Kicker Zach Brien, Son of Doug Brien, Commits to Cal for 2027

Punter and place-kicker Zach Brien announced on social media on Friday that he has committed to Cal for the class of 2027.

Brien attends Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland and is the son of former Cal and NFL place-kicker Doug Brien.

100% COMMITTED! GO BEARS!@HKA_Tanalski @Chris_Sailer @CoachTinkFB @CoachBigelowIMG @ParksCochrane @hardynickerson @CoachLup pic.twitter.com/BlUJJLBgpX
— Zach Brien (@BrienZach27) February 13, 2026

However, Zach Brien announced in late December that he will be spending his final year of high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, partly because former Cal and NFL star Hardy Nickerson left as Bishop O’Dowd’s head coach after the 2025 season to become the head coach at JSerra Catholic High School.

On January 31, Zach Brien announced on social media that had been given a full scholarship offer from Cal. He was one of the recruits that visited Cal on Junior Day on the final weekend of January.

After a great visit and conversation with @CoachTinkFB and @CoachLup I’m exited to announce I’ve received a full scholarship offer to Cal. pic.twitter.com/r8K09PLb66
— Zach Brien (@BrienZach27) February 1, 2026

Brien said on his twitter site that he had been attending Cal football games for years, often wearing his Cal football helmet to games.

According to MaxPreps, Brien made three of five field goal attempts this past season with a long of 42 yards, and he also made 46 of 48 extra points. It also said he averaged 40.6 yards on punts with a long of 60 yards.

Brien said on social media that 55 of his 62 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.

Thanks @Chris_Sailer for a great Vegas event. I had a great time and was pleased to make the finals in both FG and Punt. There isn’t a KO final but was pleased with my performance with a couple of big balls of 80 yards and 4.03 and 4.1hang times. @CoachBigelowIMG @CoachTinkFB… pic.twitter.com/hQND7Qgl4d
— Zach Brien (@BrienZach27) January 20, 2026

Last month, The San Jose Mercury announced that he was named as to the All-Bay Area News Group team for 2025.

The recruitment of Brien continues Tosh Lupoi's plan to recruit heavily in Northern California and particularly in the Bay Area.

Brien’s father, Doug Brien, was Cal’s kicker for three seasons from 1991 through 1993. He was 50-for-64 on field-goal attempts, including 31-of-36 over his final two seasons with the Golden Bears. He was a second-team all-Pac-10 selection in 1992.

Brien was a third-round selection by the 49ers in the 1994 NFL draft and played 12 seasons in the NFL. He played in one Super Bowl, doing the place-kicking for the 49ers in the 1995 Super Bowl as a rookie. Brien missed his only field-goal attempt in that game – a 47-yarder – but he converted seven extra points in the 49ers’ 49-26 victory over the Chargers.