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Cal Football Countdown: 9 Days, Makai Polk Comfortable From the Jump at Cal

There's a new 17 in the wide receiver room.

While wideout Vic Wharton donned the number the past three seasons (and led the Bears in receiving yards over the past two), Makai Polk has taken the number, and some of the swagger that comes with it. In one on ones, he goes right at Cam Bynum, and he's come out successful more often as Fall Camp goes on. Polk sees that time as an opportunity, no matter who's in front of him in the drill.

"It helps me a lot," Polk said of going against Bynum, "and I just know, even with (Bynum) or Elijah Hicks or Josh Drayden, Chigi, Branden Smith, all the corners, they help me a lot. You get smarter as you go and your technique gets a lot better as you go."

The second clip in this video is telling in Polk's growth, as he gets a release off Bynum, accelerates, and makes a play on the ball in the back corner of the end zone.

"Makai's really developed," WR coach Burl Toler said, "It was great to have him here, starting in December, so he could get a little head start on the playbook, having him here during the spring to help him develop overall."

That development has landed him with the first group on offense a lot during fall camp, as the 6'3" Polk is as confident as they come thanks to that head start, a full offseason conditioning program, and the time to spend around his teammates and the facilities.

"Even before fall camp and during summer workouts," Polk said, "we had PRPs on the day we didn’t have the weight room, I’ve been getting familiarized with the plays, and I’ve been comfortable ever since then, so now it’s pretty easy."

"Makai’s been phenomenal, he came in relatively young, just turned 18," sophomore WR Nikko Remigio added, "but he’s put in a lot of work in the film room, he’s put in a lot of work in the offseason, along with his athletic abilities, which are off the charts, he’s a hard worker. It’s showing in fall camp and I think the improvement from spring ball has been tremendous as well. He just has a totally different understanding of the offense, a better understanding of the offense, and with spring ball under his belt, he was able to come out in fall camp and play, play fast."

Playing fast is one thing for the true freshman, and with a wide receiver group that looks to play eight guys, Polk's skillset makes him a necessary part of that group. What will take him to the next level is the little pieces of the game that Toler's working with Polk on.

"Details, we’re really keen on details, because the big things are there," Polk said. "The little things, route running, knowing where you’re supposed to be lined up, on the ball, off the ball, where to break your route off."

"He just needs to play," Justin Wilcox said, "still young physically, but he’s got some real tools, and if he can learn the details and harness those things, he could be a really good player. He’s got a lot of room to grow, but you see the natural ball skills and the agility for a guy that has that length and speed. "

Right now, Polk should see time on the field early in the season, as he continues to compete with an ultra-competitive wide receiver group, one that like Polk is unproven, but has the potential to excel.

"It’s fun, we compete every day to try and get each other better," Polk said, "everybody’s really helpful and encouraging, that’s what we bring to the table, we try to help everybody out to get them the work, everybody’s trying to win in our group "

It's a group Cal needs to win more individual battles in order for the Bears to get better on offense in 2019, and Polk has the potential to be at the center of it.

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