Lazarus takes another Cal trip

Michael Lazarus could not make the tour at Cal this weekend but the Berkeley, Calif., inside linebacker is familiar with the campus and was there for the spring game to hang out with other prospects.

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound prospect spent most of his time with friends Derik Calhoun, Adarius Pickett and Joe Mixon and had another good time at the hometown school.

"I was there for the scrimmage but I couldn't do the tour because I had ACT class," Lazarus said.

"The scrimmage was fun. I had a good time hanging out with all the other recruits. I was with DJ Calhoun and Joe and Adarius. It was fun. The game was fun. It was live and exciting and the crowd was fun. They loved it.

"I talked with the coaches afterward. We have a good relationship. It was good overall."

Lazarus, who shined at the recent Rivals Camp in Los Angeles, already has an offer from the Golden Bears and the coaching staff made it clear they would like him to commit.

The Berkeley standout said the Cal coaches have told him they would love to have him, Mixon, Calhoun and Pickett as a kind of package deal and that it's at least under consideration.

But Lazarus said he also wants to look at other options - UCLA is definitely of high interest - and continue to consider other programs recruiting him.

"(The Cal coaches) say things like one or two words, little clues, that they want me to commit," Lazarus said. "They say those key words. They really want me and DJ and Adarius, they want all the NorCal boys to come in as a deal package but we're going to keep our options open. We like it though. Cal is most definitely in our top.

"People ask me everyday am I committed there or what I think about Cal or whether I want to stay home or not. I don't really know. I do want to stay home and then I don't. It's like I want to be a mid-way distance away."