Justin Wilcox liking competition during Cal fall practice, but consistency needed

There is still no imminent timeline on announcing a starter at quarterback.

Cal head coach Justin Wilcox spoke with the media on Saturday after the final open scrimmage. Here were his thoughts.

Can you give us your overall assessment of things?

There's the good when we're playing with 11 guys all together; you see some good football, but we're just inconsistent. I think that showed up today. The potential is certainly there, but we need to be hitting on all cylinders a little more often.

With two weeks to go before your first game, how do you feel?

You're never where you want to be. It's about having a sense of urgency when you're watching tape, coming back out for practice, and taking care of our bodies because the season will be here quickly. There are some great individual efforts, but we have to get better and be tighter. The difference between a well-executed play and a bad play can be just one person or one technique, so we need to tighten some things up.

Did you get additional clarity on the quarterback situation today?

I think all three of them can do some good things. They all competed and were into it. We'll watch the video to ensure that the decision-making was where it needs to be. Ultimately, it's about moving the team up and down the field and putting the ball in the end zone. We didn't score as much as we would have liked today, but I think there's plenty of room for improvement. All of them had some good moments.

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From the stands, it's hard to see a separation between Mendoza and Rodgers. Do you see any little things on film that are separating them?

It's a competitive group, and they all have strengths and weaknesses. We're trying to give them various situations—whether it's playing out in the field, in the high red zone, or the no red zone, and maybe in 2-minute or 1-minute situations. We're evaluating how they're managing that, communicating with the team, and making decisions. They are all different, but I'm confident in all of them. We just need to keep working on getting them to play in those situations as realistically as possible.

Will you try to name a starter by Davis game prep, and would you announce it if you did?

Yes, we would like to have that done. Whether we announce it or not, we'll see.

How big of a concern is inconsistency in getting into the end zone?

If we can tighten that one thing up, we could get the ball in the end zone two or three more times. I have full confidence that we can accomplish it, but we need to be urgent when we come back out to practice.

Your first three quarterbacks had a total of maybe four series, and you only gave up three touchdowns. Is this a win for the defense today?

We're looking for earned plays. If the offense makes a good play, we want them to have to earn it, and it should be a contested play by the defense. Likewise, if the defense makes a stop, we want it to be well-executed and not because of a busted play or bad execution. The video will tell us more, but I thought the defense had some really good moments. They're flying around with a ton of energy, and I thought they brought it today. The offense, especially with that second group, also made some headway. We want to see that back and forth.

Backs made some nice plays. Was it good to see X [Xavier Carlton] at full strength and get out there?

Yes, he's playing through some injuries, which is part of the game. Being healthy is relative in football. You never feel 100% during the season, and learning to play through bumps and bruises is crucial. X is a great example of that, and we commend those guys who play through it. It's part of our team culture to understand the difference between what's sore and what will keep them out, based on the trainers' and doctors' advice.

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[C.J.] Harris and [Nyziah] Hunter continue to flash at almost every practice. Have they earned an occasional look in with the ones and twos in practice?

Yes, both C.J. Harris and Hunter have done a really good job. C.J. got some more runs today, and he's been better than we expected. He's bigger, throws the ball better, and runs better than we thought. Hunter has made play after play and has stayed on that trend. He's practicing every day and showing up, taking advantage of the reps, especially when others are out. We're really proud of him.

Another third-team guy that flashes every single day too is Isaac Torres. What are your thoughts on him?

Same thing. The receiver room is very competitive, with six to nine guys who can play. There's urgency to be healthy and be on the field because everyone is playing for a spot.

You’ve got two days in Sacramento. It's going to be a little warmer than here. Is that the primary reason for going there?

Yes, with the heat wave coming off the turf, we're hoping for around 100 degrees. We're looking to see how the team handles that challenge.

How much does what David Reese does out there rub off on the team?

I love it. Reese is really competitive and brings that every day. He's a vocal guy and an alpha with that mentality. I love the energy he brings to practice, and he does it every single day.

What's the status of the first team O-line, especially with Sioape Vatikani out?

There are certain guys going with the ones right now. We're trying to find the best five, and there will likely be some rotation. We're hoping to get Sioape back as fast as possible.

How would you rate the run defense through 15 practices?

Some days and moments have been pretty good, but other times we've gotten creased a little bit. We’ve improved, but there's always room to be better. We'll continue to demand more until we stop them on every down.

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