Receiver McArthur recalls ’03 matchup, which he dominated
Fifteen years ago, wide receiver Geoff McArthur zoomed into Big Game lore. He repeatedly found open space, reliably snared passes and ended his record-breaking day with 16 catches for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
McArthur needed a quarterback to help him post those eye-popping numbers, of course, and he had a good one: Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers and McArthur ushered Cal to a 28-16 victory in the 2003 edition of this storied rivalry. That was no coincidence, because McArthur’s memorable Big Game punctuated a season in which he had 85 catches for 1,504 yards and earned All-America honors.
This started with earning the trust of a future NFL Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl champion.
“We worked extremely hard to get that type of chemistry,” McArthur said last week. “I don’t think their defense had a lot of respect for
our connection. They were in predictable coverages. That’s not smart with a guy like Aaron.”
McArthur, 35, now coaches wide receivers at El Camino College in Torrance (Los Angeles County). He vigorously roots for the Packers and Raiders, given his history with Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch, a Cal teammate in 2004.
McArthur and Rodgers clicked in ways beyond throwing and catching. They both carried a bit of a chip on their shoulder, determined to show they belonged.
“What I remember most about Aaron is he had that winning competitive edge,” McArthur said. “He wanted to compete no matter how big the stage, and prove he was the best. It was influential for me, because I thrive off that mentality.”
They thrived throughout the ’03 season. McArthur reeled off several big games before the actual Big Game: eight catches for 169 yards in a loss at Kansas State, 10 catches for 155 yards in a win over Illinois, nine catches for 128 yards in a loss to UCLA.
The Bears had an up-anddown season (they finished 8-6), given an inconsistent defense and uncertainty at quarterback until Rodgers established himself as the starter. Cal’s highlight, clearly, was beating both USC and Stanford, a rare combination.
McArthur’s leading role in the Big Game win didn’t seem likely at halftime. The Bears trailed 10-0 and McArthur had a sore ankle. Running back Adimchinobe Echemandu approached McArthur in the locker room and pleaded with him to find a way to stay on the field in the second half.
“I wanted to be there for the team,” McArthur recalled. “It feels good when people need you.”
The ankle didn’t seem to bother him. Rodgers and McArthur connected on a 44-yard touchdown in the third quarter, trimming Cal’s deficit to 10-7, and again on a 20-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, stretching Cal’s lead to 21-10.
Rodgers unleashed an absolute laser beam on the second pass, zipping past the shoulder of an unsuspecting Stanford defender. The ball would have hit McArthur atop the “6 ” on his chest if he hadn’t secured it with his hands.
On the telecast, announcer Larry Beil said, “It’s that man again, Geoff McArthur!”
McArthur acknowledged the adrenaline of playing Cal’s most historic rival helped fuel him through any pain in his ankle.
“The Big Game is a very chippy, intense, emotional game,” he said. “At Cal, if you beat Stanford, you can live with the rest of the season. Getting the Axe is something we all fight for.”
McArthur led the Bears in receiving again in 2004 (with 57 catches), as Cal went 10-2 and narrowly missed reaching the Rose Bowl. McArthur didn’t pursue a pro career, in part because of a lingering knee injury.
Now he’s pursuing a coaching career, after spending the previous five years in Niagara Falls, Ontario. McArthur founded an all-boys private high school, Canada Prep Academy, and helped several football prospects land Division I scholarships from U.S. colleges.
McArthur sold the school this year and returned home to the Los Angeles area. In addition to coaching, he does personal training with mostly high school athletes; he’s also hoping to land a teaching job.
McArthur savors his slice of Big Game history and his induction last month into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame. And he’s more than happy to remind his junior-college wideouts about the day he caught 16 passes for 245 yards — from Aaron Rodgers, no less.
“It’s something I’ll always cherish,” McArthur said. “That ’03 season has shaped my life. I preach to all my receivers: If you want something bad enough, your work ethic has to show it before your mouth does.”