Cal Football: Defensive Backs Enjoying Their Time Working with Justin Wilcox
Cal super-senior Josh Drayden says he and his defensive back mates are relishing the opportunity to engage with their interim position coach during spring practice.
Bears head coach Justin Wilcox has stepped into the temporary role of DBs coach until he hires a replacement for Marcel Yates, who took a job at Oregon.
Wilcox, who is aided this spring by graduate assistant Ryan Conry, joked last week that the defensive backs probably can't wait to see a different face at practice.
“I’m sure they’ll be looking forward to the new DB coach being here,” Wilcox said.
Not so, insists Drayden.
“I can tell you from the room, and especially the younger guys, they love working with coach Wilcox,” said Drayden, who is taking advantage of an NCAA ruling that allows him to replay the 2020 season.
“Just the detail he provides, and him being the head man . . . the spotlight’s on you, kind of. And you have to go into work because you know the head man’s looking at you. That creates an edge in our room.
“He’s funnier than people would probably think. And I just know all the guys like him — young, old, in between. Everybody likes him. He’s a really good teacher.”
Asked if Wilcox’s background as a defensive back at Oregon in the late 1990s shows on the practice field, Drayden chuckled.
“He’s a little stiff, but you can definitely tell he’s been there before,” Drayden said of his 44-year-old coach.
By college football standards, Drayden is no spring chicken these days. He will play his sixth season with the Bears next fall, likely to again share time between the nickel and cornerback spots. He has played in 52 games for Cal, accumulating 78 tackles and three interceptions.
The Bears, who began spring practice last Wednesday, are expected to feature 28 players who started at least one game in the shortened 2020 season. Fifteen returning offensive players made 38 starts in the Bears’ four games while 13 defensive players started 36 games.
Drayden expects to see benefits next season from the experience the Bears will bring to game days.
“Experience is always a big part of the game,” he said. “Especially for us, having this many people (back), I think this is the most starters we’ve had back since I’ve been here. You can already feel it on the field.
“It’s like we haven’t missed a step. We’re progressing pretty fast in the installs. I think that puts us in a good position to really develop and focus on things we really need to get better at.”
In the video at the top, Drayden talks about his time at Cal. “It’s bee a journey, for sure,” he said. “I think Cal is the best place to prepare me for that journey.”
He said the experience never feels stale.
“It’s always refreshing to see the faces in the building, to come to practice every day, to come to the days. Just the atmosphere. The culture has always stayed the same, so that’s made these six years pretty good for me.”
Having graduated in December with a degree in American studies, Drayden now is enrolled in an extension program that focuses on entrepreneurship and startups.
Conducted remotely via Zoom calls, the class includes students from throughout the country and overseas, Drayden said. He talks more about the experience in the video above.
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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
