Justin Wilcox, Evan Weaver, Cal players describe ASU performance as “bad, poor, terrible, horrible.”

Setting the tone.

By Avinash Kunnath@avinashkunnath Sep 28, 2019, 7:58pm PDT

NCAA Football: Arizona State at California

The California Golden Bears were pretty angry after blowing a chance to go 5-0 on Friday night against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Head coach Justin Wilcox was visibly agitated, but interestingly much of the commentary was focused on a Bears defense that gave up three touchdowns.

“We didn’t play good defense at all, when you look at the way they ran the ball on us...we needed to make more of those plays, and we didn’t.”

Cal coach Justin Wilcox is the angriest I’ve seen him at a postgame press conference, and it’s evident that his frustration is more directed at the Bears’ defense and not the offense:

“Poor tackling. Bad leverage, bad defense, it was poor tackling. That’s what it was.”
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 28, 2019

Evan Weaver got even more heated, calling out the Cal defense and their lack of effort.

My transcription of Cal LB Evan Weaver’s full “rant” (I put in quotes because Weaver didn't lose it, but was obviously pointedly angry).

“That's what these last three seasons have been all about: We lose a game and we fall off a cliff. We can't do that this year and we won’t.” pic.twitter.com/YdKrXTa5Hy
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 28, 2019

The quotes weren’t much different from the other Cal players. Linebacker Cameron Goode had this to say.

Obviously, we are not down, but we are just hungry.

And there was Devon Modster, who finished the game for Cal at quarterback.

“Honestly, I think I played terrible. Can play a lot better. I’ll pick it up next week,” Modster said. “It doesn’t hurt my confidence. I know what I’m capable of. Just got to grind next week and prepare for Oregon.”

Obviously, this was an emotional loss for Cal for many reasons, most notably with the injury to starting quarterback Chase Garbers. Cal had a legit shot at moving to 5-0 for the first time in four years, and now will have to wonder about every game going forward. It can’t be easy for anyone right now in that locker room, who now have to return to the drawing board and try and find answers to navigate the rest of what figures to be an unpredictable season.

Postgame interviews below.

Head coach Justin Wilcox