Cal Football Fall Camp Day Two
As the Bears prepared for their second day of practice Saturday, defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon and three players met with the media via Zoom in the morning.
Some highlights.
Outside linebacker Tevin Paul has opted out of the season and veteran lineman Luc Bequette has transferred. Sirmon addressed those issues.
Because of the shortened spring practice and the restricted practice time for fall camp, Sirmon will have to dial back on what he wanted to install in the Cal defense.
Sirmon said he believes the Bears have enough bodies to make up for the loss of Paul at OLB.
“We have a lot of guys who are playing at the outside linebacker position,” Sirmon said. “Some guys we are excited about their development. Cam Goode is a consistent performer with a lot of big plays. He’s a guy that can rush the quarterback and play in space. Braxten Croteau is a player we that we know works extremely hard He has developed physically He is a very conscientious player who has really developed physically.”
Bequette will be harder to replace.
“Luc played a lot of positions for us,” Sirmon said. “He played some great football. He gave us everything that he had. He was a very consistent performer. He developed really well. There are more opportunities for guys in the roster. Brett showed flashes last year, he continues to improve/”
As for installing some new wrinkles, Sirmon said those opportunities will be limited. “ We were on the field for an hour and 15 minutes yesterday,” he said. “The lack of reps we are not going to be able to get in everything we wanted to. Not only are we modifying some of the personnel groupings but we are modifying some of the installed volume. So the things that we know need to be in, we are spending a lot of time on that.”
Defensive lineman Brett Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 during the summer but has been cleared to practice.
Johnson was asked about the logistics of the virus testing the Bears are doing and he disclosed his own history with the virus.
“I contracted COVID a cou[ple of months ago,” he said. “If you have had it they don’t want you testing for it for a while because of dead traces of the virus in your body..It wasn’t bad. I never had any symptoms. I was in my house playing video games and eating chicken pot pie.”
Defensive lineman Zeandae Johnson said he never considered transferring when it looked as if the Pac-12 would be playing next spring rather than this fall.. However, Johnson, who was granted a sixth-year last spring, said he will likely not return for a seventh season in 2021 even though it might be permitted.
Safety Daniel Scott, said he will assume more of a leadership role this year. He noted that senior Elijah Hicks’ move over to safety has gone seemlessly and that the position suits him well.
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