Cal lost their third scholarship quarterback this offseason to the transfer portal, as Zach Johnson also decided to depart.

Zach Johnson @ItsZachJohnson

First off, I’d like to thank Cal for an incredible experience over the last 3 years. I couldn’t be more thankful to this University for everything it has given me. With that being said, I have entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer with 3 years of eligibility left.

1:36 AM ∙ Jan 19, 2023

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Johnson joined Cal in the 2020 class. He did not see any significant playing action during his time with the Bears. Good on Zach for getting his degree in three years time!

With Jack Plummer heading over to Louisville and Kai Millner headed to Northern Arizona, Cal is now down to two scholarship quarterbacks. That is a very low number for an FBS team.

• Redshirt freshman Fernando Mendoza, who signed with Cal in the 2023 class. Mendoza did not play last year.

• Redshirt sophomore Sam Jackson V, who transferred from TCU earlier this month. Jackson threw six passes in his two years in TCU (five during their national title run).

The competition appears to be wide open for the spring between Mendoza and Jackson.

It’s unclear what offensive coordinator Jake Spavital’s strategy is going forward in terms of quarterback depth. He would probably like to get one more transfer quarterback in, but at the moment the market is shrinking. With the transfer portal closed until after spring practice, the Bears might just have to wait for more candidates to become available.

If the portal is unkind, it’s definitely a priority for the Bears to take a quarterback in the 2024 recruiting cycle, if not two. Fresh faces are needed.