Cal Wide Receiver Ian Strong on What He's Building With the Bears

The Rutgers transfer liked what he heard from the new staff and the players already committed to coming.

Wide receiver Ian Strong arrived at Cal from Rutgers drawn by a combination of coaching relationships, open communication and something bigger than football.

“I feel like this is a great organization. A lot of other players came here. I was in communication with them while I was in the portal. A lot of us said that we’re coming here to build something that was already strong. Coach Tosh is a great coach. I had a lot of communication with him, Coach Ike, Coach Pat and Coach Jeff.”

Strong echoed what others in the receiver room have said about wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard, putting the emphasis on his character over his résumé.

“His resume speaks for himself, but he’s just a great person. Great person to talk to, like a great father figure for the room. He puts everyone above him. That’s all you can ask for in a coach.”

The room has had a look at what Hilliard accomplished as a player, even if the coach himself keeps quiet about it.

“He doesn’t like to talk about his background too much. He really just lets us go through it. We watch a couple clips of him scoring and everything. It’s great to watch him play, and now we’re in the pictures and trying to become what he did.”

Hilliard’s national championship at Florida, a program that had never won one before, has registered with Strong as something meaningful.

“His big story about that is just how he left home to go to Florida. He put his head down, worked his butt off and was able to accomplish something that nobody ever did before.”

With plenty of options in the portal, Strong’s decision came down to fit on and off the field.

“I just feel like this place was going to help me become the best player I could be and also the best man I could be. Cal is a great education. It’s not just about football. My mom wants me to get a great degree and everything. That’s why I picked Cal.”

Strong, who comes in at 6’3, described his approach to a new offense as leaning on experience.

“It’s a new offense for me, but just being able to learn. I have a lot of experience in the game, so when coach says something, I’ve probably experienced that before, or I’m just learning new positions and new places on the field.”

On quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Strong has liked what he’s seen through winter and into spring.

“We had a great winter, the ball is just getting thrown around. He’s a great leader, someone to follow. He’s always doing the right thing, always working hard.”

That includes getting comfortable with some of Jaron’s more advanced throws.

“Yeah, he’s elite. I’m just trying to make sure wherever he’s throwing the ball, I’m in the right spot.”

For the team as a whole, Strong sees chemistry as the most important thing to build this spring.

“Just building the best chemistry in college football. A lot of new transfers, people that have never been around each other. Bringing that bond as a team is the most important thing we’re looking for.”

And head coach Tosh Lupoi has wasted no time setting a tone, starting early in the morning.

“Tosh just wants everyone to work hard. He’s a great guy, always brings energy, always waking everybody up. 5:30 in the morning, he’s screaming, running around. That drive just makes us want to compete harder.”

To be clear, Lupoi isn’t texting at that hour.

“He’s here at 5:30. We’re all here at 5:30. He’s screaming, jumping around, getting us ready.”