Cal Scrimmages For First Time This Spring

BERKELEY – Cal suited up in full pads for the first time this spring on Saturday and ran approximately 100 plays from the line of scrimmage at California Memorial Stadium. The intense practice ended when Robby Rowell found Justin Richard Baker for a four-yard touchdown on a fade route in the back right corner of the end zone for the ninth touchdown play during four sessions of 11-on-11 work. Seven of the scores came during red zone work, one in a fastball period and two in the full-tackle play the game session that ended the workout.

Zach Johnson threw touchdowns to five different receivers (Gavin Reinwald, Kekoa Crawford, Collin Moore, Nick Alftin, Jeremiah Hunter) while Rowell added three scoring strikes to Tommy Christakos, Aidan Lee and Baker. Ashton Stredick had the lone rushing score with a six-yard scoring carry during red zone action.

Johnson and Hunter provided the offensive highlight of the scrimmage when they connected on the longest play from scrimmage on a 45-yard touchdown during the second offensive drive of the full-tackle period.

A defense that stopped the offense on 17 drives including five of seven during the full-tackle period recorded its highlight on the first drove of that period when Chigozie Anusiem intercepted Chase Garbers in the end zone after Cal's offense had driven 59 yards to the one-yard line of the defense. Damien Moore's 23-yard rush had moved the offense to the one-yard line but Evan Tattersall saved a touchdown on the play by stopping Moore short of the goal line and then the defensive stiffened, holding Moore to no gain on his next carry and then forcing two incomplete passes by Garbers before Anusiem's pick.

Johnson put up the best passing numbers of the four quarterbacks in the scrimmage, completing 14-of-16 passes for 151 yards and the five touchdowns. Rowell was 6-of-9 for 81 yards and his three scores, while Garbers was 7-of-17 for 35 yards and one interception, and Spencer Brasch finished 1-of-3 for 29 yards.

Damien Moore led 10 different ball carries with eight rushes for 55 yards, while Christopher Brown Jr. carried seven times for 52 yards and Stredick had five carries for 26 yards and one touchdown.

Tommy Christakos (3-65, 1 TD), Trevon Clark (3-23), Kekoa Crawford (3-18, 1 TD) and Damien Moore (3-17) each had three catches and were among 14 different receivers combining to catch 28 balls.

The defense forced 5.0 sacks including 2.0 from Orin Patu during the play the game period. Erick Nisich, Ryan Puskas and Jaedon Roberts each added 1.0 sack. Raymond Woodie III had a scrimmage-high five tackles while Trey Paster had four among a total of 35 players on the defensive stat sheet.