Big Game preview: Cal RB Jaydn Ott has struggled this season, but Stanford could be prime target

BERKELEY — Has Cal running back Jaydn Ott slipped from being the Face of the Program to an X factor heading into the 127th Big Game against Stanford on Saturday at Memorial Stadium?

After rushing for more than 1,300 yards a year ago, Ott battled a nagging ankle injury for much of this season, finally breaking out last week against Syracuse with a season-best . . . 78 rushing yards.

Ott has shined in two previous games against Stanford, rushing for 97 yards as a freshman and 166 last season, scoring a touchdown in each game.

As he sat out three games and averaged just 28 rushing yards per game at 2.4 yards per attempt through the Bears’ first nine outings, the emphasis shifted to the passing game.

But even quarterback Fernando Mendoza, on the doorstep of 3,000 passing yards this fall, believes Ott is ready to blossom on the biggest day of the Bay Area college football season.

“I’m really expecting him to have a great performance in this Big Game,” Mendoza said. “Star players like Jaydn, when the lights turn bright, stars become brighter.”

Tight end Jack Endries wants his teammate to regain his status as BGH — Big Game Hero. Endries said the Bears’ run-game blocking has been subpar, and that’s about to change.

“He’s patiently waiting and I think his time’s going to come and we’re going to make it happen,” Endries said. “We have to get him started, the first five yards and then he’s gone.”

Stanford’s pass defense, allowing 268 yards per game to rank 126th nationally, would seem an obvious target for the Bears. But Cal offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch knows his group is at its best when the attack is balanced.

The Cardinal defended the run well through five games this season, giving opponents just 88 yards per game at 3.2 per attempt. But those numbers have plummeted to 205 rushing yards per game and 5.2 per carry over the past five outings.

Can Ott and the Bears exploit that?

“He seemed to have his legs back under him a little bit more,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of Ott’s performance against Syracuse last week when he had a 53-yard burst, scored on a 15-yard run and averaged 7.1 yards per attempt. “I’m excited for him to get some more opportunities this week.”

Surprisingly, he was caught from behind by a Syracuse cornerback on his 53-yard dash. Bloesch was not alarmed, saying GPS showed Ott was running at 21 mph and simply was overtaken by an equally swift defender.

Sophomore Jaivian “The Jet” Thomas has been more than adequate as Plan B for the run game, rushing for 583 yards at 6.8 per pop with seven touchdowns. His 75-yard TD romp against Syracuse was the longest of his career, but Thomas got just two other carries.

That will change, said Wilcox, who says the Bears want to utilize both backs against Stanford.

The Bears have continued to feed Ott, even when things weren’t going well. He has run the ball 82 times and 41 of those carries — exactly half — were runs of 1 yard, zero yards or negative yardage.

“Everybody wants to be out there and at full strength as much as possible. Unfortunately, things happen,” Wilcox said. “He got dinged up in the first game and it’s a work in progress trying to get back up to speed.”

Through all of it, Ott has kept a low profile, declining all interview requests since fall camp ended in August.

As a result, we don’t know what he’s thinking about the next step in his football career. He announced months ago he would declare for the 2025 NFL Draft after this season, but he is no longer prominent on mock draft boards.

With a year of eligibility left, Ott could remain at Cal or enter the transfer portal beginning Dec. 9 and find a new college address. Or he could follow his original plan and turn pro.

It’s a topic Ott probably doesn’t want to discuss publicly at this point.

“Some guys really take to expressing themselves and talking. Other guys, not so much,” Wilcox said. “We try to respect the individuals. I know what he wants to do is go out and play well.”