The California Showcase, the annual free one-day combine for overlooked high school and junior college football players seeking to play at the next level, was Terry Donahue's baby. He felt the event was as important to his legacy as his won-loss record during 20 years as a College Football Hall of Fame head coach at UCLA, as important as having the Rose Bowl pavilion named in his honor, as important as any of the many other honors he received.

"Football has been very good to me and my family," he used to say. "This is one way for me to give something back to a game I love."

In 2011, Donahue learned about the NFF Showcase concept, launched by a Houston high school coach named Phil Camp in 2008. Camp created the first Showcase on a small scale because he believed an all-state guard on his team, overlooked by Division I schools, could play at the Division II, III or NAIA school.

Donahue, assisted by his younger brother Pat and others, plus sponsors and the National Football Foundation, brought the concept west and greatly expanded it. The first two editions of the California Showcase were held at the then-StubHub Center in Carson in 2013 and '14. Then the site was moved the Great Park of Orange County in Irvine.

The ninth California Showcase, following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, was back in full swing last weekend, with more than 300 participants chasing their dream of playing college football – and getting a four-year college degree.

There were the usual morning drills conducted by "staff coaches," who are mostly past college and pro football stars. VIP volunteers included College Football Hall of Fame inductees Cade McNown and John Sciarra and former UCLA players Paco Craig, Wayne Cook, Frank Stephens, Matt Stevens and Michael Young.

It is now called the Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase. Donahue, who died last July 4 following a long battle with cancer, was of course not there in person, but his presence was felt throughout the day on Saturday.

Starting things off was an emotional and beautiful speech by Donahue's 46-year-old middle daughter, Michele Donahue Hull, who was there with her family, her mother Andrea and her two sisters and their families.

"My dad coached many highly successful athletes during his career," Michele told the gathering of young men. "He walked alongside his players through the ups and downs of football and life. If he were here today, he would walk over to each one of you, look you square in the eyes, put his hand out and say, 'Terry Donahue, UCLA.' "

Michele, just like her father used to do, then walked over to three participants, offered a firm handshake, and said, "Terry Donahue, UCLA."

After the morning drills, the players met with coaches and representatives from some 50 small colleges and 10 local junior colleges. As the proceedings were winding down, Michele's older sister, Nicole Donahue Ianni, was spotted talking to two young men from Gardena High.

In giving them a "chase-your-dream" speech, Nicole said her father, after graduating from UCLA, drove the family car from Los Angeles to Lawrence, Kan., seeking a non-playing coaching position under Pepper Rodgers at the University of Kansas. The point being, Terry Donahue was driven to succeed and do whatever it takes.

The two young men listened intently, then, before walking away, said, "Thank you." Nicole then turned to a reporter and said, "You know, I think I have heard the words thank you more today than any other time in my life. With everything that is going on in our society today, the politeness of these young men restores your faith in our country's future."

Wayne Cook's wife Sue, one of the many volunteers working the event, also commented on how polite the players were. Wayne, besides working on UCLA football radio broadcasts, is an eight-grade teacher in Temecula. Sue Cook teaches third grade.

Wayne invited two Showcase alums to this year's event. They were Chasen Gempler and Zach Hunter, who attended the 2014 event in Carson. They have been close friends since playing for Temecula's Chaparral High, Gempler as a quarterback and Hunter as a linebacker.

Gempler, who played at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Calif., before transferring to Kansas Wesleyan, is now a coach and special education teacher at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix. Hunter, an Occidental graduate, among other things plays professional football from May to October in Paderborn, Germany. He plans to eventually get into coaching.

Asked what the California Showcase meant to them, they simultaneously said, "Everything!"

Pat Donahue, who addressed the players after the morning drills, much like his older brother used to, pointed out that each Showcase costs $200,00 to put on. He said the money comes from sponsors, including Bank of America, Toyota, Rockefeller Capital Management, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation.

Event coordinators Norm Anderson and Bob Field also addressed the players. Another speaker was Charger guard Matt Feiler. He told his story about coming from Bloomsburg University, a Division II school in Strasburg, Pa. His journey includes getting cut as a freshman in high school, to going undrafted after graduating with a degree in history from Bloomsburg in 2014, to getting cut by the Houston Texas, to playing six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now starting for the Chargers. He is in the middle of a three-year, $15-million contract. He encouraged the players to stay focused, no matter what.

The players, as usual, came from far and wide. Christian Canales, a four-year starting defensive lineman, made the long trek down from Strathmore, a tiny farming community in Tulare County. He was accompanied by his father and younger sister. Strathmore, 11-1 this past season, is a small school powerhouse in the San Joaquin Valley. In 2017, Strathmore defeated Orange High to win a lower division state championship and finish 16-0. This past season, Canales had 48 tackles and five sacks.

Asked his reaction to the Showcase, Canales, who carries a 3.9 grade-point average and wants to major in business, said: "It was even more thrilling than I thought it would be. And everyone was very polite. I really enjoyed getting to know some of the other players and working with the staff coaches." On Sunday, he already had an offer from a Division III school, Rockford University in Rockford, Ill.

Another player from a small school was quarterback Julian Martinez, a three-year starter at Big Bear High. Martinez looked impressive during the morning drills.

Of course, there were a lot of players from local large schools. One was quarterback Isaiah Dunn of St. Paul High in Santa Fe Springs. He completed 169 of 245 passes for 2,342 yards and 26 touchdowns this past season.

"The good thing about this event is that it opens up so many more opportunities," Dunn said toward the end of the day. "This is a great way to get your name out there. I am not sure what I am going to do, but I now have so many more options to consider."