EJ Caminong Determined to Make it A 3-Man QB Battle at Cal

The redshirt freshman has gotten ample practice time this spring and has impressed his coaches

Jeff Faraudo | Apr 3, 2025

Cal quarterback EJ Caminong / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

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California Golden Bears

When starter Fernando Mendoza entered the transfer portal and Cal responded by bringing in Ohio State transfer Devin Brown and elite high school prospect Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, it appeared the quarterback duel this spring would be a two-man competition.

That was to some degree, anyway, the perception outside the program.

Someone forgot to tell EJ Caminong. The redshirt freshman from Seattle, who made his college debut off the bench in difficult circumstances in the Bears’ 24-13 loss to UNLV at the LA Bowl, has thrust himself into the fray.

Caminong has mostly shared practice reps with Brown and Sagapolutele during spring ball, often getting the chance to play with the first or second team with the coaching staff determined to get long looks at each player.

“It’s been good to make a name for myself and prove to myself kind of what I’ve been telling myself,” Caminong said after practice Wednesday. “I feel like I’m right in the mix with two other really good quarterbacks.”

New offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin had good things to say about Caminong earlier this week.

“He’s very comfortable in the things we’re doing. I think he handles himself real well, and I think when he’s out there on the field, he plays really fast, in a good way. When I say that, it’s like he’s smooth but he’s fast,” Harsin said.

“He’s throwing the ball really well. He’s moving in the pocket really well. I think he’s making good decisions.”

Caminong, formerly a three-star prospect out of Garfield High School in Seattle, said he is first and foremost a competitor. So even when others might have ignored him, Caminong never conceded anything to his rival teammates.

“The biggest thing for me is I don’t necessarily worry about the outside noise. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned while growing up and my family instilled in me . . . and coach Harsin does a good job of talking about it, too,” he said. “Just run your own race. What that kind of means is basically stay in your own lane. Worry about what you have going on.

“The moment you start worrying about what other people are doing and other people’s business, other outside noise, what everybody has to say, that’s when you lose focus on what you can be doing to get better.

“I always feel like I can compete in any room I go to, so that’s the confidence I have. Just having that confidence the entire time while other people may not believe in that . . I said it before: I’m a competitor.”

Cal coach Justin Wilcox is not expected to name a starter by the end of spring ball on on April 12. Harsin suggested there may be a soft depth chart, but it’s more likely the coaching staff wants to keep all three engaged into fall camp.

Caminong feels like he has performed well in spring ball, but said developing consistency is a key for him.

He was the Bears’ third-stringer last fall as a true freshman and wasn’t expected to see game action. But when Mendoza announced his exit after the regular season, Caminong was elevated to No. 2, behind CJ Harris.

Harris was injured during the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and Caminong suddenly was on the field for the first time on game day.

“You don’t know what a game feels like until you’re really out there. It felt cool to be in SoFi Stadium . . . (I was) a little star-struck before the game.” he recalled.

“I didn’t feel nervous. I was very confident. But the game went how it went. It did feel a little fast.”

Caminong wound up completing just 6 of 19 pass attempts for 59 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. But he has no regrets.

“I had an overall great experience — a lot to learn from it, for sure,” he said. “Very valuable.”

Harsin, who attended the game, agrees.

“I had a chance to watch him. Probably one of the best things he could have experienced was having a chance to play in that game,” Harsin said. “His development and what he’s done so far, I mean he’s just gone up and up.”

Caminong said he’s enjoying the competition with Brown and Sagapolutele.

“They’re great people,” he said. “Devin’s been great to have in he quarterback room. I’ve learned a lot from him from what he’s been able to bring from Ohio State.

"And Jaron’s kind of like a breath of fresh air. He takes the edge off in the quarterback room. He’s a great dude, he’s really funny and he brings great energy all the time. It makes it easy to compete.”

Getting a chance to compete was all Caminong ever wanted.