Spring Ball Kicks Off at Memorial

MEMORIAL STADIUM - On a week of rainy forecasts, the clouds parted long enough to allow a cool and sunny day of practice this morning as spring ball kicked off at Memorial.

The new Momentum Turf - a pro grade surface recently installed to replace their aging earlier generation Momentum Turf - looked and felt fantastic and has received strong reviews from the NFL teams that use it. Look for more comments on the surface in days to come.

The day marked the first day of official on-field coaching for new staff additions Jake Spavital, Mike Bloesh and Tim Plough, the Bears’ new OC, OL coach/run game coordinator and tight ends coach.

“Guys are excited to play,” Wilcox said. “It’s great to get the coaches to work with them in this type of environment. Now it’s just a lot of practice.”

The changes on offense are fairly substantial with Spavital’s fast-paced, more wide-open style of play, new blocking schemes and concepts and terminology. Learning them in the film room and playbook or even drills is one thing but putting them into action in 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s will be the next step in the offense’s evolution.

“I think they’re gonna know what to do,” Wilcox said. “It’s just a matter of getting used to the techniques and the schematics that are a little bit different. Then it’s just the repetitions. It’s those patterns where it becomes muscle memory and not something they’re thinking about play by play.”

Particularly on offensive line, the changes in technique emphasis and blocking style will come into play the most, though they won’t be totally starting from scratch.

“I think there’s some carryover from scheme to scheme,” Wilcox noted. “Everyone runs some kind of inside zone or counter. It’s how you run it, what the coaching points are, the technique, the specifics within that play, aiming point -all those things matter.

Today marked the on-field debut of TCU transfer QB Sam Jackson. Though there weren’t many 11-on-11 situations, the Bears’ new signal caller did some nice things, particularly one play were he rolled left and threw a 50-yard strike across his body to TE Jack Endries who made a nice catch in double coverage with safety help. He also looked nimble avoiding pressure and picking up yards with his feet or finding an open receiver while on the move.

“He’s a great athlete,” Wilcox said. “Sharp kid. He just needs reps and practice. The decision-making at his position and other positions - Oline, tight ends, receivers, running backs. You’ve got decisions within these given plays. It’s just not going out there and throwing 1-on-1s. That’s not football. 7-on-7 can be beneficial but we need to play the game. In our offense and defense, we need to get a lot of 11-on-11 and play the game.

“It creates a problem in the run game because of math (having a running QB). You’ve got 11 on both sides and when a quarterback decides to run, it changes the math in the run game. He’s got a live arm and is talented throwing the football but he can really run. 

“The quarterbacks we bring in here, we want to be able to both throw and run. Some guys run a little better than they throw and some guys throw a little better than they run. But our job is to identify the skills of the quarterback and then build the offense to fit them.”

Backup QB Fernando Mendoza also had a solid day, with his best two completions going to talented PWO receiver Jordan King, who had a nice reception at the end of team competition and the duo followed it up with a nice pass and catch to end the practice in a one-on-one team competition. The redshirt frosh QB also had the day’s only interception when he was picked off by veteran ILB Mo Iosefa when he jumped a Mendoza pass.

The run of the day came from portal transfer running back Byron Cardwell. The redshirt soph should good elusiveness and burst, taking a carry to the house for around 50 yards, though it was a non-contact practice.

In addition to the players Wilcox listed as out for spring in Monday’s interview - DEs Akili Calhoun, Xavier Carlton nd Brett Johnson DLs Jaedon Roberts, Darius Long, CBs Collin Gamble and Tyson McWilliams and WRs Tommy Christakos, Mason Mangum and Mason Starling - Wilcox also noted that Tennesse portal transfer running back Justin Williams-Thomas will miss spring and Illinois WR transfer Brian Hightower will miss early spring but is expected to be back in coming weeks. He also added that they don’t expect any of the injured players to miss fall camp or not be available for the 2023 season. Wilcox also noted that returning NT Stanley McKenzie’s transition back to the program after missing a year has been good but that he’d need to continue to work his way back into shape.

With the new faster-paced offensive scheme, the strength and conditioning staff tailored the players’ offseason workouts to better prepare them for this season.

“Absolutely,” Wilcox said. “Conditioning’s always a premium in college football. And with certain styles of play, it’s non-negotiable that you’ve got to be in phenomenal shape. You’ve got to be able to go all day.”

The Bears will be back in action Saturday morning if the weather permits, with rain currently in the forecast.

Related:

Ultimate Insider Podcast E54: New Cal OC Jake Spavital

Wilcox Fields Questions as Spring Ball Set to Kick Off

Cardwell Feeling the Love at Cal