Cal Junior Day highlights: Justin Wilcox talks about the values of his program
The Cal head coach gave his State of the Bears speech to potential future golden prospects.
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox started out Junior Day with prospective 2023 recruits outlining what he expects from the potential incoming Bears, and deciding what type of fit makes the most sense for football players who will suit up in the blue and gold.
Below is the transcription:
The three things that we build our team on. Accountability. Improvment. Competition. That’s everything to us.
We talk to our players, our staff, coaches, support units…[these themes], these are the pillars of our program.
When we’re talking about accountability, in order to have a championship program, we gotta trust each other. And the only way to do that is to do what you say you’re going to do, be accountable to each other.
Everything we do is about seeking improvement. We’re not looking for guys that are trying to stay the same or sustain. Whether we’re in the weightroom, or on the field, off the field personally, or in the classroom, everything is about trying to get better.
And the last piece, which is so critical, is competitiveness. This is is a very competitive environment. Obviously, Saturdays are competitive. We’re playing against some of the best talent[s] in the country. But it needs to be competitive in the weight room, it’s gotta be competitive in the classroom, it’s gotta be competitive in meetings. And that’s how we’re truly going to get the best out of each other and the team.
So these three things, [are] a very simple concept, but these things are hard to do over and over again. These are the things that we’re looking for in the people in our program and our team.
In other highlights, Marshawn Lynch was apparently present in some capacity, although it’s unclear if it was virtual or in person.
Also making their presence felt were a few other Cal legends: Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera, Saints Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan, and NFL journalist Mike Silver joined via Zoom and chatted up the Cal experience.
How did the recruits enjoy their experience? Sounds like it was a blast. (Below is a rundown of the full list of prominent names who attended).
Four-star safety commit RJ Jones brought his guys up from St. John’s Bosco, including three-star safety Ty Lee, four-star cornerback Jshawn Frausto-Ramos, and three-star linebacker Deven Bryant.
National prospect and Folsom wide receiver Rico Flores hinted that Cal might be back in the mix for his recruitment.
Three-star linebacker Cade Uluave from Herriman, Utah doesn’t have that Cal offer yet, but it might be coming shortly.
Lawndale safety Jacob Lewis also enjoyed his trip. Lewis is one of Cal’s big safety targets to pair with Jones.
Dallas quarterback Brennan Storer continues to seem like a strong option to pull the trigger sooner rather than later on a commitment to the Bears.
Murrieta offensive lineman Jason Steele really appreciated the visit.
The family of three/four-star San Diego running back Roderick Robinson appeared to enjoy their visit. Robinson is one of the biggest assignments for RBs coach Aristotle Thompson to land.
We’ll have more updates on new offers later this week.
Nice write up and thank you. I really enjoy seeing this from an insiders prospective. It helps understand what Coach Wilcox is doing and how he is doing it. Great that former well known CAL alum ballers got involved as well. I'm real curious how Jaden Rashada's visit went and if he provided any feedback. He needs to ask himself two questions before he commits anywhere but CAL: 1. Where will CAL be as a program by the time he gets a chance to play, which is most likely 3 to 4 years, and 2. Where is the best place for him to play for his family and friends to come out watch him? Then he can think about all the other great reasons, like the education, Top Dog...
I don't generally follow recruiting news, but we absolutely need to sign Rico Flores Jr. With the length of his arms, we'd be able to block every field goal and PAT that our opponents attempt.