Chilly, Rainy Weather for First Day of Cal Spring Football

Justin Wilcox happy with how the many new faces are adapting to the changes

Justin Wilcox / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Cloudy, chilly, rainy weather greeted Cal on its first day of spring football practice on Wednesday, and with all the new faces on the coaching staff and the roster, gaining familiarity was one of the top priorities.

“With scheme adjustments and changes going on as well, I thought they did a fantastic job for one practice,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said, “and having some new schematics and language going on, I thought they did a really good job with that.”

With 16 new transfers from four-year schools, a half dozen junior college transfers and eight freshmen who enrolled in January participating in the spring, there are a lot of new faces to integrate.

One of those new freshmen is quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who figures to battle Ohio State transfer Devin Brown for the starting quarterback spot vacated when Fernado Mendoza transferred to Indiana.

It’s unlikely Cal will name a starting quarterback by the end of the spring ball, which wraps up on April 15.

“There’s a chance for everything,” Wilcox said. “We’re just trying to get better at football right now.”

The Bears are as healthy as they have ever been for spring ball.  Usually the number of players riding stationary bikes, unable to participate in practice, reaches double-digits.  At the start of this spring practice Wilcox declared just two players out – Nick Morrow and Aide Newbill, both of whom are offensive linemen.  Otherwise everyone else is full go for practice, at least for now.

Wilcox joked that he’s happy only a few players are on those stationary bikes “preparing for the Tour de France.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting rid of those things altogether,” he said. “Just throw them in the bay.”

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