Cal Fall Camp Day 16 Report -Fall Camp Ends, Transitions to Game Prep
MEMORIAL STADIUM - Under more picture-perfect skies and weather conditions, the Bears wrapped up fall camp in a somewhat abbreviated session at Memorial Tuesday.
Unlike prior days, units rotated in constantly in 7x7 and 11x11 throughout the session, with players and units shuttling in constantly.
Defensive line coach Andrew Browning was on the media banner after practice and was asked about stalwart defensive end Brett Johnson’s continued recovery from a hip injury that cost him a season and what role he’s expected to play this season for the Cal defense.
“We’re really encouraged with what he did in spring,” said Browning. “As we’ve been going through fall camp, he’s had a lot more volume of reps per day and he’s handled it really, really well. To my eyes and to everybody else’s eyes in the program, he looks like the same player to me before the injury. We’re very happy.
“He’s put in a lot of work to get his body to where it needs to be and that work is showing.”
Browning was also asked about defensive line depth, which took a bit of hit after losing NT Stanley McKenzie and DE Derek Wilkins for the season.
“We’ve got a really good group of guys,” said Browning. “Number one, really good character guys and hard workers. Really from the beginning of camp to where we’re at now, every guy in their own little way has improved over the course of the 16 practices.
“Right now, I feel very confident playing 6-7 guys, even 8 guys in that room over the course of the game. I think that we’ll be able to rotate and keep guys fresh, particularly later in the game.”
Some of the notable plays during fall camp’s final practice: QB Jack Plummer had a completion to WR Mavin Anderson for 10 yards, an 8-yard TD pass to WR Monroe Young, a 20-yard completion to WR Justin Baker, another to Anderson for 20, a completion to J.Michael Sturdivant for 15, to RB Damien Moore for 10, 10 yards to Mojarro, a completion to Sturdivant for 25, and a completion to RB Damien Moore for 15.
Some of QB Kai Millner’s highlights included a completion to TE Keleki Latu for a 13-yard TD in traffic, a 10-yard completion to RB Ashton Stredick, a pair of 15-yard completions to TE Latu, a completion to WR Tommy Christakos for 15 and for 25, and to RB Jaydn Ott for 20.
The 1x1 red zone session featured several nice TD grabs from the 10 by WR Jeremiah Hunter (x2) and Jermaine Terry from Plummer, among others.
Other notable plays included a 10-yard run by Moore, a TFL by NT Ricky Correia, an 8-yard run by Stredick, a TFL by MLB Femi Oladejo, a long run by Ott that looked like it would’ve been a 52-yard TD in a full-contact practice, a 15-yard run by RB DeCarlos Brooks, MLB Ryan Puskas with a big hit for a TFL, a knockdown of a Millner pass by NT Darius Long and a 10-yard Ott run.
On the special teams front, kicker Dario Longhetto went 3-for-3 on kicks between 40 and 45 with lots of room to spare. Frosh kicker Michael Luckhurst went 2-for-3 from the same distances. Spending a bit more time than usual working the punt unit, frosh punter Ethan Baxter unleashed several big kicks.
It was also a blue letter day for fans of Cal Athletics as well as Cal athletes of all sports as the California Legends Collective went live today, providing opportunities for fans to directly support their favorite programs and athletes. Cal fans can follow the collective’s Twitter account and peruse the website for opportunities to give and to interact in various ways with their favorite athletes.
https://twitter.com/ca_legends_
Practice shifts Wednesday to late afternoon/early evening, with no media access till after the sessions. The shift coincides with the first day of class as well as a move to preparation for the Bears’ home opener September 3 vs. UC Davis.
Related:
Fall Camp Day 14 Report -Scrimmage #2