Cal Football: Lu-Magia Hearns III Working His Way Back After Tough 2022 Season

It all seemed to come so easily for Lu-Magia Hearns III his freshman season of 2021 on the Cal football team. The cornerback from De La Salle High-Concord broke his way into the lineup early and wound up starting eight times.

He delivered in the Bears’ most important game, contributing an interception and four pass breakups in their 41-11 victory in the Big Game at Stanford to earn Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors.

His sophomore season arrived last fall and Hearns took a step back. He lost his starting job, then suffered a serious combination injury to his abdomen and groin, and missed the final six games.

“Kind of back-breaking,” he says, describing the 2022 season. “It was kind of sad but at the same time I had to realize it and kind of take it head-on, use all the tools I could to progress this year and come back stronger for a third season.”

Just over halfway through Cal’s spring practice, Hearns is making his way back “Pushing myself to get back into my shape and still believing that I could be the person I was before.”

Cal defensive backs coach Terrence Brown likes what he’s seeing from Hearns this spring.

“He’s definitely shown signs of improvement, especially (after last) season when he went down and was dealing with some injuries,” Brown says in the video above. "It’s good to see him come back with a sense of confidence and really focusing on the little details that will allow for him to be an impactful player for us this season.

“I’m excited where he is right now in terms of the progression that he’s making and the commitment that he has in being the best version of himself.”

A year ago at this time, Hearns felt secure in his position but that may not have been helpful.

“Last spring I kind of took a step back just as far as not proving to myself that every day there’s competition. Got a little complacent,” he admitted.

“Talking to coaches and other teammates, them acknowledging my success kind of got to me.”

Coach Justin Wilcox doesn’t see that in Hearns’ nature. “I don’t think Lu was resting on his laurels,” he says in the video above. “He’s not wired that way.”

In any case, Hearns was not the same player last season. He started the first four games then came off the bench for a week. Hearns was back in the lineup at Colorado, but he was injured late in the Bears’ loss to the previously winless Buffaloes.

His season was over.

“I never really missed (most of) a full season like that. Playing as poorly as I did it kind of shook me a little bit,” Hearns recalled.

Wilcox provided weekly progress updates, consistently reporting that he was day-to-day. “That day never happened,” Hearns said. “I was over here working my tail off . . . it just didn’t feel right.”

In terms of the quality of his play on the field last season, Wilcox said it wasn’t night and day from his freshman season.

“I think the things that showed up with Lu last year, it’s not that he was out of position or beat badly, it’s just moment of truth, getting that ball out, finishing at the very last moment,” Wilcox said. “He had the ability to get himself in position, which is a great place to start. Then it’s finishing those plays, which is what will ultimately take him to the next step.”

“He didn’t finish on the ball as well as he would have liked. The injury late in the season was probably frustrating for him. A guy that we trust. To use his skills to compete at the highest level he possibly can is what we’re looking for and he’s out here working on that every day.”

Hearns agreed. “A lot of that is just trusting yourself, trusting that you can make a play, being a step ahead,” he said. “I feel like last year I was behind a lot of times.”

Hearns is bringing the same approach to this spring that he had as a freshman, when he had a lot to prove.

The Bears are deep at cornerback, with Jeremiah Earby, Isaiah Young and newcomers Nohl Williams and Matthew Littlejohn all competing for roles.

“There’s competition in the room . . . I’ve embraced it,” Hearns said. “There’s a lot of depth at my position. Every rep is a competition. Every day is a new day and you have to keep establishing who you are, your identity.”

On the heels of going 4-8 — the Bears’ third straight losing season — there is competition this spring everywhere on the roster.

“There’s no sacred positions. Everybody’s got to continue to get better. We didn’t perform well enough last year so all of us — myself, coaches, every player, Lu-Magia — we’ve got to get better,” Wilcox said. “He’s got that mentality, which I love. A very serious guy about football, works at it.”

His difficult sophomore season taught Hearns that same message: “Don’t get comfortable ever. Stay humble and keep grinding.”

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In the video above, Brown talks about growing depth in the Bears' defensive backs room.

Cover photo of Cal junior cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III

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