Here's the press release:

BERKELEY – The California men’s basketball team will face 2023 NCAA runner-up San Diego State on Saturday, Nov. 25, in the SoCal Showcase – a neutral-site game hosted at The Pavilion in San Juan Capistrano.

The nonconference contest will pit the Golden Bears and Aztecs against one another for the first time since 2018. Television/streaming details, fan experience information and the game time will be announced at a later date.

Cal and San Diego State have met 13 times prior, with the Aztecs owning a 7-6 all-time advantage. The Bears won the most recent pair of meetings; 63-62 on Dec. 9, 2017, in San Diego and 89-83 on Dec. 8, 2018, in Berkeley. San Diego State advanced to the NCAA title game last season and has reached three consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

The SoCal Showcase will be hosted at the same site as the SoCal Challenge – a multi-team event featuring Cal, Bradley, UTEP and Tulane – which will be played earlier the same week on Nov. 20 and 22.

The remainder of Cal’s 2023-24 nonconference schedule will be announced at a later date. Season tickets for the 2023-24 campaign are on sale now and can be purchased at CalBears.com/tickets or by calling (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) and pressing option 3.

I take a closer look at the new offense under offensive coordinator Jake Spavital as the Bears prepare to open up training camp this week with plenty of new faces set to the take the field.

Anyone have a chance to watch this movie yet? No spoiling but there were some awesome shots of Cal in it. Seeing the Campanile on the Big Screen made me homesick.

Anyways good movie and highly recommend

Baffled why CAL hasn't done this:

The fees collected for the Collegiate License Plate fund need-based scholarships and grants for participating colleges and universities in California. The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is currently the only plate available, and is sponsored by the UCLA Alumni Association. These plates can only be order by completing a Special Interest License Plate Application (REG 17) form and mailing it to the address on the bottom of the form.

Not directly Cal related but Miami booster has been quite prominently mentioned whenever Miami is involved with NIL. Looke like he may have a problem delivering on some promised NIL money, if the stories about his business are true.
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Signed the richest deal in NBA history today

The rest of the Pac-12 media is not as bullish on the Bears as I!

Oregon State OL Marco Brewer tears ACL. Beavers have a very experienced OL so it's probably not the problem it would be for some teams. https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/...uard-out-for-2023-season-with-acl-injury.html

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Seems like this group could surprise especially if our new scheme/coaching is just average...3 of 5 spots new/experienced (includes getting Cindric back) vs. the group on the field for our final 7 games last year (6 losses):

C/G- Cindric 6-4 300, 33 career starts
C/G- Miller 6-5 310, 30
G- Vitikani 6-3 320, 9 (our best young interior talent)
T- Wykoff 6-6 325, 9 (All-SEC freshman, started final 7 games @ center)
T- Rohme 6-6 290, 15

back-ups:
C/G- Driscoll 6-4 320, 12
T- Session 6-4 305, 17
T- Ramsey 6-5 295, 0
T- Tine 6-6 310 ??

Seems like Wykoff has to play tackle to have our best 5 on the field. I know he said he would play anywhere, and at 6-6 I would assume they slide him to RT. Thoughts?

A) When does fall camp start? Is there a schedule?
B) Is it open to the public?
C) Will there be coverage of fall camp by this site?

Thanks

Right here:

The official preseason poll will be released later this week, but here’s how I voted. I have Cal higher than I’m seeing most other places. I’m curious where you all would slot the Bears.

1. USC
2. Washington
3. Utah
4. Oregon
5. Oregon State
6. Cal
7. UCLA
8. Washington State
9. Colorado
10. Arizona
11. Arizona State
12. Stanford

I also voted Jaydn Ott, Jackson Sirmon, Brett Johnson and Jeremiah Earby for the preseason all-conference teams.

I’m transcribing my Spav interview this afternoon and writing off it. Celebrated my dad’s 67th bday with him in Maryland on Saturday and flew back to LA yesterday, but locked in for the long haul now. It’s officially football season for me.

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And thus, we don't have to hear Shocky begging for ST recruits for a while (I hope)

Roster has been updated on official team website for Camp. Couple of notable changes below.

Recent Departures (Non-Transfer):

#22 Justin Richard Baker
#46 Jake Muller
#59 Ryan Puskas
#89 Tommy Christakos

Notable Position Changes:

- Curlee Thomas IV from OLB to DL
- Jaedon Roberts from DL to OL
- Frederick Williams III DL to OL

Notable Heights/Weights:

OL #74 Matthew Wykoff 6'6" 325
OL #70 Martin Tine 6'6" 310
OL #62 Barrett Miller 6'5" 310
OL #68 Trent Ramsey 6'5 295 (At 270 last season)
OLB #44 Xavier Carlton 6'6" 270
OLB #47 Moso'oipala Tuitele 6'4" 250 (At 235 last season)
OLB #50 Tidiane Jalloh 6'5" 270
QB #15 Fernando Mendoza 6'5" 220
WR #7 Brian Hightower 6'3" 215
WR #85 Marquis Montgomery 6'4" 220
WR #13 Nyziah Hunter 6'2" 200 (playable size)
ILB #27 Cade Uluave 6'1" 230 (playable size)
DL #91 Ricky Correia 6'4" 335
DL #94 Stanley Soale-McKenzie 6'2" 320
DL #52 Zurich Ashford 6'2" 280 (played senior year at 255)
DL #95 Akili Calhoun 6'4" 285 (At 270 last season)


New Numbers (Includes Scholarship/Prospective Scholarship Players):

#1 Jadyn Ott
#3 Nohl Williams
#4 Kaylin Moore
#5 Sam Jackson
#6 Jeremiah Earby
#7 Brian Hightower
#7 David Reese
#9 Taj Davis
#9 Patrick McMorris
#10 Ben Finley
#10 Sergio Allen
#13 Nyziah Hunter
#16 Michael Luckhurst
#17 Luke Bottari
#21 Byron Cardwell
#22 Isaiah Ifanse
#23 King Doerue
#24 Marcus Scott
#25 Jaivian Thomas
#25 Sai Vadrawale
#27 Cade Uluave
#32 Blake Antzoulatos
#37 Lachlan Wilson
#40 Ben Marshall
#43 Ryan Mccullough
#45 David Bird
#50 Tidiane Jalloh
#51 Curlee Thomas IV
#52 Zurich Ashford
#54 Frederick Williams III
#62 Barrett Miller
#70 Martin Tine
#74 Matthew Mykoff
#81 Marquez Dortch
#82 Kendon Robinson Jr.
#83 Trond Grizzel
#85 Marquis Montgomery
#88 JT Byrne
#89 Asher Alberding
#94 Stanley Soale-McKenzie
#97 Tiumalu Afalava

Here are the main stage interviews from Pac-12 Media Day in Las Vegas. We also got the side media session on video. I will be writing a takeaways piece later tonight.

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Matthew Cindric said he is playing center so that answers that.

Wilcox still wouldn’t clarify the injury situation at RB, but he did make it clear Jaydn Ott is going to be used heavily.

Wilcox reiterated that Patrick McMorris and Nohl Williams are going to be factors in the secondary.

Jackson Sirmon also touted the depth of the defense.

No further clarity on the QB situation, but we addressed that in depth earlier this week.

Wilcox was more engaging and relaxed this year than last.

Will have more for you …

Cal is focusing its official visits on the month of June, and there are already a wave of prospects planning visits to see Berkeley in the coming weeks. There are three big weekends so far with several notable targets on the list, including numerous prospects who have already made it on campus for unofficial visits this spring or earlier in the process. That gives a good indication of the priority targets in the 2024 class and some of the recruits who are also reciprocating interest in the Bears.

Cal has done a good job of landing the last spring official visits for a number of targets in the class. Traditionally, being the last school to host a recruit for an official visit before the summer is a good sign for a potential commitment. Here's a look at the initial list that could and probably will change in the coming weeks. We will update it as any news happens.

June 9-11

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Login to view embedded media (Other OVs: UTSA - May 26, Purdue - June 16)

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**Logan Saldate no longer taking OV this weekend

Here's the main story from my half-hour interview with Jake Spavital, taking stock of where things stand ahead of fall camp:

Jackson Sirmon gets first-team recognition while Jaydn Ott and Craig Woodson make the second-team. A number of honorable mentions as well.

2023 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

* Will be representing their school at Pac-12 Media Day.

ALL-PAC-12 HONORABLE MENTION (received votes from four or more members of the media):

QUARTERBACK: *Bo Nix, Oregon

RUNNING BACK: Michael Wiley, Arizona; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona St.; Austin Jones, USC; Nakia Watson, Washington St.

WIDE RECEIVER: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona; Jeremiah Hunter, California; *Travis Hunter, Colorado; Troy Franklin, Oregon

TIGHT END: *Jalin Conyers, Arizona St.; Terrance Ferguson, Oregon;

OFFENSIVE LINE: Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona; Matthew Cindric, California; Sioape Vatikani, California; Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon; Josh Conerly, Jr., Oregon; Ajani Cornelius, Oregon; Heneli Bloomfield, Oregon St.; Garrett DiGiorgio, UCLA; Duke Clemens, UCLA; Michael Mokofisi, Utah; Roger Rosengarten, Washington

DEFENSIVE LINE: Brett Johnson, California; Jordan Burch, Oregon; James Rawls, Oregon St.; Bear Alexander, USC; Kyon Barrs, USC; Jonah Elliss, Utah

LINEBACKER: Justin Flowe, Arizona; *Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon; Eason Mascarenas-Arnold, Oregon St.; David Bailey, Stanford; Shane Lee, USC; *Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington; Alphonzo Tuputala, Washington

DEFENSIVE BACK: Ro Torrence, Arizona State; Jeremiah Earby, California; Patrick McMorris, California; Trikweze Bridges, Oregon; Nikko Reed, Oregon; Ryan Cooper, Oregon St.; Christian Roland-Wallace, USC; JaTravis Broughton, Utah; Zemaiah Vaughn, Utah; Asa Turner, Washington; Jaden Hicks, Washington State

PLACE KICKER: Tyler Loop, Arizona; Dean Janikowski, Washington St.

PUNTER: Kyle Ostendorp, Arizona; Lachlan Wilson, California; Mark Vassett, Colorado

ALL-PURPOSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: Slater Zellers, Arizona St.; Jesiah Irish, Oregon St.; Jaden Green, Washington

RETURN SPECIALIST: Jimmy Horn, Jr., Colorado; Raleek Brown, USC

I truly have high expectations for next season which will more than compensate for the increased (more than doubled) cost of my two courtside seats. I was told by one of the returning players that our current roster is deep and ridiculously talented. Fingers crossed for the historical turn around that Madsen is forecasting

Justin Wilcox goes on at 2:45 PT. Matt and I will be there writing off it and uploading video.