the experience."

The players had the chance to spend time with each other and take in a special and unique opportunity to visit one of the world's crown jewels in Europe.

"The trip was an awesome experience for our team," said junior center Corbin Moore (Cypress, Calif./Los Alamitos HS). "It was really exciting to explore another country. I think as a team we really bonded with each other and got to see so many cool things that you only learn about in history class or see in textbooks. We spent a lot of time together and the experience was something that I will never forget."

It was successful as well for the growth and development of the team as they prepare for the 2010-11 season. The Waves went 3-1 against some good Italian professional competition.

"The last game was a good one for us," assistant coach Damin Lopez said. "The crowd was loud. It was like a true road game. The players were bigger and more physical. Every call went against us. But we kept fighting back and found a way to win. It was good from the mental standpoint."

Asbury allowed his top two assistants in Wilson and Lopez to each coach one game at the helm. The games were competitive and the teams earned greater respect of each other.

"All the teams were well-coached and the players were good sportsmen," Asbury said.

Playing in an unfamiliar environment was never an issue. The Italian crowd was very receptive of the Pepperdine team and how they played.

"They were very appreciative of the good play," Asbury said. "Many times they were cheering for us more than their own."

Pepperdine lost its first game to Romana Basket Anagni, 90-83, but rebounded to win three straight contests over CUS Siena, 92-53, Texa Roncado, 87-71 and Sangiorgese Basket, 82-76.

The final contest vs. Sangiorgese Basket was a hard-fought game that brought out the best in the Waves. After sightseeing and traveling for eight days, Pepperdine overcame tired legs and sluggish play to prevail in an exciting victory.

"We played well enough to win," Asbury said.

Junior guard Keion Bell  (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) led the Waves with 23.3 points and 56% shooting from the field over the four games. Senior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) chipped in 15.5 points per game as the Waves averaged 86 points a game.

(The rest of the team's scoring averages were as follows: Lorne Jackson 9.5, Jonathan Dupre' 7.5, Taylor Darby 5.8, Joshua Lowery 5.5, Corbin Moore 5.3, Denis Agre 4.8, Tanner Kerry 4.8, Gus Clardy 4.0, Caleb Willis 4.0, Richard Branning 1.3)

Aside from visiting the historical venues and taking in the majestic beauty around the country, one of the highlights for everyone was connecting with fellow Pepperdine students who are spending time at the Florence campus. The Waves got to tour the small villa there where the students live and study abroad.

Liz Whatley, Director of Pepperdine's Florence, Italy Study-Abroad Program, invited the basketball team, coaches and students to dinner at her house outside Florence for an evening of social interaction and good times. She served lasagna, pasta, steak and chicken as part of a feast that everyone had the pleasure to enjoy.

"Meeting up with the abroad program was fun because it was cool to see people I knew from school," said junior forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS).

Whether it was the boat ride on gorgeous Lake Como, the breath-taking viewing of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel or the awe inspiring architecture of the Colosseum and Michelangelo's David, the trip to Italy left a lasting impression upon the Pepperdine players and coaches.

"Going to the Colosseum was crazy too because you've seen it on television and movies all the time," Darby said. "Lake Como was awesome. Probably one of the prettiest lakes I've ever seen. It was an all-around great trip."

"It was priceless," Assistant Coach Will Kimble said. "I was definitely blessed to have seen it all."

"We saw some unbelievable sites and saw some great history," Wilson added.
Said Thompson: "It was a great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing. Not many people get to take free trips to Europe. It was real cool going on the tours and seeing all of the religious and historical places there. The way they play basketball there is pretty different than here, but it was pretty fun and a great experience. It was all in all, an experience of a lifetime."

As for the food, exotic types of spaghetti, different dishes of pasta and delicious flavors of gelato were the favorites among the coaches. For Wilson, it was the salmon pasta. Lopez craved the Stracciatella gelato (chocolate chip-type ice cream). Asbury, along with Scott Coopman, Director of Basketball Operations, agreed that the food never gets old, just better.

"Every type of food was good," Asbury stated. "You never get tired of it." "I didn't have a bad meal. No such thing there," Coopman added.

The Waves will forever remember this special trip.
"Each person had a different recollection," Asbury said. "They were fascinated with it all. We have great kids who are good students and value an education. But it's the bonding and togetherness that you get a lot out of. We thoroughly enjoyed it."

Lorne Jackson Career Statistics
CAREER: In two seasons, has averaged 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 21.4 minutes ... Has started 32 of 62 games ... A career 75.9% free throw shooter.

PEPPERDINE 2009-10: Finished third on the team in scoring again as a sophomore, averaging 8.1 points ... Also posted 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.1 minutes ... Started 18 of 31 games ... In the WCC, was 11th in assists, 11th in steals and 11th in free throw percentage (75.0%) ... Reached double-figures in points 12 times ... Scored a career-high 21 points vs. San Francisco (1/16), which included 9-for-9 from the foul line ... Along with the USF victory, had 15 points in a win over Santa Clara (1/14) and was named the WCC co-Player of the Week ... Began WCC play with four straight games of at least 15 points ... Other season highs were six assists vs. Loyola Marymount (1/9), six rebounds (several times), four steals at Portland (1/23), four three-pointers (three times) and 38 minutes vs. Santa Clara (1/14).

PEPPERDINE 2008-09: Pepperdine's third-leading scorer as a freshman ... Averaged 6.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.6 minutes ... Played in 31 games ... Started 14 games at point guard while Ryan Holmes was injured ... Scored in double-figures 12 times ... Had a season-high 18 points at Hawaii (12/30) in just 22 minutes ... Other season highs were five assists (several times), four rebounds (several times), three steals at Saint Mary's (1/17) and three three-pointers (several times) ... After scoring 11 points in the first five games, exploded for 17 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (11/29) in a season-high 31 minutes ... Drove in for a game-winning lay-up with 6.6 seconds left vs. Coppin State (12/29) ... Late in the season, scored in double-figures in three straight games, amassing 32 points in 33 minutes.
HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Simi Valley (Calif.) High School in 2008 ... Named the Ventura County Star's Player of the Year as a 2008 senior ... On the Ventura County all-time lists, finished second in career steals (308) and ninth in career assists (439) ... Also named CalHiSports.com all-state second team, All-SCIBCA Southern Section Division I-AA first team and Marmonte League co-Player of the Year ... A McDonald's All-American nominee ... Led Ventura County in scoring (22.9 ppg) and steals (4.3 spg) and was second in assists (6.8 apg) ... Added 6.7 rebounds per game and shot 50% from the field, 38% on three-pointers and 84% from the free throw line ... Set a school record with a 20-for-22 free-throw performance against Dominguez High School en route to a season-high 39 points ... Scored 20 or more points 19 times and 30 or more points three times ... Helped Simi Valley to a 26-2 record, an unbeaten record in the Marmonte League and the second round of the CIF playoffs ...As a 2007 junior, made the CalHiSports.com all-state junior second team and the All-Ventura County first team while averaging 16.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 4.0 steals ... As a 2006 sophomore, averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals ... Also lettered in football ... Earned a CIF "Character Counts" award and the Marmonte League's "All-Star" honor.

CLUB: Played for Double Pump Elite and BTI.

PERSONAL: Born in Simi Valley, Calif. ... Son of Reginald and Lyle Jackson ... His father played football at UCLA ... Has two siblings, Ashley and Langston ... His twin brother Langston is a freshman walk-on on the California football team ... His personal trainer was former NBA player Pooh Richardson ... Chose Pepperdine because "I loved the coaches, the players and the campus."

FAVORITES: Enjoys watching television and movies and listening to music ... Favorite pro basketball player is Kobe Bryant ... Favorite pro basketball team is the Los Angeles Lakers ... Favorite book is Coach Wooden One-on-One ... Favorite movie is Friday ... Favorite TV shows are the Jamie Foxx Show and Entourage ... Favorite musical artist is Lil' Wayne ... Favorite sport other than basketball is football ... Favorite thing about basketball is "there is so much more that you can get better at, even though I've been playing it since I was young."

Pepperdine Waves Men's Basketball