Explaining the Surprisingly Effective Performance by Cal QB Jackson Brousseau

Jackson Brousseau’s postgame comments answered a lot of questions.

Brousseau’s outstanding performance in his first Cal start in the Bears’ 25-20 upset of Virginia Tech came as a surprise to virtually everyone outside the Bears program.

Then he sat down behind the microphone and exuded authoritative calmness. He was pleased with the result, but was not giddy with what he and Cal had accomplished, which was to beat a team that was favored by 10 points, according to DraftKings, while the Bears were without their starting quarterback (Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele), their top two running backs (Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas) and their best defensive player (safety Kingston Lopa).

While discussing the last-minute, game-winning, 75-yard drive he directed that resulted in a touchdown with 18 seconds left, Brousseau sounded like a 45-year-old businessman patiently explaining to board members why the company’s stock rose 1 percent over the past year.

When asked when he learned he would be Saturday’s starting quarterback and his reaction, Brousseau replied as if he were a long-time surgeon requesting a scalpel for a routine operation.

“I think it was on Friday,” he said, “and I just felt prepared. Felt like I’ve done the right things up until this point, and I’ve been coached the right way. And so I felt prepared, felt calm, ready to go.”

You nod, and say to yourself, “Now I get it.”

“Jackson has been a tremendous mature leader from Day One, even before his number was called,” Cal coach Tosh Lupoi said. “Got tremendous respect for him. I think the way he prepares sets such a high standard it shows in these moments.

“Very impressive to go right down there in that two-minute [offense], and that’s the why we practice the way we do, and to see him command it, put our team in great position for success, and top it off with that touchdown, really cool.”

Brousseau’s poise and what Cal’s offense has accomplished during his three halves as Cal’s quarterback (second half against UNLV and both halves on Saturday) may put a passing thought in some observers’ minds that maybe Brousseau should be the starter when Sagapolutele is ready to return, which could be next Saturday against Wake Forest (5-1) in Berkeley.

Erase that thought immediately. Sagapolutele is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2028 NFL draft, and although he’s had some struggles early this year, his arm talent is pro level. And you don’t keep that kind of talent on the bench. Sagapolutele is Cal’s starting quarterback when he is sufficiently recovered from the concussion that knocked him out of the UNLV game and kept him out against Virginia Tech.

And there are two important caveats to Brousseau’s success.

First of all, the same three halves in which Brousseau was Cal’s quarterback are the same three quarters that Pat McCann has served as Cal offensive play-caller. McCann’s creativity and sage handling of Cal’s offense has had at least as much influence on Cal’s improved offense as Brousseau’s mature efficiency.

Sagapolutele has yet to play a down in which McCann was the play-caller, and it will be interesting to see how he does under that guidance.

Secondly, Cal’s defense was outstandings on Saturday. Even though Virginia Tech rolled up 401 yards of offense, the Hokies were held to their lowest point total of the season, and a variety of blitz packages put constant pressure on Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, limiting his effectiveness. Because of the defense’s effectiveness, 25 points were enough to win the game. And the stop Cal made on the final play of the game after the Hokies got to Cal's 7-yard line enabled the Bears to win.

Having said that, the fact remains Brousseau was the star of Saturday’s game, and his accomplishments in his three halves as Cal’s quarterback are impressive to say the least.

He was 19-for-32 for 200 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while leading the Bears to 24 second-half points in the 39-31 loss to UNLV, and he was 29-for-43 for 321 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against Virginia Tech.

It’s noteworthy that Cal has not committed a single turnover in Brousseau’s three halves of work while moving the ball consistently.

Most impressive is the fact that Cal’s offense scored 27 fourth-quarter points in Brousseau’s two games after the Bears’ offense failed to score a single point in the fourth quarter of its three previous games against FBS opposition. (Cal’s offense scored three fourth-quarter points against FCS-level Wagner.)

Cal has been in every game entering the fourth quarter this season, but was not able to finish it off until Brousseau and McCann entered the picture.

And that late scoring drive, which started from the Cal 25-yard line with 1:15 left, was master class stuff from Brousseau and McCann. Granted, two 15-yard penalties against Virginia Tech aided that drive, but Cal faced third down five times on that possession and converted first downs on all five.

It was the kind of drive only experienced, poised quarterbacks can lead. And that Is what makes Brousseau different. While many backup quarterbacks are young, inexperienced players hoping for a chance, Brousseau has been around the block and knew his role when he arrived at Cal.

This is his fourth year of college football, and he started eight games at Colorado State last year.

Coming off the bench and adjusting to new play-callers are not new to him. He began 2025 as the backup quarterback at Colorado State behind Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who started the first three games before being replaced by Brousseau, who had been effective off the bench.

The Rams fired head coach Jay Norvell six games into the 2025 season, and three different assistant coaches served as the Rams’ offensive play-callers that season. That’s a lot for any quarterback to handle, especially when the team goes 2-10. Yet Brousseau had his best performance in the final game of the season, throwing for a career-high 323 yards.

"I thought the kid showed poise," said Virginia Tech coach James Franklin regarding Brousseau "He's a veteran, older player, and he played like that. And we were not able to get pressure. And I think that was a big factor in this game. We were not able to make their quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket, although I think they did a good job of getting the ball out quickly too."

Poise, confidence, preparation, experience, calm demeanor and some talent. That’s what Brousseau has brought to the Bears’ No. 2 quarterback spot.

A wise college head coach once said, “The most important player on your roster is the starting quarterback; the second-most important player on the roster is the backup quarterback.”

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