Cal Football: Ryan McCulloch in store for a breakout season

In the wise words of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, “it’s hard to find a great pass rusher.” Getting to the quarterback is now more important than ever in today’s game. Forcing quarterbacks off their spot while feeling uncomfortable in the pocket makes life much easier on the defense. This year, Cal Golden Bears linebacker Ryan McCulloch has the chance to become a household name in college football due to his ability to feast on opposing quarterbacks. Can the junior pass-rusher rejuvenate a defense that lost a plethora of players during the offseason?

Cal Football: Who Is Ryan McCulloch?

Ryan McCulloch is entering his junior season with the Golden Bears this fall after playing in 22 games his first two seasons. McCulloch was a two-way player in high school, where he excelled not only as a pass-rusher, but as a running back as well. His performances in high school garnered a lot of attention for himself, and the three-star recruit eventually committed to Cal.

In his freshman season, McCulloch played in 12 games coming off the bench and impressed the coaching staff and fans from the get-go. He didn’t necessarily stuff the stat sheet, but you could see the potential he had.

Last season, McCulloch started to make a name for himself. Despite battling an injury, he managed to play in 10 games and was a menace rushing the quarterback. In those 10 games, he had 18 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two passes defended. Those stats aren’t head-turning, but when you consider who was playing in front of him and that he was dealing with an injury, it makes it much more impressive.

Every fan could see the young linebacker starting to come into his own; particularly against SMU, where he had three tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack against an outstanding quarterback in Kevin Jennings.

Revamped Cal Defense

It’s no secret that this Cal defense got decimated over the offseason due to the transfer portal and the NFL Draft. After all, four starters on the defensive side of the ball heard their names called on draft night.

The Cal defense is going to look much different in terms of personnel this season. However, it won’t change much scheme-wise, even with the latest departure of defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon. That means that head coach Justin Wilcox is going to need somebody to step up on the defensive side of the ball, particularly the defensive line.

We all know that defense is Justin Wilcox’s bread and butter, so look for him to rely on McCulloch to set the edge and get after the quarterback this fall. The defense is going to have plenty of new faces, but a consistent pass rush will bring peace of mind for everyone.

What McCulloch Brings to the Table

With an offseason to recover from any lingering injury, it’s time for Ryan McCulloch to put it all together and lead the Cal defense this season. McCulloch is an athletic freak, standing at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds. At the moment, the only thing lacking is ‘true’ production.

To me, the most impressive part of his game is his motor and twitch. His relentless drive to get to the quarterback was very noticeable every time he stepped on the field. Even if he wasn’t getting sacks or making tackles, his presence was felt by everyone. He consistently moved opposing quarterbacks off their spots and created havoc on most plays.

McCulloch reminds me of an old-school player in the way that his toughness and drive are hard to find. If you pair that with his athletic abilities, Cal could have a potential monster on defense this fall.