Cal football 2024 spring practice gets underway

Here are news and notes from the first press conferences after the first spring practice.

Head coach Justin Wilcox

What are you looking for out of your quarterbacks? "Getting better, getting better, making great decisions, being accurate with the football, running the offense, leading the offense down the field…leading the offense, helping us score points. I think those are the things and so we'll keep working with them day in and day out and we'll make sure that those guys get a lot of opportunities.”

Timeline for naming a starter at QB? “It's just whatever happens is going to happen. So we want those guys to come out and compete and get better and focus on improving. And when the time comes and it reveals itself. Then we'll name the starter. But I'm really not going to put any timeline, especially now day one of spring ball.”

Players who have stepped up this offseason: “You know, You got the ones that you would probably assume in Craig Woodson, who's been here a long time, good player who's got the respect of his teammates. Craig's done a nice job. I think David Reese has really been a guy that's taken that role on. He's got the mentality for this game and he works and he's earned the respect of his teammates. So I think David Reese has been a guy that's been noticeable

in terms of a leadership role. You know, Xavier [Carlton], I think we talked about him in the same way, just taking another step, T.J. Session is another one. I think there's been a number of guys that have stepped up in terms of how they communicate with their teammates and obviously handling their business, but also encouraging and influencing other people to be better.”

Players out for the spring: “Bryan (? Could be Mayze Bryant), Lu-Magia Hearns III, Tyler [Knape], Ieremia Ieremia, Myles Jernigan, Curlee Thomas, Frederick Williams III, Myles Williams, BMW and Julian Womack out for spring Everybody else is either full go or will be during spring ball.”

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza

On the first practice: “I think it was very intense. We had people were giving it their all today, but I know how intense we were last fall camp and last spring. So as a leader and I know the other leaders on defense, I think we're all looking to level up our game. But overall, I think we need do that and pick up the intensity and competition.”

How is he different from last year: "I'm experienced and one thing that a lot of coaches do say, especially for young quarterbacks, is we like you, but we don't know how you're going to be in the game. So I think that's one thing that coaches have seen how I am in the game. How I'm pre-game, how I'm post-game. So they trust me enough to plug me into the game, where they know I already have that experience.

I thought last year was great. We made the first bowl game since 2019, but unfortunately for me that was not good enough, especially the end. So I kind of view it as a learning experience, a learning year.”

On improved physique: “I would say so. I would also say that I was playing around 210 last year and now I'm around to 224/225. So that's a testament to the strength staff, the nutrition staff and all the support staff that really support all the players and really leveled up our nutrition.

So it's better, stronger legs, so more power and torque rotation when you're throwing the ball, better contact when you're getting hit, you have more resistance to those hits. And then I would also say bigger muscles are especially in the leg muscles. You're also faster. So I've also increased my speed tremendously throughout this offseason.”

On the new wideouts: “I think it's a great group of guys. We all really mold really well. Whenever we throw on Saturdays it's always a great dynamic and vibe. There's no headbutts, everyone understands that we have competition and we need to get better.

And the receivers understand that only three guys, especially with the 11 personnel and Jack [Endries], only three guys can really be on the field at once. But especially with how fast-paced our offense is and the great offense that coach Bloesch has installed, I believe that we get a lot of rotation in there, there will be a lot of high-skilled guys.”

Quarterback Chandler Rogers

On why he chose Cal: “I was pretty close [to coming to Cal last year. Very, very close. Some miscommunication when it's about time to sign and unfortunately I wasn't able to sign, so I went to North Texas.

Just the opportunity with Coach Bloesch and Coach Wilcox, going to give me every opportunity to be the guy. I'm going to take the opportunity to do so.

Part of going through the recruiting process this time through the portal, a lot of coaches lie. Coach Wilcox, he is one of the coaches who is very honest and I like honesty.”

On the wide receivers: “We have a lot of fast guys from Mojo [Marquez] Dortch, Mikey Matthews, J. [Jonathan] Brady, and then we have some big guys like Tobias [Merriweather] who is 6'5'' but he also can run 22 to 23 miles an hour. So our speed on the outside as well as in the slot. And you have route runners like Money Mav [Mavin Anderson]. I mean it's been really great, It's really fun, very versatile and it's going to be a lot of fun this year.

On the running backs: “You have guys like Ott, Darius, J-Will (Justin Williams-Thomas), Jet (Jaivian Thomas). Whoever's in the game, they can make a play happen. They can score a touchdown from anywhere at any point in time in the game. That gives us great momentum as well as establishing the run.”

Comparing this year’s offense to his offense at North Texas: “I would say similarities. I would say eight out of ten from terminology to formations to reads, with boundary safety or if it's just pre-progression. The difference I would say is it's a lot more 12, 11, 12 personnel. At North Texas, we were a majority 10, trying to push the ball down the field. Out here we're a lot more running I would say in RPO's.”

Quarterback coach Sterlin Gilbert

On working with Mike Bloesch again: "Mike's the offensive coordinator and play caller. I'll be in charge of pass game and what we're doing on that end of it. We know what that mesh looks like and how that works from a pass game and run game standpoint. So we work well together.”

On what will be added to the offense: "We definitely got some new wrinkles that are gonna come in. Especially continuing through the spring and summer and into fall camp. Seeing some of last year, but we're really focused on the new installs and new ideas and thoughts that we have. Things that we've watched and seen that we'd like to input and install. Some of those things were out there today."

On Mendoza vs. Rogers: “I like both of those guys’s skillset. They are similar, they have some differences as well. They’ve both played a lot of ball. They anticipate the ball well. They’re very athletic.”