Cochran of Atwater's Buhach Colony commits to Cal

ATWATER -- Aaron Cochran showed up to the Buhach Colony-Atwater High girls basketball game on Tuesday night wearing a Cal beanie.

The Buhach Colony senior will be wearing plenty of Golden Bear gear in the near future after Cochran verbally committed to accept a football scholarship from Cal this week.

The 6-foot-8, 350-pound offensive lineman phoned other schools on Monday to let them know of his decision.

"That was hard," Cochran said. "I didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to. I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to disappoint people."

"I was surprised that all the other coaches understood and thanked me for being up front with them."

Cochran becomes the fifth Stanislaus District football player to commit to a Division 1 program. Downey's Aaron Zwahlen is going to Hawaii, Central Catholic's John Mundt to Oregon and Air Force inked Buhach Colony's Joe Marquez and Jayce Webster.

For Cochran, it came down to Cal, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Cochran said he felt an instant connection to Cal's new head coach, Sonny Dykes, and his staff.

Cochran joins his older brother, Matthew, at Cal, but he says that didn't factor in his decision.

"He told me to do what I want to do," Aaron said. "He told me this has to be the most selfish decision I have to make. He told me don't go anywhere but where you want to go.

"I know what the football team at Cal is capable of and it's something I want to be part of."