Cal Sports Report

LB Cade Uluave, RB Jaivian Thomas Say They Are Returning to Cal in 2025

Both key players post messages on social media that suggest they won't be entering the transfer portal

Jake Curtis

Cal running back Jaivian Thomas
Cal running back Jaivian Thomas / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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Cal received some good news on the transfer front, with two key players announcing they are returning to Cal for the 2025 season.

Sophomore inside linebacker Cade Uluave announced via social media on Saturday that he is returning to Cal for the 2025 season, and sophomore running back Jaivian Thomas posted a twitter message that said "unfinished business," suggesting he will stay at Cal too. Apparently neither will enter the transfer portal, based on those messages.

Uluave missed four games and part of two others this season, be he still was second on the team in tackles with 71. He also had 3.0 tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries.

Uluave was the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, when he had 66 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, and also had two interceptions.

He teamed with Teddye Buchanan this past season to form perhaps the best inside linebacking duop in the ACC. However, Buchanan has used up his college eligibility, leaving Cal to fill in the other inside linebacker spot beside Uluave.

Thomas was Cal's leading rusher this past season as a sophomore. He rushed for 626 yards this season as a sophomore and averaged 6.3 yards per carry. He scored seven rushing touchdowns. He rushed for more than 70 yards four times this past season, and he had a career-high 169 yards against San Diego State.

His role in the offense was increased this year when Jaydn Ott suffered an ankle injury in the season opener than plagued him for much of the season.

Thomas also made 11 receptions for 91 yards.

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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