Jaivian Thomas, Cal's Leading Rusher in 2024, Enters Transfer Portal

Cal's top five running backs have all entered the transfer portal in the past three days

Jaivian Thomas / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

.The news that Cal fans feared came out on Wednesday, when Golden Bears running back Jaivian Thomas, Cal's leading rusher last season, entered the transfer portal, according to multiple reports, including Rivals and On3 Sports.

It means that the top five Cal running backs from last season have entered the portal. Jaydn Ott's move from Cal to Oklahoma this week was difficult to swallow for Cal fans, but Thomas' entry into the portal is nearly as devastating, partly because of his success Thomas had last year and partly because it leaves no experienced running back on the Cal roster.

Only three running backs on Cal's spring roster have not entered the transfer portal -- redshirt freshman Jayden Parker, redshirt freshman Jamaal Wiley and redshirt sophomore Dean-Taylor Chapman. Parker and Chapman are walk-ons who have never carried the ball in a game. The only one of the three who has had a carry as a collegian is Wiley who had six carries for 18 yards in 2024.

Just one incoming scholarship freshman is a running back -- Anthony League, a three-star recruit who turned down offers from Utah, BYU, Washington, Colorado, UNLV, Oregon State, San Diego State and Arizona to sign with Cal.

This presents a major challenge for new offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and the entire Cal offensive coaching staff, which is made up almost entirely of position coaches that are new to the Cal staff this year. That includes a new running backs coach in Julian Griffin.

Thomas, who is from Oakland and attended McClymonds High School, has two seasons of college eligibility remaining and will attract a lot of attention in the transfer portal.

Cal will have to reach heavily into the transfer portal to pull in some running backs who can provide a consistent ground game. It will be interesting to see what role Ron Rivera, recently named general manager of the Cal football program, will play in this.

Thomas was expected to share the playing time at running back with Ott in 2025 after Thomas led the Bears in rushing with 626 yards and an average of 6.3 yards per carry in 2024. Thomas also caught 12 passes for 91 yards.

He played in eight games as a true freshman in 2023, when he rushed for 110 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry..

It's conceivable, but unlikely, that Thomas or any of the other three Cal running backs still in the portal -- Byron Cardwell Jr., Kadarius Calloway and Justin Williams-Thomas -- could withdraw from the portal and return to Cal. But with the amount of money being offered to proven transfers by other schools, it's difficult to turn down that kind of financial security.

Cal wide receiver Mason Starling also entered the transfer portal this week, but he was not on Cal's spring roster after catching nine passes for 121 yards in 2024, when he played in five games.

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