You never know when your number might be called. When you're an untested freshman playing Division I football, that tends to ring especially true.

After inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon went down with a season-ending injury in the sixth game of the California football team's season against then-No. 15 Oregon State, the door was opened for a new player to take his spot in the center of the defense. Luckily for the Golden Bears, Cade Uluave was ready.

"When Jackson got hurt, I was sitting on the sideline. Everyone was saying, 'Cade, you're up.' It was my turn," Uluave said. "I was like, 'Man, this is my shot.' My heart was beating a little bit, but at the end of the day, this is why I came here. To play ball."

Despite not having played a single snap on defense to that point, Uluave – a true freshman who was still attending Mountain Ridge High School near Salt Lake City roughly four months prior – suddenly found himself filling the shoes of a two-time All-Pac-12 and 2023 All-American preseason selection. 

One week later, Uluave got his first real taste of meaningful minutes at then-No. 16 Utah. After playing the entire second half, he was able to demonstrate what has become a much-praised ability to find the ball, finishing with nine tackles which were just one shy of game-high honors.

"That was where I felt like I've kind of proven myself. That definitely boosted my confidence," Uluave said. "It was cool to play against my home state as well. I was out there having a blast. Everything started clicking and things started going up from there."

While numbers don't always tell the story of how successful or integral a player is on the defensive side of the ball, Uluave's production quickly became undeniable. Over a four-game span, he totaled 41 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks, to go with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a touchdown – all team highs.

"He's got that baller gene," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox said. "To have the amount of production he's had with a limited number of starts, with his instincts, the game comes pretty natural for him. He finds the football and he can make plays. I think we've all seen that."

In the Bears' home finale against Washington State on Nov. 11, Uluave broke through into the national spotlight with a stat sheet-stuffing performance in which he helped force three turnovers.

On a 4th-and-1 during the Cougars' opening possession, Uluave opened the game's scoring with a strip, scoop and score that went 51 yards. By the end of the day, he led the Bears in tackles for the first time, had 1.5 stops for a loss, two fumble recoveries, and even ended the game with an interception on the final play to seal a 42-39 Cal victory.

"I've coached 4 or 5 different freshman All-Americans at some of my different stops, and I think one of the similarities Cade shares with those guys is that they are all extremely consistent," said defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Peter Sirmon. "They don't behave like newcomers in terms of the ups and downs where life outside of football gets a little bit out of balance. Cade has his life in order, he comes from a wonderful family, and he's been very consistent in his approach."

Speaking of family, Cade – who is of Tongan descent – is not the only Uluave who has represented the Bears in recent years. His cousin, Semisi, also played at Cal as an offensive lineman from 2015-18.

"We have a very big family back in Utah and in Hawaii as well. They've been out to almost every game," Cade said. "When I was on my official visit here, Semisi came and had dinner with us. He was telling me everything good about Cal and didn't have a single bad thing to say, so I was like, 'I guess I got to go here.'"

Relatively speaking, not much time has passed since Cade's first visit as a potential recruit, but much has changed. After starting out on the Bears' special team unit, he played a key part in Cal's late-season run to a bowl game while ending the regular season as a First-Team Freshman All-American (The Athletic, College Football News), being named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman Player of the Year and earning three Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.

While they might not have predicted all of these accolades during the preseason, Uluave's coaches attribute his success and durability to his preparation on and off the field.

"As a freshman plays, their body is not prepared for the amount of reps they're going to take, but for him to hang in there late in the season, it means he's been taking care of his body," Sirmon said. "All season long, Cade has worked hard in the meeting room and the weight room to continue to stay available. He's doing all the necessary things, he's got a bright future and we're excited that he'll continue to develop."

As Uluave looks ahead to his first bowl game this Saturday against Texas Tech, he is approaching it with a full understanding of the importance of his role as one of the team's defensive anchors.

"I've definitely learned responsibility this year. I know people are relying on me," Uluave said. "Every snap is an opportunity. An opportunity to make a play to benefit the team. When your name is called, you know all eyes are on you and that you've got to step up. At the end of the day, if you know your job and do your job, things will work out."

The Bears take on the Red Raiders in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. PT.