BERKELEY — The Cal football spring showcase turned out to be a showcase for the Bears’ top two quarterbacks and a handful of starters mixed in with lesser-known players.
Cal held out 25 players, including star running back Jadyn Ott, from its spring game on a sunny Saturday afternoon in front of an estimated crowd of 2,500 fans at Memorial Stadium. Others kept on the sidelines for cautionary reasons included defensive starters Cade Uluave, Craig Woodson, Marcus Harris, David Reese and Xavier Carlton.
The two-hour event, televised by Pac-12 Network, was a fan experience as much as anything. Cal accepted children’s book donations to its summer reading program and players signed autographs afterward.
Recruits, including those in the transfer portal, watched from the sidelines.
The Bears, headed to the Atlantic Coast Conference next fall after more than a century in the Pac-12, expect to add several more players, including perhaps help at outside linebacker and offensive line. A third scholarship quarterback may also be on the transfer portal shopping list.
The quarterback competition this spring has involved redshirt sophomore incumbent Fernando Mendoza dueling newcomer Chandler Rogers. Mendoza is listed as the starter and nothing that happened in 15 spring practices changed that.
“Both of those guys have done a really good job this spring,” said Cal coach Justin Wilcox, who declined to provide a timetable for firming up the pecking order. “Fernando is a better player now than he was and that’s exactly what we’re looking for. Chandler’s done a really good job as well. They’re different styles of player but both of those guys can play. We just want to continue to grow those guys.”
On Saturday, Mendoza was 6-for-9 for 92 yards, including a 60-yard completion to Trond Grizzell on the first snap of the scrimmage and a 15-yard touchdown pass to Notre Dame transfer Tobias Merriweather.
Rogers, who passed for 3,382 yards with 29 touchdowns last fall at North Texas, was 4-for-10 for 29 yards with an interception.
Mendoza, who took over as Cal’s starter at midseason last year, said he’s a different player since spring ball began. “You watch the Day 1 tape for myself and then today’s tape, my footwork was a lot better, my accuracy is a lot better, I’m bigger and stronger so I feel really confident going into the summer.
“The competition has been great for me. I think it’s always good to have someone to push you. But I want to play to my ceiling, to my potential.”
Rogers said he believes both quarterbacks have made progress, especially digesting new offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch’s scheme.
Asked if he anticipates being here in the fall, regardless of how the competition shakes out, Rogers said, “I plan to be here. I plan to be the guy.”
MORE CHANGE COMING
Spring football is over but there’s no rest for the coaching staff, thanks to the transfer portal.
“There will be activity, both ways. That’s just the era we live in in college football,” said Wilcox, who will hold meetings with players next week to conduct post-spring evaluations. “Then we evaluate our roster, the needs we have and the areas we can improve in the transfer portal.”
Wilcox said other than placekicker, there isn’t an area on the team where the Bears wouldn’t explore a potential newcomer. “I don’t think there’s a position that’s off limits,” he said.
EXTRA POINTS
Redshirt junior and East Bay native Nate Rutchena, a linebacker his first three seasons, has been moved to tight end and he caught a touchdown pass Saturday from reserve quarterback Belay Brummel . . . Coaches praised redshirt freshman Nick Morrow, who has taken over the starting left tackle job. Bloesch called the 6-foot-8, 305-pounder biggest surprise among offensive players this spring . . . The Bears open their season on Aug. 31 at home vs. UC Davis. Their ACC debut is Sept. 21 at Florida State.