Now Settled In, Chandler Rogers Feels Good About Cal QB Competition

The North Texas transfer is dueling returning starter Fernando Mendoza for the Bears' No. 1 spot

Chandler Rogers /

Chandler Rogers says he feels more comfortable with everything than last spring when he arrived at Cal as a transfer and believes he’s doing well in his fall camp quarterback competition with Fernando Mendoza.

“It’s been really exciting and the competition’s going well,” he said after the Bears’ fourth practice on Sunday.

Mendoza, the starter for the final eight games last season, emerged from spring practice at No. 1 on the depth chart. But Rogers, a transfer who has passed for 7,096 yards and 53 touchdowns in three seasons at Louisiana Monroe and North Texas, appears very much in the mix.

“I feel I’ve done really well, executed things properly, being on time (with passes), getting chemistry with the guys.” Rogers said. “And new installs, carrying that over from walk-through speed.”

Quarterbacks coach Sterlin Gilbert said there is no timetable for announcing who will start in Cal’s opener vs. UC Davis on Aug. 31.

“The competition is strong right now. Both of those guys have done things well,” Gilbert said. “We’re just talking about getting better. Day 4 was better than Day 1.”

Rogers, who threw 29 touchdowns and ran for four more in his lone seasons with North Texas last fall, said the coaching staff has made clear what factors will decide who lands the starting job.

“Just being the guy moving the ball and scoring points. That’s what we talked about in our meeting today. That’s what coaches expect,” he said.  “Make the big play, as well. That’s something coach Wilcox really wants from his quarterback.”

“The game’s decided by points and the guy that takes us and puts us in the end zone will be the guy that’s out there on the field,” Gilbert confirmed.

Ball security and decision making also will figure in the decision.

“I think the decision-making right now is in the positive. Both of those guys are taking the ball to the right spot.” said Gilbert, who arrived in Berkeley in time for spring practice after previous coaching stops at Eastern Illinois, Bowling Green, Tulsa, Texas, South Florida, McNeese State, Syracuse and Ole Miss.

“It’s just being very clean and very fine detailed with what we’re asking those guys to do. Both of those guys are climbing in that direction.”

Rogers feels like he’s in a much better place than last spring, when he was just learning the names and personalities of his teammates and still figuring out the offensive terminology.

“I know coaches’ expectations. I know what they want out of me,” Rogers said. “Going through summer and getting chemistry right, going through plays in the walk-throughs, I just feel a lot better, a lot more confident.”

Rogers said he’s devoting no energy to worrying about the outcome of his competition with Mendoza.

“You have to take it day by day, control what you can control,” he said. “If you worry about things like that you just stress yourself out and you won’t be able to perform at your best.”