As college football programs nationwide grapple with roster management complexities, few teams have experienced turnover quite like the Cal Bears. With 50 new players joining the program—comprised of graduate transfers, portal additions, and incoming freshmen—head coach Justin Wilcox has been navigating unprecedented challenges ahead of Cal’s second season in the ACC.
"The most complicated thing, I think, is just the time and the numbers," Wilcox explained during the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte. "From year to year, that number is going to change. This year was higher than maybe we would have thought."
To tackle these changes head-on, Wilcox highlighted the importance of a collaborative effort involving a robust support system, including the recent addition of former NFL head coach Ron Rivera as general manager.
"We have an unbelievable team of people around us," Wilcox noted. "It's obviously the coaches, but we have an incredible staff, personnel staff, and now added a GM, Coach Ron Rivera, and we've got a lot of support to go identify players who physically we feel like can help us, who are going to fit in at Cal and have the character traits that we're looking for."
Despite the complications, Wilcox emphasized the rewarding aspect of bringing together such a diverse group of new players. The quick development of chemistry among the players has notably stood out during spring and summer workouts.
"The pleasant surprise has been just once those guys have been identified and getting them into school and getting them connected together, it's been really, really fun to watch," Wilcox said.
"We've got a lot of really good guys on the team, and they're talented players. But the way that they've come together, starting in January and then absorbing some guys even this June onto the team and working together, it's really shown up on the field and in the locker room with how connected those guys are."
Cal hopes this rapid cohesion translates into on-field success as they aim to turn close losses from last season into victories in 2025.
