Cal Football: Will Running Back Jaydn Ott Thrive In Jake Spavital's Offense?

The sophomore provides options as an explosive runner and pass catcher.

Linebacker Jackson Sirmon is more than ready to watch coordinator Jake Spavital’s revamped Cal offense play against anyone else.

“The offense is completely different than what we faced last year in fall camp. Very up-tempo . . . they’re going about as fast as is possible to go, probably faster than in the game,” Sirmon said. “There’s a lot more space to defend against with this offense. It’s frustrating playing against them every single day.

“It’ll be fun to watch them play against somebody else.”

That will happen two weeks from Saturday when the Bears kick off their season at North Texas.

That will also be one of the first times Sirmon — or even Spavital — gets the full effect of the offense the Bears envision. Because through much of fall camp, including last Sunday’s first scrimmage, sophomore running back Jaydn Ott has been a spectator. Especially after the hitting starts.

“When you’ve got a guy like Jaydn . . . I understand the value of having a really good running back,” Spavital said. “I haven’t seen him go live yet . . . I don’t want anything to do with it until Sept. 2.”

The coaching staff know what it has in the 6-foot, 200-pounder, whose speed was on full display last year when he rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns — including from 72 and 73 yards.

Jaydn Ott dashes 73 yards for a touchdown vs. Arizona last season / Photo by Andrew Madsen, KLC fotos

Ott rushed for 897 yards and eight TDs last season and he caught 46 passes for 321 yards and three more scores.

No freshman in the country paired those rushing and receiving numbers in 2022. Among the seven freshmen who ran for more yards than Ott, none approached his receiving stats.

But how will he fit into this offense?

“I think he’s going to be really fun to watch,” Spavital said.

For Spavital, back at Cal this season after serving as Sonny Dykes’ top offensive aide in 2016, Ott is a back unlike most he has coached in 10 previous seasons as a coordinator.

At Houston, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas A&M and Cal, Spavital has worked with seven quarterbacks who played in the NFL. They cranked out 43,799 passing yards and 375 TDs through the air.

In his previous stop at Cal, with Davis Webb at quarterback, the Bears averaged 37 points and 513 yards.

During that same decade, Spavital had just three 1,000-yard backs at his disposal. He expects Ott to change that.

“I wouldn’t be surprised (by 1,000 yards),” Spavital said. “He’s got some burst. His lateral movement, his jump cuts, the one move, it’s pretty impressive.”

“We want to rush for a lot of yards. That makes life so much easier.”

Ott is eager to see what he can do with this group.

“Of course, every running back would wish to get 1,000 yards and I definitely want 1,000 yards as well,” Ott said. “But however it goes this year as long as we’re back in the top of the Pac-12.

“We’ll be really explosive as an offense, high tempo and catching a lot of defenses off guard and making ‘em jump and not be in the right mindset or having the right play calls ready when we’re already running our plays. It’ll be exciting.”

Ott will continue to be a big part of the passing game, put in motion or split out at times to create mismatches. Spavital has been surprised to find Ott can do more than that. He’s stronger than the coach anticipated.

“People kind of think he’s a space guy, just a speed guy,” Spavital said. “He actually has a toughness and an edge and can get downhill. The physicality is the thing I’ve been most impressed with.”

Still up for grabs is who will operate as the Bears’ starting quarterback. Sam Jackson V, Fernando Mendoza and Ben Finley continue to share practice reps and scrimmage snaps, and Ott said he’d be comfortable with any of them.

“I love all those dudes,” Ott said. “They all have their own certain skillsets It’s cool to watch them. I just come out here and take the ball from whoever’s there.”

Cover photo of Cal sophomore running back Jaydn Ott

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