Catching Up with the Golden Bears

BERKELEY – The Golden Bears are back on campus this week with the beginning the 2014 spring semester and CalBears.com caught up with a few of them to ask what they’ve been doing since the 2013 season ended last November and what they are looking forward to in 2014. Here’s what they had to say?

Can you talk about your excitement being back on campus attending classes and working out in the offseason conditioning program?

Michael Barton: I’m very excited for this spring semester. It is the best time to prepare our bodies and focus more on academics. Being able to be more involved with the student life and activities on campus is always great.

Jared Goff: I'm excited to be back on campus to see all the students, coaches and my teammates again. I'm also excited to get started with the offseason workouts and the team is as well.

Stefan McClure: I am excited to start class this spring as I am only 30 units away from graduating and I am taking 17 units this semester. I am looking forward to my Sociology 121 class. I am also excited and looking forward to the offseason conditioning program as an opportunity to get back on the field working to get better.

Brennan Scarlett: I am very excited to get back into the swing of things with school and workouts. I am ready to get to work and prepare myself for a successful spring.

Bryce Treggs: I am extremely excited to begin the spring semester due to the fact that last semester was not successful on the field. This offseason program is going to set the tone for next season so we can achieve our goals as a team.

What are your goals between now and when spring practices begin the week of Mar. 31?

Barton: My goal coming into spring ball is to be in the best shape of my life. I know that with our 10-week strength and conditioning program I can push my limits and be ready for spring.

Goff: My main goal is to be as healthy as possible. I want to be 100% or as close to it as possible by spring ball.

McClure: My goals between now and when spring practice starts are to … No. 1 get 100% healthy and No. 2 make sure we (the team) are all working hard in the weight room and conditioning, getting stronger and faster.

Scarlett: I want to get my body fit and ready to allow myself to have the best spring possible. Keeping my body strong and healthy is the main goal as I get ready to start spring practice.

Treggs: My main goals are to improve as a leader and bring our team together as a family. Individually I would like to become a lot stronger. 

How did school finish up for you last semester?

Barton: Last semester was tedious but okay because it was my first time managing playing football with a full academic course load. I was able to manage and learn better time management for this coming season.

Goff: School finished up great for me. I passed all my classes pretty easily and got my first A in a college class.

McClure: Last semester finished good for me. I earned a grade point average of 3.0 for my third consecutive semester. I am looking to continue that success this spring as I take 17 units and am closing in on graduation.

Scarlett: School finished up well for me. It was my first semester in the Haas School of Business so it was a very important semester for me in regards to getting myself acclimated to the new courses. I worked hard though and managed to pull out A’s and B’s in all of my classes.

Treggs: School at Cal is challenging for all of us and something I’m always looking to improve upon.

What did you do over the break? Did you do anything fun? How did you go about preparing for your return to Cal?

Barton: Over the break I stuffed my face with home cooked meals. I was able to visit with family and friends before I came back and started school.

Goff: I did a lot of rehab over the break, but the one fun thing that I did was I went to Tahoe with some of my close friends for three days.

McClure: Over my break I spent a lot of time with my family and friends, and doing rehab. I also saw Ride Along a couple days ago.

Scarlett: I stayed in Portland over the break. I spent a lot of time with family. I went to my little siblings’ basketball and volleyball games. Besides that I just made sure to stay in shape in preparing to return to Cal.

Treggs: My break mostly consisted of hanging out with friends and working out. I worked out six days a week so I could be prepared for the offseason program. 

What did you learn from a difficult 2013 season to help you in 2014?

Barton: Looking back on last year, I know now what I need to improve on as a teammate, student and leader in order to become a championship team. I will be relentless and will not settle for anything less than perfection for 2014.

Goff: I learned that things that are special don't come easy. You need to put in the time and effort to achieve what you want to.

McClure: I learned that no matter what happens throughout the course of the game the most important thing is the next play.

Scarlett: I learned that you can’t stress over things that you cannot control. Worry about what you can control and do to help. Then you must trust that everything will work out from there.

Treggs: The 2013 season is the past. I don't want to talk about that. I'm just focused on making sure that we don't have a season like our last one.

What are going to be the keys to improve in 2014?

Barton: Our key to improvement this year will be leadership. We will need some guys including myself to guide and bring this team together. Another key will be brotherhood. The great teams always think of themselves as brothers who will do selfless acts and give a perfect effort for the man next to them.

Goff: Improving all around, both offense and defense.

McClure: The keys to improve in 2014 are going to be to play the next play, come together more as a family and hold ourselves accountable.

Scarlett: Staying healthy and getting our defense on the same page.

Treggs: Offensively we need to make plays downfield more often. Running the ball will also help us a lot this upcoming season.

Are there any themes or motivations for 2014?

Barton: Our theme for this year will be "Blue Collar, Gold Swagger". We want to push ourselves to our limits in the weight room and on the field conditioning during this off-season, and prepare in the film room and on the practice field for a beautiful result on game days.

McClure: For 2014 a theme for us is consistent hard work beats talent every time. There are several motivational aspects for this upcoming season. We all have something to prove, from the coaches to the players to the academic support, we will all be working hard in 2014.

Scarlett: 1-11

Treggs: Blue collar, Gold swagger. Enough said.

Goff: Blue collar, Gold swagger.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

Barton: My New Year’s resolution is the same as it will be every year, and that is to be a champion in everything I do.

Goff: No resolutions

McClure: My New Year’s resolution is to work on my perspective of how I look at situations and trust God's plan because everything happens for a reason. It just depends how you look at it.

Scarlett: No. But treating my body better in order to stay healthy would be the first to come to mind.

Treggs: My resolution is to achieve my full potential in football and also in academics.