Bear Insider Video: Cal MLBs Cade Uluave & Teddye Buchanan
They’ve only officially practiced together for 10 fall camp practices so far but the talented Cal inside linebacker duo of soph Cade Uluave and senior Teddye Buchanan are already opening eyes with their chemistry and work on the field so far this month in camp.
Both players had productive 2023 seasons they hope to build off this year as Uluave took the world by storm, earning Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year after switching back to MLB from running back where he was moved to shore up depth and starting the back half of the season, piling up 66 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries that he returned for 51 yards and one of the team's three fumble returns for a touchdown, two interceptions and three pass breakups in just seven games on defense. Buchanan added 71 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks (-9 yards), three interceptions and four pass breakups in his second team all-conference season for UC Davis in 2023.
The duo is ready to kick off the 2024 season to see what they can do playing side-by side.
"Most definitely," Uluave said. "I think from the short time that Teddye's been here, and I haven't been here that long either, we've been able to create a connection on the field and off the field. We're good friends, and so that helps us on the field as well. But I could definitely feel some sort of chemistry coming on and we're just excited to be side by side together and just play some ball."
"Yeah and I think one of the great things about Cade that I've noticed is just his dedication to the game, his love of football," Buchanan said. "So having someone like that in the position room is great energy to feed off, especially from a young guy, being able to know that he is going to do what he needs to do and then I'll just do the same. And we're working towards a common goal. We both have a great love for the game. So, yeah, it's been great so far."
Uluave is continuing to grow in his confidence and knowledge base and both the returning frosh All-American and his experienced teammate are getting more and more familiar with each other’s playing style.
"Good, going well," Uluave said. "Mentally, still learning every single day. Football is a game where it's constantly changing, especially with these offenses coming up. You know, we were used to this west coast football style. Now we're on the on the East Coast, ACC. Football is still football, but there's a lot of different changes amongst our offense that we're still learning, just day by day, stacking one day at a time and we're figuring out, me and Teddye, we're in the film room all the time together, figuring things out and communicating and just making sure that we're on the same page as much as we can. So I think just day by day, one step at a time, you know, just getting better each and every day."
"It's definitely grown a lot, Buchanan noted. "I didn't play a whole lot of linebacker in high school. Played a lot of quarterback, so like Cade talked about playing running back, I was able to kind of take that knowledge of kind of knowing what offenses are looking at, what quarterbacks are looking at, and apply it in a college setting. But it definitely took a lot of time to develop, especially being new to the position, coming into college. This is year five, so I've had a good amount of time develop. But also, like Cade said, just learning every day. There's so many nuances to football, so many things to just keep learning every single day. So, yeah, we're just trying to stack these and just get better."
Both players were asked what they feel the defense is capable of this season.
"Man, I think, personally, I think we're going to turn some heads, you know?" Buchanan said. "I think the group we have now is a super solid group. I think everyone on the field wants to be better and just loves football and just loves being out here, enjoying their time playing and stuff. So I think that that's crucial for being a successful defense. So we gotta take that step up from last year and just keep building and and with all these new players and everything, we're trying to come together as a team on and off the field as well. So we're just excited - all of us - to step on the field and and come to the ACC and just have fun and do our thing make some plays. So we're excited."
The linebacking corp is also joined by portal OLB transfers Cheik Fall and Serigne Tounkara who have both flashed frequently in camp so far.
"Oh yeah, there's definitely a ton of new guys," Buchanan noted. "So as everyone's kind of come together and worked together to make this thing happen, it's been cool to see. Obviously, a ton of ton of work still to be done. So I think we've made great strides, but we're trying to keep that going. And come August 31, I think we'll be ready to go, and I'm excited."
The defense has showed out well so far in camp but they’ve also been tested by a revamped offense led by new OC Mike Bloesch and talented new additions in QB Chandler Rogers and CJ Harris, running backs Kadarius Calloway and Jamaal Wiley, receivers Kyion Grayes, Tobias Merriweather, Trevor Rogers and Josiah Martin and tight end Corey Dyches, who frequently pose formidable challenges to the Bears’ D.
"The offense is solid," Uluave said. "We go against them every single day and they're a good group, from running back to receiver to quarterback to O-line. The whole offense is stacked. In my opinion, I think we have a lot of tools and a lot of opportunity for them to be solid. And so, it helps us, because iron sharpens iron. And so us going against them, we're both making ourselves better each and every play. The offense might get us one play. We might get the offense one play. And that's part football, so we're just competing out here every day. I'm excited what the offense can do. Our job is to get a stop so the offense can get the ball and score points. And we have a lot of trust in our offense and the offense should trust us, so we're excited."
What should Cal fans expect to see from a revamped roster with 43 new scholarship players, including a top ten ranked portal ranking?
"Man, just excitement, you know?" Uluave said. "Coming here to California Memorial Stadium, fans should be excited. They should be eager. They should be just optimistic. This year's a new team, we're a new team, whole new faces. So Cal fans should just be excited and everything will fall into place."
"Yeah, I mean if they are as excited as we are, I think going to be great," Buchanan agreed. The energy so far in camp, it's been so high every day. I think guys love to be here. Guys love to play football. And like Cade said, I think we're gonna turn some heads so I think the fans should be super excited."
The Bears will start off their road schedule against traditional powers Auburn and Florida State on their first two road trips in September.
"Super excited," Uluave said. "We'll go down to the south and play some big-time football. So we're excited about what we'll do and we'll be ready, for sure."
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Bear Insider Video: Cal Receivers Tobias Merriweather & Kyion Grayes