Cal Football 2025 Preview: Inside linebackers

This should be an area of strength

STRONG IN THE MIDDLE

There is an English saying based upon an apocryphal Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times”. For a time during the offseason, Cal fans could wake up each morning wondering what interesting things had befallen the Golden Bears and not be disappointed by a lack of drama. Cal lost many of its previous players and gained replacements, leaving fans and pundits scratching their heads about Cal’s unfamiliar personnel and performance outlook.

There is one position that Cal should be fine at: Inside Linebacker.

Cal returns junior Cade Uluave, who is arguably Cal’s best player, face of the program, and the elder statesman at media events. Cade also apparently took the offseason seriously because he is seriously JACKED, which supports the theme that new Strength & Conditioning Coach Jason Novak is having a positive impact.

Cade should lock up one of the ILB positions. Uluave had some injury problems last season and played only nine of 13 games and was limited in some of the nine games he played. He is known for his quick reads and aggressive moves to the point of attack. He is also known for his joie de vivre, often grinning like distributing physical punishment is his favorite thing in the world. If Uluave can stay healthy for the season, he has the potential to be one of the ACC’s best inside linebackers and be in Cal’s top-10 single-season tackle record book. He has been named to the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List (most outstanding defensive player) and has been named by Phil Steele to his pre-season All-American team.

At this time, we pause for a special recognition of this football podcaster who placed Uluave as a backup in his 2025 Cal Football Preview.

Source: Youtube

Cal loses leading tackler Teddye Buchanan after being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round. Cal will miss Teddye’s speed and athleticism. Cal also lost their two primary backups with Liam Johnson leaving for Wall Street and Hunter Barth going for a well-earned graduate degree at [*gag*] Stanford.

ILB SCHEME STAYS THE SAME

Cal also lost their Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebacker coach, Peter Sirmon to the NFL. Cal reshuffled by promoting analyst Michael Bruno to Inside Linebacker coach. This is Bruno’s third collegiate ILB coaching position, and worked with Peter Sirmon at two other schools. Sirmon’s late departure, the sharing of the Defensive Coordinator title, and Bruno’s history of working with Sirmon have made many think that there will not be a sea-change in defensive scheme. Cade Uluave supported this view during a fall media appearance. That being said, there is a ton to do and understand at middle linebacker even when you’re not changing schemes.

The “Justin Wilcox defense” is nominally a 3-4 defense featuring three down linemen, two inside linebackers, and two outside linebackers. But the base defense will shift to any number of different formations, looks, and assignments depending on available personnel, game situations, and team match-ups. Defensive players can effectively switch positions or have hybrid responsibilities.

For example, take this play in the 1st quarter at Auburn. Cal had been playing base 3-4. If you’re an opposing QB, it looks like a 3-4 with an inside backer walked forward. Check again. That’s a 2-5 personnel package with two interior linemen and five linebackers. The two OLBs (Carlton and McCulloch) are playing on the line but appear lined up inside the tackle, essentially playing defensive linemen for this particular play. Buchanan is playing middle backer next to a safety, and Uluave and Barth are lined up as twin outside linebackers.

This is only a single play, but the point is that the defensive staff has trusted Uluave to do many things, which is a luxury when you need to be defensively creative to disrupt opposing offenses.

THE PORTAL GIVETH…

This is the new era of football. It’s not who you lose, it’s who you have when the season starts. Harrison Taggart and Buom Jock came through the portal during the offseason from BYU and Colorado State, respectively.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM HARRISON TAGGART?

Taggart started his career at Oregon as a four-star recruit for his redshirt year. He then transferred to BYU where he was liberally used off the bench for his redshirt freshman season and then started 11 out of 13 games last season with some injury issues. Looking at game tape, Taggart is a technician. He has decent size and quickness, but he’s not using them to overpower or play hero-ball by overcommitting on a play. He reads the play for proper position and implements proper technique as the play develops. Taggart has two years of eligibility left, including this season. We have yet to finish fall practice, but I’d put money down on Taggart to win the other starting ILB spot if I were a betting man.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM BUOM JOCK?

First of all, it’s pronounced BOOM!!! Jock was a two-star WR/S in high school who was recruited to play linebacker at the college level. Jock led the Colorado State Rams in tackles, had an interception, forced a fumble, recovered two, and played in 27 games over two years. While his 100-tackle last season is impressive, one also has to remember that Jock and the Colorado State defense always seemed to be on the field. He is a different type of ILB than Uluave and Taggart, with a slightly different skill set and physical tools. He is long and lanky (roster: 6’5” 235 lbs) with a similar body type to Kuony Deng. He appears to be a downhill type-runner and has a broad wingspan to defend against the pass. We’ll see how fall competition sorts out, but I wouldn’t be disappointed if Jock comes off the bench to play because he has shown another gear of athleticism that frankly shocked me when he flipped the switch. Jock has two years of eligibility left, including this season.

We will also need to discuss the soundtrack for Buom. Perhaps it would be cliché to use Nelly’s “Here Comes the Boom” or DJ Jazzy Jeff/Fresh Prince’s “Boom! Shake the Room”. Frankly, I prefer POD’s “Boom”.

Cal also returns redshirt freshman Luke Ferrelli and sophomore Aaron Hampton. At the time of the writing of this article, Ferrelli and Hampton seemed to have flashed more in camp, so I would expect one or both of them to be in rotation. Even during times when players are healthy, second-stringers tend to get decent playing time under Wilcox. Also, you never know when you’re going to need to have the next man up step in. Historically, Cal has had some folks who have filled in nicely once the starting ILB went down with an injury. Guys like Weaver, Uluave, Deng, and Kunaszyk were the next man up to play inside backer.

Cal also has three other underclassmen ILBs Lucas Vanderlind, BJ Jones, and Eze Osondu. Barring major injuries, these guys will have the luxury of being able to fully focus on learning and developing.