This concludes all the public verbal commitments. And Justin Wilcox already gave his press conference, so no more are expected. That being said, I will spread the baseless rumor that there is at least one silent commit still outstanding.
I'm being real when I say we need a to 10 OC and we need to pay them enough to get them to come to CAL and the Bay Area. If it costs a million $ more a year for a top coach it will be worth it if we start recruiting better and winning 10 games a year. If we aren't willing to spend for coaching and player talent then we are just fooling ourselves. It costs money to build a winning program, but winning programs pay for themselves and MORE. Just look at the Bama model and what happened when Bill Battle brought in Nick Saban. The football team netted the school $85m per year, honors/advanced placement admits went from 15% to 70% and tuition went up. It's is the most successful example of football as a business in college sports to this day.
More, what's frustrating to me is that we invested millions upon millions of dollars to grow Harmon-> Haas and upgrade Memorial for the 21st century, and nearly as soon as they were erected, new administrations came in and deprioritized the programs needed to fill them. Absurd management and waste.
Is it though? I feel like their actions have mostly treated those as sunk costs, with the exception of the desperation of the fall of the P12 and recognizing that the hurt could become even worse. A succession of half-measures has put us in the position we’re in now. Never both feet in.
Perhaps, but how does half a billion in costs at a public university that has financial issues become sunk costs? I think it’s crimping the CAL budget bigly and there’s no easy solution. They can’t sell memorial stadium because they can’t do night activities there except for a few games each year and there’s no parking. The Bears are the only football team north of Stanford. The Raiders are gone, the A’s are gone, the 49ers moved to Santa Clara, and the Warriors moved to San Francisco. We have a huge market that we can benefit from if we create a winning program.
Oregon is another shining example of how athletics can impact admissions. It's become one of the most popular schools to apply to over the past decade or two. I wonder how much of that cost/benefit disconnect is because of our aloofness, ie. "We already get the best of the best academic candidates. Why do we need to invest to get more?" And while I agree with you, I also think wonder if that investment may benefit other schools that lack our academic reputation more greatly.
He has updated his highlights for his senior year. Someone that big should not be that quick. He also brings a giant load of nasty in his game. If you like watching a grown man hulk-smash little children, this the highlight reel for you:
What happened to OL Justin Hasenhuetl? I saw in a couple of places he decommitted from GT and was supposed to potentially sign with CAL. and also the CB Tavian McNair?
I saw that also, so it sounds like he is open to the highest offer. Hopefully CAL can come up with enough NIL funds to get his commitment, as others have said, getting a decent Oline has to be the #1 priority this offseason otherwise we lose our RBs, WRs and don't give our QB a chance to be successful.
CB Jae'on Young joins the latest cohort of the Takers
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864330439483380176
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-recruiting-commit-jaeon-young
Jake Houseworth joins the TE room - fast and elusive in the mold of Endries & Dyches
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864331909691789414
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-lands-the-commitment
Local boy makes good - John Tofi Jr reloads the OLB roster
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864329070571606277
Verbal commit announcement:
https://x.com/johntofijr/status/1839487607224590467
Anthony League joins Cal's runningback room
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864328144116961555
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-recruiting-commit-anthony-league
Can't wait for that first "In a League of His Own" headline.
Remember Fancy Dancy!
The next in is Tre Harrison, an athlete who probably joins the secondary
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864325131285483764
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-adds-2025-3-socal-db-tre-harrison
Cal signs Aiden Manutai, fending off Nebraska for this coveted safety out of Hawai'i.
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1864388017915613666
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-adds-the-highly-recruited-3-hawaii
This concludes all the public verbal commitments. And Justin Wilcox already gave his press conference, so no more are expected. That being said, I will spread the baseless rumor that there is at least one silent commit still outstanding.
Fernando Mendoza? He must be the silent commit.
LeBron Williams joins the D-line
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1864378229618036877
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-adds-2025-3-hawaii-dl
DL Ike Okafor joins an area of need
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1864354255014171092
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-recruiting-commit-ike-okafor
Mike Klisiewicz rebuilds the Hogs
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1864338214699585942
Original commitment post:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-recruiting-commit-michael-klisiewicz
First new National Signing Day news: Top JUCO edge rusher Odera Okaka commits to the California Golden Bears.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDKRxASpWSi/
https://x.com/odera_ao/status/1864321661425873303
New post here: https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/san-mateo-edge-rusher-odera-okaka
Update: he's signed
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864332849199108324
I just want to know who our new OC is going to be!
Who would you like to see as OC? Be realistic given Cal's situation, and cost of living in the Bay Area.
I'm being real when I say we need a to 10 OC and we need to pay them enough to get them to come to CAL and the Bay Area. If it costs a million $ more a year for a top coach it will be worth it if we start recruiting better and winning 10 games a year. If we aren't willing to spend for coaching and player talent then we are just fooling ourselves. It costs money to build a winning program, but winning programs pay for themselves and MORE. Just look at the Bama model and what happened when Bill Battle brought in Nick Saban. The football team netted the school $85m per year, honors/advanced placement admits went from 15% to 70% and tuition went up. It's is the most successful example of football as a business in college sports to this day.
More, what's frustrating to me is that we invested millions upon millions of dollars to grow Harmon-> Haas and upgrade Memorial for the 21st century, and nearly as soon as they were erected, new administrations came in and deprioritized the programs needed to fill them. Absurd management and waste.
Agree, but paying off the amortized debt on those upgrades is going to force the admin and faculty to wake up.
Is it though? I feel like their actions have mostly treated those as sunk costs, with the exception of the desperation of the fall of the P12 and recognizing that the hurt could become even worse. A succession of half-measures has put us in the position we’re in now. Never both feet in.
It will be interesting to see who Lyons hires to replace Colorado Springs’ favorite son.
And likewise who THAT candidate hires to replace Justin Wilcox.
Then we’ll know just how all in we’re gonna be.
Perhaps, but how does half a billion in costs at a public university that has financial issues become sunk costs? I think it’s crimping the CAL budget bigly and there’s no easy solution. They can’t sell memorial stadium because they can’t do night activities there except for a few games each year and there’s no parking. The Bears are the only football team north of Stanford. The Raiders are gone, the A’s are gone, the 49ers moved to Santa Clara, and the Warriors moved to San Francisco. We have a huge market that we can benefit from if we create a winning program.
Oregon is another shining example of how athletics can impact admissions. It's become one of the most popular schools to apply to over the past decade or two. I wonder how much of that cost/benefit disconnect is because of our aloofness, ie. "We already get the best of the best academic candidates. Why do we need to invest to get more?" And while I agree with you, I also think wonder if that investment may benefit other schools that lack our academic reputation more greatly.
I just know this: winning sells tickets and gets prime time TV slots which pay a whole lot more than ESPN2
Up next is Meyer Swinney, Bastian's brother who played WR/TE in Minnesota
https://twitter.com/CalFootball/status/1864324265778270428
Original commitment post
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-lands-a-commitment-from-513
Third signing is Ben Howard, OL from Utah
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864320126516121986
Original commitment post here
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/california-golden-bears-recruiting-ben-howard/
He has updated his highlights for his senior year. Someone that big should not be that quick. He also brings a giant load of nasty in his game. If you like watching a grown man hulk-smash little children, this the highlight reel for you:
http://www.hudl.com/v/2QCQTd
Second signing is Beckham Barney, linebacker from Arizona
https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864317046852604351
Original commitment post here
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-bears-recruiting-beckham-barney
First signing in the door is Kaden Cook, CB from Texas: https://x.com/CalFootball/status/1864298608927101171
original commitment post here
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-football-recruiting-commit-kaden-cook
What happened to OL Justin Hasenhuetl? I saw in a couple of places he decommitted from GT and was supposed to potentially sign with CAL. and also the CB Tavian McNair?
I think the answer is here:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gdwhu60XwAANxj5?format=jpg&name=large
I saw that also, so it sounds like he is open to the highest offer. Hopefully CAL can come up with enough NIL funds to get his commitment, as others have said, getting a decent Oline has to be the #1 priority this offseason otherwise we lose our RBs, WRs and don't give our QB a chance to be successful.