Cal Linebacker Teddye Buchanan Ready to Tangle With Old Friends

The senior transfer says it will be to fun to face his old school Saturday when UC Davis visits Memorial Stadium

Teddye Buchanan / Photo by Jeff Faraudo

Teddye Buchanan is trying to treat Saturday’s game against UC Davis as “just another game.”

He’s fooling no one.

Buchanan, who will start at inside linebacker in his debut with Cal, played the past four seasons at Davis. On Saturday at 2 p.m., the Aggies will be on the opposite sideline at Memorial Stadium.

“I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be a good challenge,” Buchanan said. “Obviously, I have a lot of respect for those guys and I know a lot of them. Just got to treat it like another game and ultimately we’re there to win.”

Buchanan,  who played high school ball at St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco, says there is no ill will in either direction.

“They’re super supportive,” he said of his ex-teammates’ reaction to him transferring. “There’s no bad blood.”

Cal coach Justin Wilcox is thrilled with the arrangement.

“We’re really glad to have him as opposed to playing against him, I’ll tell you that much,” Wilcox said.

At 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, Buchanan will pair with reigning Pac-12 Defensive  Freshman of the Year Cade Uluave to give the Bears a potent inside linebacker tandem.

Uluave says Buchanan has been a great fit.

“Teddye, he’s a dog. You look at him and you’re like, `Man, this guy looks legit.’ He’s a big, strong, fast, physical dude. I’m excited to play with him.

“He’s a funny dude. He brings a lot to the (linebacker) room. We’re lucky to have him. He’s a guy you want to be around. Me and Teddye are ready to go ball out and do our thing.”

Buchanan led the Aggies last season with 71 tackles and three interceptions. Over four seasons, he totaled 208 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, and eight interceptions in 36 games.

ESPN labeled him as one of 32 sleepers nationwide, players who may surprise fans.

Cal’s coaches have not been surprised. They remember him from two years ago, when Buchanan had eight tackles and an interception in the Bears’ 34-13 win over the Aggies.

“He is a very impressive young guy. Physically, he’s a very talented guy  — we knew that when we played against him,” Wilcox said. “What’s more impressive is just his approach to football. He is an absolute professional when it comes to practice, meetings, walk-throughs, how he takes care of his body, the lifts, all that. He is a very, very driven, motivated and accountable guy. 

“For him to really just get here this summer and be where he is mentally with the defense, you can just tell he’s made of the right stuff.”

Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon has been most impressed by how quickly and thoroughly Buchanan has embraced the Bears’ defensive system.

“Teddy’s continued to be very mature,” Sirmon said. "He’s been exceptional in the meeting room, asking the right questions. UC Davis, really give ‘em nothing but props — they did a fantastic job of raising a football player.”

Wilcox appreciates the emotions Buchanan may feel Saturday, but says his situation is hardly unique these days with the steady flow of player movement through the transfer portal.

“In this era it’s just commonplace,” he said. “There’s going to be more and more of those situations where guys play against their former team.”