Cal outside linebacker Kuony Deng is 'doubtful' for Saturday's contest against Sacramento State, per Cal head coach Justin Wilcox. One of Cal's two season-long captains was injured after a late hit by TCU's Obinna Eze after the first defensive series of the game last Saturday.

"Kuony is doing alright," Wilcox said, "I would call him doubtful for the game, we're holding out hope, but it's doubtful right now. The medical professionals and Kuony are huddling to see what the options are currently"

If Deng can't go for the Bears, a combination of Marqez Bimage, Braxten Croteau and Orin Patu will fill in for the super-senior, as they did in Fort Worth last week.

"Bimage did some good things," Wilcox noted, "he has really had a good camp. Braxten, he's a solid performer, strong sturdy guy, both those guys can give us some reps. Orin, just gotta be more consistent with the down in and down out. Orin does some really good things in the pass rush, just has to be more consistent on first and second down. We're also repping a couple of those younger guys more in practice."

Like last week, Bimage and Croteau are likelier to get more reps, as Patu has been used in more of a situational role early in the season. It will be dependent on the flow of the game who gets in more.

"Between Bimage and Braxten, then situationally Orin," Wilcox noted, "that's how we'd probably go into it and dependent on how many snaps we're playing, what's the tempo, and how's Cam doing. Cam is obviously a heck of a player for us right now, but if we need to give him a couple reps off, all those things would play in."

On the other side of the injury coin, Trey Paster will be back for the Bears, as the inside linebacker position hasn't been the healthiest early in the season.

"Trey will be up and going for the game," Wilcox noted.

He'll join Femi Oladejo in backing up starters Evan Tattersall and Mo Iosefa.