Justin Wilcox: Quarterback Play Sets the Pac-12 Apart
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox has coached in the Big Ten (defensive coordinator, Wisconsin) and the Southeastern Conference (defensive coordinator, Tennessee) as well as the Pac-12, so he was asked at Pac-12 Media Day on Friday what aspect of Pac-12 football makes it different from other conferences.
“Quarterback play, first and foremost,” he said. “Even in the last 30 years, but when you look at, especially this year, this level of quarterback play and the offensive football . . . .
"The offense, the quarterback play, the coaching is as good as I've ever been around."
Twenty or 30 years ago, the Pac-12 routinely turned out the nation’s best quarterbacks, which was a major reasons it had some of the best teams in the country. But quarterback play had been spotty in recent years, which ex[plains why Pac-12 football has been less respected.
Elite quarterback play returned to the Pac-12 last year, and all those outstanding quarterbacks are back.
USC’s Caleb Williams returns after winning the Heisman Trophy last season, and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon Bo Nix were Heisman candidates for much of last season and start this season as Heisman hopefuls.
Utah’s Cameron Rising was the first-team all-Pac-12 quarterback two seasons ago, and he has done nothing to hurt his reputation heading into his final college season in 2023. But the three quarterbacks who transferred into the Pac-12 have sort of passed him by in terms of reputation.
And Oregon State added a quality quarterback in Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei, who was rated the nation’s No. 2 recruiting prospect in the class of 2020.
The level of quarterback play is why the NCAA website recently put five Pac-12 teams among its top 16 teams in its preseason rankings.
Quarterback play will decide whether Cal can end its run of 13 straight seasons with a losing conference record, and it’s difficult to predict how effective the Golden Bears’ quarterbacks will be.
Redshirt freshman Sam Jackson V is the likely starter, although he must beat out North Carolina State transfer Ben Finley, who has started two games as a redshirt freshman for the Wolfpack last season. That’s two more starts than Jackson made in his time at TCU, which is why there is so much uncertainty about Cal’s quarterback play.
“Sam’s a dynamic athlete,” Wilcox said. “He’s a very, very athletic guy, and sometimes when you say the guy is athletic, well, they think all he can do is run. That’s not the case. Sam can throw the football; he can spin it.
“He doesn’t have a ton of experience. He’s still a young player.”
With that in mind, Wilcox expects Jackson to improve as the 2023 season goes along.
“We’ve got to keep getting better every week,” Wilcox said, “and I think Sam is a guy who can really do that.”
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