August 5, 2012
BERKELEY - The 2012 Cal football training camp is underway and the Golden Bears will spend nearly the entire month of August together in camp. CalBears.com caught up with several veterans and a couple of rookies to get their thoughts on a few favorite training camp subjects.
Below are comments from several players about the ins and outs of training camp.
SENIOR CORNERBACK MARK ANTHONY
Best Part of Camp...
"The best part of the camp is being around the guys again, building that relationship with all the players on the team. Coming out here and having a chance to play football with everybody again is a plus for me."
Movie Day...
"We always check out whichever new movie is available. I like movie day more [than the water park]. It's more relaxing. You can just chill."
The Food...
"I always love the food. It's always better than paying out of your own pocket for it and it's always good."
Photo Day...
"I enjoy the whole process of coming to camp and taking pictures every year. It's fun. It takes the pressure off of camp. It's the first time since December that I get to put a jersey on, so I'm pretty excited about that. I like the `bum' look. I really don't care what I look like. It's football."
Water Park...
"It's fun. We get to go out, eat and have fun. It's a day off during camp, which is always good. It's way to relax after practice that day."
FRESHMAN LINEBACKER MICHAEL BARTON
Being a Freshman in Camp...
"The learning curve is steep. I still have a lot to learn, but it's a good experience. It's giving me a taste of college and how it's going to be. I'm learning about time management, which is key. It's a lot of mental notes you have to take. The physicality will come with the pads, but I think the mental steps are the first part. I kind of expected that, so I prepared myself for that coming in. So far it's been going well."
Photo Day...
"It was great. Seeing my official jersey, it kind made me feel solidified and part of the team. All the guys have been real welcoming, but seeing that jersey was real fulfilling. I felt a lot of the tradition in that jersey. You have to uphold a powerful name when you wear that jersey. It has a lot of tradition with it."
SOPHOMORE TAILBACK BRENDAN BIGELOW
Best Part of Camp...
"I enjoy camp. It was hard last year. I wasn't used to moving around like that because I was out for a year and a half. It was hard getting used to the tempo, and how Division 1 college football is."
Who Keeps it Loose and Fun During Camp...
"My boy Darren [Ervin], Isi [Sofele], C.J. [Anderson], they're all funny. They know how to make people laugh. I get a kick out of what they do."
JUNIOR WIDE RECEIVER JACKSON BOUZA
Camp Traditions...
"There are a few traditions for the freshmen. Any guy whose first camp it is, they have to bus the trays during meals."
Who Keeps it Loose and Fun During Camp...
"I'd like to say myself, for one. [Brendan] Bigelow is always a character in the locker room. He has a big personality. Allan Bridgford keeps it loose. We have a bunch of characters."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK JOSH HILL
Living in Bowles Hall During Camp...
"I won't miss Bowles Hall at all. I'm going to miss being with the guys, but I won't miss that dorm. It's cool to get to know the freshmen and the new guys when you're in there, though. You learn about how your teammates are outside of football."
Movie Day...
"It's the same as water park day. It's just about relaxing, getting off your feet and taking some time off. They give us two options and we decide which movie we want to go see. I like movie day more because you're inside, have some popcorn. We can have a little popcorn, a little soda. We don't have to watch our diets too hard that day."
Water Park...
"That's the best day. You can get in the pool and relax. You can get your mind off of camp and get ready for the season."
FRESHMAN LINEBACKER HARDY NICKERSON
Being A Freshman in Camp...
"I've just been learning the plays, getting to know the team and getting acclimated. It's a lot faster than high school. The content they teach you goes a lot faster and you're supposed to learn it quickly. Working out over the summer, I got a gauge and it's pretty much been what I expected."
SENIOR TAILBACK ISI SOFELE
Movie Day...
"Movie day is fun, that's when you really know camp is coming to an end. Every time, I've always fallen asleep, so I don't even remember which movies we watched. I just know I came out of there feeling refreshed. It's an extra nap time. We get some snacks there. They say watch your diet, but we're always sneaking candy in. Everyone's having a good time. Those are the days we love to have. I like the movie better because we can go in there and rest, but a lot of people like the water park more."
Water Park...
"Everybody's just relaxing. It's when you know camp is close to coming to an end. You get a chance to relax a little bit, totally casual. That same day we'll be practicing. Then we'll go to the park, and then, hopefully, we can rest up a little bit more after."
SENIOR FULLBACK ERIC STEVENS
Best Part of Camp...
"The best part of camp is the relationships you build with the players. You're with these guys 24-7. You build friendships, like a brotherhood. You learn everything about each other. You can't really explain how much you bond. You go through practices, conditioning and all this hard work together. It just builds bonds that last forever."
Living in Bowles Hall During Camp...
"In Bowles Hall everybody is squished in those rooms. It definitely helps the bonding. By the time we get back there at the end of the day, everybody's pretty tired. You look over the playbook with the younger guys, make sure they understand it and then I'm ready for sleep. I think I'm the first one to go to bed every night."
What the Players Do During Their Down Time...
"The playbook. You gotta learn the playbook. I like to keep it fresh in my mind so I'm always sharp on the plays. When you come out to practice, once everything is moving fast, you want to be sure you know that playbook."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AARON TIPOTI
Best Part of Camp...
"The best part is learning more about the younger guys; they're in the family now. We have to get closer and make new bonds. I'm happy I'm here."
Camp Traditions...
"The d-line, we like to get together every night. We always huddle up in somebody's room. We'll always get together somehow, I guess you can call it debrief. We'll tell stories and crack jokes. It's just a mental relief before the night's done."
Freshmen in Camp...
"It's a little bit of tough love. We have to see where their heart lies, making sure we're all on the same page. It's fun getting to know them."
Living in Bowles Hall During Camp...
"It reminds me of Harry Potter, but it's cool. You gotta make the best of what you have. I like it because it's old school, the ruggedness of it."
The Food...
"They provide us with great meals. I was starving towards the end of summer. This food is nice to have. I'm always full every time I leave."
What the Players Do During Their Down Time...
"Napping or watching film. Technology now lets us watch game film on our phones and tablets. It's great. You can watch film anywhere that has wifi. Before I go to sleep, I'll watch film."
Who Keeps it Loose and Fun During Camp...
"I feel like the d-line, we're always joking around. You gotta make work fun. Things get monotonous, doing the same things over and over in camp, so we all like to talk a little smack to get each other riled up. It's all in good fun, though."
Tickets for Cal's return to a renovated Memorial Stadium in 2012 are currently on sale by calling (800) GO BEARS (800-462-3277), online at CalBears.com, or in person at the Sales and Service Center located in the Haas Pavilion Club Room Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. PT. More season-ticket information is available at CalBears.com. For updates on the progress of the renovation and retrofit of Memorial Stadium, visit californiamemorialstadium.com.
In addition to the Sept. 1 season-opener vs. Nevada, Cal's 2012 seven-game home schedule includes contests against Pac-12 foes Arizona State, Oregon, Stanford, Washington and UCLA, as well as a non-conference game against Southern Utah.
| 2012 CAL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE |
| DATE | OPPONENT | SITE | TIME | TV |
| Sat. | Sept. 1 | Nevada | Noon PT | Pac-12 Networks |
| Sat. | Sept. 8 | Southern Utah | Noon PT | Pac-12 Networks |
| Sat. | Sept. 15 | at Ohio State | Noon ET/9 a.m. PT | ABC |
| *Sat. | Sept. 22 | at USC | TBA | Pac-12 Networks |
| *Sat. | Sept. 29 | Arizona State | TBA | TBA |
| *#Sat. | Oct. 6 | UCLA | TBA | TBA |
| *Sat. | Oct. 13 | at Washington State | TBA | TBA |
| *Sat. | Oct. 20 | Stanford | TBA | TBA |
| *Sat. | Oct. 27 | at Utah | TBA | TBA |
| *Fri. | Nov. 2 | Washington | 6 p.m. PT | ESPN2 |
| *Sat. | Nov. 10 | Oregon | TBA | TBA |
| *Sat. | Nov. 17 | at Oregon State | TBA | TBA |
| !Fri. | Nov. 30 | Pac 12 Championship Game | TBA | TBA |
Home Games in Bold at Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA; *Pac-12 Game; !Pac-12 Championship Game at Home Site of Pac-12 Regular-Season Champion; #Homecoming/Memorial Stadium Rededication/Joe Roth Game; All Times Pacific
Sports Schedule Magnets
