SportSpyder - The Latest California Golden Bears Basketball Podcasts

Cal Football Home Game News: Joe Roth Uniforms vs. UCLA, Gold Bracelets vs. Clemson

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:11:06 GMT

#GoBears ","username":"CalFootball","name":"Cal Football","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2081470680907108354/RUDfsi7Z_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-12T22:27:20.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HPjiUERb0AAGMQM.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/E4t5V2YUOD"},{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HPjiUERa0AAwSC_.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/E4t5V2YUOD"},{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HPjiUEQaQAAfAix.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/E4t5V2YUOD"},{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HPjiUESaAAAKvUX.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/E4t5V2YUOD"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":8,"retweet_count":42,"like_count":488,"impression_count":24618,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"video_preview_media_key":null,"belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Cal football will revive the tradition of the Joe Roth Uniforms in the season opener against the UCLA Bruins. For most of the Justin Wilcox era, Cal has played in these uniforms against UCLA and USC, although the tradition stopped after the move to the ACC.

#GoBears ","username":"CalFootball","name":"Cal Football","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2081470680907108354/RUDfsi7Z_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-12T20:00:24.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uCVt!,w_1028,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/l_play_button_usfui2,w_88,e_colorize:0/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F__ss-rehost__tw-video-preview-13_2087630224846733312.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/hFMwDNpNpX"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":33,"retweet_count":162,"like_count":926,"impression_count":175343,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2087630224846733312/vid/avc1/960x720/p4TqRKjvRzD5wL1n.mp4","video_preview_media_key":"13_2087630224846733312","belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Tosh Lupoi is hoping to see a sellout vs. UCLA. Tickets are still available!

calbea.rs/F26SingleGameT… ","username":"CalAthletics","name":"Cal Athletics","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1283511035807186944/aJ3nsXZW_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-18T21:14:03.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fa96!,w_1028,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/l_play_button_usfui2,w_88,e_colorize:0/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F__ss-rehost__tw-video-preview-13_2089818041655967744.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/E6qFb5bUN9"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":0,"retweet_count":15,"like_count":60,"impression_count":6093,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2089818041655967744/vid/avc1/720x1280/PzyMQqkjCFhQZRl8.mp4?tag=16","video_preview_media_key":"13_2089818041655967744","belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Also, a new tradition appears to be coming in focus for the Friday night ACC home opener against Clemson at the end of September. Cal fans will have light up “Fiat Lux” themed bracelets designed to turn Memorial Stadium gold.

calbears.evenue.net/events/FBS ","username":"CalAthletics","name":"Cal Athletics","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1283511035807186944/aJ3nsXZW_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-19T20:00:40.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KwSO!,w_1028,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/l_play_button_usfui2,w_88,e_colorize:0/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F__ss-rehost__tw-video-preview-13_2090143565477482496.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/ACIBpFsio2"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":21,"retweet_count":72,"like_count":256,"impression_count":36412,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2090143565477482496/vid/avc1/720x900/tTC4CpCJT4K1LzEL.mp4?tag=16","video_preview_media_key":"13_2090143565477482496","belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Two weeks away.

DBD 2026-08-21: Peru

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:05:19 GMT

Welcome to the DBD, a Write for California community board where one can talk about anything – Cal-related or off-topic. Comment threads are sorted by topic. Anything is fine, so long as you're generally civil

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Predict the 2026 Cal Football Season!

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:04:13 GMT

Does Zoltar envision a successful year for the Bears? | Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak on Unsplash

In a little over two weeks, a new era kicks off for Cal football. Under Justin Wilcox the Bears enjoyed years of stability, although that stability felt more like stagnation in the latter half of his tenure as the Bears consistently slogged their way just past the threshold for bowl eligibility. Our annual preseason predictions reflected this, as we seemed stuck around 7 wins for years. A new coaching staff rarely fixes all a team’s issues overnight, so predictions of an undefeated season will probably have to wait until next year. But for now, let’s calibrate our expectations for the first year under Tosh Lupoi.

Participation is simple: go to our form here and provide your predictions for how likely Cal is to defeat each opponent. Keep your predictions between 0 and 100, where 0 represents a 0% chance of winning, 100 represents a universe where there is no possible way Cal loses the game (don’t tempt fate like that…), and 50 represents a coin-flip game. Submit your prediction for each game and I’ll gather the results and share them ahead of the UCLA game. Thanks for participating and Go Bears!

DBD 2026-08-20: Colombia

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:04:25 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Cal Football 2026 Fall Camp Notebook #7

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:04:22 GMT

Photo Credit: Rob Hwang

The fall camp routine is routine for everyone now. Ian Strong is back in the full swing of practice. Ricky Fletcher is leading stretches again and working back in. Scouts from the Steelers, Rams, and Jets talked amongst themselves and with personnel guys during independent drills.

Auburn transfer Towns McGough appears to be excelling in the battle to be Cal’s kicker on opening day. The Auburn transfer, who is also an Auburn native, could be seen sinking shots beyond the 40 yard dash this morning. Later, a special teams coach assures his room they’ll be getting in reps all over the field today. “We’re gonna be everywhere today, it’s like when you’re a dancer, use all the space.” He jokes. Three weeks in, one thing to be noted is that no player ever seems to be too far away from their next rep.

The offense works through some fun passing drills giving multiple quarterbacks chances at meaningful reps, something returning quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich touches on in his press availability later. The drill appears to be a layered option designed to make sure the back is finding their reads on top of the one-on-one battles corners and wideouts get to engage in.

On the other side of the field is Tosh back with his defense. A redshirt freshman from Houston, Khamani Hudson, is praised for reading out the situation correctly. I think back to yesterday’s coaches availability and their comments on freshmen lighting a fire under the vets and making their own push for the field now that the limitations on underclassmen are lessened. In another catching drill, inside linebacker Tristan Jernigan gives presumptive RB1 Adam Mohammed hell on a rep, and they praise each other afterwards, piling back in line to go again.

Quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich and running backs coach Keith Bhonapha are made available to speak with press after practice. Bhonapha is an Oakland native who also serves as recruiting coordinator. He is noticeably methodical in his coaching manner during independent drills, and is seldom heard yelling. He also has the full attention of his position group, who typically drill along the sideline nearest the goal zone, and are to be watched for by any bystanders with a sense of personal safety.

In addition to his main title, Bhonapha is also helping handle special teams, particularly returners. “The thing with the kick return responsibility is overall making sure we have the ball at the end of the play,” he says, hinting at a smile, “so really just getting these guys decisive, communicating out there.”

Bhonapha is happy to have a lot of different assets in the room, referring to the varying skill sets as a “gumbo” that comes together as a cohesive unit. He does point to Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas as standouts not just in running, but in pass protection.

“Carter surprised me with how cerebral he is with the pass protection, understanding the checks, understanding what needs to happen, and he is physical in the pass game. Adam is just so stout, when it comes to getting up there, he’s just a bigger dude with really good technique, he can sit down there and really hold the point.” He notes that in pass pro an overlooked inflection point is the depth and width of the pocket depending on who’s blitzing, and those two have delivered thus far.

Nick Rolovich is presiding over an under-discussed but crucial aspect of this fall camp: the battle for QB2. Rolovich is quick to bring up the unusual wrinkles in practice structure and how they specifically help situations like this.

“The way that Coach Tosh has set up practice has been very effective when you’re talking about a battle like (the battle for QB2). The amount of reps every guy gets…you get a huge piece of work you’re able to make decisions off of, and I haven’t really been around that before.”

Continuing on about practice structure: “The way practice is organized it really leads to everyone feeling a part of it, everyone feeling like they have a chance, and it’s been really good for us to track numbers, decision making, you start seeing patterns, what is someone better at, what is someone maybe struggling with, you find things sooner I found…More banked reps in those types of situations that allows for a fair evaluation.”

With regards to JKS, Rolo stated that the “restart of sorts with the new offense was the new focus.” Referencing things they’ve been working with him on, running back screens, working on certain aspects of arm slot placement and sack avoidance were listed.

Cal Depth Chart Discussion and Projections - Front 7

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:01:39 GMT

When talking about stocks a new term emerged recently: the Magnificent 7. Tech stocks that have driven most of the growth in the US Stock market over the last handful of years due to the AI related trade both as hyperscalers (Google, Apple) and as picks-and-shovels providers (NVidia). Right now the S&P500 has those 7 stocks at roughly 1/3rd of the entire index… The same Index that also contains blue chips such as JPMorgan or GE.

Source: Investopedia.com

However, this hegemony of the 7 corporations means that if they are doing well on the stock market then the entire index flourishes, but if they are wobbly then the entire market feels it. I would say the same thing about the Cal newly rebuilt Front 7 and it’s likely impact on the entire team and especially the defense.

I am projecting Cal to run a 4-2-5 baseline formation with 2 notes:

DE/EDGE will generally be the larger of the two EDGE players, he will likely to the rushing strength of the offensive formation since he can anchor against run blocks while the lighter and quicker player can chase the backside of the play or drop into the flat in case the offensive playcall has a backside bubble RPO screen.
The STAR position, I have been fascinated with Cal being able to use this formation since the early Wilcox era with Trey Paster and Evan Rambo being pegged for that position. In this case the STAR player will let Cal play in a hybrid 4-2-5 and 4-3-4.

HC Tosh Lupoi coaching up the Outside Linebackers (Photo Credit: Rob Hwang)

DE/EDGE

DE/EDGE1: Nate Burrell

DE/EDGE2: Justin Beadles

DE/EDGE3: Joshua Pierce

Burrell comes back to the fold after sitting out the 2025 season due to injury. He has been on “future stalwart” watch for a long time with his size and burst off the line. Question is if he can play more outside on the defensive line with more responsibilities in beating tackle type guys outside rather than just beating them in the interior of the OL.

Beadles comes in as the veteran who has a chance to make some noise after coming from Louisville. He comes in with 2 years of playing experience at Lousiville and New Mexico State being a late bloomer.

The UNT transfer Pierce comes in as a project type player who brings a whole lot of athleticism that needs more refining down the line despite being a RS Junior. His slow ascent up the college ranks from Campbell through UNT to Cal shows a player who can find a new ceiling to his talent.

DT/NG

DT/NG1: Jericho Johnson

DT/NG2: Stanley Saole-McKenzie

DT/NG3: Jayden Williams

He is an incredible athlete. Easily one of the most athletic players to play in a Cal jersey since the peak of BRETT JOHNSON mania (sidenote: BRETT was even wilder as an athlete since he was able to play all 9 gaps on the DL and played it at least HM Pac-12 level). When I reached out to the Berkeley Physics department about whether they have seen anything like this before, this is what I got in response:

He is the most important player for the Cal defense because he will have 2 gapping responsibilities in the run game. What does it mean? For example, using the chart below, if Johnson is aligned in 1 technique he will engage with the center and will have to make sure that neither A gaps on either side of the OL are open for the RB to run through.

The reason this is so important is because of the inexperience of the ILB protecting them in the run game to keep them clean. In the passing game being able to occupy 2 offensive linemen (pass protection is harder to do 1 on 1 against a dominant DL because he’s the one attacking you while in the run game as an OL you’re on the attack) letting the rest of the rushers have a 1 on 1.

“Big-Stan” provides much needed depth in the position, and with the chance to build an NFL/CFL level resume with his 6th year in the program. He provides a good 2nd string option for the defense since he provides a consistent baseline for the team to fall back on.

Rounding off the depth is another UNT transfer Jayden Williams who has notched snaps at the G6 level and thus can provide further depth on the line with the potential of coming back in the 2027 season with more experience under his belt.

DE

DE1: Derek Wilkins

DE2: Ashun Sheppard

DE3: Michael-Anthony Okwura

Derek Wilkins came into Cal as a highly coveted 4* DE but has yet to touch the tantalizing ceiling his high school tape promised. Then again development is not linear, sometimes it takes time for someone to touch their ceiling. I think this is time for Derek to touch it. If he can reach it we can see an incredible season from the interior defensive line, interior pressure on the QB is a much more consistent way of affecting the passing game than outside pressure. You can step up against EDGE pressure, you can’t out run someone hell bent on crushing you when they are in your grill.

We bring in a transfer who flashes size and speed at the position: Sheppard who had a cup of coffee in the SEC and we bring in RS sophomore from the fall of the ~~Roman Republic era~~ Texas Michael-Anthony Okwura who has the required size and already earned some snaps under the previous regime. Needless to say there is some potential and a little bit of a floor in the group but I hope neither will be tested.

#19 Odera Okaka working the tackle dummies during individuals. (Photo Credit: Rob Hwang)

EDGE

EDGE1: Jayden Wayne

EDGE2: Solomon Williams

EDGE3: Serigne Tounkara

EDGE4: Emmanuel Okoye

This is likely the deepest position on the front 7. The designated pass rush position in a a 4-2-5 is a curious thing. Sometimes the EDGE on the 4 could drop into coverage or peel off into the flats, however, in order to provide some passrush even in a drop 8 situation there is one of the 2 EDGEs always on the hunt. These 4 lads for Cal are the guys whose job is to hunt down the ball handler in the backfield.

This is where the money is made for the player and coaches. Thus I know that we’ll put our best defensive front 7 athletes in this spot. Jayden Wayne has the 5* pedigree he has yet to touch but very well can reach with current coaching. This is where Solomon Williams and Sergine Tounkara can leverage their SEC bonafides into focused assignments. And where Okoye who appeared on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List for 2026 can shine.

Go Hunting, Lands.

ILB

ILB1: Kamar Mothundi

ILB2: Tristan Jernigan

ILB

ILB1: AJ Tuitele

ILB2: Aaron Hampton

I hate uncertainty, which is the bane of my existence. Under Justin Wilcox and co. we knew that a certain standard would be maintained in the position. The lineage that traced itself to Evan Weaver continued with hard-nosed play by the players. However, with the departure of Cade Uluave to BYU and Luke Ferrelli to Clemson (wait, news tells me he is in 0-2 against Cal Ole Miss??).

Cal brings in a lot of question marks in the position groups with Mothundi and Tuilele both very “capital A” Athletic prospects who seek to prove that their play matches their potential. It would be unfair to expect them to play like Weaver/Kunaszyk era players but we need some level of competency to secure the A and B gaps.

Jernigan and Hampton are also interesting players, the former comes from Texas A&M with a strong high school pedigree but not a lot of college snaps, the latter is an unheralded prospect out of Alaska who has been able to get snaps for Cal over the last 2 years.

#2 Kingston Lopa working during individual drills. (Photo Credit: Rob Hwang)

STAR

STAR1: Kington Lopa

STAR2: Cam Sidney

STAR3: Quimari Shemwell

This is an interesting position in the Cal defense. Even in the NFL these lads are rare: Kyle Hamilton, Nick Emmanwori, Derwin James, and Brian Branch. The players here need to embody the physicality of a linebacker, the coverage skills of a nickelback, and the ability to drop into deep zones of a safety. Justin Wilcox defenses also preferred to have a STAR player with guys like Trey Paster and Evan Rambo recruited to fill the role but ultimately the Wilcox era defenses were unable to find guys who can do it without being a liability in any of the phases of the game.

This player will allow us to play in a pseudo 4-2-5/4-3-4 look as long as the player’s talent and athleticism can keep up. And I do think that Lopa is physically capable to play the position at a high level and will likely be the linchpin on the defense allowing us to play both the pass and run well without having to change the personnel.

Sidney and Shemwell are picked as back ups here due to my bias for having a player who majors in pass defense and minoring in run defense. They still bring the required athleticism and with their experience can handle the mental load required of the position.

I feel, I think, I know

I want to end every segment of this series with some feelings, thoughts, and beliefs I have on the group of players discussed, based on the level of evidence and confidence.

I feel that…

Cal defense will live by the health and development of Johnson and Lopa. There isn’t much debate about this, they are the most talented players in positions Cal has struggled to recruit and retain at during the Wilcox era.

I think that…

We’re going to be an OK front 7 defense overall, with a slight strength in the pass coverage defense from the Front 7 and a slight weakness in the run defense. This is driven by my belief that the athleticism of the ILB + STAR position groups will carry them in space but their relative lack of experience can give them fits when trying to fit the run gaps. Throw in the perceived lack of depth in the front 4 late in games, I can see us fading as a game goes by. The balance of pros and cons will move the needle of the defensive performance across the season.

I know that…

Whomever will play at ILB for Cal will have some impressive TFLs and sacks. DC Hutchins comes from the Brian Flores tree and what that tree loves to do is to have their ILBs go hunting through the A gap. As mentioned before we have some question marks at the EDGE position when it comes to pass rush productivity, lots of “I think he can” rather than “I know he can” in the room. I can see DC Hutchins trying to supplement the pass-rush by using the Flores playbook.

Cal Football 2026 Fall Camp Notebook #6

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:02:48 GMT

Move in week is well underway and the area around campus is riddled with stressed out and or excited students and parents, double parked vans, moving trucks, and hazard blinkers galore. On the field during period 1, a few offensive lineman aren’t out there.

Photo Credit: Rob Hwang

Period 1 stretching gives way to period 2 drills. On the southern end of the field, Carson Perry-Smith, Anthony League, Trevor Rogers and others field flies and grounders for special teams before horns whistles and every other manner of alert goes off at once, and Tosh’s voice cuts above the field, it’s time to drop everything and hit 11 on 11 short yardage and 2 point drills.

“Gold O Gold D how fast can we get it in short yardage, game on the line.” is repeated over and over as players rush into position. Crowd noise suddenly floods the stadium at top volume. Oregon transfer Cooper Perry makes a leaping end zone catch, bringing down a high ball from a Jackson Brousseau rep. Immediately it’s on to the 2 point conversion. Wideout Meyer Swinney pulls in a quick crosser to convert then they reset at the 10. Returning TE Mason Mini grabs that dart in the back of the endzone, and just like that’s it’s back to Independent drills. Tosh is back on the PA. “Toro toro toro ..why are we celebrating… toro toro toro.”

Coach Lupoi turns his attention to the defensive line, who are drilling near the end zone from the break out short yardage plays a second beforehand. Redshirt sophomore Legend Journey attacks the drill with extreme violence that is contagious. BJ Canady follows him directly in the drill and brings similar intensity. Lupoi does not supplant the position coach, but his presence enhances the drill. He is specific regarding technique and body angle, but insistent on violence.

After practice, both line coaches have media availability. Both Darrion Daniels and Famika Anae reference the young players helping set a standard and vice versa. The new five year eligibility rule means they don’t have to be shy about adding freshman into the rotation, and could eye young guys taking the field at game 10, 11, 12. Both line coaches view this with excitement.

Defensive Line/Pass Rush Specialist Darrion Daniels is a former player who played back at Oklahoma State and Nebraska before joining Oregon’s staff, leading up to his role at Cal. Daniels had words of praise for the play of Solomon Williams and Ashun Sheppard. Derek Wilkins also received praise; “Even though his plays aren’t the flashiest he’s probably one of our most reliable players.”

On the O line things are coming along for second-year coach Famikae Anae. He was particularly pleased to share Bastian Sweeney’s progress. “Can’t say enough about that kid. When we started our journey together last year, things were not going his way. But I think he’s found a new love for football because of how his mind has persevered, i think it’s unlocked a new level to him, and what he’s been doing for our unit and our team, has been really rewarding to watch.”

It’s almost all football at CMS, but it’s back to school for students of all ages. Anae and the rest of the staff were encouraged to make room for that, and got to meet those mile markers with their families. “I appreciate the head coach being mindful of his guys. It wasn’t mandated but (Tosh Lupoi) made it very clear, take your kids to school. For me that’s extremely meaningful…to have a head coach treat his staff that way is invigorating.”

DBD 2026-08-19: Brazil

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:56:02 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

DBD 2026-08-18: Patagonia

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:54:40 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Cal Football 2026 Season Preview Part 3: The Defense

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:04:17 GMT

Can Jericho Johnson be the disruptive presence Cal needs in the interior?

Part 1: Finally Something New Under the Sun
Part 2: The Offense

In however many years I’ve been writing up season previews, this might be the most challenging article I’ve written. Here is a list of players who received starts on defense for the Bears last year who are still on the 2026 roster:

Aiden Manutai (11 starts)
Jayden Wayne (9 starts)
Cam Sidney (8 starts)
Jasiah Wagoner (4 starts)
Isaiah Crosby (4 starts)
Derek Wilkins (2 starts)
Aaron Hampton (1 start)

That’s just 39 combined starts returning, mostly from players who were getting rotational snaps and won’t enter this season with a starting position locked down. The two players with the most returning starts from 2025 did not begin the year in the starting lineup, but were thrust into roles after injury.

To be fair, that doesn’t include the return of Nate Burrell, who missed all of 2025 with an injury, nor fully count the return of Crosby, who would have started every game last year if his season hadn’t ended after 4 games from injury as well.

Still: Cal lost 9 of their top 12 tacklers from the 2025 defense. It wouldn’t surprise me if the defense trots out onto the field against UCLA with just three starters who were on the roster last year. That level of turnover isn’t entirely unusual in this era, but when you throw in a coaching regime change on top it means that this defense will look radically different than last year.

I’m going to make a bunch of guesses at starters below, before fall camp ends, and they will probably look pretty dense if you re-read this in November.

2025 Defense, revisited

2025 Defense in review

The primary strength of Cal’s defense last year, their cover cornerbacks, are both in the NFL and must be replaced. Cal’s primary weakness, a complete lack of disruption from their defensive line and outside linebackers, might not mean much because there’s a decent chance that Cal’s starting linemen and linebackers will entirely turn over from 2026.

So sure, you can go back and read what I wrote about the 2025 defense, but it’s not going to tell you much about 2026.

Unit Summaries

1st year transfer portal additions noted by their former school. All classes/eligibility based on the current Calbears.com roster.

Defensive Line

Projected starters:

DE: Senior Nate Burrell
DE: Sophomore Jericho Johnson (Oregon)

Depth: Senior Ashun Shepphard (Mississippi St.), Senior Derek Wilkins, Senior Stanley Saole-McKenzie, Junior Jayden Williams (North Texas)

When Cal announces their depth chart before the season opener, there’s a decent chance that it lists three starters on the defensive line. But Oregon ran a 2-4-5 last year (or, alternatively, a 4-2-5) and I’m expecting that to be Cal’s base defense as well.

Why Burrell and Jericho Johnson as predicted starters? It’s a balance of experience and raw talent. Burrell is (if he’s fully recovered from the injury that kept him out in 2025) the most talented returning lineman on the roster. Johnson, a former 4 star top 100 recruit who was good enough to get rotational snaps for Oregon last year despite playing behind a ton of elite talent

IF Burrell is healthy and IF Johnson realizes his talent, this could be a pretty intriguing duo up front. You don’t want to go into the season with big IFs from your starters, but then again that was pretty inevitable after so much roster churn.

Derek Wilkins and Stanley Saole-McKenzie were both in the d line rotation last year and will likely get rotational snaps again, and they’ll be competing with transfers Jayden Williams and Ashun Shepphard for those snaps. None of those four have been major impact players yet across multi-year college careers, which is partly why I’m expecting a Burrell/Johnson starting unit and a 2-4-5 formation on defense.

Rush Linebackers

Projected starters:

OLB: Sophomore Solomon Williams (Texas A&M)
OLB: Senior Justin Beadles (Louisville)

Depth: Senior Jayden Wayne, Junior Joshua Pierce (North Texas), Sophomore Emmanuel Okoye (Tennessee)

This is probably the least settled position group on the entire team. Similar to the logic at defensive line, I’m guessing that Cal starts veteran Justin Beadles in his seventh season of college football alongside Solomon Williams, a former 4 star recruit entering his 3rd season after getting rotational snaps at A&M last year.

But would I be surprised if Jayden Wayne held onto his starting spot from last year? Would I be surprised if Joshua Pierce took another step forward in his climb up the college football ladder? Would I be surprised if Emmanuel Okoye turns his raw physical skill set into on-field production and gets the nod over the course of the season? No.

Would I be surprised if nobody separates themselves and you see a ton of rotation at this position? Also no.

Inside Linebackers

Projected starters:

ILB: Sophomore Tristan Jernigan (Texas A&M)
ILB: Sophomore Kamar Mothudi (Oregon)

Depth: Junior Aaron Hampton, Freshman AJ Tuitele (USC)

Three transfers in, all with a very similar profile: high end recruiting pedigree, minimal immediate on-field impact. Are you sensing a theme?

To be clear, that’s not a major knock on Jernigan, Mothudi, or Tuitele. The first two took redshirt years, then picked up rotational snaps as redshirt freshmen for national title contenders. The latter redshirted for USC. Teams like Texas A&M, Oregon, and USC aren’t typically going to play 1st or 2nd year players unless they’re undeniable talents because there are going to be performing veterans ahead of them.

But it’s still another risk for Cal, without any proven production at this position. Aaron Hampton is back and will compete as well after getting snaps as a back-up last year, and I’d expect the former walk-on to occupy a similar role this year.

Defensive Backs

Projected starters:

Cornerback: Senior Ricky Fletcher (Ole Miss)
Safety: Senior Isaiah Crosby
Safety: Sophomore Aiden Manutai
Cornerback: Senior Daniel Harris (Georgia)
Nickelback: Senior Cam Sidney

Depth: Junior Josiah Wagoner, Freshman Jae’on Young, Senior Marquis Groves-Killebrew (Arizona), Sophomore Kingston Lopa (Oregon), Junior Quimari Shemwell

Cal has four returners with heavy experience at safety/nickelback, so while I’ve listed Josiah Wagoner as ‘depth,’ I basically view him as another starter who will get significant snaps in rotation with Crosby, Manutai, and Sidney. Cal should be very sound on the back end of the secondary.

It’s on the edges where there is uncertainty . . . though not much. Ricky Fletcher and Daniel Harris were both rotational players on CFB playoff participants and are very likely the starters. Maybe Jae’on Young wows after a redshirt season, maybe transfer Marquis Groves-Killebrew forces his way into the conversation, but I think Fletcher and Harris are safe bets.

Defining Questions

Can Tosh Lupoi and Cal’s coaches unlock unproven talent?

By my count, Cal brought in seven transfers on defense who general share the same three attributes:

4 star high school recruiting rankings, give or take some outlier scouting from different recruiting services.
Youth - most are in their 3rd year of college football after a redshirt season.
Minimal on-field production as back-ups.

Jericho Johnson, Solomon Williams, Emmanuel Oyoke, Tristan Jernigan, AJ Tuitele, Kamar Mothudi, and Daniel Harris collectively represent an on paper level of talent Cal hasn’t had on defense in at least 15 years. For that reason, the ceiling on this defense is tantalizingly high.

On the other hand, in the transfer portal era, high school recruiting stars mean less and less the further you actually get from a player’s high school production. There’s a ton of risk when the bulk of the defense is made up of guys who have never been go-to starters in their college careers. It means that the floor for this defense is terrifyingly low.

What does a Tosh Lupoi/Michael Hutchings defense look like?

If you’re a glass-half-full fan, you look at Tosh Lupoi’s curriculum vitae and you see a coach who has almost uniformly been a coordinator over elite defenses. Two years at Alabama when the Crimson Tide went a collective 27-2. Four years at Oregon when the Ducks went a collective 48-8. All six seasons those teams had elite defenses.

If you’re a negative Nancy, you’ll note that Nick Saban and Dan Lanning may have had a little bit of something to do with the defenses at Alabama and Oregon, respectively.

Meanwhile, new DC Michael Hutchings has been with the Minnesota Vikings for the last three years as a defensive backs/safeties coach, and that’s a good sign because Minnesota’s defense generally and passing defense specifically have been very good. But he’s never been a DC before so it’s not clear what ideas he’ll be bringing to the table. So while I thing it makes all kinds of sense for a guy like Lupoi with a defensive line background to bring in a DC with a background in the secondary, there’s not a ton of track record to go by.

Will Lupoi’s defense try to mimic what he did at Oregon? Is he itching to try different things now that he’s fully in charge? What ideas will Hutchings bring to the table, to say nothing of Cal’s suddenly massive stable of assistants and analysts? Nobody outside the program really knows!

DBD 2026-08-17: The Great Outdoors

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:51:29 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

The Rodcast: Portal Transfer Guard Michael Cooper

Bear Insider — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 02:12:07 GMT

Bear Insider Ultimate Insider Podcast E133: Former Cal and NFL OT Troy Auzenne

Bear Insider — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:37:28 GMT

DBD 2026-08-14: Independence for India and Pakistan

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:29:38 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

The Protect College Sports Act: What It Means for Cal -- Part 2

The California Golden Bearcast — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:05:00 GMT

Main Topic: Protect College Sports Act

Why Congress is stepping in

Conference expansion capped at 19

One free undergraduate transfer

Harder NIL / revenue-sharing limits

Restrictions on in-season coaching moves

Potential protection for the ACC

What the bill means for Cal

Big Question: Does this actually save college sports?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Protect College Sports Act: What It Means for Cal -- Part 1

The California Golden Bearcast — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Cold Open: Top Dog changed the buns

Main Topic:

Protect College Sports Act

Why Congress is stepping in

Conference expansion capped at 19

One free undergraduate transfer

Harder NIL / revenue-sharing limits

Restrictions on in-season coaching moves

Potential protection for the ACC

What the bill means for Cal

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cal Football 2026 Fall Camp Notebook #5

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:06:21 GMT

Photo Credit: Rob Hwang

A fresh crop of scouts from the Panthers, Ravens, Jets, and Niners look on as practice warms up for 2026’s Golden Bears on another sunny Wednesday in Strawberry Canyon.

As camp wears on, nicks and dings accumulate. Ricky Fletcher was among those who did not participate today. Athletes in need were attended to as needed, camp continued on unabated.

Later in open periods, redshirt sophomore Kingston Lopa came down with a handy pick off QB1. Redshirt Senior Cam Sidney was also flashing effort on his reps in the drills available to press. The defensive backs and safeties coaches were made available for questions after practice.

Safeties Coach Connor Boyd and Defensive Backs/Co-Defensive Coordinator Da’Vone Brown were made available after practice for questions. Boyd was up first. A defensive analyst at Oregon, he’s stepping into an official position coach role for the first time. He keeps it short, but is clearly attacking the role saying “it’s been special”. Boyd has actively coached players like Christian Gonzalez, and his time as an assistant goes back to student assistant at Alabama working with Brent Key. He is no stranger to message discipline, and does not tip his hand when asked for notable players in the safety room that we can lock in for week one. He compliments Kingston Lopa’s athleticism when prompted, and keeps a simple mindset about the competition; “We just play the guys on the field, let practice take care of itself.”

Defensive Backs/Co-Defensive Coordinator Da’Vone Brown gave his time next. Brown is a pure ball coach, having spent a good chunk of his time at Western Kentucky presiding over successful position rooms and consistent defenses. The past two seasons with the title he holds at Cal now. Unprompted, he’s effusive about the weather, and his room’s love of the game, their desire to be around the game, the team and the facility. He also cites tough competition but name checks Niles Davis and Khamani Hudson as two young players who’ve stood out. “As a young guy you don’t really see it much, Niles Davis is a true freshman, Kamani Hudson is a redshirt freshman, so they tip toe then explode a bit, and it’s pushing the older guys.”

The competition is thick, but there’s a way to stand out; “Every DB that we have has natural coverage skills. I want them to be willing tacklers, that’s gonna run through peoples face, do the dirty work people don’t wanna do. That’s what I’m looking for.”

DBD 2026-08-13: Post-election aftermath

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:26:36 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Cal Football 2026 Fall Camp Notebook #4

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:03:54 GMT

Photo Credit: Rob Hwang

Approaching CMS on this sunny Tuesday morning, you can hear the sounds of practice gathering themselves, buffered by towering mountains of ruined furniture sitting outside greek houses. Inside the concourse, players pour out of the Aaron Rodgers Team Locker Room, dapping up the bronzed fist of Joe Kapp before pooling on to the field for zero period.

Periods 1-5 go on as they have. Stretching breaks out into “Mod Bracket with O line and D line pods.” Later we get treated to some individual battles from an energetic line drill. Younger defensive players give their full force against towering offensive lineman, as coaches urge the blocking side to really unleash on the young bucks. It is a day for hard lessons if you didn’t know where you were at as a young defensive lineman. Everyone takes it in stride. Redshirt Sophomore Fredrick Williams III has encouraging reps during this drill.

The safeties room commits themselves to tackling drills. Physicality is less of a worry with this backfield than normal.

After practice, TE coach Steve Huanga and WR coach Ike Hilliard are both made available. They are thoughtful men, and Huanga in particular, is vocally an inversion of his on field personae, I find myself leaning in to hear better.

Huanga is encouraged by his group; “This is probably one of the most physical groups I’ve been a part of.” Noting that nobody thinks of themselves as having an emphasis towards being a blocking or catching tight end, “nobody thinks of themselves as one or the other.” Huanga also emphasized the emotional bond, and how, by letting the players into his life, he could actually coach them harder. “When you have a really good relationship with someone, you can coach them even harder, ‘cause they know you care for them. Running my own room I get to see that daily, because I have to challenge them.”

Hilliard was not shy about acknowledging that this is not an offensive for beginners. It takes time and focus to learn, as well as technical skill to execute. “It’s been a joy, running an NFL playbook is challenging, trying to understand the spacing, the timing, the rhythm that comes with it, progression reads, and everything’s different on a snap by snap basis.” Blocking and scheme are top of mind, and the room shows a diverse range of skillsets that are individuating further as camp progresses.

The presser breaks up. I think back to the player schedules on the University Club Monitors day one, and remember the players are in class. They’ll be back to work by evening.

DBD 2026-08-12: Summer Vacation

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:59:37 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Cal Football Preseason Award Watch Lists Headlined By Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:47:07 GMT

Maxwell Award watchlist: Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

Meant to be awarded to the best player in college football, Sagapolutele is already attracting early attention for these lists. He passed for 266 yards a game last year, 16th in the nation, fourth in the nation among all underclassmen, eighth among all returning seniors.

Hornung Award Watchlist: Adam Mohammed

Expected to line up this season as Cal’s starting running back, Mohammed comes in from Washington with requisite experience as a complete ball-carrier who can run, catch and block. He put up 716 yards on 148 carries and five touchdowns in 26 games while adding 23 receptions for 179 yards. Much is expected from Mohammed as he takes on his first P4 starting role.

Mackey Award Watchlist: Tight end Dorian Thomas

Thomas transferred in to be the proper safety valve for Sagapolutele. As one of the top tight ends in the nation last year, with the third most catches in FBS among tight ends (56) and eighth most receiving yards (560), Thomas should get many opportunities this year to add to this total.

Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee

King caught 22 passes for 267 yards and two scores last year. But this award is for his off-the-field activities, where he has been living up to the moniker of a sturdy golden bear.

Over the course of his career in Berkeley, King has coached at the annual Golden Buddies Football Clinic that pairs kids with and without disabilities in a series of fun football activities. In addition to his work with Golden Buddies, he helps lead the Cal Football Reading Challenge. King has visited schools on multiple occasions to help promote reading over the summer to elementary and junior high-aged children.

DBD 2026-08-11: Mountain Day

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:54:18 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Cal Football 2026 Season Preview Part 2: The Offense

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 10:02:27 GMT

photo via @cal_football instagram

Part 1: Finally Something New Under the Sun

The University of California has, relative to their on-field success, a remarkable history of quarterback play. 13 different Cal signal callers have been drafted, six in the first round. I have only been a dedicated Cal football fan since the mid-90s, and I’ve still seen FOUR different quarterbacks play in Memorial Stadium who were later drafted in the first round.

I think it is less a subjective opinion, and closer to an objective truth that Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the best true freshman quarterback I have ever seen play for Cal.

It is my subjective opinion that Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has more arm talent than every quarterback I’ve seen play at Cal, with only one possible exception. Click on this link, watch highlights of Aaron Rodgers at Cal, look at the potato quality footage and ponder the terrifying passage of time if you were old enough to watch Rodgers play at the time. Then ask yourself: did you see throws that JKS can’t make? You probably watched Rodgers make a bunch of beautiful throws that were generally less difficult than the throws JKS had to make last year, because Rodgers played in a juggernaut offense that got guys open way more often.

Yeah, I think JKS as a freshman was about as talented as a guy who has since authored a career that makes him an inner circle Hall of Famer and probably a top 5 all time quarterback. I don’t think that’s hyperbolic or being prisoner of the moment.

Everybody at all involved in Cal football, from the smallest donor to the friggin’ chancellor of the university has recognized the moral imperative to not waste a generational talent like this.

2025 Offense, revisited

2025 Offense in review

In many ways it probably doesn’t make sense to dwell on 2025, considering Cal’s coaching changeover. On the other hand, it wouldn’t surprise me if Cal’s first offensive snap of the 2026 season featured as many as 6 players who were on the roster in 2025.

The short story: Cal’s 2025 offense was two distinct things. The Bears were a constantly dangerous offense because they had a prodigiously talented quarterback. The Bears were a sputtering unit because they were unable to consistently block in either the run game or the passing game.

Will Cal’s many transfer additions allow Cal to maximize that first part, and fix (or at least hide) that 2nd part?

Unit Summaries

1st year transfer portal additions noted by their former school. All classes/eligibility based on the current Calbears.com roster.

Quarterback

Projected starter: Sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

Depth: Junior Jackson Brousseau (Colorado St.), Sophomore EJ Caminong

To the extent that there is any depth chart intrigue at the QB position, it’s a battle for 2nd string behind JKS between returner EJ Caminong and transfer addition Jackson Brousseau.

Brousseau was a decent (if conservative) Mountain West QB who got most of the playing time last year, and that proven on-field production probably makes him the favorite, but I think we all understand that if Cal is spending significant portions of this season without JKS in the backfield, this season preview isn’t going to mean much anyway.

Offensive Line

Projected starters:

LT: Junior Frederick Williams
LG: Junior Tyson Ruffins
C: Senior Bastian Swinney
RG: Senior Sioape Vatikani
RT: Sophomore Jimothy Lewis (Mississippi St.)

Depth: Sophomore Jacob Arop (South Dakota), Junior Mykeal Rabess (FIU), Junior Kahlee Tafai (Minnesota), Senior Lamar Robinson,

Cal’s interior linemen are all returners and it’s assumed that Ruffins, Swinney, and Vatikani will all start if healthy. It’s the tackle spots that demand your attention.

Cal added Jimothy Lewis, Jacob Arop, and Mykeal Rabess from the portal to compete with returner Frederick Williams, who was in and out of the lineup last year as Cal searched for answers at tackle. Lewis is almost certainly going to be protecting JKS’s blindside on the right, but left tackle may be an open camp battle between the other three tackles.

Running Back

Projected starter: Junior Adam Mohammed (Washington)

Depth: Sophomore Carter Vargas (UC Davis), Sophomore Ashten Emory (UTEP), Freshman Anthony League

Adam Mohammed is the presumed starter after an impressive season as UW’s 1B running back option, with a battle between Vargas and Emory behind him. My money is on Vargas to be Cal’s 2nd option after an impressive debut season at Davis.

Tight End

Projected starters: Junior Dorian Thomas (New Mexico)

Depth: Junior Mason Mini, Senior Rico Walker (Purdue), Freshman John Tofi

Over the last few years, I bemoaned how often Cal would run multiple tight end sets when they didn’t have two tight ends who were credible pass catching options. Well, that ends now, because last year Mason Mini was Cal’s 2nd best target when healthy, and he’s now the 2nd best tight end on the roster.

And lest you think that Thomas (56 catches, 560 yards) racked up his stats against low end MWC teams, please note his 10 catches for 71 yards and 2 TDs against Michigan. Dude’s legit.

Wide Receiver

Projected starters: Senior Ian Strong (Rutgers), Senior Chase Hendricks (Ohio), Sophomore Cooper Perry (Oregon)

Depth: Senior Jordan King, Junior Mark Hamper, Senior Quaron Adams, Sophomore Trevor Rogers, Junior Kyion Grayes, Senior Cole Boscia

Strong and Hendricks, who combined for 123 receptions last year, are mortal locks to start and be the default options when Cal is in a 2 WR set. Strong was a contested catches machine in the Big-10, and Hendricks was maybe the best small conference slot receiver in the nation last year. The camp battle will be at WR 3 and 4, and rotational snaps behind them. I’d tip Cooper Perry to grab the WR3 spot, because anybody talented enough to even get on the field as a true freshman at Oregon is a safe bet to produce on the field, but Cal has a bunch of returners who could get looks if they either take developmental steps forward (Rogers) or demonstrate better hands (Hamper, Grayes).

Defining Questions

How much better will Cal’s offensive line be?

Cal brought in five offensive linemen in the transfer portal, but most of those additions were at the tackle spot. The presumption, solidified by chatter in spring camp and into fall camp, is that Cal’s returning interior offensive linemen are likely to retain their starting spots.

Jimothy Lewis is the only transfer portal addition who is close to locked in along the starting line. That means that improvement on the offensive line depends on two things:

How much can Cal’s returners, particularly along the interior, improve in one off-season?
Is Jimothy Lewis the immediate answer at right tackle?

I think there are reasons for optimism on point 1. Bastian Swinney stabilized the center position late in the year, and we can always hope for a healthy season from Sioape Vatikani.

Reasons for optimism: Lewis has pedigree. He was a 4 star prospect out of high school, and he has prototypical tackle size at 6’6’’, 315 pounds. He’s entering his 3rd year of college football, which is often around the time when a guy will be reaching physical maturity and be ready to be a plus contributor.

On the other hand, we have the evidence of a non-dominant seven games, 4 starts, and 360 snaps as a redshirt freshman for Mississippi St., which is scant evidence to go on.

He is, by some margin in my estimation, the most pivotal player on Cal’s roster.

Will JKS make The Leap?

There is an eye-test vs. numbers conflict with JKS. As noted in the intro, I think he looked like a sure-fire NFL quarterback in his true freshman season. But the numbers were unremarkable:

Yards/attempt: 7.0, 83rd in FBS football
64.2% completion percentage, 70th in FBS football
18 touchdowns, 49th in college football

We all know how context dependent those numbers are - JKS had one healthy running back, a shallow WR core that dropped a ton of balls, an offensive line with inconsistent protection and zero running game explosiveness.

But as good as he was, there is room for improvement both from JKS, and from the players and coaches around him.

Can Cal’s offensive brain trust combine their disparate experience in year one?

Cal’s offensive coordinator, Jordan Somerville, spent his last three years coaching in the NFL (and his highest level of college experience is as an offensive assistant). Cal’s co-offensive coordinator, Ike Hilliard, has spent 13 of his last 14 years coaching in the NFL.

This isn’t to suggest that Cal’s coaching staff his hopelessly NFL-pilled. Nick Rolovich is still here, with an associate head coach title, and will surely be heavily involved in game-planning. Run game coordinator Steve Haunga has a decade of college experience. Passing game coordinator pat McCann has bounced all over the west coast across a 15 year career.

Still, this is a collection of coaches from a wide variety of backgrounds who don’t have a ton of experience working together. Sometimes, a wide variety of experiences and ideas can combine into something greater than the sum of its parts. sometimes, a wide variety of experiences and ideas can lead to a unit that doesn’t have a clear identity, or with clashes and disagreements over direction and decision making.

Their ability to maximize JKS will likely define the season.

DBD 2026-08-10: Nellie

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:05:37 GMT

Write For California is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Ultimate Insider Podcast E132: Cal Hall of Fame OL Todd Steussie

Bear Insider — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:22:51 GMT