Will Bears’ Ballyhooed Wide Receivers Make Their Cal Debut This Week?

Cal receivers Tobias Merriweather, Kyion Grayes are getting healthy. Linebacker Cade Uluave, tight end Corey Dyches might return for the Wake Forest game

Cal wide receiver Tobias Merriweather / Greg Swiercz / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tobias Merriweather and Kyion Grayes have been projected as Cal's starting wide receivers ever since they announced they were transferring to Cal. But they and their big-play potential have yet to make an appearance in a game for the Golden Bears (4-4, 0-4 ACC).

There’s an outside chance that one or both will make their Cal debuts in Friday night’s game at Wake Forest (4-4, 2-2 ACC).  Inside linebacker Cade Uluave and tight end Corey Dyches have a good shot at playing this week after missing the Oregon State game with injuries, but it is the status Merriweather and Grayes that raises the most curiosity.

Head coach Justin Wilcox on Tuesday described the status of Merriweather and Grayes as “week-to-week,” which usually means they are unlikely to play this week. But they have made progress from their preseason injuries and are on the practice field now.

“They’re kind of week-to-week at this point,” Wilcox said, “but both have shown progress through the bye week.”

Of the two, Merriweather is the one more likely to return this week. Conditioning is a factor for wide receivers who have been sidelined for an extended period, so it remains a long shot that either will play Friday or even make the trip to Wake Forest.  But it’s not impossible, and offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch was clear in his assessment of whether Merriweather or Grayes would play this week.

“I’m hoping so,” he said.

When reminded that he’s been hoping for their return for two months, Bloesch said, “I’ll tell you this: We’re a lot closer now than we were two months ago.”

There have been no hints that either Merriweather, a junior who transferred from Notre Dame, or Grayes, a third-year sophomore who transferred from Ohio State, would sit out the rest of this season and request a medical redshirt to get the season back.  But missing any more of Cal’s four remaining games is sure to raise that issue.

Cal’s receiving corps has been productive without Merriweather and Grayes, but those two would provide a much needed deep threat.  They worked with the first-team offense throughout preseason practices, but injuries shortly before the opener have prevented them from being on the field to produce the chunk plays that are essential for offensive success.

Without them, Cal ranks sixth in the ACC in passing offense, but the Bears are 12th in the conference in total offense and 13th in scoring. So getting some touchdowns on one-play long passes would aid their Bears’ chances of getting the two more victories needed to be bowl-eligible.

The return of offensive tackle T.J. Session this week after missing the Oregon State game should help the offensive line, and guard Sioape Vatikani suffered no setbacks against the Beavers so he is good to go for his third start of the year too.

Running back Jaydn Ott is also healthy after playing without injury against Oregon State.

Dyches has shown improvement this week after missing three games this season, so he will probably play against Wake Forest, but there is no guarantee.  The same could be said of Uluave, the Bears’ standout inside linebacker, who missed the game against the Beavers. Uluave is also in the “probable” category for the game against the Demon Deacons.

Dyches has 11 receptions this year for 139 yards, and his absence has forced Cal’s starting tight end, Jack Endries, to increase his production.  Endries has made 23 catches for 275 yards over the past three games combined.

Uluave is a cornerstone of a Bears defense that ranks first in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing 17.3 points per game, and ranks second in total defense, behind only Miami. Uluave ranks third in the ACC in tackles per game (9.1), and one of the players ahead of him is fellow inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (9.6 tackles per game).

Outside linebacker Ryan McCulloch is also expected to return for Cal this week after missing the Oregon State game, although it remains unclear whether outside linebacker David Reese will be back this week.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport