Cal Football: If a Fall Season is Reinstated, Could Bears Lure Camryn Bynum Back?

Chase Garbers and Cameron Goode both say it would be worth taking a shot

Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

If Pac-12 football is reinstated to the fall season — a scenario that might unfold as early as Friday when university presidents meet — Cal quarterback Chase Garbers knows who he will call first: Camryn Bynum.

“We would definitely get on the phone and call Cam and see if he wanted to play one last year in Memorial Stadium,” Garbers said.

Bynum announced on Sept. 6 that would forgo his final season of eligibility in order to prepare for the 2021 NFL draft.

Here's more from Garbers on Cam Bynum:

A three-year starter at cornerback, Bynum made it clear at the time the Pac-12’s postponement of the season to the winter or spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic fueled his decision.

“If we were able to play in the fall, everything would have been normal,” Bynum said at the time. “With the whole pandemic (and the season) being pushed back, I thought I’d just bet on myself and start preparing for the draft.”

Garbers, although he had no insights into what Bynum might be thinking, said the Bears could be tempted to try coaxing him back.

Linebacker Cameron Goode agreed. “Yeah, that’s not out of the question,” he said. “We’ll definitely see if he wants to come play with us.”

Here's more from Goode: 

Other players who opted out for the same reason already have experienced a change of heart. At Ohio State, cornerback Shaun Wade and guard Wyatt Davis, both preseason All-Americans, reportedly have opted back in in the wake of the Big Ten Conference reviving a fall season.

Bynum is among two three-year starters on the Cal defense who made plans to go elsewhere after the Pac-12 shut down the fall season last month.

Defensive end Luc Bequette transferred to Boston College, where he ie immediately eligible and will make his debut when Saturday when the Eagles face Duke in ACC action.

“We’re definitely going to miss those guys,” Goode said. “We were all excited to get back together for another year and ball out.”

Bequette is definitely not making a return to Berkeley, and Garbers wishes him well.

“I’m really excited for Luc,” he said. “I think their first game is this week, so I can’t wait to watch him. It’s going to be sad in a Boston College uniform, but we’ll all be excited for him.”

Garbers was perhaps half-joking about twisting Bynum’s arm, but he appreciates what the red-shirt senior brings to Cal’s defense.

“He’s got to do what’s best for himself. He is a NFL-level cornerback,” Garbers said. “I’ve gone against him in practice for 3-4 years now. So I know what he’s capable of and I’m really excited for his future.”

Draftsite.com last spring projected Bynum going in the second round at No. 39 overall while three different writers with the Pro Football Network more recently have Bynum going in the third, fourth or fifth rounds.

Without Bynum, the Bears have just one returning starter in the secondary, and Elijah Hicks has been moved to a new position, from cornerback to safety.

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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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