With Jordan Kunaszyk off to the NFL, Evan Weaver needs a new running mate. When the question comes up, who fills that spot, the answer is often junior college transfer Kuony Deng or redshirt freshman dynamo Evan Tattersall. Yet that hasn't been the case through a third of spring ball.
With Weaver locked in to one spot, Cal's turned to Colt Doughty. Doughty, the senior from Los Gatos by way of College of San Mateo, has flashed early in camp, taking the majority of the first team reps alongside Weaver.
"He’s done a good job in the meeting room," inside linebackers coach Peter Sirmon said, "you see development. At the end of bowl practice, you saw him coming on."
That development led into the spring, giving Doughty a ton of reps so far. Per PFF, Doughty was on the field for 23 total reps in 2018 (on defense and special teams combined). The 6'1", 230 lb senior is making the most of running with the first group, including Weaver, who saw 966 reps a year ago.
"I love reps, love playing football," Doughty said, "I’m never one to complain about it. It’s really nice, I’m learning a lot from the starters, learning a lot from Weaver of course, with him having so many reps last year. He’ll tell me stuff, like ‘in the game, it’s gotta be like this.’ Being with the one guys, them being so sure of everything, it brings my game together and it brings everything together."
Out of College of San Mateo, Doughty was seen as a downhill player with athleticism and range, but didn't get to make the kind of instant impact that some had predicted for him.
"He was on a really steep learning curve a year ago," Justin Wilcox noted, "he’s definitely more in control in what he’s doing. Now, it’s going to be a matter of finishing the play, the moment of truth is whether it’s the run fit or the pass, it’s finishing the play. That’s where I think his big evaluation is gonna come throughout this spring to this fall."
Doughty notably had an opportunity for a big play during Saturday's practice, as he stepped right in front of an RPO slant, reading the play, but having the ball bounce off his hands (about 20 seconds into the video below)
Doughty was told to 'catch the next one,' but being in the right spot isn't anything new this spring, something he's crediting to Sirmon and Weaver.
"I could be coached by coach Sirmon for 10 years and I’d still learn stuff," Doughty said, "He knows so much about your technique and your leverage, ‘if you do this one little thing, it makes this much of a difference.’ I think him with him guiding me and Weav guiding me, hopefully it makes a really big jump in my play, and I’ll continue to make more jumps".
There's one more step for Doughty (aside from changing his number to 45).
"I think letting go, just trying to tackle the guy with the ball and not thinking so much," Doughty said, "That’s a big thing, I’m a little bit of an overthinker, they’re telling me to let go and just trust myself a little more."
Luckily for Doughty, he'll have plenty of situations to prove that he's the guy, and the live elements in padded practices are crucial for him coming up.
"Colt’s very conscientious, he’s a smart guy," Wilcox noted, "he’s giving himself a chance by how he’s prepared, now we’ve got to go out and see if that’s going to carry over into finishing plays."
"The live situations during the spring are going to be real important for where he’s at and what his contributions are gonna be," Sirmon added,"but so far I like what I see."
