Cal Football: Bears Take a Breath Mid-Spring, But Have Lots of Work Ahead
Cal completed the first half of its 14-session spring practice schedule last Saturday and coach Justin Wilcox was not prepared to express any level of satisfaction.
On the heels of a 4-8 record in 2022 — the Bears’ third straight losing season — Wilcox said there was good and bad through the teams first seven workouts. He also said there is more work to do, much more.
“We have high expectations for the group so I don’t know if we’re ever ahead of where we expect to be. We’re always looking for a little bit more,” he says in the video at the top of this story. “I’m pleased with the progress but we’re going to have to be better. There’s no doubt about that.”
Cal will resume spring practice a week from Wednesday, with the schedule running through Saturday, April 15, when the Bears hold their Spring Showcase scrimmage.
The bigger changes this spring have come on offense, where Cal has a new coordinator, new line coach, new tight ends coach and a new starting quarterback.
“The offense is new, brand new, and there’s a number of new faces,” Wilcox says in the video above. “I think the guys are taking to the system really well. They’re pretty sharp players and for them to come out and kind of put it together on the field in a pretty short amount of time has been good.
“Obviously, we’ll learn and grow as we continue to feel comfortable in the system but I think the guys overall have done a really good job of that.”
While there have not been wholesale changes on defense, Wilcox referred to tweaks in the approach. And there are newcomers throughout the lineup, including outside linebacker David Reese (a transfer from Florida), inside linebacker Sergio Allen (Clemson) and defensive backs Nohl Williams (UNLV) and Matthew Littlejohn (Citrus CC), all of whom have gotten extensive time with the starting unit.
Otherwise, there is a lot of returning experience that has moved easily through spring workouts.
“Those guys obviously have more comfort because the words are familiar, the techniques are familiar. They should be a little bit ahead,” Wilcox said. “But (in) all of our practices there is a number of explosive plays being made by the offense.
"So it’s a double-edged sword when you’re the head coach and you see the good and bad on both sides.”
Wilcox talks in the video above about Littlejohn, a 5-11, 180-pound junior cornerback.
“He’s got really quick feet, man cover skills,” Wilcox said. “He’s a sharp guy. For him to come in and learn the defense and be able to function the way he has is pretty impressive. . . . We’ve got high hopes for him. Again, we’re a long way from playing a game.”
TCU transfer Sam Jackson V has solidified his expected hold on the quarterback job, but Wilcox likes the progress he’s seen from redshirt freshman backup Fernando Mendoza, the team’s only other scholarship player at the position.
“He’s getting better. That’s what we’re looking for,” Wilcox says in the video above. “Regardless of who he’s in with, we’re just looking for players to show improvement, not make repetitive mistakes.
“There’s no shame in making a mistake — you don’t want to make the same one over and over. I think Fernando’s a great example. He hasn’t been perfect but each day he gets a little bit better.”
Wilcox said the coaches would take a few days off during spring break, and otherwise self-scout what was achieved during the first seven practices and develop a plan for the second batch of workouts.
“Big picture, defensively we’ve got to do a better job in open-field tackling,” he said. “Offensively, we’ve got to get rid of a few self-inflicted wounds. Decision-making, things like that, that’ll come with more reps.
“Just making sure we’re moving forward and not taking any steps back.”
Cover photo of Cal coach Justin Wilcox
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
