Cal needs production from the quarterback position if they want to compete in the ACC.
Historically, Cal football has produced at the quarterback position. Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff were notably the best, but even the combination of Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley propelled the Bears to No. 2 in the nation at one point. While these quarterbacks weren’t able to propel Cal football to a national championship, they kept the college relevant. Now, as they head into the ACC, Cal needs better production from the quarterback position if they want to be relevant again.
Competition
The past few seasons for Cal football have been a mess in terms of quarterback play. For a school that loves to air it out, they were better off running the ball. It’s been a very competitive offseason for the quarterbacks on the depth chart. Who will take command of the team and start for the Golden Bears on Saturdays? Let’s go over the depth chart and see who has the best chance of leading the offense this season.
Fernando Mendoza
Fernando Mendoza came onto the scene late last season. He was the third-string quarterback at the time, but after injuries and inconsistent play, got his opportunity. The freshman came in and injected new blood into a lethargic Cal offense.
Mendoza, a redshirt sophomore, played in nine games last season for the Bears. He completed 63% of his passes while throwing for 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Bears averaged 30 points per game in games started by Mendoza. He has all of the physical traits that quarterback coaches dream of. However, at times, the game seemed a little too fast for him.
Needless to say, Cal fans should be encouraged by what they saw from Mendoza. A young redshirt freshman going toe-to-toe with first-overall draft pick Caleb Williams in a shootout was exciting to watch as a fan. The competition will be tough in camp, but if Mendoza can be consistent in practice, I don’t see why he won’t be the starter this fall.
Chandler Rogers
Quarterback controversies are situations that both collegiate and professional football teams go through. This year, Cal is one of said teams.
Chandler Rogers is a very interesting player who transferred to Cal this offseason. The redshirt senior has a lot of experience playing at UL-Monroe and North Texas.
Last year at North Texas, Rogers had a very impressive season with 3,382 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. That’s a damn good touchdown to interception ratio. Rogers also adds the ability to move the chains with his feet. He finished last season with 180 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox did not tell Rogers that he was going to be the starter, but that he would come in and compete for it right away. He certainly has the leg up on the rest of the room in terms of experience, and if Mendoza struggles, expect Rogers to take over the offense quickly.
Rounding Out the Room
Cal is always looking to add talent to the quarterback room. Mendoza and Rogers are the two quarterbacks expected to compete for the starting job, but Cal has competition up and down the depth chart.
CJ Harris will more than likely be the third-string quarterback this season for Cal football. Harris, a late addition to the team this offseason, provides the Bears’ offense with another quarterback who has experience. Harris will compete with incoming freshman EJ Caminong for the third-string spot.
Caminong, a three-star recruit out of Seattle, had offers from Colorado, Texas A&M, BYU, and Oregon State. He will come in and instantly push for that third-string spot. Andrew Maushardt is another quarterback who signed late in the offseason after an injury his senior year of high school. He will more than likely redshirt his freshman season as he continues to rehab his injury and learn the offense.
Conclusion
There’s certainly a lot of potential in the Cal quarterback room this season. A well-balanced mix of experience and youth is something coach Wilcox wanted to achieve this offseason. It’s easy to see why the Golden Bears wanted a diverse quarterback room as they try to find an identity for their offense.
Don’t be surprised if we see the top three quarterbacks on the depth chart get playing time this year, especially if Cal struggles early.
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.