BERKELEY – Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Thursday that Sam Jackson V will be the starting quarterback for the Golden Bears' 2023 season-opener at North Texas on Sept. 2. Jackson, a transfer from TCU in his first season at Cal, had been in a three-way competition for the team's starting signal-caller position in training camp along with Ben Finley and Fernando Mendoza.
"We had an intense three-way quarterback competition during training camp," Wilcox said. "All three did a great job, and I have a great deal of confidence in all of them. But Sam began to separate himself recently. He is a dynamic athlete who can succeed both in the passing game and by making defenses account for his outstanding running ability. When your quarterback does both of those things well, it can be challenging for the defense. I'm excited to see what he does with this opportunity."
Cal also released its entire depth chart Thursday for the game at North Texas to be televised by ESPNU (3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. PT).
The Bears will host perennial national and SEC power Auburn in their home opener Sept. 9 when the Tigers visit Berkeley for the first-ever meeting between the teams. The Saturday night ESPN game and Gold Out contest will kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT under the lights at California Memorial Stadium, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023.
Visit CalBears.com for tickets and more information about Cal's entire slate of 2023 games and check out the Cal Athletic Fund online to support the Cal football program via the Championship CALiber initiative.
Below are notes on Jackson with an extended bio available by clicking on his name.
Sam Jackson V, QB, 5-11, 195, R-So., 3rd Collegiate Season/1st Season At Cal (Chicago, IL/TCU/Naperville Central HS/Bolingbrook HS)
Cal (2023)
– Joined Cal in January of 2023 after transferring from TCU, participating in both spring football practices and training camp
TCU (2021-22)
– Saw action in a combined seven games as a 2021 true freshman and 2022 redshirt freshman, completing all six of his passes for 140 yards while adding 15 rushes for 79 yards and two touchdowns on the ground
– Played in five games in 2022 and completed 5-of-5 passes for 63 yards while adding nine rushes for 64 yards and two scores on the ground for a team that reached the National Championship Game, finished second in the final AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll, and won both the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the regular-season Big 12 title while finishing 13-2 overall
– Participated in two contests in 2021 and connected with Taye Barber for a 77-yard completion on his only passing attempt, while rushing six times for 15 yards
– Enrolled and arrived at TCU in January of 2021
Naperville Central HS (Class Of 2021)/Bolingbrook HS (Class Of 2017)
– Had his 2020 senior season postponed by COVID and did not play prep football during his school's four-game campaign in the spring of 2021 after joining the TCU program in January of that year
– Played a single season of quarterback as a prep as a 2019 junior and passed for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns
– Had 50 receptions for 847 yards and 14 touchdowns as a wide receiver during his 2018 sophomore campaign for a team that was 7-4 overall, won the Dupage Valley League title with a perfect 4-0 conference mark and reached the second round of the Illinois State 8A playoffs
– Spent his 2017 freshman campaign at Bolingbrook HS
2023 Cal Football Schedule
Date – Opponent (Time, TV)
Sept. 2 – at North Texas (3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. PT, ESPNU)
Sept. 9 – Auburn (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Sept. 16 – Idaho (1 p.m., Pac-12 Bay Area)
Sept. 23 – at Washington (TBA, TBA)*
Sept. 30 – Arizona State (TBA, TBA)*
Oct. 7 – Oregon State (TBA, TBA)*
Oct. 14 – at Utah (TBA, TBA)*
Oct. 28 – USC (TBA, TBA)*
Nov. 4 – at Oregon (TBA, TBA)*
Nov. 11 – Washington State (TBA)#*
Nov. 18 – at Stanford (TBA, TBA)*
Nov. 25 – at UCLA (TBA, TBA)#*
Dec. 1 – Pac-12 Football Championship Game (5 p.m., ABC)+
