Bearly Interesting has moved from Substack to WordPress due to privacy concerns. I couldn’t get my name off the Substack account, and it was blasting Bearly Interesting posts off to all my contacts without permission. Very embarrassing.
Hopefully I can maintain some anonymity here.
After receiving this text from my neighbor, I have found more time to write about college football.
Go Bears.
Last year…
Sound like an elite defense?Nope. We were ranked just 36th.
Serious underperformance. I blame poor coaching.
In 2025 our front seven should be excellent, the big question is whether the secondary can hold their own or not.
2024 Grade: Incredible
2025 Grade: HUGE QUESTION MARK
Hard to replace 3 NFL DBs.
BUT talking heads are saying the replacements look fast and athletic…
2024: Very good (14th ranked run defense)
2025: Even better
We lost just one key contributor and made some significant adds.
Even with a few injuries, DL looks deep and talented.
Look out for big boy #47 Aidan Keanaaina…
6’ 3” … 320 … explosive.
2024: Incredible
2025: The same
Our best player #0 Cade Uluave appears to be at the top of his game.
RS Freshman Luke Ferrelli will play across from him… Locker room thinks Luke is Cal’s next elite linebacker.
2024: Decent (disappointing)
2025: Good
Last year we had two pass rushers we thought would be ELITE. They weren’t.
This year we have two pass rushers we think will be ELITE.
Decent depth.
I am dangerously optimistic about this defense…
So long as our secondary isn’t trash.
We return three offensive starters. All linemen.
Still, our offense (aside from QB) should be better than last year.
Expect a major improvement from the offensive line.
2024 Grade: Incredible
2025 Grade: HUGE QUESTION MARK
It’s hard to feel great about a true Freshman QB even if he is a 5-Star recruit.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (JKS) could be great, but there will be growing pains. He was named starter a couple weeks ago, but that may have been due to an injury to Devin Brown the team has not announced.
Hopefully, we can squeak out two wins before conference play starts and allow him to get comfortable.
2024 Grade: Terrible
2025 Grade: Very good hopefully
I am predicting this group takes a huge step forward in 2025.
We have the size, and we have the coach.
If not, we are dead.
2024: Decent
2025: Decent
We lost all of our running backs to the portal, but I’m actually not that mad about it.
The entitled diva Jaydn Ott is now RB3 at Oklahoma. He can suck it after smearing Cal to the media.
Speedster “The Jet”… I actually miss.
The other two were meh.
We’ve replaced them with bigger, more physical backs .
A nice change of pace after watching soft ass Ott pop it to the outside and get run out of bounds for a loss every single play.
RB = plug-and-play. If our Offensive Line is good, our new backs will look good.
2024: Bad
2025: Good (more speed)
Probably my hottest take.
Our WRs last year were big, slow and bad.
Mendoza made them look decent, but they barely got separation. Maybe it was a scheme problem. This year we have much more speed.
I predict significant improvement.
Look out for #21 Jacob De Jesus.
2024: Incredible
2025: Probably bad
Sadly star TE Jack Endries is no longer with us. He will be starting at Texas. Hard to blame him for transferring after Mendoza left. I am excited to root for him this year.
Our best returning tight end is in the ZY rush video, which scares me a bit.
But we have some decent looking transfers.
The first two games will be ugly.
Expect sloppy mistakes that come from the new scheme, new players and freshman QB.
If the OL dominates the line of scrimmage and JKS gets comfortable… This unit could excel in the ACC.
Our team was gutted by the transfer portal this spring. For that reason, Vegas thinks we suck (3.5 point dogs to Oregon State).
Per usual, there are reasons to be optimistic.
First, a reminder that 2024 was almost a breakthrough season for Cal.
We were a few bounces away from a 9-win season.
Unfortunately, we got six wins and heartbreak. Textbook.
Read on if you are ready to be hurt again.
Much better coaching.
Last year our Offensive Coordinator left a lot on the table.
He was the offensive line coach who was promoted when our previous OC was asked to leave due to personal misconduct, rumor has it.
Terrible scheme. Terrible play calling. Even the offensive line was bad.
We had success only because QB Mendoza was elite. Our failure to get any offensive production when Mendoza was not playing (SMU & UNLV) is proof of that.
Now, we have a very seasoned, smart and motivated OC In Bryan Harsin (denies accusations of personal misconduct).
Last year, the Offensive Line was by far our worst unit.
OL coach was effectively absent – as he was acting as OC & OL Coach. In over his head.
Up-and-coming superstar OL coach Famika Anea should change that. We have sold returning starters and solid transfers. I expect a big step forward.
So much of our hope for this season rests on his shoulders.
2024 Defensive Coordinator also under-delivered.
He was low-energy and appeared shell shocked in interviews even before the season started. Burn out I think.
Thankfully, he has moved on as well.
It appears to me Wilcox will be taking on most of the DC responsibilities himself.
With an offensive coordinator he can trust and Rivera acting as GM, Wilcox should be able to give the defense plenty of attention.
Apparently our team is bigger and stronger than ever before.
I have never heard a RB talk about our offensive line this way:
Check out the physical transformation from speedster WR Dazmin James.
Someone said this about #0 Inside Linebacker Cade Uluave: (our best player)
Last year we did well despite having SUBPAR coordinators.
Even though we lost super-stars, the 2025 Golden Bears will be…
BETTER COACHED
BIGGER & STRONGER
DEEPER and
OUR SCHEDULE IS EASY.
Keys to the season?
If that happens, there is hope for a breakout season.
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