BERKELEY – California got its 2023 spring football practices started Wednesday morning with a crisp workout under sunny skies at California Memorial Stadium.

"The guys were excited to play, and it was great for the coaches to get out here and work with them in this type of environment," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox said after the team's first official spring workout. "Now it's just practice, a lot of practice."

The Golden Bears' practice on Wednesday was the first of 15 spring sessions that will conclude with the team's annual Cal Football Spring Showcase on April 15 that will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks beginning at 2 p.m. PT. Cal will be on the field for seven more sessions over the next two-plus weeks through March 24 and seven from April 5-15 after returning from spring break.

Cal, who hired three new offensive coaches in the off-season including offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital, jumped right into its' workout Wednesday with three 11-on-11 team sessions that accounted for about 60 plays and another period of 7-on-7 work that featured 10 additional snaps.

"We've got to play the game," Wilcox said. "Our offense and our defense need to get 11-on-11."

Cal returns to practice Saturday at California Memorial Stadium with the workout beginning at 10:45 am PT. All practices are held at California Memorial Stadium, free and open to the public.

iron sharpens iron ??#GoBears pic.twitter.com/ODUK5JUzXR

— Cal Football (@CalFootball) March 9, 2023

NOTABLES

• Offensive highlights from the 11-on-11 sessions included connections from Sam Jackson V on the move to Monroe Young for about 50 yards in the first 11-on-11 and Fernando Mendoza to Jordan King for a 62-yard touchdown in the second, while Muelu Iosefa had a pick for the defense in the first
• Jackson had a couple of long runs as did Jaydn Ott and Byron Cardwell
• Craig Woodson had an impressive interception early in the 7-on-7 session when he covered about half the field on his way to the pick, while he also sacked Jackson after he was flushed from the pocket in 11-on-11 work
• Mendoza and King hooked up again for a 40-yard touchdown to the end of the practice during a one-play, one-on-one competition period
• The Bears practiced in spiders at "ghost" tempo
• Cal had 12 players go through their first official team workout for the Bears on Wednesday, including 10 of the team's 12 incoming mid-year transfers with the exceptions Justin Williams-Thomas and Brian Hightower. Wilcox announced during his post-game media session that Williams-Thomas would miss spring football but is expected to return to action in the fall, while Hightower is expected to be available for practice at some point this spring.

QUOTABLES

• Justin Wilcox on Sam Jackson V … "He's a great athlete, a sharp kid. He just needs practice, reps."
• Monroe Young on leadership … "I am trying to come into that leadership role, being the older guy in the room and taking these young guys under my wing."
• Brian Driscoll on team camaraderie … "We have a great locker room. Everybody hangs out together. We have a great time together. That camaraderie and team building is something that we've always had and are still doing our best to build upon. Especially in this new era where you are getting more transfers, one thing that has stayed the same is that this locker room is still a great place to be. Everybody loves our locker room."

Springin' into action ??#GoBears pic.twitter.com/A79tgfUC68

— Cal Football (@CalFootball) March 8, 2023