Cal Football: Kuony Deng Adds Size, Hopes Opponents Will Feel It
In a year where everything is different, Cal’s football coaches want senior inside linebacker Kuony Deng to stay on his current path.
“We just want him to continue being himself,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said.
Part of that, of course, means fulfilling his determination and work ethic to become a better player. Hence, different.
At 6-foot-6, Deng added 10 pounds of muscle and will play this season at 240.
“Putting on some size, just in these first practices I’ve definitely been able to feel it. Running around, I didn’t really feel it. you just feel the same, so I think l’m carrying it well,” Deng said. “But I’ve been able to feel it taking on some of these blocks, getting after some of these guys in practice.”
Actually, it’s the other guy that Deng hopes will feel it. The blocker he’s taking on or the ball carrier he’s tackling.
“They’ve been saying after practice they’re feeling it more. That’s good feedback," said Deng, whose first name is pronounced "Coin."
Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon, who played seven years in the NFL as a linebacker, says Deng’s improvement in all areas “has been nothing but remarkable.”
Asked to detail the strides he’s made, Deng says, “I think just overall physicality, durability, IQ. It’s all dramatically improved. I feel like I’ve improved my game in every single aspect. I honestly do. I’ve tried to work on everything.”
Deng was dang good last year, compiling 119 tackles in his first season of major-college football as sidekick to consensus All-American and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Weaver.
Before Weaver led the nation in tackles a year ago, Jordan Kunaszyk was a tackling machine before him.
*** Here is Wilcox's response when asked if it's the player or the position within Cal's defense that has produced such productivity:
With Weaver gone, more still will be expected from Deng, especially from a leadership standpoint.
That will be no problem at all, Wilcox is convinced.
“He was a leader even last year,” Wilcox said. “Just his demeanor, if you’re around him in the building, at pratice, in the weight room, he is a leader. The way he conducts himself, how hard he works, the type of person he is.”
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It’s the way he was groomed by his family to be on the field and in every part of his life, Deng said.
“The way I execute that (leadership) is just through a genuine desire to see everyone do their best. When you care about people it’s easier to get the best out of them,” he said. “I’m really just kind of lovin’ up on these guys, continue to expect them to give their best.
“And getting on them when there are things we don’t tolerate — things like loafs, not playing physical enough. Those are things I get on people about. Besides that, I’m the type of guy who builds people up, loves ‘em up and just brings energy.”
Often when coaches talk about a player’s leadership abilities the reference is to how good they are in the locker room. Unfortunately, in the COVID-19 era, Cal’s players are not allowed to casually congregate in their team room.
“This whole thing is weird,” he conceded. “The locker room space, usually that’s a good time for all of us to hang out, be friends, be boys. We still get that but when we’re not practicing we’re not all on each other. It’s different, for sure. But at the same time, it’s the most normal I’ve felt in a long time.”
*** Cal assembled this video that shows off how Deng’s leadership style manifests itself during practice:
“That’s kind of how I am every day,” Deng said of the video. “I love playing football. I love being around my teammates. That’s kind of just what comes out. This can really be a grind, just showing up every single day, trying to get better. You try to have fun with it, but at the same time it’s laser-focus.”
*** Sirmon talks about Deng's fellow inside linebackers, redshirt sophomore Evan Tattersall and freshman Muelu Iosefa:
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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
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