When Jaydn Ott spoke with reporters on the second day of Cal training camp in early August, the junior was adamant that this would be his final season in Berkeley. Coming off a productive 2023, it made sense for the star running back to make such a claim as an NFL hopeful.
He was on the fast track to the Cal rushing record and acknowledged that winning the Doak Walker Award was on his short list of goals.
An injury in the third quarter of the Bears' season opener against UC Davis derailed those plans. Ott, who accounted for 1,628 total yards in 2023, eventually missed multiple weeks of action and rushed for just 385 yards and 4 touchdowns, both career lows.
Late Saturday night, Ott took to social media again to reassure fans that he will be returning by posting a video with a scene from film The Wolf of Wall Street signifying that he will be returning to close out his career with the Bears.
It marks the latest significant returning player for Cal following announcements from starting inside linebacker Cade Uluave and running back Jaivian Thomas, who filled in for Ott throughout the season and eventually led the team with 626 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground.
Ott had one of the most memorable plays in the LA Bowl back on Dec. 18 when he broke off a 48-yard run early in the game to set the tone early for the Bears. He eventually finished the night with 84 yards on 11 carries, his most productive performance of the year.
That could give Ott some momentum heading into his senior campaign as he looks to get back on track after the struggles in 2024. Ott accounted for just 614 total yards this season but figures to be a key piece of the new offensive attack in Berkeley under coordinator Bryan Harsin, who was hired after the end of the regular season.
In addition to Ott and Thomas, Cal's highest-rated incoming freshman is running back Anthony League helping position coach Aristotle Thompson retain his impressive stable of backs heading into 2025.
Ott will head into 2025 with 2,597 career rushing yards and 24 touchdowns to go along with 95 catches for 712 yards receiving and 6 touchdowns through the air.
His announcement came on the same day the winter transfer portal window closed for underclassmen. Any player wishing to transfer will now have to wait until the spring to do so.
The thought heading into the 2024 season was that Ott was expected to enter his name into the NFL draft, but that will now be on hold as he looks to help the Bears achieve their first winning season since 2019.
