Cal's 2022 Football Roster Released -- Some Noteworthy Items
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Cal will hold its first preseason football practice on Friday, and it recently posted its 2022 roster, which revealed a few interesting notes.
---Defensive lineman Stanley McKenzie is not listed on the roster. He was the Golden Bears' starting nose guard in 2021 before suffering a season-ending injury in the Sept. 25 game against Washington.
It leaves likely 2022 starter Ricky Correia and Jaedon Roberts as the top two nose guards on the squad. Brett Johnson has played nose guard in the Bears' three-man front in the past, but the Bears would like to keep him at defensive end if possible. The Bears use a lot of defensive sets without a nose guard on the field.
---Tight end/offensive lineman Nick Morrow, who was one of the 13 incoming freshmen who signed with Cal last winter, is not on the Bears' roster. It is not clear why the 6-foot-8 Morrow is not listed on the squad, but his versatility and athleticism were expected to be an asset.
---Eleven other freshmen, presumably walk-ons, are on the Cal roster, including quarterbacks Noah Mitcheom of Granite Bay, Calif., and Tyler Jensen of San Diego, who is a transfer from Louisville but still listed as a freshman.
---Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zach Johnson is on the roster. He is behind two quarterbacks (Jack Plummer, Kai Millner) who have at least two years of eligibility remaining. Quarterbacks in his situation often transfer, but Johnson is staying in Berkeley.
---Quarterback Robby Rowell, who would have been a fifth-year player at Cal this season, is not on the roster, apparently opting to end his college career. He was a walk-on who attempted three career passes, completing two, all in 2019.
---All four post-spring college transfers are on the Bears' roster -- defensive end Xavier Carlton (Utah), offensive lineman Spencer Lovell (Arizona State), offensive lineman T.J. Sessions (Montana State) and outside linebacker Odua Isibor (UCLA). Quarterback Jack Plummer (Purdue) and Inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon (Washington) had transferred in the winter and participated in Cal's spring practice and are on the 2022 roster as well.
---Two other transfers, presumably walk-ons, are also on the roster -- wide receiver Kenden Robinson Jr., who caught 50 passes for a league-high nine touchdowns in 2019 at City College of San Francisco before attending Northern Iowa, and safety D.J. Jackson, who played in three games for Chattanooga last season but started nine games for the Mocs in 2018.
---Three sixth-year players are on the Cal roster -- safety Daniel Scott, outside linebacker Odua Isibor and safety J.D. Jackson.
---Sophomore tight end Jermaine Terry II has a smaller number and a smaller body. He was listed at 275 pounds last year, and said in the spring that he had lost 20 pounds. Cal is confirming that by listing him at 255 pounds on this year's roster. He wore jersey No. 75 in 2021 and this past spring, but now is No. 4.
---Defensive end Henry Ikahihifo, a junior college transfer from College of the Canyons, is on the roster.
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Cover photo of Justin Wilcox by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports
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