The California Golden Bears are continuing to reshape their roster through the transfer portal, and their latest addition fills a major need in the heart of the defense. Former Oregon linebacker Kamar Mothudi is headed to Berkeley, reuniting with new Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi, who previously served as Mothudi’s defensive coordinator in Eugene.
Mothudi, a redshirt freshman last season, brings three years of eligibility to Cal and arrives at a time when the linebacker room is in flux. He visited NC State and Purdue earlier in the week, but ultimately chose to follow Lupoi to the Pac-12’s newest version of the Golden Bears.
At Oregon, Mothudi saw action in six regular-season games, including the Ducks’ first three contests. While he didn’t log heavy snaps-Bryce Boettcher and Jerry Mixon handled most of the middle linebacker duties-Mothudi was a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school.
The 247Sports Composite ranked him as a top-250 player nationally in the 2024 class, a top-16 linebacker, and one of the top 20 recruits in California. That pedigree gives Cal a promising building block at a position that’s seen more exits than returns this offseason.
And those exits have been significant. Cal has lost its former defensive captain Cade Uluave to BYU, Ryan McCulloch to UCLA, and Luke Ferrelli to Clemson.
Harrison Taggart remains in the portal, and the linebacker group has been thinned out further by the departures of Eze Osondu, Buom Jock, and Curlee Thomas. Simply put, the Bears needed reinforcements in the middle of their defense-and fast.
Mothudi’s arrival, along with that of fellow linebacker Tristan Jernigan from Texas A&M, provides a much-needed jolt of depth and talent. It also ensures that Aaron Hampton won’t be left to carry the load by himself in the middle. With Mothudi’s athleticism and upside, Cal now has a chance to reestablish some stability at a position that’s been hit hard.
This marks the fourth former Oregon Duck to follow Lupoi to Berkeley, joining safety Kingston Lopa, defensive tackle Jericho Johnson, and wide receiver Cooper Perry. That pipeline from Eugene to Cal is becoming a theme-and it’s one that’s helping the Bears plug holes across the roster with players already familiar with their head coach’s system and expectations.
Zooming out, Cal’s transfer portal class is shaping up to be one of the most comprehensive in recent memory. The Bears have added talent at nearly every position, from quarterback to kicker. Here’s a look at the full list of new arrivals:
Cal Transfer Portal Additions:
- Quarterback: Jackson Brousseau (Colorado State)
- Running Backs: Adam Mohammed (Washington), Carter Vargas (UC Davis), Ashten Emory (UTEP)
- Wide Receivers: Ian Strong (Rutgers), Chase Hendricks (Ohio), Cooper Perry (Oregon)
- Tight End: Dorian Thomas (New Mexico)
- Offensive Line: Jimothy Lewis (Mississippi State), Mykeal Rabess (FIU), Kahli Tafai (Minnesota), Ashton Rivera (Kent State), Jacob Arop (South Dakota)
- Defensive Line: Jericho Johnson (Oregon), Justin Beadles (Louisville), Ashun Shepphard (Mississippi State)
- Edge Rushers: Solomon Williams (Texas A&M), Emmanuel Okoye (Tennessee)
- Linebackers: Tristan Jernigan (Texas A&M), Kamar Mothudi (Oregon)
- Defensive Backs: Ricky Fletcher (Ole Miss), Daniel Harris (Georgia), Kingston Lopa (Oregon), Michael Hurst Jr. (Northern Arizona)
- Special Teams: Punter Angus Davies (Tulsa), Kicker Towns McGough (Auburn)
Cal has also welcomed back a handful of players who initially entered the portal but ultimately decided to stay:
Confirmed Returning Bears:
- Quarterback: EJ Caminong
- Tight End: Mason Mini
- Wide Receiver: Mark Hamper
- Offensive Line: Frederick Williams III, Bastian Swinney
- Defensive Line: Derek Wilkins, Nate Burrell
- Edge: Jayden Wayne
- Defensive Backs: Isaiah Crosby, Cam Sidney
- Kicker: Chase Meyer
Of course, the portal has taken its toll as well. Cal’s linebacker corps was hit hardest, but the departures span the full depth chart:
Key Departures:
- Linebackers: Cade Uluave (BYU), Luke Ferrelli (Clemson), Harrison Taggart, Eze Osondu, Buom Jock (Wake Forest), Curlee Thomas (North Texas)
- Defensive Line: TJ Bush (Minnesota), Ike Okafor
- Edge: Ryan McCulloch (UCLA)
- Running Back: Brandon High (UTSA)
- Offensive Line: Lajuan Owens, Nick Morrow (Kansas), Leon Bell, Braden Miller (Duke), Jordan Spasojevic-Moko
- Tight Ends: Landon Morris (Wake Forest), Ben Marshall
- Quarterbacks: Devin Brown (Weber State), Belay Brummel
- Defensive Back: Kaden Cook
- Wide Receivers: Dazmin James, Jaiven Plummer
- Kicker: Abram Murray
- Punter: Michael Kern (Kansas)
With Mothudi now in the fold, Cal continues to check boxes in its transfer portal strategy. The Bears have addressed immediate needs, added long-term upside, and built a roster that looks much more complete than it did at the start of the offseason. There’s still work to be done, but Lupoi and his staff are clearly making moves with purpose-and Mothudi could be a big piece of what they’re building in Berkeley.