Cal Football Spring Practice Day 13 (Free)

MEMORIAL STADIUM - The Bears took the field for practice #13 today at Memorial and following practice, defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon fielded questions from the media, starting with his newest linebacker additions.

"I think the young guys have made tremendous progress," Sirmon said of his new linebackers. "The mid-year high school guys, it's always a really interesting indoctrination to college football, because every high school program does different varying degrees of how they get those guys ready and what the expectations were in high school. But I think Aaron Hampton has been a real, real good surprise. Didn't know a lot about Aaron through the recruiting process. But he's a heavy, good instincts inside backer. I think he's going to be a really good tackler for us and I see him around the ball. He’s a real instinctual player.

“(In high school) he was around the ball a lot, played a lot of different positions. And when you watch his film, you could tell he was the best player on the field. I believe he earned Gatorade Player of the Year up there in the great state of Alaska, and then had the opportunity. Malik McMorris, one of our GA's, was actively recruiting him. And then he had the opportunity to come down with his folks and we sat down, and I thought he was a great fit, and he thought he was a great fit for what Cal had to offer so he joined us.”

Sirmon also talked about other young backers who have impressed so far.

“Eze Osondu - again, another really young kid - turned 18, just last month, so he's another young guy. And then Luke Ferelli. I think has a lot of good movement skills and we just have to continue to get him developed in the weight room. But all three of those younger players, we're really, really bullish about what they're going to be for us."

Freshman  All-American MLB Cade Uluave’s return to the field this week has been a welcome sight and the soph linebacker continued to shake off the rust today with some solid play, including a sack on QB Chandler Rogers.

"Cade had a year last year that we're excited for him to build on," Sirmon said. "He has good tools. But you know, experience is still something you can't cheat. It's hard to manufacture it perfectly. Practice does a good job of it. But the more that Cade sees, the better he'll be able to build on even from that first year."

DT Stanley McKenzie has quietly put together a solid spring after slowly easing his way back to action last season after a year off after his father tragically passed. He was on the media banner today fielding questions.

"It's been great," Saole-McKenzie said of his return. "It's been good being out here with the boys again, just going at it, takeaways, just always trying to work upfield and cause havoc in the backfield. Violence, that's like our main emphasis as a D line, just trying to be the most violent unit on the field."

As for play on the field, kicker Ryan Coe continued his impressive spring with several field goals over 50 yards, including a 58-yarder, with only one miss from 53.

Touchdowns came from a long impressive run by QB Chandler Rogers along with an 11-yard TD grab by WR Trond Grizzell from QB Fernando Mendoza and a run up the middle by RB Justin WIlliams-Thomas, who’s had a solid spring.

The Bears will be back in action for their final regular practice Friday at 8:45 before wrapping up the spring in Saturday’s 2:30 pm Spring Showcase.

Related;

Cal Football Spring Practice Day 12

Cal Football Spring Practice Day 11 - Scrimmage Day