Cal Football will rely heavily on running back Jaydn Ott in 2024.
For as long as I can remember, Cal football has produced great college running backs. My childhood was filled with watching Marshawn Lynch, Jahvid Best, Justin Forsett, Shane Vereen, and many others run all over their opponents. It’s no secret that when the Golden Bears were good, a big part of their success came from the ground game. Now, Cal turns to Jaydn Ott to carry the torch and solidify himself as the next great running back for the Golden Bears.
Jaydn Ott brings star power to Cal Football
Entering his junior season, Ott has the potential to be one of college football’s premier running backs. It’s no surprise that he is starting to get national recognition in the media as well. According to ESPN, Ott is ranked amongst the top 10 running backs nationwide going into the season. Expectations are through the roof for the running back, but it’s warranted.
For the past two seasons, Ott has been Cal’s best player. That won’t change as he returns for his junior year. During his freshman year, he split carries often, but managed to impress by finishing the season with 897 yards on 170 carries. Last season, Ott came onto the scene in a huge way. The sophomore standout led the Pac-12 in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game.
Plain and simple, Ott will be the workhorse for the Cal offense this season. He has unique traits that every coach wants in their running back. The Golden Bears will be playing tougher defenses than usual this season as they head into the ACC. To give their offense a chance, the ball must be fed to Ott.
The Committee
It’s no secret that the running back position has evolved throughout the years. Usually, teams would give their main running back 25+ carries per game. That meant that the rest of the running backs rarely saw the field unless they came on for blocking or special teams. Now, it’s important to split carries between two or three players. Cal has a main running back, but the others will play a pivotal role in the offense as well.
Depth is key at the running back position. One notable player that will get touches this season is Byron Caldwell. Caldwell saw the field quite a bit during his freshman season at Oregon. However, his sophomore season was much different.
Caldwell played only two games at the start of the season before having to redshirt as he lost playing time. Last season, he transferred to Cal but was ruled out for the year after sustaining a season-ending injury during the offseason. Now, the young running back is expected to be healthy and will have a nice role cut out for him in this offense.
It’s vital to have three good running backs on a roster. Keeping players fresh is important and teams want to get the most longevity out of their players. Cal will be no different as they look to get touches to Old Dominion transfer Kadarius Calloway.
Calloway originally signed to Alabama back in 2021, but after offseason workouts, decided to leave for a Juco. He later transferred to Old Dominion for the 2023 season and became their RB1. He tallied 623 yards for five touchdowns on 88 attempts. Calloway has the chance to move up in the depth chart if Caldwell struggles, but he will get his touches too.
Riding the Hot Hand
The depth chart is a revolving door. In college football, any player has the chance to go off and solidify themselves with more playing time. If either of the Cal backup running backs play well, they will become a major asset to the offense. The team would like to give the ball to Ott as much as they can, but if they can maintain his production while limiting his touches, it’s a win-win situation.
Make no mistake about it, this is the Ott show. However, if Cal wants to run the ball successfully, the other running backs need to do their part.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.