Cal Football Spring Practice: Day 6
Trevon Clark, full pads soon, and Cal Dining
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There were a lot of smiles at the Bears’ sixth spring practice as the team continued to gel. Players vocally supported each other on the sideline, and defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon was bursting with energy, ready to lecture on anything in his post-practice media session.
In the first video, Trevon Clark caught an in-route about 20 yards downfield. Although the QB’s number is blurred, I’m making an educated guess that Chase Garbers threw the ball. The Bears’ defense appeared to be running some zone as whoever was covering Clark moved out of the frame and followed Nikko Remigio up the seam. At the same time, Collin Gamble moved underneath Clark while Evan Tattersall stood at the top of the umbrella. On the other side of the hash marks, Monroe Young was doubled by Branden Smith and Dejuan Butler. Clark made the catch and headed upfield, juking past a half-paying attention Butler while Chigozie Anusiem entered the frame.
In the second video, Grant Daley caught a jump ball for about 20 yards after a rub route. Unless the Bears were using a secret fifth QB, Robby Rowell threw it up in the air. Daley was covered by Zane Cribb. The other half of the rub was Ashton Stredick who was covered by Tyson McWilliams. Curiously, Rowell went for the tougher throw to Daley than the quick slant to Stredick who was open. In the background, Jermaine Terry, Stanley McKenzie, Ender Aguilar, Cam Goode, Jaedon Roberts, and Everett Johnson were visible. Elijah Mojarro came into the frame at the very end.
In the first photo, Jaedon Roberts and Everett Johnson looked to be in a tough battle on the edge with Roberts stuck outside.
In the second photo, Jeremiah Hunter jumped up to make a catch over the middle. Curiously, Hunter was wearing a sleeve on his left arm, a possible clue to his season-ending injury in the fall.
In the third photo, Garbers looked downfield.
In the fourth photo, all 268 lbs of Jermaine Terry filled up the frame as Terry hauled in the ball.
Strength coach Brian Johnson also confirmed in a video that the Bears plan to put on pads and run a scrimmage this Saturday morning.
In defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon’s post-practice media session today, Sirmon lit up talking about the food he gets to eat at Cal, more excited than when he talked about any of his players.
“Cal Dining is undefeated this season,” he said in the middle of a long lecture about the improvements Johnson and head coach Justin Wilcox have made to the players’ nutrition. “I’m all about Cal Dining.”
Although Sirmon repeatedly frustrated any reporter who tried to get Sirmon to reveal any small detail about depth charts, he did mention that “it’s fun to watch” safety Raymond Woodie III, the transfer from Florida State, and that freshman Hunter Barth is “getting some reps.” Sirmon also mentioned, off-handedly, that Butler shifted from corner to safety.
Cal’s two second-year defensive linemen, McKenzie and Ricky Correia, are “two really big human beings,” said Sirmon. Both of these lineman are exciting players who’ve both flashed at times during practices.
Nate Rutchena, who grey-shirted last year, was negatively affected by delaying his admission, said Sirmon. In a normal year, grey-shirting would allow a player to continue to work out and enter at a higher level of conditioning, but the events of the past year prevented Rutchena from taking full advantage of that. Still, Sirmon said Rutchena gets reps.
Towards the end of the session, the reporters and Sirmon became a lot more personal. Sirmon called out Trace Travers for trying to hold in laughter when Sirmon was rambling on about Cal Dining and then said Jackson Moore is the unlucky guy at the center of Sirmon’s Zoom.
To conclude, Sirmon lectured on the championship-caliber college football team’s necessity to have defensive line depth in his way of explaining relatively large numbers of defensive linemen in each Cal class.
Just read a recap of the practice/scrimmage - Looks like Zach Johnson impressed.
Owen,
Love your columns on Cal football. I want to read as many of them as possible. Have you thought of going up to Tightwad Hill with some binocs the next time a practice is closed so we don't miss a practice with your summary of it?