OLB Orin Patu, QB Zach Johnson Stand Out in Cal's Full-Pads Scrimmage
Cal held its first full-pads scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, and two of the stars were outside linebacker Orin Patu and quarterback Zach Johnson.
Patu recorded two sacks and knocked down a pass in the game-simulated practice, and he credits his improved strength with part of his success.
Patu says he weighed just 202 pounds when he arrived at Cal in the fall of 2019, and played the 2020 season at about 220 pounds, collecting just two tackles in the three games in which he played last fall.
Now, however, he is up to 240 pounds and figures to get significant playing time in 2021.
"I feel great," he said after Saturday's scrimmage in the video atop the story. "It took awhile to learn how to gain weight and maintaining and keep it. I feel getting my weight up has helped me on the field; I feel good moving at the weight that I'm at, and it's going to continue to get better from here."
--Patu discusses how much weight he has gained at Cal
Parceling out playing at the two outside linebacker positions may present a problem for Cal coaches. Kuony Deng, a standout inside linebacker last season, is spending most of his time at outside linebacker during the spring, and Cameron Goode, Cal's best defensive player in 2020, is also an outside linebacker. Braxton Croteau was a starting outside linebacker for the Bears in 2020 as a sophomore.
Rushing the passer seems to be Patu's forte, and he is looking forward to the possibility of sacking his little brother in a future Big Game.
Patu is the brother of Ari Patu, a freshman quarterback at Stanford who enrolled early, enabling him to participate in the Cardinal's spring practices in May. The Cardinal has to choose a new starting quarterback with Davis Mills entering the NFL draft, and the elder Patu thinks his younger brother has a chance to grab the starting job. Orin also noted that he expects his brother to get sacked when he faces Cal.
--Patu talks about his brother's chances of landing the starting quarterback job at Stanford and the prospect of sacking him when Cal faces the Cardinal.
Cal's Saturday full-pads practice consisted of work in a number of specific situations, such as red-zone work and two-minute drills. But there was a full period at the end of the workout in which players went live in game-like action. Hitting included bringing ball-carriers to the ground, and everyone was live except the quarterbacks. Regular game officials were on hand to call penalties and regulate play.
Zach Johnson, who will be a sophomore next fall, is competing for the backup quarterback spot, and he performed well in Saturday's scrimmage. In all the periods Johnson was 14-for-16 for 151 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
He threw two touchdown passes while working in red-zone situations, one in two-minute drill situations, and a 45-scoring pass in the final period that simulated regular game action.
Zach Johnson in action Saturday -- Photo by Al Sermeno, klc fotos".
Cal quarterback Chase Garbers was impressed by the performances of several wide receivers, particularly three who were true freshmen in 2020 -- Tommy Christakos, Jeremiah Hunter and Justin Richard Baker.
Christakos had three catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Damien Moore ran eight times for 55 yards, and Christopher Brown Jr. had seven carries for 52 yards.
Defensively, Florida State transfer defensive back Raymond Woodie III had five tackles. He will look for playing time in a Cal secondary that has quite a bit of talent and depth.
The Cal defense stopped the Bears offense in five of seven drives during the full-tackle scrimmage period, and the highlight was a Chigozie Anusiem interception of a Chase Garbers pass in the end zone after the Bears' offense had driven 59 yards to the 1-yard line.
Here are some of the statistical highlights (with the period noted in parentheses):
SCORING PLAYS
Zach Johnson 11-yard TD pass to Gavin Reinwald (red zone period)
Zach Johnson 10 TD pass to Kekoa Crawford (red zone period)
Robby Rowell 9 TD pass to Tommy Christakos (red zone period)
Robby Rowell 3 TD pass to Aidan Lee (red zone period)
Ashton Stredick 6 TD run (red zone period)
Zach Johnson 22 TD pass to Nick Alftin (two-minute drill)
Zach Johnson 45 TD pass to Jeremiah Hunter (live game action)
Robby Rowell 4 TD pass to Justin Richard Baker (live game action)
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TEAM STATISTICS
Rushing (Att-Yards, TD)
51-211, 2 TD
Passing (Comp-Att-Int-Yds, TD)
27-44-1-290, 7 TD
Penalties (No-Yds)
Offense (5-30)
Defense (4-25)
Total (9-55)
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing (Att-Yds, TD) 10 different players ran the ball
Damien Moore (8 carries for 55 yards)
Christopher Brown Jr. (7-52)
Ashton Stredick (5-26, 1TD)
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Passing (Comp-Att-Int-Yds, TD)
Zach Johnson (14-for-16, 0 interceptions, 151 yards , 4 TD)
Robby Rowell (6-9-0-81, 3 TD)
Chase Garbers (7-17-1-35)
Spencer Brasch (1-3-0-29)
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Receiving (Rec-Yds, TD) 14 players had receptions
Tommy Christakos (3 catches, 65 yards, 1 TD)
Trevon Clark (3-23)
Kekoa Crawford (3-18, 1 TD)
Damien Moore (3-17)
Jeremiah Hunter (2-51, 1 TD)
Nick Alftin (2-28, 1 TD)
Gavin Reinwald (2-16, 1 TD)
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Tackles
Raymond Woodie III 5
Trey Paster 4
Collin Gamble 3 (1 Pass break-up)
Blake Antzoulatos 3 (1 Pass break-up
Erick Nisich 2 (1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack)
Chigozie Anusiem 2 (1 INT)
Ryan Puskas 1 (1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 Pass break-up)
Tyson McWilliams 1 (1 Pass break-up)
Isaiah Young (1 Pass break-up)
Monroe Young, Jeremiah Hunter, Justin Richard Baker celebrate a big play. Photo by Al Sermeno, klc fotos
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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53
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