Cal football general manager Ron Rivera is working to ease fans’ concerns after several key players, including running back Jaydn Ott, entered the spring transfer portal this week.
Cal GM Ron Rivera Addresses Concerns Over Key Departures and the Future of Golden Bears Football
The Golden Bears, who lost starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza to Indiana in the winter portal, lost leading rusher Ott, after a Pac-12 leading 1,315 rushing yards season in 2023 and an injury-riddled 2024. Leading rusher Javian Thomas and top tight end Jack Endries also entered the portal last week.
Rivera sought to ease concerns, despite the losses of the big stars on Monday.
“We’re not the only team in the NCAA that is going through this portal situation right now,” Rivera said. “You can’t name a team right now that doesn’t have a player that they wish didn’t go in. We understand all it and we all understand fan favorites. There will be other favorites.”
Rivera continued, “Did we give Jaydn Ott a great shot? I believe we did. Sometimes an athlete just thinks I’ve accomplished all I can here, and it’s time to move on. … The hard part about him leaving early is that here’s a young man who had an opportunity to really create the type of legacy that you could be proud of. But again, he decided that he felt was best for himself.”
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“It was something that was anticipated. If there is one guy that we wished didn’t go in, yeah, there was at least one that we wish didn’t go in. But for the most part, when you look at what we’re doing, we have a plan. We went out and we’ve identified a number of guys that we like and a number of guys that, if we can get these guys, we’re pretty much where we were a month ago. Are we concerned? Yes. We have to get those guys in.”
Rivera will need to prove his plan is successful this season, and that won’t be easy with the amount of talent the roster last in the spring.
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