2020 Cal Football/Bear Insider Recruiting Event Recap

Bear Insider teamed up with Cal Recruiting Coordinator/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Peter Sirmon on Tuesday night for our annual NorCal recruiting event. 

Once our attendees had eaten their Zachary’s pizza, Sirmon narrated a 30-minute recruiting video that showcased highlights from each of Cal’s 25 incoming freshman signees. Two main things Sirmon emphasized were Cal’s focus on adding size upfront and playmakers on offense. 

According to Sirmon, linemen Stanley McKenzie‍ and Ricky Correia‍ are both strong enough to contribute early on in their Cal careers. Because of this, two-way lineman Jaedon Roberts‍ should be allowed to focus on playing offensive line. 

Among the five receivers that Cal signed, Sirmon believes that Jeremiah Hunter‍ will bring dynamic playmaking ability, while Tommy Christakos‍ will add unique size to the position. He also added that Mason Mangum‍ might already be among the fastest three players on the team.

Sirmon praised many of the players that Cal signed for having a great feel for the game, including linebackers Muelu Iosefa‍ and Andy Alfieri‍ as well as cornerback Collin Gamble‍. He also made sure to mention cornerback Trey Paster‍’s impact on Cal’s recruiting efforts. 

Other highlights included Sirmon laughing over the fact that Australian Rules punter Jameson Sheahan has never punted in an American football game, and excitement over the addition of athletic tight ends DJ Rogers‍ and Jake Muller‍.

After the video, Sirmon answered a variety of questions from the audience. A popular question was asking who are the top replacement candidates for Evan Weaver, Ashtyn Davis, and Jaylinn Hawkins. He said that he expects Evan Tattersall and Blake Antzoulatos‍ to have the first shot at inside linebacker and for Muelu Iosefa‍ to be in the mix as well. He also noted that Daniel Scott would be among those considered for starting safety. Sirmon also mentioned quite a few times how Cal is committed to developing players from within their organization and not getting too focused on luring “free agent” transfers, though they will likely look to pick up a grad transfer or two. 

All in all, a great evening to talk about Cal football.