Pronunciation
PUSS-kiss
Puskas' Cal Career Game Highs
Tackles: 4 (vs. Arizona, 2022)
Tackles For Loss: 1.0 (vs. Arizona, 2022)
Tackle For Loss Yards: 8 (vs. Arizona, 2022)
Quarterback Hurries: 1 (vs. Arizona, 2022)
Cal Career (2019-22)
– Played in 16 games with one start over four seasons since his 2019 arrival, seeing action in all but his 2020 sophomore COVID campaign
– Contributed 15 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss (-8 yards) and 1.0 sack (-8 yards)
– A two-time Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll selection as a 2021 freshman and 2022 sophomore
– Entered the transfer portal following the 2022 season
Sophomore (2022)
– Played in seven games including his lone career start
– Contributed a career-high-tyinjg five tackles, as well as his lone career 1.0 sack (-8 yards) and 1.0 tackle for loss (-8 yards)
– Earned his second straight Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll selection
–
UC Davis (W, 34-13) – did not play
–
UNLV (W, 20-14) – played but did not record any statistics other than participation
–
at Notre Dame (L, 17-24) – 1 tackle
–
Arizona (W, 49-31) – 4 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss (-8 yards), 1.0 sack (-8 yards), 1 quarterback hurry ... career-high tackles ... lone career tackle for loss, tackle for loss yards, sack, sack yards and quarterback hurry
–
at Washington State (L, 9-28) – did not play
–
at Colorado (L, 13-20, OT) – played but did not record any statistics other than participation
–
Washington (L, 21-28) – played but did not record any statistics other than participation
–
Oregon (L, 24-42) – played but did not record any statistics other than participation
–
at USC (L, 35-41) – played but did not record any statistics other than participation
–
at Oregon State (L, 10-38) – did not play
–
Stanford (W, 27-20) – did not play
–
UCLA (L, 28-35) – did not play
Freshman (2021)
– Played in the season's final five games all off the bench and contributed five tackles
– Had two tackles in back-to-back games at Stanford and Arizona before getting one in the season-finale against USC
Freshman (2020)
– Did not play
Freshman (2019)
– Redshirted
– Played in four of the team's final five games off the bench primarily on special teams with the lone exception during the stretch at UCLA after not playing in the team's first eight games of the campaign
– Contributed five tackles
– Registered two stops against USC
– Had one tackle each vs. Washington State in his collegiate debut, at Stanford and in the Redbox Bowl against Illinois
– Named Cal's Scout Team Co-Defensive Player of the Week for the Golden Bears' preparation prior to Washington State win
Liberty HS (Class Of 2019)
– Played four seasons of varsity football and combined for 251 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, 11 interceptions that he returned for 145 yards, 20 pass deflections, three fumble recoveries that he returned for 71 yards and 10 blocked kicks for teams that combined for a 30-15 record and reached the postseason each of his four campaigns
– Set a school record with his 11 career interceptions while his 251 career tackles are fifth
– Was a team captain each of his final two campaigns as a 2017 junior and 2018 senior
– Earned Conference 6A All-State, first-team Desert Valley Region, Top 25 Allstate Best of the Best and team MVP honors as a senior in his first season as a linebacker when he contributed 78 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-12 yards), five quarterback hurries, two interceptions that he returned seven yards, four pass deflections and one blocked kick for a team that finished 10-2 overall and reached the second round of the Conference 6A State playoffs
– Was the Desert Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year as well as an Allstate first-team selection for the second consecutive season and Top 25 Allstate Best of the Best selection as a defensive back in his junior campaign when he contributed 85 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, four interceptions that he returned 79 yards, five pass deflections, one fumble that he returned 53 yards and four blocked kicks for a team that finished 11-2 overall, won the 5A Northwest Football League with a perfect 4-0 mark and reached the semifinals of the Conference 5A State playoffs
– Was the Desert Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year as well as an Allstate first-team selection for the first of two straight campaigns as a 2016 sophomore when he had 54 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-27 yards), three interceptions that he returned 59 yards, eight pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and five blocked kicks for a team that finished 7-4 overall and reached the opening round of the Conference 5A State playoffs
– Also had 13 rushes for 60 yards and three touchdowns as a junior and three kick returns for 94 yards as a sophomore
– A second-team All-Section and All-District selection as well as a member of the All-Arizona underclassman team as a 2015 freshman when he had 44 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, one quarterback hurry and three pass deflections for a team that reached the opening round of the Conference 5A State playoffs
– Wore No. 20 in his final three seasons after suiting up as No. 41 in his freshman campaign
– Also participated in one campaign of track and field as a 2016 freshman
Recruiting Notes And Ratings (As Of December 18, 2018)
Stars: 247Sports (3), 247Sports Composite (3), ESPN (3), Rivals (3)
National Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports Composite (1412), 247Sports (1438)
National Outside Linebacker Ratings: 247Sports (99), 247Sports Composite (106), ESPN (110)
Regional Overall Player Ratings: ESPN (188)
Arizona Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports (19), 247Sports Composite (28), ESPN (28)
Ratings/Scout Grades: 247Sports Composite (0.8377), 247Sports (83), ESPN (74), Rivals (5.5)
Other
– Born December 5, 2000
– Son of Mark and Barbara Puskas
– Graduated from Cal in May of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture
Last Updated
June 3, 2023
