There is Promise But Mystery at Cal's Inside Linebacker Positions

Inside linebacker has been a headliner position on the Cal defense for most of the past decade, featuring the likes of Evan Weaver, Jackson Sirmon, and Teddye Buchanan, each of them ultra-productive.

Cade Uluave and Luke Ferrelli filled the role a year ago, combining for 191 tackles. Both exited via the transfer portal and there is promise but mystery at the position this season.

First-year coach Tosh Lupoi filled the vacancies with highly rated but inexperienced transfers in redshirt freshman A.J. Tuitele from USC, redshirt sophomore Tristan Jernigan from Texas A&M and redshirt sophomore Kamar Mathudi from Oregon.

Tuitele was the top-rated high school prospect in Nevada two years ago, while Jernigan and Mathudi were 4-star recruits out of Tupelo, Miss., and Los Angeles, respectively.

But in limited playing time off the bench at their previous schools, the trio combined for nine tackles last season.

Uluave, who will play this season at BYU, had 15 games at Cal with at least nine tackles.

Bob Gregory, retained by new coach Tosh Lupoi as the Bears’ inside linebackers coach, says he’s excited about all three newcomers. He’s hoping they blossom into the players they were projected to become.

A 63-year-old veteran of 22 bowl games, Gregory also knows it’s too early to make firm judgments.

“I don’t think you really know until you get on the field, you’ve played a couple of games and you see what the kids can handle or can’t handle,” said Gregory, who previously served as defensive coordinator at Cal under coach Jeff Tedford.

Here’s how Gregory describes the three:

“A.J. Tuitele came to us from USC. Very athletic player. Really big upside,” Gregory said. “Kamar Mathudi, who had played a little bit at Oregon. Big, strong, powerful, really smart kid who has been in he system. So we can really rely on Kamar to make a lot of calls. And Tristan Jernigan from Texas A&M has about as good a motor, run around playing, as anyone I’ve been with.”

Jernigan agrees that his biggest strength is how hard he plays. “I bring energy and physicality.”

Attracted to Cal because of a linebacker legacy that dates back to Ron Rivera, now the program’s general manager, Jernigan likes what each of the three new linebackers has to offer.

“I expect to be starting, but that’s not really my call. We’ve got great guys in the room,” the 6-foot, 230-pounder said. “There’s really no specific starters — all of us will be on the field. We all have great abilities and great talent.

“I expect us to be good. It’s going to be pretty hard to stop us.”

Mathudi (pronounced mo-TOO-dee) identifies as a “natural-born leader since birth. It’s not something that was taught, it’s something that was just instilled in me.”

Because he spent two seasons at Oregon under defensive coordinator Lupoi, the 6-4, 235-pounder has a jump on Jernigan, Tuitele and returnee Aaron Hampton in terms of his understanding of the defensive scheme.

“It’s definitely an advantage, coming from a program where we were doing similar things to what we’re doing now,” Mathudi said. “Honestly, my main focus, since I know it so much, has been trying to get everybody on the same page. Regardless of who plays, I want everyone out there to showcase that we are prepared and that we’re top-tier.”

Tuitele (too-uh-TELL-ee) credits Lupoi as a big reason he left USC for Cal.

“The culture he brings, his experience, where he came from and the guys here. It was definitely a welcoming environment,” Tuitele said. “I’m truly blessed to be here. I feel like in my heart it’s the right choice.”

At Mohave High in Las Vegas, Tuitele assembled a dream senior season. He made 37 tackles for loss and led the Rattlers to the 2024 Nevada 4-A state title, earning player of the game honors in the 30-6 win over Canyon Springs after totaling 26 tackles.

“I just do whatever it takes to win,” he said.

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