Cal is nearly at the midway point of the season while on a bye this week, which makes this a perfect time to look at where some of the Golden Bears' top players and producers have fared relative to expectations this season.

Evaluating who has met or exceeded expectations so far is crucial to gauging what this team can be over the rest of the fall, as is taking a look at where there’s opportunity for improvement.

All that and more is going to be covered here, as well as a look at which guys are the likely breakout players going forward for the Bears.

Here's how we see it so far ...

Clearly exceeded expectations: RB Jaydn Ott, S Craig Woodson

As far as Jaydn Ott goes, what else is there even to say? The superstar freshman is on the shortlist for just about every freshman of the year award as well as being a name that gets thrown around nationally -- which is absolutely astounding for a true freshman. Ott has tallied 532 rushing yards on 72 carries (7.4 per attempt), 16 catches for 104 yards and 7 total touchdowns. For reference, the Bears have scored a total of 15 touchdowns on the year, giving Ott a 47% share of all touchdowns as a true freshman. The young running back has been sensational this year and the idea that he could keep getting better is something that should excite Cal fans going forward.

Redshirt junior safety Craig Woodson has also stepped into a huge role and exceeded any and all expectations for him upon his return from injury so far. If you can remember all the way back to fall camp 2021, Woodson suffered a season-ending lower body injury that prevented him from being full-go until late into preparation for this year. Well, since being back he’s been nothing short of a star. The safety is currently fourth on the team in tackles with 25 total (2 TFL) and also has snagged 2 interceptions and took one back for a score against UC Davis. Woodson has been a welcome jolt of energy to this Cal defense and is a player that is going to continue to help this team win football games.