Cal Fans Demand Accountability – And They Have a Right to It
The surge of football departures into the transfer portal has sparked frustration and anger among Cal fans. When we last heard from Cal football coach Justin Wilcox just five days ago, as spring practice wrapped up, he said:
“I feel really good about where the team can be. We’ve got a lot of areas where we’ve got to continue to improve. I’m very confident.”
But earlier this year, in late February, basketball coach Mark Madsen made a strong promise:
“Key players are going to be retained. And every effort is going to be made to retain key players.”
Those promises quickly fell apart.
Even before the spring football transfer portal officially opened on Wednesday, star running back Jaydn Ott announced his departure. Tight end Jack Endries, who was the team’s top pass catcher last season, followed suit. Oakland’s Jaivian Thomas, who had stepped up when Ott was injured last season, also entered the portal—becoming the fifth Cal running back to do so in a matter of days.
Ott is expected to head to Oklahoma, and 247Sports is predicting that Endries will commit to Texas. Thomas’s future destination remains unknown, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be at Memorial Stadium for fall camp.
This exodus follows quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s defection to Indiana after the regular season, adding to the frustration.
In basketball, guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who had emerged as one of the program’s most promising freshmen, transferred to Georgia. Despite his strong performance, particularly after becoming a starter, Cal couldn’t keep him. Six other players from Madsen’s roster have also entered the portal, though sophomore Andrej Stojakovic, the team’s best player, is staying for now.
Even the women’s basketball team, which made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019, saw two-year starter Marta Suarez leave for TCU.
The transfer portal, NIL deals, and imminent profit-sharing direct payments to athletes have completely transformed college sports, leaving many schools scrambling to adapt. There’s been little to no regulation to manage this new reality.
Cal officials, including Chancellor Rich Lyons, have repeatedly said they’ll remain competitive and improve outcomes. However, their efforts so far have fallen short.
As a result, Cal fans are understandably panicked and venting on social media. There are certainly more pressing issues in the world, but for Golden Bears fans, this is serious. They invest their hearts and finances into Cal’s sports programs, and right now they are frustrated, angry, and confused. Did I miss anything?
Cal fans deserve clear answers—not vague reassurances or generic press releases. They deserve to hear from Justin Wilcox, athletic director Jim Knowlton, or newly hired football general manager Ron Rivera, who is responsible for roster management. Some fans are even calling for Rivera to have full control of the football program.
The fans need to understand how the situation got to this point and what steps were taken to prevent it. Is this all about money? If not, what are the other factors at play?
And most importantly, what is being done to turn things around?
We reached out to Cal athletics this morning for interviews with Wilcox, Knowlton, or Rivera. We were told we’d hear back soon, but with no details provided.
It’s misplaced to direct anger at the players. The system gives them the opportunity to improve their circumstances, and who can honestly say they wouldn’t do the same in their shoes?
Like it or not, this is the new era of college athletics. If Cal wants to compete at a high level, it must step up. This will be difficult and costly, but it’s the current reality. Cal fans deserve nothing less than honest answers.
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