As Cal's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Mike Bloesch has a rare dual role on the Golden Bears' staff. But when he took the field Wednesday for his first training camp practice with both of those responsibilities, he felt right at home.

"I think one thing that makes me different than some of the offensive coordinators is that I truly understand what all 11 guys are doing to a tee," Bloesch said. "There's not a lot of guys like me around the country who are both the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, and I have a ton of respect for all of those guys because it's not easy."

It may not be easy, but it's also not new to Bloesch, who held both positions in each of his first two seasons at North Texas in his previous stop and was the offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator for his entire three-year tenure with the Mean Green.

When he moved to Berkeley for the 2023 campaign, he relinquished his offensive coordinator duties but made an immediate impact as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. His first Cal offensive line helped Jaydn Ott become the Pac-12's leading rusher and the Bears post their best rushing numbers since 2012.

So, when former offensive coordinator Jake Spavital left for Baylor right after the 2023 regular season, the decision to elevate Bloesch into the role was swift.

"Mike Bloesch has made a huge impact in his first season with our program, and we are excited to give him the opportunity to make an even greater impact moving forward," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox said when Bloesch was promoted on Dec. 2, 2023.

One thing that was important to the now 38-year-old Bloesch was that he continued to coach the team's offensive line.

"If we're not good up front, it doesn't matter what we're doing offensively," Bloesch said. "My mentality has always been that if I'm the guy calling the plays I want to coach the offensive line."
His offensive linemen like it, too.

"It gives us confidence because we know he's always going to have our back," said sixth-year senior T.J. Session, who will play for an offensive line coach who is also his offensive coordinator for the first time in his career in 2024. "He brings that offensive lineman mentality to the entire offense."

And what mentality should fans expect to see from Cal's new play-caller?

"We've got one of the best running backs in America in Jaydn Ott, so everything's going to start with that," Bloesch said. "We'll be able to run downhill, but we've also got to keep people honest and not let them load the box on us. You will see us be highly creative in how we get Jaydn the ball, and you will also see us be aggressive down the field, get vertical and take our shots."

Bloesch will have six different offensive linemen with more than 20 collegiate starts each to block for Ott and help protect two experienced college quarterbacks in Fernando Mendoza and Chandler Rogers, who will largely be throwing to wide receiver and tight end position groups that feature top returnees in wide receiver Trond Grizzell and 2023 freshman All-American tight end Jack Endries, as well as a combined six FBS transfers.

"We are in a great spot at the quarterback position, and we also have talented people around them," Bloesch said. "Fernando and Chandler are both really good football players. I feel like we have two legit starting quarterbacks, so what I've told them is it's going to come down to who consistently moves the football."

And Bloesch has brought in a face familiar to him to coach the quarterbacks in long-time offensive guru Sterlin Gilbert, who has served as the offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at six Division I schools, most recently at Syracuse.

Bloesch and Gilbert first met about 20 years ago when Bloesch was an offensive lineman and Gilbert a graduate assistant at Houston before both later became Texas high school coaches. They hadn't worked together since both were on the Tulsa staff in 2015.

 "We hadn't worked together in almost a decade, but as soon as he walked in the door this past spring, it was like we had worked together last week," Bloesch said. "It was awesome."

Another thing that is awesome to Bloesch is training camp, and he's excited that the 2024 edition is underway.

"Every year in training camp there are guys who emerge and take advantage of their opportunities, and it's fun to see that," Bloesch said. "The cream really does rise to the top. That's the most exciting thing for me."

Bloesch will have more to be excited about when training camp continues with practice two on Thursday. All Cal football practices through Aug. 17 are free and open to the public at California Memorial Stadium.