Cal Football: Back on the Practice Field, Bears Revel in Feeling `Normal' Again

There was energy and excitement and gratitude on Friday evening at Memorial Stadium, all the emotions you’d expect the Cal football team to experience during its first full practice after enduring seven months of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than anything, there was the relief of feeling normal, even if it’s a new normal.

Coach Justin Wilcox said no one put the practice into context better than wide receiver Nikko Remigio.

“We did a little 7-on-7, and Nikko turned around, came up and said, `This is the most normal I’ve felt all year,’ Wilcox recalled. “I said, `Me, too.’

“That’s what it felt like. We were able to be out there, coaching and practicing and playing football. Everybody had a smile on their face. There’s just so much that’s gone on, and to have the chance to go out and play, it was a special day.”

The pandemic hit in March, never gave an inch and in August the Pac-12 Conference announced that fall sports — including football — would be postponed until winter or spring.

But on Sept. 24 came the announcement that advancements in rapid-response testing would allow a season to be played, after all.

Of course, there have been lots of changes, and Wilcox knows there may be more adjustments down the line. “Maybe tomorrow,” he said, only half-joking.

The day at Memorial Stadium began — as it will every day — with testing.

*** Wilcox explains how the testing process works:

Wilcox said it's up to Cal's athletic administration to deal with announcing any test results, but suggested things went Friday.

Practice is different in many ways. Because the state of California is limiting practice to groups of no more than 75 players on the field together, the Bears will basically hold two, overlapping sessions.

The larger group of 75 begins and, with about 20 minutes left in that session, the small cohort of about 30 players warms up and does special team work on the adjacent Maxwell Family Field. When the larger group departs Memorial, the small bunch takes over and goes through its full practice.

*** More from Wilcox about how practice is arranged:

There is a lot to get accomplished between now and when Cal opens its season on Nov. 7 at home against Washington. Had the coronavirus not gotten in the way the Bears would have been housed in a Los Angeles hotel Friday night, on the eve of kicking off against USC.

But no one was feeling deprived on Friday evening. Just being back together on the practice field was a treat for players and coaches.

“Just being back the huddle with the guys. Especially, we’ve been freakin’ eight months . . . six months now, I guess, . . . seven months in the pandemic,” senior center Michael Saffell said. “I think everyone is lacking that personal connection. Just being in the huddle and joking with the guys and laughing and having fun, that was definitely the highlight today.”

No argument from Kuony Deng, the Bears’ senior inside linebacker.

“Just joy, excitement . . . some of these guys, I haven’t seen them in six months,” Deng said. “To be able to come back, all together, and have a season, that was the ultimate blessing.”

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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