It was a bit surprising when Simi Valley High standout edge rusher Carson Mott announced his commitment Monday evening. The 6-foot-5 prospect visited Cal for a second time last weekend to watch the team go through its final spring practices, and when he returned back home he decided it was the right time to make his decision.
Even Mott himself hadn’t planned on deciding about his college this early in the process, but as the process continues to play out it felt like the right move to make.
“I was gonna kind of hold off for a while,” he said. “We started spring ball [Monday] at my school, and my head coach, coach Benkert, talked to me and he said, “You need to make the decision, because ultimately this is going to be a really good school for you, a good fit.’
“So, I talked to my parents and they loved it. And, I liked it. So, I just decided to make the decision to commit and get it over with.”
The Bears entered the mix with an early offer back in January after Mott had wrapped up his junior season at Simi Valley, and since that time other schools entered into the process. UNLV, San Jose State and Nevada all offered plus he has an opportunity to play at Princeton on the table as well.
Cal’s coaches have continued to stay in contact with Mott, and he felt the fit was right to make the call in favor of the Bears with spring practice getting underway at the high school level.
“It took a lot of stress off my shoulders just getting the commitment done and not having to worry about the, I guess you could say, politics that go into offers,” he said. “What made me want to commit was that it’s my biggest offer, and academically it’s an amazing school. It’s huge for anything that’s gonna go on in my future.
“I also feel like I can make a difference in the program. Great campus with great coaches.”
Keith Heyward was still at Cal when the Bears offered Mott, but since that time there have been changes. Getting out to Berkeley last weekend gave the new Cal commit an opportunity to build his relationship with Vic So’oto, who is taking over for Heyward as the new outside linebackers coach.
