Cal QB Fernando Mendoza chatted about the growing offense at spring showcase

The Cal football starting quarterback to end 2023 is showing all the confidence in the world he'll be the starter in 2024.

Credit: Cal Football Twitter

Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza talked with the media after the conclusion of spring practice. Here are some of the best quotes, extrapolated.

On how the spring practice went

I think we're in a really good place. I'm pretty sad it went by pretty quick.

I mean, all my teammates, all the receivers, offensive linemen, tight ends, running backs and all the other quarterbacks. We all had a really good time of spring. We all improved. We got a lot better.

I think you're able to see the explosive of the offense that coach Bloesch and staff brought in today's game, where we take a lot of deep shots, and that's something that we're looking forward to stretching the field.

I thought spring was an improvement. You watched the day one tape for myself and then today's tape. My footwork was a lot better, which a lot better, bigger and stronger.

So I feel really confident going into the summer workout program.

Has the QB competition been good for you?

The competition has been great for me.

I think it's always good to have someone to push you, but the one thing that I always say is I never look a I never try to look at the competition, as I want to play to my ceiling, to my potential.

So while Chandler [Rogers] has been doing great and all that great stuff, I'm always looking to kind of go through my potential and not cut myself off for anybody else.

On position players Cal will know

It's like you said, Jaydn, Trond [Grizzell] and Jack [Endries]. Those are all I'd say Cal fan household names at the moment.

I would say the lines looking really good, especially Nick Morrow at left tackle. He's been improving. He didn't play O-line two years ago and now he's out there. pancaking guys. We got Sioape [Vatikani] as always; TJ [Session] the leader, the O-line. We got Bastian [Swinney] and Matthew Wykoff. It's a group of leaders. It's really doing well.

And then from the running back position, we have Jaivian Thomas that is doing really well. We have just so many running backs in [Kadarius] Calloway, J-Will (Justin Williams-Thomas), DTC [Dean-Taylor Chapman], Byron Cardwell.

The receiver room, we have a lot of new guys, especially Mikey [Matthews], Tobias [Merriweather]. And I'm really impressed by that freshman Josiah [Martin]. He's been doing really well as well as all the receivers like Cole Boscia and Isaac Torres.

And so I'm really excited. I feel it's a really explosive group, and last spring to this spring, I feel more confident going into the summer program and I'm really excited now.

Why is this a team that's going to make noise in the ACC?

The locker room. I would say the locker room every year they've been here in the locker room has been extremely tight. I would say that this locker room, however, meshes really well, especially with the new transfers coming in.

That's the part of the game…[the] transfer portal and we want to elevate our team as coach, Wilcox says.

But the 20-22 new players that came here with the incoming freshmen and transfers, they really hit a stride and everyone meshes really well with each other. No one's scared of each other with accountability.

We have leaders on defense and leaders, really great leaders and offense. Prehab that's implemented by Coach Bloesch and recommended by the strength staff, where we've never done before, where we come out 20 minutes early to every practice and every summer workouts, spring workout.

We go through our stretches and we talk to each other, kind of like a pre-hype speech to really get each other going. So I say something that the culture is definitely building.

What do you see about Coach Bloesch's offense that you like?

I think coach being the O-line coach and the offensive coordinator meshes really well. It starts with the O-line. If you have a great O-line, you're gonna have a great offense.

And so Coach Bloesch understands that he's implemented an amazing run game, amazing RPO game. We have Coach Gilbert putting great concepts in with the pass game, with all the knowledge and experience he's had and developing me as far as footwork, anticipation and timing.

So I'm really excited. He's both a player's coach and a technical coach. Usually you get one or the other. And he's really been able with his great personality and his great coaching. It's a dream scenario right now.

Reads coming more naturally?

I was trying to watch the whole practices going by mistake, press 2023 instead 2024. I was really slow, especially going through my reads and just my footwork and everything.

So I seen a great improvement. Thanks to the staff that's really honed in on me and gave me a lot of effort in that ways.

On spending time in the film room

We all spent a lot of time in the film room, and one thing that's great with the receivers that really been leading our chemistry has improved, Trond and all the other receivers.

It's because we are in the film room after every practice, honing in. The little inconsistencies…we're fixing them right away.

On the ongoing QB competition

Whatever it may be. I'm gonna try to be the best Fernando Mendoza, and if I play to my potential, I think everything's going to sort itself out.

And like I said, I'm just trying to play to my potential and control the controllables.

Relationship with Trond Grizzell and Tobias Merriweather

So, I mean, Trond and I, we came through scout team together. We came through last year together, especially in fall camp when we're both running with the threes. And throughout the season, I mean the guy had 150 yards against Stanford. So Trond and I, our chemistry is very tight and he's a great receiver, makes me look good a lot of times.

And Tobias [Merriweather] is a hard worker. He's a really great guy. We're always watching film, always throwing on Saturdays. And you saw it there. He had a great fade route where he extended the guy, gave me time.

He really understands the game. He understands in the red zone, you can't speed it up too quick. So he really gave me time and a lot of space. I was able to throw him a touchdown. So I'm really proud of those guys and really look forward to slinging the Rock.

On what is needed to succeed in the ACC

The biggest thing, especially for when we're going to the ACC and quarterbacks, who take it to the next level is anticipation.

That's what Trond and I have right now is before his break, I'm able to throw the ball. I know exactly where he's going to be and I trust him. Even if he's in a little bit of collision, I know that he's going to be on time to the landmark that we set where it's like 12 yards on the hash, just for an example.

So that's something that I look forward to implementing with all the receivers and having that trust.