Cal Football: Nikko Remigio's Re-Emergence Provides Bears' Offense a Boost

Junior wide receiver had little impact on Cal's first three games this season

Photo by Kelly L. Cox, USA Today

Here’s how Nikko Remigio overcame perhaps the worst game of his Cal football career: He moved on.

It turned out to be a productive strategy for the junior wide receiver, who had his best game of the season Saturday in the Bears’ 21-17 win over then-No. 23 Oregon.

“That’s all I ever want to do is go out there and contribute and be a part of big wins like today,” he said afterward. “It feels nice to get a good win.”

For three games, Remigio was the biggest mystery on the Cal team. The Bears’ top returning receiver, he had just four catches for nine yards. That’s nine yards total, as in 81 inches per catch.

“We keep trying to get Nikko the ball,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said.

It’s not entire clear why Remigio no longer seemed a part of the offense over the first three weeks.

He hit bottom in the Big Game a week ago. A year after lighting up Stanford with nine catches for 157 yards and a touchdown, Remigio managed two receptions for two yards.

Then, after having long kickoff and punt returns nullified by penalties, Remigio fumbled away a punt, setting up a Stanford touchdown.

Remigio concedes the experience was frustrating.

“It’s been a huge learning experience for myself as a player,” he said. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to just take each play one play at a time. Not look too far ahead or too far in the past, what you could have done or should have done. Really just attacking whatever’s in front of you.”

Against Oregon on Saturday evening, Remigio used that approach to catch six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also had four punt returns for 40 yards, although one of those would have been a 43-yard return had it not been for another penalty.

"He’s a really good player, a competitor, Wilcox said. “He made some really nice, tough catches. He was all over the place.

“I just love the fact that even the last couple weeks he hasn’t gotten the ball as much as maybe we would liked to get it to him, but he keeps practicing hard and it shows up in how he plays. Hr’s a heck of a player for us and a great teammate.”

Remigio put the Bears in front 21-17 with his 28-yard TD reception at 5:14 of the third quarter. It came on a spectacular play-fake by Chase Garbers, who held the ball behind his back before flinging it to a wide-open Remigio headed to the goal line.

He made a diving catch for a first down late in the third quarter then grabbed a pass in traffic on a fourth-and-3 for a first down late in the game that helped Cal keep possession and run clock.

Having his number called on that critical fourth-down play meant a lot to Remigio.

“Especially after having a week like last week. Not playing my best game and having some costly mistakes,” he said. “Just to be able come back this week and regain the trust of my coaches and teammates, it was a great feeling.”

Garbers said the Bears never lost confidence in Remigio.

“He’s a true playmaker,” Garbers said. “We put the ball in his hands and he’s going to do something.”