Davis shines on defense, special teams

Ashtyn Davis couldn’t decide if his favorite play during Saturday’s 45-23 victory over Idaho State was his seventh career interception or his 89yard kick return for a touchdown.

According to head coach

Justin Wilcox, it was something entirely different.

In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Davis chased down Mitch Gueller from behind after the receiver beat

Elijah Hicks for a reception and appeared to have a clear path for a 71-yard touchdown.

Davis caught Gueller at the 8-yard line, and four plays later, Idaho State had to settle for a field goal.

“We’ll show that (in the team’s video session Monday),” Wilcox said. “… Just the effort and the intention to go make a play and not give up on it, that’ll absolutely be one that we show.

“Everybody can learn from that.”

Special day for special teams:

Along with Davis’ kick-return touchdown, freshman Nikko

Remigio added a 46-yard punt return.

With Vic Wharton III

struggling and Kanawai Noa

unavailable, Cal turned to Remigio as the punt returner, and he set up a touchdown by darting from the 50 to the 4-yard line on one of his four returns.

“I was nervous the first few plays, but I told myself: ‘You’ve just got to run. Get out of there.’ As soon as I convinced myself to do that, it all worked out,” said Remigio, who didn’t play in the first two games. “… I’ve been waiting for it, so to finally get the moment and that shot to do what I’ve been waiting and preparing to do, it felt good.”

Briefly: Redshirt freshman

quarterback Chase Garbers set career highs in completions (20), passing yards (224) and touchdown throws (three), and sophomore Brandon McIlwain threw his first Cal touchdown pass — finding Jeremiah Hawkins for a 4-yarder. … Senior safety Quentin Tartabull and sophomore defensive end Tevin Paul were weekly captains, joining season-long captains senior inside linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk and senior running back Patrick Laird.