BERKELEY — The methods have changed but on the first day of fall camp Wednesday, Cal football coach Justin Wilcox said the objective remains the same.
“We’re going to do what’s best for Cal football. We’re trying to win games. Every week. I can’t think about it any other way than that,” said Wilcox, who begins his ninth year in search of the program’s first winning season since 2019.
“Before we get to the Oregon State game we have to get better as a football team. Every position. When we get to that game, we’re going to do everything we possibly can to win.”
The Bears, 6-7 the past two seasons and without a winning conference record since 2009, open their schedule on Aug. 30 with a non-conference game at Oregon State. Cal was picked 15th in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference in a poll of 183 media members who cover the league.
Although Wilcox will not say as much, there is urgency within the football offices at Memorial Stadium to turn the ship. New chancellor in Rich Lyons has taken a serious interest in athletics and former Cal star linebacker Ron Rivera is on board as the program’s first-ever general manager.
Among the most notable tweaks Wilcox has made to fall camp is splitting the team into Blue and Gold squads, which will practice separately the first four workouts.
“The coaches are doing two practices but the players are doing one,” Wilcox said. “That way we get more attention to a lot of new players who haven’t been here or haven’t played as much. They get more intensive one-on-one with their coaches.”
Wilcox stressed that fans should not read anything into how the squad is split for these workouts. The arrival of 31 new transfers or freshmen since spring practice was a factor in the decision.
Cal also is closing practices to reporters and fans this season, a departure from recent seasons but keeping with the industry standard, according to a department spokesperson.
“Just a decision we made as a program,” said Wilcox, who was asked if the Bears are hoping to keep a lid on a new offense being installed by first-year coordinator Bryan Harsin.
“That’s fair,” he said. “It’s not a personal decision against any individual or the group.”
Day 1 of fall camp featured great energy, Wilcox said. “That’s to be expected,” he said. “What we’re really concerning ourselves with is maintaining and increasing that level of energy and attention — that’s what is more difficult.”
THE QB COMPETITION: Ohio State transfer Devin Brown and freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele are expected to duel for the starting quarterback job, although redshirt freshman EJ Caminong seemed determined during spring ball to insert himself into the equation.
Wilcox said he likes the Bears’ quarterback group and expects them all to compete and improve over the next four weeks. There is no timetable for naming a starter. Wilcox also said perhaps no more than three starting positions anywhere on the field are firm at this point.
D-LINEMAN BURRELL OUT: Senior defensive tackle Nate Burrell, who started 21 games and saw action in 38 contests over the past three seasons, will miss the year due to an injury he suffered last spring.
Otherwise, Wilcox said the team is healthy and has made gains physically under first-year head athletic performance coach Jason Novak. “Really impressed with coach Novak and his staff. Our players are believers. They feel really good and look really good,” he said. ‘Now again, it’s about translating that to the football field.”
ROSTER NUMBERS 113: New NCAA roster limits no longer differentiate between scholarship and walk-on players. Traditionally, teams could carry 80 scholarship players and an unlimited number of walk-ons.
Now those groups are combined for a roster limit of 105. But because the NCAA has grandfathered returning walk-ons, the Bears will begin the season with 113 players.
