Bay Area Trips Special for Many

Northern California has long been fertile recruiting ground for UCLA, and today’s game at California will be a homecoming for many players on the 64-man travel roster.

Junior linebacker Spencer Havner said his father rented a bus to drive to the game because so many people from his hometown of Nevada City had purchased tickets. Sophomore running back Maurice Drew, who starred for Concord De La Salle High, said today’s matchup would be like a high school rivalry game because he has so many friends playing for Cal.

But for seniors like wide receiver Tab Perry, a Milpitas native, the experience goes even deeper.

“It’s always a big deal to play one of the Bay Area teams,” Perry said. “Playing in Berkeley is only 40 minutes from my house and I know a lot of people will be at the game. But this is my last year and this year’s special. I want to go up there and win in front of my family and friends.”

Although UCLA defeated Cal in overtime last year at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins have lost two in a row at Berkeley.

“This is always a big game because we have so many kids from the Bay Area,” Coach Karl Dorrell said. “They’re excited about going home and want to play well.”

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Perry on his zero-catch performance against Arizona last week: “I was so disappointed in myself. I had to go back to the mentality that I had when I was trying to get back into school. When I was working out in the summer, working on little things. When what you’re doing is not working, you have to go all the way back to basics.”

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Senior receiver Craig Bragg, from San Jose, made the trip but is not expected to play because of a shoulder injury.

Dorrell said Bragg has recovered well since suffering his injury at Washington on Sept. 18.

“He looked good,” Dorrell said about Bragg, who wore shoulder pads but did not participate in any team drills in practice this week. “He did some things, but he needs to go through a full week of practice before he’s ready. He should be able to go,” at Arizona State on Oct. 23.

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Junior Justin London, who has been slowed by a high ankle sprain all season, will start at middle linebacker. London played a couple of defensive series against Arizona.... Redshirt freshman Derrick Williams and freshman Chris Markey will return kickoffs for the second game in a row. Safety Jarrad Page will return punts.