Team-first star RB Lynch, QB by committee and more

                    

	Versatile RB Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,246 yards and 10 TDs in less than 10 games full last season. Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
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By Arash Markazi, SI.com

BERKELEY, Calif. -- I wanted to embarrass Marshawn Lynch. Not because I don't like the guy. On the contrary, he's easily one of the most likable players in the country. But getting Cal's star tailback to talk about himself is harder than getting Paris Hilton to stay home on a Saturday night. It's just not happening.

So as he walked off the field at Memorial Stadium after Thursday's early morning practice, I went up to Lynch and handed him a pamphlet that the Cal media relations department made to hype his Heisman candidacy. The cover of the 10-page brochure blares, "Ten on #10. Ten things to know about Cal running back Marshawn Lynch, 2006 Heisman Trophy Candidate."

"Oh, I haven't seen that," said Lynch, adjusting the headband surrounding his shoulder length dreads, his gold grill glistening under the California sun. "Let me see that. You guys be trippin'."

As Lynch, flips through the pamphlet, smiling and shaking his head at the sight of dozens of pictures of himself, he finally gets to a page he likes, the second to last one, which shows Lynch's backfield teammates Justin Forsett and Marcus O'Keith. My plan quickly backfires.

"Oh, this is cool right here," said Lynch, pointing to the pictures of Forsett and O'Keith. "I would have been upset, but they threw my boys in there so I'm cool. Justin and Ma Deuce [O'Keith], man, they keep me going through the hard times. When we're down here on our last sprints, when we're all down and tired, they're the ones I look to for some adrenaline and juice because they always got it."

Even the sight of his pictures on the team's pocket schedule, fan guide, media guide and Marshawn10.com, a Web site created this summer by the media relations department to push his Heisman run, doesn't affect the team-first Lynch. "I've seen enough pictures of me," he said. "I wouldn't mind seeing them put my front five on the cover for everything they do, but I'm grateful to have my boys in there with me."

His Cal teammates will tell you that's just Marshawn being Marshawn. He's not simply acting modest or humble. It is who he is. He'd rather do an hour-long interview about one of his teammates than answer a single question about his Heisman hype. It's one of the reasons why, beginning next week, he will only address the media once a week. "He doesn't talk about himself," said Forsett. "It's all about the team and family."

While it may be hard to get the modest back to talk about accomplishments, getting his teammates to sing his praises is almost as easy as handing the ball off to him. And why not? After rushing for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns in less than 10 full games last season, he enters 2006 ninth all-time on Cal's career rushing list. "That dude is unbelievable," said wide receiver DeSean Jackson. "He's one of the most diverse running backs I've ever seen. Anytime he gets the ball in his hands he can do anything. We could be on the one-yard line and he could take it all the way. Just having the ball in his hands you never know what he's going to do."

Understanding that getting Lynch to talk about his elusive, yet bone-crushing style will almost be as hard as trying to tackle the explosive back, I change topics. I point to the black Thizz Nation and Mac Dre shirt underneath his practice jersey. The acknowledgement causes him to smile widely as he suddenly gains interest in this story. "Oh yeah, you have to put that in there," said Lynch, as he raises his shoulders pads and pulls down his shirt to show it off. "Rest in Thizz. That's that feel good music here in the Bay."

Before Lynch heads out, he finally offers some insight into his style on the field, which, not surprisingly has little to do with his own talents, but the skills of his 13-year-old brother Davonte "Boo-Boo" Lynch, who he says is the best tailback in the family. "I pick up stuff from him," said Lynch, whose "Lynch Mob" of close friends and family near his home on 40th and Market in Oakland goes about 50 deep. "One of the moves I made in the Oregon game last year, I went to one of his games the previous week and I saw him do it so I tried it. He scored on his; I just got a little 10-yard try. So he came first."