Cal Football Spring Practice: Offensive Takeaways Entering 2025 (4/7)

The California Golden Bears have had some significant turnover on offense. With offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin bringing a new playbook to the Golden Bears offense along with 10 transfers, it will be critical that the unit can build strong chemistry during the offseason. As Cal football enters its final week before the spring showcase on April 12, let’s look at who has been standing out on the practice field on offense.

Cal Football Spring Practice Notes

QB Devin Brown makes his case for the starting position

Having only begun covering Cal football this second week of April, there are many practices I have missed. However, watching the quarterbacks at practice on Monday, there appears to be a clear three-man race for the starting position. That battle is between Ohio State transfer Devin Brown, incoming five-star recruit Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, and returning backup EJ Caminong.

The redshirt junior, Brown has years of experience over the other competitors. Although he has experience with national champion team Ohio State, his time there only culminated in 77 snaps over two seasons. Yet the true test for Brown will be how he is able to perform under pressure. The Ohio State offensive line gave up only 40 sacks during Brown’s tenure. Meanwhile, the Cal offensive line gave up 51 sacks in 2024 alone. Aside from these concerns, Brown’s strong arm and athleticism stood out in practice drills.

EJ Caminong, the redshirt freshman, returns to Cal seeking to dramatically improve upon his performance against UNLV in the Art of Sport LA Bowl. Caminong entered the game after CJ Harris left due to an injury in the third quarter. Unfortunately, he struggled to produce in his debut. Caminong recorded a 31.6 completion percentage and a 16.3 QBR.

While I reviewed plenty of film from Monday’s practice that highlighted his strength as an accurate passer, I also noticed continued concerns in live situations. The team has expressed confidence in his ability to perform. However, I remain skeptical until he can at least get a couple more years to work with the offensive staff or prove me wrong otherwise.

Five-star recruit Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele appears to be the quarterback with the most raw talent on the field. The left-handed signal-caller’s accuracy, and ability to throw on the move stood out during the Cal spring practice session.

There are a variety of reasons why head coach Justin Wilcox might not want to start JKS in his freshman year. The opportunity to build chemistry with his receivers, study college-level football, and build strength will be important benefits of redshirting his freshman year. However, he will certainly push the other quarterbacks in the room to earn that starting position.

Balling Out with the Wide Receivers

The Cal wide receivers displayed great talent on Monday, showcasing their speed and ability to get open and get to the ball.

Fans should expect wide receiver Trond Grizzell and tight end Jack Endries to generate the bulk of production in the passing attack this season. However, look for Tobias Merriweather, Isaac Torres, and Jacob De Jesus to fill in the gaps that Nyziah Hunter and Mikey Matthews left behind with their departures.

Merriweather, a redshirt junior and 2024 transfer from Notre Dame, will be excited to begin the season healthy and pick up some momentum. His height and ability to draw defenders out of position make him a real threat in one-on-one matchups.

Torres and De Jesus are two seniors that I expect to make a huge splash this season with the Bears. De Jesus logged 1,118 receiving yards and five touchdowns with UNLV last year. Although he hasn’t had much playing time, Torres looks like a talented receiver in practice. He has the height and athleticism to make himself an excellent target in his senior year.

Conclusion

Despite losing a lot of production from last year, I feel confident that Cal will be able to rely on their receivers to get open and make plays heading into next season. However, the quarterback situation will continue to be an interesting development.

Brown has the most experience, and his time at Ohio State should be considered an asset. Yet how will he keep up with an offensive line that has historically struggled with pass protection under coach Wilcox? The other candidates for the starting position will certainly push him to be the best that he can be.