Cal Football: Craig Woodson Says Defense Feels `Urgency' to Dominate Again

Cal safety Craig Woodson earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors a year ago, but the redshirt junior is determined to be a better player in 2023.

That’s exactly what coach Justin Wilcox wants to hear from all of his veteran players this spring.

“Craig Woodson looks dang good. We’ve got high expectations for him. He’s played a lot for us but this offseason his mental game has been really sharp,” Wilcox said after practice Friday as the Bears concluded the first half of their spring workouts.

Wilcox went on to list other experienced players — Myles Jernigan, Noah Williams, Matthew Littlejohn, David Reese, Nate Burrell, Ethan Saunders — who have jumped out this spring.

“I think all of them have shown improvement, which is what you’re looking for,” Wilcox said. “When you’ve got veterans improving, that’s a good thing. You don’t want the juniors and seniors just maintaining. You want those guys to get better.”

For Woodson a 6-foot, 210-pounder from Grand Prairie, Texas, this spring has been an opportunity to feel like his old self again. Woodson had 75 tackles and two interceptions for the Bears last season, but was feeling his way back after missing the entire 2021 season following a fall-camp knee injury.

He celebrated his return with a 39-yard pick-six interception in the 2022 opener vs. UC Davis, but he did not have the full comfort level he has seeing now.

Woodson is giddy about being able to play with a brace to protect his knee.

“Last year I wasn’t really 100 percent. Being able to be 100 percent now feels really good, just to be able to run as fast as I can and move efficiently, make plays like I know I can,” he said. “So this spring ball was really for me to just get my feet back under me but also work on the little things that I wasn’t as good at last year so I can translate that to fall camp.”

Quarterback Sam Jackson V, a transfer this spring from TCU, is impressed with the secondary. He called Woodson “my favorite player on defense.”

“He’s really good. He could be on this side (pointing left) and then he’s flying across for the pick,” Jackson said. “The secondary is really good this year, for sure.”

The goal, Woodson said, is to dominate defensively. The Bears were 4-8 last season and allowed 27.8 points per game — the most they’ve surrendered since Wilcox’s debut season of 2017.

Noting improved depth in the secondary — partly owing to the arrival of transfers Nohl Williams, Matthew Littlejohn and Kaylin Moore but also the return of talented young players such as Jeremiah Earby, Isaiah Young and Lu-Magia Hearns — Woodson is excited about the potential at the back end of the defense.

“This is the most competitive spring ball we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Woodson said. “Playing with confidence and knowing somebody else is going to line up in front of you and you’ve got to dominate them.

“That’s something we preach as a DB group — just imposing our will on a receiver or anybody else in front of us. Being able to dominate and know this is our field, that’s our ball and we’re going to get it back.”

Cal has prided itself on defense the past 4-5 years, and Woodson said this spring has been dedicated to regaining that status.

“I think it’s the culture we’re building, not just as a DB group but as a defense. There’s more of an urgency to be competitive and be dominant,” he said. “The thing about last year, we didn’t have a good record so you have to have an edge when you’re playing.”

Cover photo of Craig Woodson returning an interception for a TD vs. UC Davis by Darren Yamashita, USA Today

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