1-on-1 with new Cal commit Evan Rambo
There are over a million high school football players in America.
Advertisement
One. Million.
Which means it's oftentimes the happy accidents that will land a staff exactly what it needs, exactly when it needs it.
For Evan Rambo, that happy accident came this summer. Days before starting fall practice with his third coaching staff in three years, and his second high school in four, Rambo's position coach sent his film to Cal defensive backs coach Greg Burns.
Thing is, he sent the wrong film.
Recruited by Burns as a wide receiver coming off a junior season at Verbum Dei that saw him primarily play quarterback in the Eagles' wing-T, Rambo says that after transferring to La Salle, defensive backs coach Don Price -- who was a huge cog in the St. John Bosco recruiting machine for years before joining the La Salle last offseason -- sent Burns his defensive back film.
"He sent my tapes to coach Burns -- not knowing I had talked to him about playing wide receiver -- and once coach Burns saw the tape he started recruited me as defensive back."
Soon thereafter came an offer -- the second for the 3-star ATH, who had already committed to San Diego State.
Then a visit.
Then Monday afternoon's decommitment from SDSU and commitment to Cal.
"I just felt like it was the right time, talking it over with my parents, really discussing it, after I left the trip from Cal I was really thinking about it, I really thought it could be right place for me," Rambo said. "Just seeing the opportunities ahead of me, the educational value I could get from there, I just decided now would be the right time, I'd rather commit now, and start working toward the future today."
Rambo's first call was to head coach Sonny Dykes ("I could tell in his tone of voice, it was something he'd been waiting to hear -- he was real excited"), and his second to his future position coach.
"It was kind of a relief, a surreal moment," he said. "I have a place I can go to now, I'm ready to go to work."
And on Big Game week no less.
"I was always aware of Cal from a young age... Marshawn Lynch, Desean Jackson, Nnamdi Asomougha," he said. "I'm done now. I feel like this is the right spot for me."
Not great news for UCLA, Washington State, Fresno State, and Washington, all of which had been courting (and apparently close to offering) the rangy 6'3", 185-pounder who finished a 3-7 season at La Salle with 36 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs, and 150+ all-purpose yards.
Rambo said he'll take just one official visit and that will be to Cal the weekend of January 23rd. But may use a pair of unofricials: to Berkeley this Saturday and next. And not just to see the games -- but to study them.
"I've been watching all of Cal's games real closely, studying the defense, seeing who the secondary is playing..."
Seeing how he can fit into a program he said he knew would rebound from 1-11 this season.
"When I saw the 1-11 from last year, I didn't look at it as anything negative, I realized how many freshmen they had, and seeing the growth, knowing in the future they'll have even more growth is exciting," he said. "I know the program is heading in the right way, heading upfield -- it's an exciting time to be at Cal."
Whether it's because of a happy accident, or otherwise.