Cal Football: Bears QB Devon Modster Will Start Against Washington State

Redshirt junior Devon Modster will be Cal’s starting quarterback in Saturday’s home game against Washington State.

Bears coach Justin Wilcox made the announcement Friday, ending speculation as to whether Modster or freshman Spencer Brasch would start against the Cougars (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12).

Modster, who transferred from UCLA this past offseason, started the games against Oregon and Oregon State, both of which Cal lost, but he was unable to play in the Oct. 26 game against Utah because of an unspecified injury. Cal is 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

Brasch made his first collegiate start against the Utes, and the Bears lost 35-0, which was Cal’s first shutout loss in 20 years.

Wilcox had said earlier in the week that Modster was cleared to play against Washington and that he already had determined which quarterback would start. But he did not want to announce it publicly until later in the week.

Modster took over as Cal’s starter after Chase Garbers suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter of the Sept. 27 loss to Arizona State. Cal still expects Garbers to return sometime this season, but Wilcox said earlier this week that Garbers was not expected to play against Washington State.

Garbers has begun rehabilitation work, and has been throwing some passes. However, he has not been cleared for full participation.

The Bears are 4-0 in games in which Garbers has played more than a half this season. They are 0-4 in the other games.

Cal (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12) has lost four in a row and is 0-3 in games Modster and Brasch have started this season. Modster has completed 46.05 percent of his passes with two touchdown passes and three interceptions, while Brasch has a completion rate of 36 percent with no touchdown tosses and one pick. Brasch was 7-for-19 for 47 yards against Utah.

Both have a passer rating under 90. Garbers has a passer rating of 148.15.

A number of Cal receivers are questionable for Saturday’s 4 p.m. game. Kekoa Crawford, Nikko Remigio, Jeremiah Hawkins and Ricky Walker III are all listed as “week-to-week,” which means their availability for Saturday is uncertain.