Cal Football: Lots of Smiles as Bears Open a More Normal-Feeling Fall Camp

A year after COVID-19 ravaged their season, the Bears are embracing a fresh start in 2021.

A year after the college football world was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic — and the Pac-12 nearly canceled its season — Cal returned to a near normal start to fall camp on Friday.

The entire team — more than 120 players, counting walk-ons — was together on the main field at Memorial Stadium for a two-hour morning workout. A year ago, limits forced coach Justin Wilcox to send a portion of his team to an adjacent practice field.

The team gathered Thursday night for meetings and a team meal, also something the Bears were not allowed to do a year ago.

Senior wide receiver Nikko Remigio said for him was walking into a full locker room — yes, that also was off limits in 2020 — for the first time was a highlight.

“I was greeted by an interesting sight with the (offensive) linemen . . . they all had crop-top shirts on,” Remigio said with mock revulsion.

The O-lineman’s questionable sartorial choices notwithstanding, Remigio and his teammates are feeling a tangible difference in their experience this weekend.

“You can really feel the energy when you get in (the locker room) and everybody’s there, integrating, talking, building relationships,” Remigio. “It was an awesome feeling.”

“Almost two years since we’ve had that,” Wilcox said of access to the team’s full range of facilities. “That was a really nice moment that we had that.”

Senior safety Elijah Hicks said simply knowing they will have a full schedule of games this fall is a huge source of motivation. In 2020, the Bears played just four games, posting a 1-3 record.

Wilcox said one thing did not change: Energy on Day 1 of fall camp was high, as usual.

Here’s more from Wilcox on getting back “the things obviously we would have taken for granted two years ago.”

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Remigio said disappointment lingering from last season has created a "fiery" and "hungry" Cal team.

"It's showing every single day that every one of these guys shows up and there is a mentality that everybody is holding onto that memory  of just that disaster of a season we had last year."

The Bears open the 2021 season against Nevada on Sept. 4 at Memorial Stadium.

FALL CAMP SCHEDULE: Friday’s first workout was the first of nine during fall camp that are open to the public. Every practice through the end of camp on Aug. 24 begins at 9:30 a.m.

Practices that are open to fans are on the following days: Saturday, Aug. 7; Sunday, Aug. 8; Monday, Aug. 9; Wednesday, Aug. 11; Thursday, Aug. 12; Friday, Aug. 13; Saturday, Aug. 14; Saturday, Aug. 21.

Admission is free and attendees can enter Memorial Stadium through Gate 2, located in the Northwest corner of the stadium. Seating is available on the west side of the stadium in Sections E, EE, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, I and II. All other sections of the stadium including the field and North Tunnel will be closed to public access.

All fans in attendance are required to wear masks. 

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