How Chocolate Chip Cookies Have Helped Cal Grow Chemistry

A lot of ingredients go into creating chemistry on a football team. A batch of chocolate chip cookies doesn’t hurt.

First-year Cal offensive line coach Famika Anae saw progress with his guys in the Bears’ season-opening 34-15 win at Oregon State. He was satisfied with their effort and their developing chemistry.

“It’s very hard, especially in today’s college football,” Anae said, alluding to the fact that Cal’s two-deep chart for the O-line includes players who were at seven different schools a year ago.

The connection the Bears’ linemen are making with each other — and importantly, with freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — is critical.

Sagapolutele lives with four teammates, including offensive and defensive linemen. A bond is forming. “They’re making cookies at 8 o’clock every night,” Anae reported.

Center Tyson Ruffins offers confirmation. “That’s for sure. Usually I’m the one making those cookies. Some nights, we go through two or three packets,” said Ruffins, who doesn’t actually live in the house but spends time there on virtually a daily basis.

A transfer from Nevada, Ruffins said the players aren’t baking cookies with the specific goal of enriching their chemistry. “It does bring the team together a lot more,” he said, “but we just want cookies.”

Ruffins played guard at his previous stop and was a left tackle throughout high school. With Georgia State transfer Lamar Robinson briefly sidelined by an injury during spring practice, the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Ruffins was moved to center. He expected it was just as a temp.

Adjusting to a new role

Cal coach Justin Wilcox talks about Tyson's move to center in the video at the top of this story.

Ruffins was back at guard to start fall camp, but before practice one day received a one-word text message from Anae: Center.

“Obviously, there’s been a lot of growing pains. I feel like that’s going to happen with any transition,” he said. “It’s honestly a whole new world. I like playing there. It gives me more of a purpose.

“I’ve been guard for a while . . . not saying it got boring but going out to the field and learning more about this new position I’m at is exciting.”

With returnee Sioape Vatikani and Australia native and Charlotte transfer Jordan Spasojevic-Moko at the guards, and returnee Braden Miller and 6-8, 330-pound Mississippi State transfer Leon Bell at the tackles, the line performed pretty well in the opener at Oregon State.

The run game wasn’t quite what the Bears wanted but there was this: Cal did not allow Sagapolutele to be sacked a year after Cal quarterbacks absorbed 49 of them.

O-line protective of rookie QB

“I just want to protect the guy who’s behind me,” Ruffins said.

Anae says Sagapolutele has that affect on those around him. "He brings that out of his teammates. He’s got that factor in him,” Anae said,

“I love him. He’s a little brother to me, honestly. He’s a little brother to all the guys on the team,” said Ruffins, adding that Spasojevic-Moko calls him nephew. “I feel like as talented as he is, he doesn’t let any of the publicity get to his head. It just makes you want to protect him even more.”

Tyson has been a willing student at his new position, Anae said.

“I know it’s hard and I know it’s new. There’s a lot of stuff we ask the center to do. The mindset and the attitude is really what has propelled his progress,” Anae said.

Ruffins had a couple snaps Saturday that Anae notes “were on the fringe,” but otherwise did a solid job. “I thought he handled himself well for his first game at that position,” Anae said. “Doing it at a new position on the road with a freshman quarterback, a lot of pressure was placed on his plate to make sure that our quarterback was good.”

Both Ruffins and the entire O-line have plenty of room for improvement.

“We have a ton of upside. We can play a lot better than we played this past weekend,” Tyson said.” I’m excited to see it.”

Anae will continue to let 10 players compete for five spots because that brings out the best in everyone, he believes. “I don’t really do well in comfortable settings,” he said. “For me, uncomfortable and pushing the envelope, I think that brings out winners.”

With continued coaching and effort, he said that can happen.

“I think this offensive line is smart and I think they’re willing and I think they try,” Anae said. “With extreme expectations and precise coaching, I think this group can become whatever it wants to be.”

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