Jaydn Ott Listed as `Probable' for No. 22 Pitt After Injury Setback

The junior running back scored two TDs vs. Miami but was unable to do much in the second half of the Bears' 39-38 loss

Jaydn Ott scores one of his two touchdowns vs. Miami / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Jaydn Ott looked plenty spry as he virtually toyed with Miami defenders while dashing 66 yards to a touchdown after catching a short pass Saturday.

But Cal coach Justin Wilcox confirmed Ott suffered an injury setback after that second-quarter play and the junior running back is listed as “probable” for Saturday’s road game against No. 22 Pitt.

“Yeah, he’s been battling through some stuff as we all know,” Wilcox said, alluding to an ankle injury that has slowed Ott and kept him out of the San Diego State game altogether.

“He really wants to be out there and doing his best. It’s a physical game. One of the unfortunate realities of football is things happen from time to time. He’ll get back as soon as he possibly can.”

Wilcox confirmed that Ott was injured after both his 5-yard touchdown run and the long pass play, both of which came in the first half.

Ott’s second-half production was limited to two receptions for 12 yards and one rushing attempt for negative-1 yard.

A preseason All-America candidate after rushing for 1,315 yards and scoring 15 total touchdowns in 2023, Ott has not gotten untracked this fall. In four games, he has just 135 rushing yards on an average of 2.9 per attempt. He does have 11 catches for 115 yards and has scored four touchdowns.

Wilcox said quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who took a couple big hits on  second-half runs during the Miami game, is fine and will start Saturday when the Bears (3-2, 0-2 ACC) face Pitt (5-0, 1-0) at Acrisure Stadium. Kickoff is 12:30 p.m. PT.

“We don’t want our quarterback taking a lot of hits,” Wilcox said. “There’s times we’ve got to do a better job protecting and then there’s times on a couple runs, he’s got to protect himself.”

Mendoza talks in the video above about his post-game conversation with his parents, who were at the game and reminded him to slide.

"When you said, `Live for another day or get six more inches,' that's the honest truth behind it," Mendoza said. "Live another day is always a better option. In the moment it doesn't seem like that, but it's such an obvious answer."

The second and most severe of the two hits came on a third-and-12 scramble from the Cal 42 with the Bears clinging to a 38-32 lead. Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe drilled Mendoza with 1:50 left in the game, prompting an official review. Officials ruled the Bissainthe was not guilty of targeting on the play.

“Unfortunately, late in the game on a critical down right there, we’ve got to do whatever we’ve got to do to try and get the first down,” Wilcox said. “But we don’t want him taking any more unnecessary hits than he needs to.

“He’s also a guy who isn’t real keen on sliding, going down. That’s not really in his mental makeup, so we’re working with him on that.”

Mendoza said immediately after the game that he was feeling fine and was not injured.

Offensive guard Sioape Vatakani and nickel back Matthew Littlejohn are listed as questionable to play this week. Both were said to be probable to the Miami game, but neither got on the field.

Outside linebacker Ryan McCulloch, who was injured in the second half, is also listed as questionable.

Wilcox said wide receivers Kyion Grayes and Tobias Merriweather, projected starters after transferring in during the offseason, remain on the shelf. Neither has played in a game this season due to undisclosed injuries.