Few athletes — let alone 6'3" linebackers — can pull off a play Cameron Goode executed with ease in last season's home opener against North Carolina.
 
Early in the second quarter, Goode showed blitz before dropping into coverage, spearheading a pass from Tar Heel quarterback Nathan Elliott just as the ball eclipsed the line of scrimmage. Seven seconds later, the rising star was posing in the endzone for the first of Cal's five pick-sixes of the 2018 fall campaign.
 
That was just one of several plays in which Goode put his fingerprints all over in the Bears' season-opening win. It was a sign of things to come for Goode's teammates on the defensive side of the ball, accentuating a defensive-theme that would ultimately set the tone for the coming months.
 
But just as the Cal defense's breakout year was getting started, the man who established that theme during week one saw his season come to a premature end — seemingly in the blink of an eye. A couple of hours following his highlight-reel of a first half, the Bears' young playmaker was being taped up and carted out of California Memorial Stadium with a lower body injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the year. It was the second straight campaign his season ended prematurely due to injury.
 
Six months later, Goode is back — still sporting his No. 19 practice uniform, but with a new look and a fresh mindset.
 
"I gained about 15-20 pounds (this offseason) so that's definitely going to help me be more physical on the field," Goode said. "I mostly want to be feeling 100 percent with the defense and with my injury, doing the little things right after rehabbing, and getting back to full speed."
 
It's no secret that time away from the field can change an athlete's perspective. As Cal's defense produced one of its most successful years in history, Goode was working to regain the physical stability that had turned him into one of the top linebackers in the Pac-12 conference.
 
To a reasonable extent, seeing his teammates hold down the fort pushed his motivation to newfound heights.
 
"When you take something away, guys tend to realize how important something is to them," said defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, who also leads the outside linebackers group. "They want to get back, be with their teammates and having Cam be on the sidelines watching our team have success; he was happy for them but disappointed that he couldn't add to that success."
 
"That tends to light the fire under you."
 
This spring, the fire is burning. When healthy, Goode lines up as arguably the top playmaker on a defense full of electric personalities, from a savvy defensive line, to a suffocating secondary to a nasty linebackers core. But after suffering back-to-back season-ending injuries during his first two seasons in blue and gold, Goode's primary focus right now is regaining full trust with his body.
 
"I'm very motivated as always, but I really do want to make an impact on this team and help us get wins," Goode said. "That's what's most important to me, and I just have to gain my trust back in my body so I can play hard and play freely."
 
Cal fans have seen what Goode brings to the table when he plays freely. But as one of the team's more experienced outside linebackers heading into the 2019 season, his role will expand two-fold — almost by default, he's an innate leader for his position group both on and off the field.
 
Being healthy for spring practices was the first step. Now, finding his voice, to replace that of a former mentor, is as much of a priority as his speed.
 
"Losing my man Alex [Funches], he was definitely one of the biggest leaders in our group," Goode said. "It's hard replacing that because he's a little bit more vocal than me. But I just have to be able to step up like him since I'm one of the older guys now and be able to lead the younger guys. "I feel like our outside linebackers group is really hungry. There are a ton of guys working to see the field and that's really important to be able to push each other."
 
Whether it's following in Funches' footsteps, setting the edge – or preferably both – DeRuyter has challenged Goode to embrace his new opportunity.
 
"We've challenged him to be more of a leader, which he's done," DeRuyter said. "We know he's going to be a playmaker. Because of his ability and because he's been here, guys naturally look up to him and he's done a nice job of accepting that role and leading guys by example."
 
With the help of head strength and conditioning coach Torre Becton and his mother's spaghetti (Goode's favorite home-cooked meal), the 2019 edition of Goode is bigger, stronger, and just as fast as his former self. In less than six months, he expects to be right back where he was last year — setting a more physical edge to yet another breakout season.
 
"I'm looking forward to playing in a game," Goode said. "It's been hard sitting out so long, so I'm just excited for our first game."
 
With an undeniable poise on the field and an approachable personality with his teammates, it's safe to say that there are more Goode times ahead for Cal football.