Cal football’s roster picture for 2026 just got a lot more complicated, and a lot more interesting.
The NCAA’s new eligibility setup now gives players five years to play five seasons, wiping away the old redshirt-era thinking that shaped roster management for years. Then came the July 31 preliminary injunction, which handed a fifth season to athletes who entered college in 2022 and had already burned through four years. For Cal, that means some players who thought their college run was over may suddenly have another year in front of them, while a few key Bears could also be looking at an extra season beyond what they expected.
The biggest on-field effect could show up in how quickly freshmen are used. With no real upside to stashing a first-year player just to protect eligibility, coaches may be more willing to throw freshmen into the mix early.
“It makes me a little anxious to play the freshmen,” Cal defensive line coach Darrion Daniels sadi.
Daniels pointed to Frank Fanua Jr., Nemyah Telona and Lucky Schirmer as freshmen who could see the field on the defensive line this season. Freshman tight end Taimane Purcell was already expected to play, but the new rules remove any hesitation about using him heavily in 2026.
Other freshmen who could benefit include defensive back Niles Davis, running back Victor Santino and several wide receivers. Cal offensive line coach Famika Anae said the change gives the staff more flexibility with first-year players and more depth up front.
“It makes young guys available sooner to do certain things for your team, and we are totally exploring that avenue,” said Anae.
He didn’t name anyone, but Daniel McMorris could be one of the freshmen who ends up seeing the field late in the season, something that would have been unlikely under the old system.
The new rules also create longer-term benefits for some of Cal’s veterans and transfers. Wide receivers Ian Strong and Chase Hendricks arrived this offseason expecting their college careers to end after 2025, but because neither redshirted as freshmen, they can now play in 2026 and 2027.
Both could still jump to the NFL after the 2026 season, but if they don’t post huge numbers, at least one of them should be back for 2027, assuming no transfer. That would give Cal a major boost alongside quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, especially since Strong and Hendricks were described as possibly the best wide receiver duo in the ACC this season.
Outside linebacker Jayden Wayne, who started nine games for Cal last year, also remains eligible for 2027 even though he played at least eight games in each of his three previous college seasons. Defensive back Daniel Harris is battling for a starting job this season, but he can also return in 2027 despite being listed as a senior.
Sagapolutele theoretically still has three seasons of eligibility after this year, though the expectation is that he’ll likely head to the NFL draft after the 2027 season.
Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi hasn’t ruled out adding players this season who qualify under the preliminary injunction.
“We’re going to try to approach it and detail it out, learn it, make some calls, and see what we can do and see if there’s any possibilities,” Lupoi said on August 17.
When asked whether anyone had already been added to the 2026 roster, Lupoi said, “No, haven’t as of right now.”
There are limits, though. Players who have signed a pro contract, such as Paco Austin, can’t come back.
But two names that could potentially return to Cal this season are wide receiver Jayden Dixon-Veal, who caught four passes and played in 10 games with one start last season, and defensive back Ja’ir Smith, who appeared in all 13 games for Cal last year and played in 12 games in 2024. Their Twitter sites suggest they’d like to return.
One Bear who doesn’t need the new rule at all is Bastian Swinney. He’s entering his sixth college season, but because he already had two redshirt seasons, he fits under the previous rules that still apply to current players. That makes him eligible this year, and he remains Cal’s starting center and the leader of the offensive line.
“Got lucky; this is his 38th year of college football, and he got grandfathered in,” Anae said. “Can’t say enough about Bastian Swinney and what he means to this team.”
Because the injunction came so late in the summer, the practical challenge of adding players is real. The impact may end up being even bigger for winter and spring sports like basketball, baseball, softball and gymnastics.
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