2024 will be a season of change for Cal's offense, as the Bears will not only be moving to a new conference, but they will also have a new offensive coordinator and 23 transfer players.
Offensive line coach Mike Brosh was promoted to offensive coordinator following the departure of Jake Spavital to Baylor University. The line took big steps forward under Brosh, and his scheme led to running back Jaden Ott having the best year of his career. With Ott and the new additions, the offense is expected to rely heavily on the running game.
The passing game should also take a step forward, with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, wide receiver Tron Grisell and tight end Jack Endrees all returning with a year of experience each.
Receiving machine
While the Bears return three of their top four pass catchers, the departure of leading receiver Jeremiah Hunter leaves a big hole in Cal State's passing attack, and the Bears have opted to bring in five transferred wide receivers to complement Hunter's overall production.
Mikey Matthews, a four-star sophomore transfer from Utah, is small at 5'8 but showed good speed as a kick returner last year. He was limited in his production, totaling just 261 receiving yards. Matthews will handle kick returns for the Bears and could be a starter in the slot.
Tobias Meriweather is another wide receiver who could make an immediate impact. Standing at 6'5″, he had just 14 catches for 283 yards at Notre Dame. Meriweather's athleticism makes him an explosive deep-ball threat and he could be a starter on the outside for the Bears.
The third receiver Brosh signed is former four-star recruit Kion Glaze from Ohio State. He only had one catch as a freshman before missing his entire sophomore year with a lower-body injury. Glaze hasn't played much in college, but he was highly rated coming out of high school and his potential is clear.
Jonathan Brady is another threat. The New Mexico State receiver had just 38 catches for 624 yards and an average of 16.4 yards per catch in 2023. The receiver corps will also include Cole Boscia, a Danville native who previously played as a walk-on at Colorado.
Tight End
With Brosh's ground-and-pound style, Cal will typically line up two tight ends, with Corey Dyches filling that role alongside Jack Endries. The Maryland tight end had a productive season last year, finishing with 39 catches for 494 yards. Originally scouted as a wide receiver, he's not a traditional tight end, but his speed makes him an elite pass-catching threat.
Run back
With the loss of Isaiah Ifans and Ashton Stredick, the Bears are without a reliable No. 2 running back behind Ott. Kadarius Callaway transferred from Old Dominion after averaging over seven yards per carry and totaling 623 rushing yards last season. He has elite speed and should pair well with Javian Thomas in the backfield.
Jerry Johnson III is a walk-on fullback who previously played at Rice and Texas A&M. He's a special teams star and could play as a lead blocker in a run-heavy offense.
Kicker
With Mateen Bagani transferring to UCLA, Justin Wilcox began searching for a new kicker. He found fifth-year kicker Ryan Coe, who spent last year at North Carolina. Coe was perfect on extra points and made 3 of 4 field goals before an injury cost him his starting spot. Prior to coming to Chapel Hill, Coe starred at the University of Delaware and the University of Cincinnati.
Quarterback
Chandler Rogers, a North Texas product, was another big addition for Cal. Rodgers had a great season for the Mean Green, passing for 3,382 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2023. Mendoza is unlikely to lose the starting spot, but Rodgers should be competitive. The Bears also acquired C.J. Harris from Ohio State to add to their quarterback depth.
Attacking Line
Brosh adds a wealth of experienced offensive linemen to the portal. Will McDonald IV started all 13 games on the inside for Coastal Carolina and allowed just three sacks in 823 snaps. He's a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining and will likely start at guard for the Bears.
Victor Stoffel is a 6-foot-8 offensive tackle from Temple University who started all 12 games at Temple in 2023. Playing alongside him will be second-team FCS All-American Rush Reimer from Montana State University. Braden Miller, a tackle from Michigan State University and the younger brother of former left tackle Barrett Miller, will add depth to the line.
With most of last year's key players returning, a couple of top-20 transfers and a new offensive coordinator, expectations are high for the Bears' offense. As UC transitions to the ACC, Justin Wilcox is counting on the transfers to contribute big time, especially the depth at receiver and the experienced offensive line.
