Amid fall camp that's closed to the public, the biggest news to come out in the past couple of days has been the return of CJ Anderson, former Cal (2011-12) and NFL running back, to the Bay Area as a volunteer quality control coach.

"Eight years in the league, I had fun, and I looked at what I wanted to get into," Anderson noted in a Zoom call with Cal media this afternoon, "I always had a lot of coaches while I was in league, coach (Gary) Kubiak, coach (Sean) McVay, Eric Studesville, Wade Phillips, Jack Del Rio, who said I would be a great coach one day because of the type of player I was when I played. When we got done with Detroit last season, me and my family sat down (and talked), made three Super Bowls, won a Super Bowl, made it to the Pro Bowl, made enough money, we thought about if there was anything else in the National Football League that I needed to accomplish, and there were a couple things on that list I felt I wanted to accomplish, but there was nothing guaranteed that I would accomplish, so (I thought) why not help the younger generation and get into coaching?"

Anderson retired from the NFL last month, and immediately turned his focus toward coaching, and decided that Cal was a place where he could learn about the finer points.

"I could've coached anywhere, to be honest, I could've been paid," Anderson said, "and I could've coached at any high school as a head coach in California or in Texas, where I was living. I've got bigger aspirations than being a coach for what I want to do in my life. I've had a little experience with 7 on 7 organizations, working with kids, checking their grades, but the recruiting aspect was humongous, that's something I had to learn and that's why I thought this opportunity would be amazing to me, just to learn on that end."

The ability to come back to his alma mater in order to work toward something greater, where Anderson mentioned Cal director of career development Ron Coccimiglio as a mentor, was big for the former Super Bowl champion. Along with that, it's another opportunity to work with Bill Musgrave, whose offense helped to turn Anderson into a 1000 yard back in 2017.

"Obviously I worked with Bill Musgrave," Anderson said, "I had one of my best years under Bill, so Bill knows how I work. When you know that you're familiar with something, and I'm familiar with the offensive system that Bill is using, and UC Berkeley, because I was a student athlete there, it makes it easier to go into something. I was more comfortable with those two to take this opportunity now for my future goals."

Anderson's job now is to work with the offense. If that sounds somewhat vague, that's because it is, as Anderson wasn't yet sure about whether he'll be able to do any recruiting work for the Bears. He's able to work with players off the field, with no on-field coaching allowed.

"It's whatever they tell me to do that's in the parameters," Anderson said, "I can sit back and learn a lot from good coaches, it's a really strong offensive staff that Bill and Justin (Wilcox) have put together, but as far as what I'm allowed to do, I can have conversations with players off the field or in the meeting rooms, try to help them better their game generally."

Anderson will work with the whole offense, but has talked to the running backs via Zoom a bit already.

"The room right now is competitive, really strong," Anderson said, "I think AT is doing a helluva job in there. I'm giving my input here and there when we're in meetings, give them an extra bump or edge."

In particular, Anderson has gotten to know one of the Bears' running backs, one who's on a similar path to him in Marcel Dancy, and one who he's known for a while.

"I knew Marcel at Laney when he was a freshman," Anderson said, "telling him about busing from Vallejo to Oakland, what it takes, the dedication, the classwork. When that time came around that coach Beam told me he was getting ready to go to Cal, I was really excited, but also telling him about what that opportunity brings outside of football. When me and Cel talk, it's different from the other backs in the room, because I've known him since he was somewhere between 17 and 18 years old, and seeing him become the young man he is today and the resources he took advantage of outside of football at UC Berkeley, it's good to see that."

Now Anderson is looking toward the ultimate goal of becoming a head coach at his own program, whether that be any level of college or even high school.