SportSpyder - The Latest California Golden Bears Football Podcasts

Cal brings in HAUL of ELITE commits on the First Official Visit Weekend of the Year! Breakdown with Joaquin Ruiz

Bleav Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:05:00 GMT

Topics:

Cal brings in HAUL of commits
What pledge was the most intriguing?
How has Cal already grown in the recruiting space?

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DBD 2026-06-02: Flop

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:22 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

Cal Football Recruiting Commit: Jaderian Jones, Dallas Defensive Lineman

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:56:27 GMT

The California Golden Bears have a series of visits in these late spring weeks that could decide the potential of the 2027 recruiting class. And if this past week of verbal commits is any indicator, they are moving well in the right path.

The latest commit comes from the Lone Star State in the form of defensive tackle Jaderian Jones.

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Jones is ranked as the 96th-best defensive lineman and the 113th-best Texas prospect in 247 Composite. He holds offers from many major programs like Arizona State, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Miami, Missouri, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Virginia Tech.

As a 6-2, 285-pound defensive tackle, Jones was wracking up numbers inside, with his junior stats compiling to 75 tackles and 21 TFLs. His Hudl tape can be found here.

Additional commitments in the past week include:

Welcome to Cal Jaderian! Go Bears!

Watch Cal QBs Throw: Commit Dane Weber, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Showcase At Elite 11

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:09:06 GMT

Fresh off his commitment to Cal, Dane Weber showed off his talents in the Elite 11. Here he is throwing a touchdown on Day 1.

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Weber had a great throw on his rail shot challenge.

Here is more extensive highlights from Day 1 of work on Friday.

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Weber had a 14-21 performance with two touchdowns and 1 sack on his final day, following up a 14-20 performance in Day 2.

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For Cal fans wanting to see a glimpse of their QB1, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was at the Elite 11 as a college counselor, showing off the spirals he was capable of with his arm.

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You can see him continuing to improve the delivery and speed on his throws.

It’s good to know that Cal has kept their running back pipeline running the right way. Excited to see both of them slinging it together next year, with JKS ready to take the next step in his development this fall.

DBD 2026-06-01: Travel

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:01:47 GMT

Cal Secures Commitment Of Four-Star Tight End Rahzario Edwards

Sun, 31 May 2026 20:19:33 GMT

For Cal fans unfamiliar with the Tosh Lupoi recruiting effect, we’re getting the full experience this weekend.

Sacramento tight end Rahzario Edwards made the call after an unofficial visit. Edwards caught 23 passes for 634 yards and five touchdowns last season.

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Edwards is ranked as the sixth-best tight end and the tenth-best California prospect by 247Sports Composite, and is a consensus four-star prospect. His Hudl highlights is here. The offer list is extensive, including Alabama, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC … and Stanford. It’s a great recruiting win, particularly with the Bears already having another tight end committed.

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Edwards joins four-star wide receiver Charles Davis and three-star wideout Blake Gunter as new playmakers for Elite 11 quarterback Dane Weber.

Edwards is the second commit from Grant Union this cycle, joining edge Giovanni Hodge. He’d be the second tight end from Grant in as many years, joining Sosaia Noa (Offensive lineman Roger Vanderhoef committed soon after Lupoi’s arrival in the 2026 cycle). The Sacramento pipeline has been rebuilt for the sturdy Golden Bears.

Cal Lands Commitment of Four-Star Athlete Elyjah Staples

Sun, 31 May 2026 18:59:49 GMT

The California Golden Bears continue to have a big recruiting weekend, and they landed another major prospect in Elyjah Staples. The 6-4, 205-pound athlete projects as a linebacker/edge prototype at the collegiate level.

Staples hails from Huntington Park. The Marquez athlete had an incredible 2025 campaign on both sides of the football, racking up 95 tackles and nine sacks on defense, with 1137 receiving yards and 20+ touchdowns on offense.

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Staples is a four-star prospect as the 26th-best athlete and 33rd-best California prospect. His junior highlight reel is available on Hudl. Greg Biggins had an early scout:

“Two-way player who shone as an edge rusher and tight end and is getting looks on both sides of the ball. Frame-wise, linebacker could be his best position at the college level, but he’s a dominant pass rusher off the edge. Physical at the point of attack and runs right through opposing tackles and fullbacks.

Staples ended up picking Cal over BYU. Other offers included Stanford, the Arizona schools, Kansas, Minnesota, and Wake Forest. Staples ended up winning the linebacker MVP award at a recent Under Armour camp in Los Angeles.

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Welcome to Cal Elyjah! Go Bears!

Cal Adds Santa Rosa Three Star Offensive Lineman Joshua Bunni

Sun, 31 May 2026 17:35:53 GMT

It’s a huge weekend for the California Golden Bears, as the commitments are coming in fast and furious.

Cal has lacked commits on the offensive line, this issue has been ameliorated by the addition of local (but not 100% local) 3* IOL Joshua Bunni, who chose Cal over Utah, BYU, Washington, ASU, and WSU.

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The 6’6”, 330 pounds player has prototypical size and weight for the interior offensive line position. Hailing from Santa Rosa north of the Bay Area he can trace his roots to Australia where he lived before moving States-side. It’s always nice to see some international flavor coming to Cal, if I say so myself.

Bunni’s trans-Pacific roots also indicate that he will likely come in raw technique-wise, which is fine, you can coach up a player on that, it is hard to coach a 6’6” 330lbs with quickness and strength, Parcells and Newton agree that not many men this size move this well.

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Welcome to Cal Joshua!

Cal Defensive Lineman Ashun Sheppard Appreciates Journey from Mississippi to Berkeley

Sun, 31 May 2026 13:04:53 GMT

Ashun Sheppard made the trip from Starkville to Berkeley with a clear reason: he liked the way Tosh Lupoi coaches football.

“I like that he’s a defensive-minded coach. I really took a big liking to Coach DD [Darrion Daniels] too. He really embraced me, really teaching me and helping me elevate my game to the next level.”

Having a head coach who came up as a defensive lineman himself has meant something tangible to Sheppard.

“It means everything, really, because he understands the ins and outs of what we’re going through. He’s really basing it all around us and I love that.”

He arrived at Cal alongside former Mississippi State teammate Jimothy Lewis, and says that familiarity has carried over.

“Me and Jimmy have some real good odds back at State. We really just enjoy iron sharpening iron.”

The D-line room has gelled quickly, mixing returning players with new arrivals.

“Everybody really jelling together, everybody really coming together and having a good brotherhood.”

On the field, Sheppard describes himself as a team-first player who leads by example, solid against the run and active in the pass game. The group’s emphasis this spring has been on generating interior pressure.

“We really emphasize getting pressure on the quarterback and making that cage come together. We’re really learning to rush more as a team and work together.”

Off the field, the returning players have gone out of their way to bring the newcomers in.

“They’ve been very helpful all around, getting to classes, helping out. I don’t have any transportation up here, so they’ve been really helping out, taking me places I need, helping me in the playbook. Real good brotherhood.”

Cal Secondary Transfers Provide Depth And an Edge, with Something to Prove

Sat, 30 May 2026 13:35:24 GMT

The Cal secondary has gone through significant turnover this offseason, but the newcomers arrived with a clear sense of what they’re walking into. Safety Kingston Lopa followed Tosh Lupoi from Oregon, where he’d already spent two years learning the defense.

“I kind of already knew the defense, so that’s what really made me transfer over. I’ve been in it for about two years. That was really the biggest thing. And Tosh already been with him for a couple years, so it was an easy transfer.”

He didn’t hesitate when asked how good this group can be.

“It’s going to be aggressive, violent. We got DBs. Strapping. It’s going to be fun.”

Cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew came over from Arizona and sees a group with the pieces to carry on what Cal has built in the secondary.

“Our DBs, we got a lot of depth. I feel like we definitely going to hold up to that standard. We going to be a real good group this year for sure.”

He described his own game simply.

“I’m going to bring aggressive press man, go get after it, try to go get the ball in zone. Ball hawk corner.”

Safety Michael Hurst Jr. transferred from Southern California and found a room that welcomed him quickly, even with so many new faces adjusting at once.

“I’m from Southern California, so it’s a five, six hour drive, but I got to stay home. Everyone was really welcoming. I love Coach T and what they’re trying to push within the program.”

All three described a room still learning each other but moving in the same direction. Lopa put it plainly.

“Just with the energy we bring, these first three days have just been great. Excited, pumped, hyped every day. Just come with the energy every day.”

The competition in practice has been its own education. Groves-Killebrew said going against Cal’s offense daily has pushed him in ways he didn’t expect.

“This offense is probably the most different offense I’ve played against since I’ve been in college. A lot of under center, a lot of stretch, fakes and that type of stuff. Different, but good for sure.”

Cal Men's Basketball Announce Home and Away Conference Opponents

Fri, 29 May 2026 16:02:49 GMT

#GoBears | #ThroughAndThrough pic.twitter.com/NQCEia31wL

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Cal MBB has announced their ACC home and away opponents for the 2026 season. The 2025-2026 season will be coach Mark Madsen’s fourth with the Golden Bears, following a productive 22-12 overall record in 2025-2026 where Cal was .500 in conference play. Notably absent from this year’s schedule is Georgia Tech, who Cal played twice lsat year (and swept). GT has been replaced by a home-and-home against theNorth Carolina State Wolfpack.

It’s an inverse schedule from last year, with ACC perennials Duke and UNC being road opponents. Cal’s marquee home conference games at this point are against the ascending Miami Hurricanes and Wake Forest Deacons.

Cal Offensive Coordinator Jordan Somerville Likes Operational Process Post Spring Game

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:04:03 GMT

Jordan Somerville’s primary takeaway from the spring game was how well his offense handled the operational demands he’d put on them.

“The biggest thing from an operation standpoint, those guys did a good job of what we asked from a cycle to snap and pre-snap and post-snap processing standpoint. In and out of the huddle, eyes to the signaler, all the little things we asked of them. A phenomenal job of that.”

That processing held up even with a crowd watching and the pace of a live scrimmage.

“It goes back to exactly what we were just talking about. Pre-snap and post-snap processing, those guys being able to take in information, the amount that we talk to the quarterback pre-snap to give him indicators of what’s going on in the back end, and then giving him the toolbox to go out and perform.”

Running back Adam Mohammed made a play that caught attention, and Somerville pointed to his daily habits as the foundation.

“The biggest thing Adam exemplifies is being a professional. The way he takes care of his body, the way he attacks his sleeping habits, the way he handles himself preparing for practice. That dude does an elite job of making sure he’s ready to go physically and mentally day to day. From a standard standpoint, he’s going to push what it’s supposed to look like and how we operate.”

Freshman tight end Taimane Purcell has also made a strong impression through the spring.

“Takes in information at a high level and then plays fast. That’s the biggest thing. Can you take in information and then apply it and play fast? Taimane has done a great job of that. He’s been here since about January 18th, so he’s been here about three and a half months. The amount of information for a freshman to take in with what we ask in the system, he’s done a phenomenal job, and then playing fast. He’s done an excellent job of that.”

With spring wrapped up, Somerville sees three more phases ahead before the season opener.

“We’re three, three and a half months in and we just finished phase two. We got three more phases to go. That’s the thing that brings a smile to our face. OTAs, summer phase and then training camp. But on top of that, we can’t take any day for granted. How do we utilize those three phases? I believe we’re made of the right stuff mentally, so taking the step I know we can take from an offensive standpoint is encouraging.”

As for calling plays at Memorial Stadium for the first time in front of a crowd, Somerville found it came naturally.

“It was exciting just from the communication standpoint. That’s the one thing I absolutely enjoyed, talking with the coaches on the headset, making it as game-day-like as possible. Communication to the quarterback, that’s new to me with the iPads and video. It was a good time.”

DBD 2026-05-29: Milan

Fri, 29 May 2026 06:01:58 GMT

Cal adds 3* Elite 11 QB Dane Weber to the 2027 Class

Fri, 29 May 2026 01:14:20 GMT

He joins the 11 man 2027 Class as the first and only QB as well as the 8th in-state commit. The 29th QB, and 34th recruit in the state of California, but his ranking belies the fact that he was invited to the “Elite 11” camp as a finalist, being the first Cal QB to do so since Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele in 2024.

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Cal beat out UCLA, and Cincinnati for Weber’s verbal commitment, but his offer list also contains: Arizona, ASU, Colorado, Duke, Georgia, Illinois, K-State, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, and Washington to name a few. While 247 and ESPN have him as a 3*, On3 has him as a 4*. We will see if his performance at the Elite 11 will boost his ranking.

Self-reported height/weight: 6’2”, 215 pounds.

Official camp measurement reportedly closer to 6’0” 4.68s 40 yard dash

He enters his senior year at Chapparal having already started the previous 2 years posting impressive statlines both as a passer and as a runner:

2025: 218/311, 3654 yards, 41 Passing TDs, 9 INTs (13.08 Adjusted Yards per Attempt, for comparison JKS in his senior year posted an AY/A of 10.8, please note that the situations and leagues differ between Hawai’i and SoCal). Rushing: 115 carries for 668 yards, 14 TDs.

Cal staff did not hide their excitement over the commitment

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Welcome to Cal Dane!

I know Mitch Schwartz welcomes you

Golden Nuggets: The Exhibit that Nearly Wasn't and More Awards

Thu, 28 May 2026 19:29:26 GMT

Hello and welcome to Golden Nuggets, our weekly recap article where we try to highlight all the fun, funny, or interesting things you might have missed roughly over the last week across Bear Territory (the whole damn world of course). Think of it like a cheat sheet for small talk about Cal.

Don’t really have a leading article this week but I watched Totoro for the first time and felt compelled to make this so, that’s newsworthy right?

Hot Links

The Exhibit That Almost Wasn’t

Berkeleyside last week profiled Jedda Foreman, associate director at the Lawrence Hall of Science, and Vincent Medina, co-leader of the ‘ottoy Initiative at UC Berkeley to discuss a new exhibit opening at the Lawrence Hall of Science soon that almost wasn’t because of Trump’s federal funding cuts. Learn more here!

Small Bites

UC Berkeley celebrated the inaugural class of their Masters of Climate Solutions program!
Congrats to UC Berkeley’s 2025–26 National Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients!
NFL Academy stopped by California Memorial Stadium
On3 put together a list of the Top 100 returning players in College Football and someone is ranked way too low in my opinion.
Cal Men’s and Women’s Swimming is joining the College Swimming League. More to come!
Congrats to 3 UC Berkeley Faculty named to the UK Royal Society!

Golden Bear Honors

This Week in eCommerce

Do you need some glasses to sip your Oski’s Gold out of celebrating the 1948 Cal Rose Bowl Team? OH BOY YOU DO?

Get them on eBay here!

Cal Pro Updates

Swimming

Hunter Armstrong competed in the Enhanced Games this weekend while completely clean, and still beat everyone.

Basketball

Jaylen Brown was named to the All NBA Second Team.

Football

Kenny Lawler signed a record contract to sign with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL. Marshawn hung out at a Valkyries practice.

Basketball

Michelle Oyniah is playing with the Charlotte Crown of the Upshot League.

Cal Defensive Coordinator Michael Hutchings Saw The Work Show Up In Spring Game

Thu, 28 May 2026 13:18:57 GMT

Michael Hutchings came back to the Bay Area with deep roots here, and he’s spent the spring watching a defense from all over the country start to feel like home.

“We got a lot of transfers that come from outside of California. Teaching them about the Bay, making them feel comfortable, having the guys that are already on the team, everybody really coming together from January till now, seeing guys coming together, make one little area feel like home.”

On the field, the growth has come fast. Hutchings credits a group that absorbs coaching quickly and doesn’t need to be told things twice.

“You don’t really have to coach things over and over with these guys. You tell them once, maybe twice, and then they apply it, which allows us to really grow at a fast pace. The work has showed up definitely just over the last week, kind of seeing it come together from February till now.”

He declined to single out individuals, pointing instead to a group that has bought into a collective identity, highlighting the defensive front.

“We always try to keep it a group message. I know we talk about the linebackers and DBs, but I think just really giving a little bit of an applause to the front, the coaches, the front coalition and the guys that have worked in the background and don’t get a lot of recognition. Those guys have been a bright spot for us as well.”

The ability to go against a very improved running back room every day in practice has sharpened the defense’s instincts.

“Those guys in the running back room, they’re so talented, great personalities, great work ethic, flat out workhorses. You respect them a bunch and they make us so much better. We had our scrimmage last week and it really allowed us to see some growth moments and opportunities facing this quality of backs.”

That cross-unit familiarity doesn’t happen by accident. Head coach Tosh Lupoi has built the offseason program around mixing position groups deliberately.

“Every group activity, every extracurricular, trying to mix those groups up. How do we do great team building? My relationship with them comes from just the mixture of team building activities. Guys on each side of the ball have great relationships with the other coaches and other groups.”

With recruits on campus for the spring game, Hutchings saw the day as something bigger than a final exam.

“The whole spring in general is a chance for them to see us really exemplify our culture, show who we are in Berkeley. What is this school about? What’s the staff about? What’s the new standard? Coach Tosh is playing to take care of home, blitz the Bay, take care of California and the West Coast, but still have great opportunities in the transfer portal and do a good job of bringing guys into this culture.”

DBD 2026-05-28: Orvieto Chicken salad

Thu, 28 May 2026 06:02:17 GMT

This is the chicken salad that HSB, HSB wife, and I had in Orvieto Italy.

Green sauce: Chopped fresh dill, parsley, oregano, and thyme vigorously mixed with olive oil.

Shredded chicken (I use dark meat) with mayo, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil with the green sauce.

Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of it nor do I have ingredients amounts. I basically add amounts until it tastes good.

Cal Football Announces Times for the Early Slate of Games

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:46:20 GMT

Cal announces the first slate of kick off times for the first 5 games as well as where you can find them on the TV if you’re unable to come home and watch them at our holy cathedral: California Memorial Stadium.

Note that the times are in PST so for East Coast Bears such as myself the times are even later!

vs. UCLA, 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET on ESPN (I hope we get to wear Joe Roths)
at Syracuse, 12:30pm PT/3:30 ET on ACC Network (Back to Back P4 games will really test our squad early on)
vs. Wagner, 12:30pm PT/3:30 ET on ACC Network (his Operas are ok, I wonder if the band will play the Ride of the Valkyries)
vs. Clemson, 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET on ESPN (Friday Night Lights, Dabo v. the Woke Mob, Absolute Cinema)
at UNLV, 12:30pm PT/3:30 ET on CBS Sports Network (Sin City, finally)

I am excited for the start of the season, are you? What games are you most looking forward to?

Cal Tight End Coach Steve Haunga Likes Playmaking Abilities Of His Corps

Wed, 27 May 2026 13:22:52 GMT

Steve Haunga didn’t know much about Cal’s tight end room before he started considering the job. Now this group has him more excited than ever.

“Once I started considering this job and what he’s done in the past, and the guys that we could potentially get in the portal, which we did, it’s really exciting. It’s an exciting group to coach because they can make plays and do everything you’re asking of a tight end.”

Coming back to Berkeley carried its own weight. Haunga had been a strength and conditioning intern at Cal a decade ago, and he didn’t take the significance of returning lightly.

“At the time I was looking to become a strength coach and then transitioned over to football. Coming back to the Bay Area is home, and to come back to a place where I started my career has been pretty awesome, definitely a philosophical moment that I don’t take for granted.”

The room he inherited is a blend of portal talent and emerging youth. Dorian Thomas and Rico Walker transferred from outside the program, while freshman Taimane Purcell arrived from Hawaii and has been drawing early notice.

“Taimane is flashing a lot, and I’m really proud of the way he’s progressing. The group is making a lot of plays, adjusting, adapting to the new system. It’s been pretty awesome.”

Thomas is settling in as both a playmaker and a leader, one of the older heads in a room still establishing its identity.

“Dorian is very coachable, a guy that wants to play hard. He’s a playmaker when he gets the ball in his hands. Right now he has really good route running skills and we’re developing his run game, which he’s going to be really good at too.”

Mason Mini, last year’s starter, is working back from injury. He hasn’t been practicing in contact yet, but his presence is already being felt.

“It’s been awesome to hear Mason out there talking to the guys. His voice has definitely been felt on the team.”

Haunga is running the room alongside fellow assistant coach Mike Saffell, and he describes the partnership as genuinely collaborative.

“Really we’re kind of spearheading this thing together. I lean on him, he leans on me. No one has an ego. We attack this thing as a team.”

When the season arrives, he doesn’t see one player carrying the load.

“These guys are going to have to lean on each other. It’s not going to be one guy doing everything. It’s going to be a committee, because as the season goes on, things like injuries happen. We have to be able to rely on two, three, four guys for us to be a successful offense.”

DBD 2026-05-27: Carolina

Wed, 27 May 2026 06:02:21 GMT

Cal Special Teams Coach Zach Tinker Sees Tons of Competition, Tons of Progress

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:03:40 GMT

The kicking competition is ongoing, the personalities are loud, and Zach Tinker wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We’re an eclectic group in the spec room. We got a lot of personality in there. The guys support one another. A lot of Saturday nights they’ll send me some photo of them in some cool restaurant in the bay having a great time with one another and fellowship. They’ve been a great group to work with.”

That camaraderie matters because the competition is direct. Kickers aren’t just battling an opponent on Saturdays, they’re battling each other every day in practice.

“It’s similar to maybe a quarterback position where you’re competing directly with that person for playing time. That’s a little bit of a challenge, but that’s part of the world they’re in. The guys have had a great attitude towards each other.”

The place-kicking job remains undecided, with three players splitting reps across all phases. No decision on splitting kickoff and field goal duties has been made either.

“We’re trying to prepare everybody to do everything. All three guys are doing all three phases, from kickoff to long field goal to short field goal. We’ll see where we are once we get to September.”

The group carried some baggage into the offseason after a difficult stretch of results, and Tinker addressed the mental side first.

“What they’ve worked on is really the emotional and mental part of their game. If you’re constantly worried about the results of the kick instead of your process of putting foot to ball, that’s when you’re going to have uneven results. Tons of progress from day one to today, but a ton of growth to do until we hit the field for real.”

Erik Peters, primarily a kicker in recent seasons, has taken on punting duties as well, and Tinker says the adjustment has been seamless in terms of attitude.

“Erik’s had an unbelievable attitude about it, trying to learn the punting game and doing all the things in the kicking game as well. We have guys that are holders or snappers that hold for each other so they can get reps. Everybody’s been eager to participate any way they can.”

Long-snapper David Bird anchors the group, and Tinker says his leadership comes less from what he says than from how he shows up every day.

“David is definitely the leader of the group from an emotional standpoint. Three years as a starter in the Pac-12, then the ACC, then the SEC, and now back to the ACC. That’s a lot of moments in his career that he has reflections on that he can share with the group. He’s not a real storyteller that way, but just his approach every single day is the leadership he really provides. Great demeanor, never too high, never too low, and that’s something we can all learn from.”

DBD 2026-05-26: Mont Royal

Tue, 26 May 2026 10:45:34 GMT

Cal Receivers Coach Geoff McArthur on Coming Home, Surviving Cancer, Living in Present

Mon, 25 May 2026 13:03:50 GMT

Geoff MaArthur didn’t need much convincing to come back to Cal. It had been on his mind for a long time.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be back home. This is a place where I not only grew up, but I feel like I was raised in the Bay Area. I’m born and raised in Los Angeles, but a lot of maturity and a lot of life lessons were formed here. Every day I go out there, I thank God and I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to do this. It’s not a lot of people that can say they coach where they played. It’s really special to be out here.”

He had been preparing for this moment long before it became a reality.

“I’ve been prepping for this moment for a long time. Personally, it was a bucket list. I was going to come up here and volunteer if nobody offered me anything and just sleep in the bear cubs or wherever all the kids sleep until they kicked me out. So I’m glad they offered me a job.”

The parallels to a previous era at Cal weren’t lost on him either.

“Once it started to become a possibility, I knew it was going to happen just because 20 to 25 years ago the same thing happened. You get a coach from Oregon, all of a sudden we go from pretty below average to above average, from one and ten to ten and one. History has a way of repeating itself and I feel like we’re about to do some special things once again.”

What he’s seen from the receiver room has reminded him of his own playing days.

“We have a very connected group. It reminds me of the group we had when I was here. You don’t have all these five stars and big-name guys, but the group as a whole plays well together. They compete for each other. Nobody out there is trying to make sure they’re the only one that knows the play. They’re sharing information, blocking for each other, playing hard. If we keep it up, we’ll be pretty special.”

The chemistry shows up in the details, inside and outside the meeting room.

“There’s not a lot of guys out there saying me, me. They’re doing what they’re asked to do, just an incredible bond. You see them sticking together, few words inside the meeting rooms but outside the meeting rooms they’re really locked in, dialed in, playing for one another, sharing information. There are just certain tells that show you these guys care for each other.”

MacArthur was diagnosed with stage four DLBCL lymphoma four years ago. He spoke about that journey with remarkable openness.

“It’s been four years since I was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Each year I tend to get a little bit stronger. As long as I keep myself in good health, hydrating, taking care of myself, eating the right foods and being in the right environments, I’m going to be fine. And this is the perfect environment.”

The first diagnosis in 2022 was met with a competitive mindset. When it came back in 2023 and metastasized, things got more serious.

“I was admitted to City of Hope and it was just like, okay, so I’m probably going to die. But I’ve never lived. I’ve always had a little bit of fear in my heart, always chasing objects and things and attachments, never really present. Always wondering about what I was going to do in the future or what happened in the past.”

The shift in how he approached the illness changed everything.

“When I surrendered to the fact that I would probably die and started focusing on living presently, it’s funny how my body kind of responded to that more than it did to fear and fighting and clinging to things. It was when I surrendered and did what I could control that things got better.”

Today, MacArthur is in remission and carries a different relationship with each day.

“Life is a privilege, it’s an honor. No matter what comes with life, life is really special. It’s a miracle. There are no bad days. When you have life, you have oxygen. It’s a gift. I think I live that way and it’s been pretty infectious with the people around me.”

That perspective is something he actively passes on to his players.

“I look forward to adversity. Whenever adversity strikes, I wait for it and I pounce on it. What an opportunity to learn about yourself, to grow and really create a new neuropathway. Every time you have something where you struggle, whatever choices you make about that struggle determine how your brain programs itself. I can tell when the light bulb goes off and they start to become believers in that too. We look forward to difficulties because they’re going to show us who we are.”

Coming back to Cal at this point in his life felt like the right completion of a longer story.

“I’ve come full circle. Before my cancer journey, I had a little bit of a fragmented story about Cal and how it went and what should have, could have, would have happened. After the cancer experience, I was able to grow in ways that only could have happened through a really challenging opportunity. Now that I’ve overcome those challenges, I’ve become a better version of myself. The students are benefiting from the adversity and the way that I handled those difficult times.”

Incoming Cal Offensive Linemen Adjust To Berkeley Life

Sun, 24 May 2026 13:02:55 GMT

Kent State transfer Ashton Rivera has hit the ground running after getting first team reps early in spring, and pointed to what Cal brings off the field as the biggest upgrade from his previous stops.

“I’ve been coached well at all the places I’ve been, but I would just say the resources they have available here. Two great O-line coaches and a great GA. Some of the best facilities in the country. The recovery, the food, the nutritionist, all that extra stuff off the field has been more of a benefit than I would have thought beforehand.”

On head coach Tosh Lupoi, Rivera needed a moment to find the right words.

“I don’t know a good word to describe him. He’s very energetic. His energy is contagious. He’ll get us all riled up. I’ve been around a lot of head coaches and I love the fire he’s bringing. I love the kind of program he’s trying to build.”

Mississippi State transfer Jimothy Lewis has been seeing time with the first team and identified pass protection as his calling card.

“I think I’m a better pass blocker. Pass blocking for someone like Jaron, that’s great.”

On the coaching staff, Lewis noticed a different approach from his previous stop.

“They’re more patient here. As far as my last school, it was really no excuses. You already know what you’re doing.”

True freshman Daniel McMorris arrived from Norman, Oklahoma as a four-star prospect and has been adding weight and strength since enrolling early, putting on 10 to 15 pounds already. He described his game simply.

“I’m very agile, long, fast.”

McMorris has leaned on another newcomer, Kahlee Tafai, to learn the ropes.

“I would say he’s like my best friend. I learn from him. Really just showing me how to play the game the right way.”

All three see the line’s chemistry growing quickly, on and off the field.

“We’re building chemistry. We’ve been hanging together outside of the field, building that day in and day out. It’s kind of early, but the chemistry is coming already.”

Jacob Arop had this to say on offenisve line coach Famika Anae.

“He’ll get on you, but then he’ll always say the right things. He’ll motivate you to do more, to do better. When you’re doing better, he’ll always congratulate you on that. He loves what he does and it kind of fires me up. He’s different, different in a good way.”

On coming out for football late:

“I come from a basketball family. I could ask my parents after school every day and they finally gave in on the last day. My mom was like, you get hurt, they were worried about my skinny frame.”

On competing against the defensive line:

“It’s been up and down, just trying to get used to it again. They line up really good. But it’s kind of like iron sharpens iron. The better we get, the better they get.”

Men's Basketball: Bears Add Guard Gabriel Sularski to Incoming Class

Sat, 23 May 2026 19:47:02 GMT

Layton Christian Academy guard Gabriel Sularski has committed to Cal for the upcoming season.

The 6’ 6” 3-star recruit (ESPN ranked 4-star) played through his junior year in Illinois before transferring to Layton(UT) Christian Academy for his senior year. He had offers from multiple Big10 and SEC schools before choosing Cal.

As a senior with Layton Academy, Sularski averaged 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game playing against select programs from around the nation. Sularski hold dual citizenship with the USA and Poland, and played on Poland’s FIBA U16 team. He averaged 16 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game over seven games in the 2024 EuroBasket Tournament.

His U16 scouting tape show a fearless point guard who is able to get to his spot and rise for a good shot. He also executes the pick-and-roll efficiently and shows a willingness to kick out to open shooters.

In the offseason, Sularski added muscle to his frame to get ready for the increased physicality at the college level.

The Bears now have thirteen players on next year’s roster, with space to add two more.

PG - Michael Cooper, Jordan Ross
G/F - Amier Ali, Nojus Indrusaitis, Jovani Ruff, Dionycius Bakare, Gabriel Sularksi
F - Jake Wilkins, Sammie Yeanay
F/C - Nicolas Mitrovic, DK Dhut, Montas Kocanas, Lee Dort

Look for the Bears to add two walk-ons, while waiting to see if a frontcourt scholarship-level player becomes available.