Cal O-Lineman Bastian Swinney Announces 2026 Return

The fifth-year senior has played both guard and center in 40 games for the Bears

Bastian Swinney, right, with younger brother Meyer | Photo by Kyle McRae

Fifth-year senior offensive lineman Bastian Swinney became the latest Cal player to offer a public re-commitment to staying for his final season.

“One more year with the boys!!! This program means everything to me. GO BEARS,” Swinney said on social media Friday.

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While 30 Cal players have entered the transfer portal in the wake of the program moving on from coach Justin Wilcox in favor of Tosh Lupoi, Swinney is the seventh Golden Bears who has publcly stated his intention to remain in Berkeley.

That list is headlined by freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, whose presence has no doubt helped Lupoi’s staff sign 10 players out of the transfer portal, including three running backs, two wide receivers and a  tight end.

The Bears’ recruiting efforts on the transfer portal figure to ratchet up in the coming weeks after Oregon’s loss to top-seeded Indiana in the CFP semifinals on Friday night. That will free up Lupoi — who has spent the past four season as the Ducks’ defensive coordinator — to devote his full attention to Cal.

Other Cal players who have made public their plan to stay in the program are wide receiver Mark Hamper, tight end Mason Mini, defensive linemen Derek Wilkins and Nate Burrell and defensive back Isaiah Crosby.

About 60 players who were on the 2025 roster have neither announced plans to exit or return.

Swinney, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound native of Edina, Minn. with one year of eligibility remaining, has played in 40 games for the Bears. He started 10 times in 2024 at enter and both guards spots.

Swinney came off the bench for the first 10 games this season before starting at enter the final three games,

His younger brother, Meyer Swinney, was a freshman wide receiver for the Bears this past season.

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