Be a Bear: A Look Inside Cal Football's Strength and Conditioning Feats
You've seen the photos circulating across social media, so I spoke to some of the players and coaches who have made it happen
If you haven’t seen the craze over Cal Football wide receiver Dazmin James and his body comparison photos over the last few weeks, you’ve missed out. In what became a viral sensation, the Arkansas transfer posted what’s changed over his first six months in Berkeley and safe to say there’s been a significant shift in muscle tone.
It’s hard to exactly quantify the impact that strength and conditioning programs have on a football team but there was no sugarcoating the eyes that it drew to the Bears. Outlets such as SportsCenter and Yahoo Sports picked up the phenomenon, awe struck themselves at the contrast for the sophomore.
I spoke to Dazmin himself, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jason Novak, and defensive lineman TJ Bollers to find out what exactly has stirred the drink so far. Novak explained that former Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon was a bridge in bringing up the open strength and conditioning position to him and once he spoke with the current staff, the match was a good fit.
In this day and age of college athletics, its easy to shy away from what you’re not used to and while there was certainly an adjustment period for Novak and players alike, but the proof is in the pudding.
"What we talked about when I met the team, we said “let us worry about we do, you worry about how you do it.” What we asked for was, 100% effort 100% of the time. We would make sure its safe and appropriate for the time of year and level of fitness they had and the exercises they were comfortable doing. We couldn’t lose a day, we had to attack each and every day. In the winter and spring, we focused on how we did things. In the summer, then it became lets sharpen the sword and it became a lot more detailed in how we operated on the field.”
- Cal Strength and Conditioning Coach Jason Novak
Novak, James, and Bollers all emphasized that this strength program is direct, purposeful, and disciplined. Both players referenced consistency, nutrition, and hydration as means for being able to keep up with the exercises that they were encountering. Novak explained these details as “TNT’s” or (takes no talent), where you can control what you eat and how you hydrate every single day without any strings attached.
It all felt a heightened sense of independence, where the players would both literally and figuratively get out what they put in and if they didn’t achieve the results they were longing for, then they didn’t put themselves in the best position to succeed in the first place.
James referred to eating and lifting consistently as his secret sauce as he’s adjusting to his new body. As someone whose strength is speed, bulking up quickly can change the parameters of what your body wants to do and can do. When asked what if anything is different now that James feels that he’s in peak condition, he noted its really not much.
“Everything just feels much smoother. Running feels way better, and I still got my speed. It feels amazing…..[My frame], It’s really the same. Everything we do in the weight room, its for a reason. We are not just going in there and throwing weight up, even if I’m dealing with something, Coach Novak will implement something into the lift to help me out.” - Dazmin James
On one hand, its a lot of new faces in new places. On the other side, there are those who were already with the program who adapted to Jason Novak’s style and are also reaping the benefits. Defensive lineman TJ Bollers exuded praise for the manner in which this team works and has consistently made jumps, noting that its what he’s most proud of to this point.
“You can just see it in the way we work…that’s a testament to the strength staff. The jumps that we made this offseason with Coach Novak and the staff, they were immaculate. You could see it in the way we play, the way we carry ourselves on and off the field.” - TJ Bollers
Bollers reiterated that the staff’s ability to be direct, in your face with a special type of both passion and nasty has been one of the main differences in what the coaches bring to the table. Whether its technique, finishing reps, or challenging the guys to get better, the energy and desire to get better is obvious. While waiting to speak with the each of the players, you could hear the thunderous voice of Jason Novak from across the field, encouraging and willing his guys to finish their reps.
Novak referenced a standard that he’s continuing to drill into everyone, stemming from everyone who has already showcased how driven and disciplined they are. Furthermore, he stated that he’s direct because he knows the players can see right through the bluff, knowing that its mutually beneficial to talk each other through it rather than avoid confrontation.
“It’s also important to make sure we are highlighting the players every time that we can when it is to the standard. I don’t want to be the sheriff of the program, I want to highlight the guys that are up to the standard. From my time in the NFL, I learned that we needed to view things as patterns, not exercises. Teaching them where they need to go but there’s never a philosophy of look at the rack next to you, we need to meet them where they are.” - Jason Novak
As Jesse so eloquently put it yesterday, Jason Novak epitomizes the idea that “some dudes just dude, and he dudes with the best of them.”
It’s so apparent that not only is the development of players top of mind for Novak but also the people. He consistently talked about how the players are the ones putting in the work, buying in, and owning the building with confidence thanks to other coaches.
Novak maintained that all those legendary before and after pictures were taken on the same IPad with limited lighting and at the end of the day, its all meant for fun and not as a “look at me the strength coach” moment.
And as you’ll hear below, the bulk of us may have those before pictures, but may need more than a miracle to find the after pictures like the Golden Bears have been recently showing off.
Interviews
Embedded are unedited interviews for your enjoyment with S&C Coach Jason Novak, WR Dazmin James, and DL TJ Bollers
Strength training as "TNT" is beautiful. Let's hope "Some dudes just dude" translates to GB dominance on the field!