No hurry to name starting quarterback
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox wasn’t ready to name a starting quarterback Wednesday night despite completing the team’s 15th practice — the midway point between the start of training camp and the season opener Sept. 2 at North Carolina.
Junior Chase Forrest, sophomore Ross Bowers, freshman Chase Garbers and transfer Brandon McIlwain, who is a long shot to gain eligibility, continue to split time in practice, and Wilcox wouldn’t rule out the possibility of starting the season with an ongoing competition.
“Really, everything is on the table at that position,” he said. “It doesn’t affect our team in a negative way.
“I know it’s a real popular discussion right now, and I understand why, but our team is practicing really hard with whoever is in there. The offense rallies around whoever is taking the snap.”
Forrest is the only one among the four who has attempted a pass in a Cal game, having completed 10 of 18 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown with one interception while playing behind Jared Goff in 2015.
“I’ve just got to keep my head down, keep working hard and keep trying to be a leader,” he said. “It’s just the beauty of competition. I love it. It brings the best out of everyone.”
Bowers passed Forrest on the depth chart last season, relieving Davis Webb on the season’s final drive and rushing once for 2 yards.
Garbers and McIlwain, who played eight games at South Carolina last season, have impressed the coaches while joining the Bowers-Forrest competition, which has been pingponging for 2½ years.
“It really makes you home in and focus, because you’re only going to get a certain amount of reps in each drill,” Bowers said. “You’ve got to make those count, and when you’re off to the side, you’ve got to do mental gymnastics to stay sharp.”
Offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin had success running offenses as varied as using three tight ends or going with an empty backfield during a nine-year run as head coach at Eastern Washington.
He isn’t in a rush to name a starter, joking that he once waited until the season’s final week to do it.
“I believe strongly that they’re sponge-like guys. … They want to take in the info and want to know what they’ve got to do,” he said. “… They’re all getting an ample amount of reps in our structure.
“I don’t worry too much about it. I think it’s better right now that they’re continuing to compete.”