Cal is making a notable offensive change heading into Saturday’s Homecoming matchup, with head coach Tosh Lupoi taking playcalling duties away from offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville after another first-half stall against UNLV.
“I just changed it up, I thought it was time,” Lupoi said in his weekly press conference. “We kind of sputtered a bit again (in the first half against UNLV).”
The move comes after a rocky start to the season on offense, with much of the criticism landing on Somerville, who by his own admission had only called plays at the 12U level before taking over at Cal. General manager Ron Rivera backed Lupoi’s decision and made clear he saw the change as part of a broader search for answers.
“(Lupoi is) looking for answers, which is great, he’s trying to be aggressive in terms of finding those answers,” Rivera said in the press conference. “(Somerville) is a young playcaller, a guy who’s got a lot to learn still. Very good football coach, understands the game, but has got some things to learn.”
Now the offense turns to Pat McCann, whose title before the UNLV game was passing game coordinator. McCann is no stranger to the job - he previously served as offensive coordinator at Fresno State and brings 15 years of collegiate coaching experience.
The switch helped Cal find some life against the Rebels, even with the offense missing key pieces. Running back Adam Mohammed was out with an injury, and quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele left just before halftime with a likely concussion. Still, Lupoi said McCann kept adjusting on the fly.
“(McCann was) drawing up things on the sideline, getting on the iPad, maniac energy, trying to put things in. Putting a receiver in the backfield, run a play we did not practice a single time for an explosive touchdown,” Lupoi said.
That receiver was redshirt sophomore Carson Perry-Smith, a former walk-on who had been Cal’s fifth-string running back and also played wide receiver in high school. On the touchdown, backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau found Perry-Smith wide open on a smartly designed play, sparking the Bears’ comeback from a 24-7 halftime deficit and briefly putting them ahead in the fourth quarter.
Cal still lost to UNLV, but the second-half production stood out. The Bears scored 24 points after halftime, their best half of the season, and did it without Sagapolutele.
McCann’s first full week with the offense now comes against Virginia Tech on Saturday in Berkeley. The Hokies are coming off a painful loss to unbeaten Pitt, a game that ended on a last-second missed field goal that some believed may not have missed at all.
Virginia Tech is led by quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has already shown command of a productive offense by throwing only his first interception of the season in that Pitt loss. The Hokies also feature two dangerous pass catchers in Que’Sean Brown and tight end Luke Reynolds, both of whom have topped 100 receiving yards in multiple games this season.
That creates a tough assignment for a Cal secondary that could be without star safety Kingston Lopa because of injury. And the challenge doesn’t stop there: Virginia Tech’s defense is ranked No. 23 in the FBS in total defense.
Kickoff is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at California Memorial Stadium.
In Other News...
Cal Faces A Huge Week 6 Question Before Virginia Tech
Cal entered the week with a long injury list ahead of Virginia Tech, and the first availability report put several important names in question. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, running back Adam Mohammed, wide receiver Chase Hendricks and safety Kingston Lopa all showed up as questionable, along with linebacker Kamar Mohudu and safety Aiden Manutai, leaving the Bears with a lot to sort through before Saturday.
The timing makes it especially tricky because Cal may need to lean on its depth in a hurry, with backups Jackson Brousseau and Carter Vargas lined up to step in if needed. Thursdays updated report should offer a clearer picture, but for now the Bears are waiting on a few of their most consequential players at positions that can shape the entire game. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Faces A Virginia Tech Team With Something To Prove
Virginia Tech arrives with a sturdy record and a new sense of direction under James Franklin, and the Hokies have already started to look like a team that can make life difficult for an opponent. Damien Sordelett pointed to Franklins early impact since taking over, noting improvements in the way the Hokies are playing and the steadier overall feel around a program that has had to reset its expectations.
For Cal, the more interesting part is how Virginia Tech has responded after a frustrating loss to Pitt, one that left plenty of questions but did not seem to shake the bigger picture. Sordelett also highlighted Ethan Grunkemeyers performance at quarterback and the edge presence of Aycen Stevens and Cortez Harris, giving this matchup the feel of a team still trying to prove its staying power rather than one simply trying to avoid another letdown. [Read more 🡒]
Cal May Finally Have An Answer For Its Late-Game Problem
Cal has spent much of this season trying to solve a problem that kept showing up at the worst possible time: the fourth quarter. Too often, the Bears were left scrambling late, unable to turn close games or slim leads into something secure, and it has made every endgame feel heavier than it should for a team trying to build momentum.
The next test comes against Virginia Tech, and the timing matters because the offense may still be sorting through key availability issues. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Adam Mohammed and Chase Hendricks were all listed as questionable, leaving Cal with some uncertainty even as it searches for a more reliable finish and hopes the recent late-game spark can carry over. [Read more 🡒]