War Damn Bears.
Cal makes the SEC Bear Territory for the 2nd time under Justin Wilcox
At the end of last week’s recap of the UC Davis game, I referenced Michael Jordan’s declaration of wanting more.
“Everybody wants something. But something doesn’t come for free. If you want more, its going to cost more” - Michael Jordan
You want Cal to go win in SEC territory? It’s going to cost more.
You want the Bears to win a one score game where every play feels like life or death? It’s going to cost more.
You want to be arm in arm with Justin Wilcox as he leads this program in year 8? As we’ve found out, it’s going to cost more.
Over 5,000 Cal fans showed up to Eastern Alabama to watch the Golden Bears deliver arguably the biggest win under Wilcox. It may not have the rankings of the Ole Miss win, or the grind of the Evan Weaver showcase against Washington, but it was a combination of the energy, the timely soul snatching surgical execution, and the post game euphoria that has awoken a beast.
Nohl Williams and Fernando Mendoza declared in tandem post game “that they are sick of it” and that “we have to change the narrative.” If this were said during game week, you could forgive Cal fans for not buying that, they’ve been down this road before.
But these players said to hell with that.
Patchwork made teamwork and that made the dream work
I’ve made it known just how much these Golden Bears are laboring right now. And right now, there’s not a care in the world of who isn’t out there. Through two games, as simple as it sounds, its been about the 11 guys who have been out there. Mike Bloesch has delivered the message loud and clear: we all have a job to do so lets go out, execute from the jump, and fight together.
Cal fought together for 60 minutes without these players:
C Will McDonald
RG Sioape Vatikani
WR Tobias Merriweather
WR Kyion Grayes
RB Jaydn Ott (10 carries for 11 yards, was not close to 100% and was on a pitch count)
Ott’s in game leadership was imperative in the outburst of Jaivian Thomas, it was Ott assisting with checks and being the first to congratulate him on the sidelines
OLB David Reese
David Reese played a paltry 3 snaps and yet his presence was felt everywhere. Any time the defense came to the sideline, Reese was there. At the end of the game when Cal was bleeding clock, it was Reese himself yelling at all the players to get behind the restricted line so Cal wouldn’t get a penalty
DT Ricky Correia left the game with an injury
It would have been easy for Cal to look at those odds and think we may not have it all this weekend. But that’s not what this coaching staff is built on and not how these players are wired. There was a mentality of “we’re all we got and we’re all we need.” To beat Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium, it takes everyone. And there were a host of Bears new and old who willed this team onwards.
The new kids on the block have their home
Through the first two weeks of the season, its been a whole host of both young and new Bears who have made their presence felt.
Nyziah Hunter continues his breakout campaign, netting his second and third touchdowns right in hostile territory. After “blacking out” in the end zone vs UC Davis, Hunter stated postgame that his scoring is now the expectation for him going forward.
Jaivian Thomas, who has fought between the second and third string running back role all camp, answered when called upon in relief of Jaydn Ott. One 32 yard touchdown run later, the Oakland native delivered the dagger in the heart of the south.
Ryan McCulloch, has 11 quarterback hurries (5 vs Auburn) through two weeks which is frankly absurd. He may not have a sack to show for it, but his sheer activity has forced turnovers in back to back games and has vindicated Justin Wilcox’s stance as someone who will be one of the most improved players on the team. But he’s not the only one who thought so ;)
Teddye Buchanan, another Bay Area kid alongside Hunter and Thomas, was the catalyst for a defensive performance that took Cal fans back to the Evan Weaver and Jordan Kunaszyk days. In both Cal vs Auburn matchups, a linebacker has set the tone for the game and willed their team to victory. Buchanan sacked Payton Thorne multiple times, forced a fumble on Jarquez Hunter, and did not put a foot wrong.
When you think about it, its quite shocking just how many contributors Cal had throughout the day. Lachlan Wilson won the Bears the field position game with thunderous punt after thunderous punt. Special teams may have still sputtered in spurts, but there’s no denying that through two weeks they’ve made significant plays that have directly assisted Cal’s chances of winning. 6 receivers had 3 or more catches, with Burl Toler and Michael Saffell’s room sharing the wealth from Fernando Mendoza.
We’ve gotten to the point where the starting quarterback, despite a performance reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers against USC in the first half, almost gets lost in the chaos. You can say a lot of things about this program, but no one will ever be able to say that Fernando Mendoza doesn't have guts. That’s a player and person who everyone fights for. Going 19/21 for 205 yards and 2 TD’s is a phenomenal output, and when the going got tough in the second half, he managed to find a way to gut it out, even when he had to leave the game for a few minutes.
Cal fans welcome themselves back to the party
Lots of people told me during my time in Auburn that they were surprised at the sheer amount of Cal fans that traveled down south. From an Auburn’s fan perspective you can’t necessarily blame them, the Bay Area requires teams give them something before they invest in you.
Bears fans found that reason to come to a destination road game. Throughout the wee hours of Friday night and on game day, countless comments of Go Bears and palpable energy were abound. Usually, the game happens and cofounding sequences leave Cal fans yearning for more.
Not this time.
Featuring twitter banger after twitter banger, a shoutout to the burners from Mendoza, and a will that would not be squashed, Auburn is now Bear Territory Southeast.
Cal fans heard the noise. They’re sick of it. Ask them what football means to them.
Justin Wilcox has been waiting for this investment to pay off. He knows the time is now. Ask him what it means to him.
As mentioned earlier, when you want more its going to cost more. Cal went to the well and opened the floodgates.
After everything that transpired this weekend, one theme becomes crystal clear. What does football and community mean to Cal players and fans?
It just means more.
I am all in on Fernando — players like him are why I still cheer my heart out for Cal
Let's focus. Cal has often played to the level of its opponent. What I would like to see is the same effort we watched at Auburn. This game needs to be a prep for future performances. Focus, the euphoria of last Saturday was great, but in the end, it was one game in a long season. Go Bears!