Cal Football: Wide Receiver is Key to Bears' 2024 Prospects, Says Yogi Roth

This is one of Yogi Roth’s favorite times of the year. Spring football practice is complete and, with the season four months away, there is hope and optimism surrounding every team. 

Cal will be a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference when it returns to action, and Roth is excited for the Bears’ prospects.

“I’m into it, man. I think this is a team that gets to eight wins,” the long-time Pac-12 Network analyst said. “And if they can find some luck along the way, stay healthy along the way, they’ll be in every game.”

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A key to the Bears meeting this lofty expectation in a new league is developing big-strike capability on offense. 

I asked Roth this week what position group on the team might surprise fans. 

“It’s easy to go DBs because they struggled last year. That’s a natural — they’re going to be better,” he said. “I like new faces they brought in, I like the experience they have. It’s been an impressive spring for them.”

But Roth points to Cal’s wide receivers as the position at which he expects a major jump.

“To win games, you can’t turn it over and you’ve got to create explosive plays. Kind of period, end of story,” Roth said. “I think this offense, if they can run the football, if they can do what the Rams do, what the Niners do, in terms of mirroring run and pass, play-action stuff, give yourself shots down the field.”

Regardless of whether it’s Fernando Mendoza or Chandler Rogers under center, Roth likes the look of the Bears’ wideout group. He cited freshman Josiah Martin, who played well during the spring, newcomer Tobias Merriweather, formerly of Notre Dame, and returnee Trond Grizzell, who earned a scholarship this offseason after emerging last fall with 39 receptions for 590 yards and five touchdowns.

But he made special mention of Utah transfer Mikey Mathews, who figures to play the slot for the Bears. As a freshman last year season, playing for a Utes’ squad without an healthy, established quarterback, the 6-foot-9, 180-pounder caught 29 passes for 261 yards.

“Mikey Matthews is probably the guy I’d lean to,” Roth said. “He reminds me a little bit of Kyle Phillips . . . remember him, at UCLA? He’s a true slot guy.”

Phillips, at 5-11, 177 pounds, caught 59 passes for 739 yards and touchdowns for the Bruins in 2021, then was chosen in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.

If the offense comes together as Roth envisions, he sees good things ahead for the Bears.

“I love how their schedule lays out. There’s not many teams in the country that have the breaks that they have,” he said. “They don’t ever go back-to-back games on the road. So much was made, of course, about going east. It’s not that challenging to me, as it could have been.”

This demonstrates the favorable schedule rhythm Roth sees:

Aug. 31: vs. UC Davis

Sept. 7: at Auburn

Sept. 14: vs. San Diego State

Sept. 21: at Florida State

Sept. 28: bye

Oct. 5: vs. Miami

Oct. 12: at Pittsburgh

Oct. 19: vs. North Carolina State

Oct. 26: vs. Oregon State

Nov. 2: bye

Nov. 8: at Wake Forest

Nov. 16: vs. Syracuse

Nov. 23: vs. Stanford

Nov. 30: at SMU

Never more than four games without a bye. No cold-weather games. 

“Yes, Auburn on the road will be hard. But this team should be able to handle that environment — they were at Oregon in a night game last year on the road.” Roth said. “Auburn’s going to be crazy, Oregon’s crazy. This is a veteran team — run game travels. 

“Florida State is a different team than it was a year ago. It won’t be easy. But again, we watched (Cal) go down to Ole Miss a couple years ago and they didn’t flinch.”

“I like ‘em — I wish I was going to be able to see them every weekend. I’ll watch every game, I promise you that.”