If you blinked on Monday, you probably missed it. One minute, an ACC program was tossing final reps at its Spring Showcase, still trying to sort out who’s who on the depth chart. The next? Their biggest offensive weapon with 346o-yards dipped. No tweet. No warning. Just a cryptic message on the IG story: “No Loyalty to Stagnation.” Looks like the RB wanted all the smoke. And where there’s smoke, well… you know the rest. California just got hit with a haymaker in broad daylight—and the college football world felt it.

Jaydn Ott, the Golden Bears’ workhorse and arguably the crown jewel of their offense, officially entered the transfer portal on Monday. And yeah, timing’s everything: it came hours after the team’s spring practice wrapped. Jaydn Ott didn’t even wait for the dust to settle. Ott’s no average back either—this man racked up a wild 3,460 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns over his college career. That kind of stat line doesn’t just walk out the door quietly.

The move shocked, but it didn’t stun—if that makes sense. Because the writing had been creeping up on the wall for weeks. SEC programs had been breathing heavily on Ott ever since he announced he was staying for his senior season in December. But now? Ott’s officially up for grabs, and every contender with a decent NIL budget just got a new top target.

Ott’s resume is filthy. In 2023, he led the Pac-12 in rushing yards (1,315) and scored 12 TDs en route to First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. He was that dude. Even back in 2022, he went Freshman All-America with 1,218 all-purpose yards and 11 TDs. The man’s built like a cheat code. Sure, he slowed down in 2024 with an ankle injury but still managed 600+ total yards on a hobbled leg. Now fully healthy and in the portal? That’s nightmare fuel for opposing defenses.

Let’s be real—Cal’s offense was already riding a rollercoaster of question marks. They’ve got no clear QB1, the O-line’s still a jigsaw puzzle, and now their backfield just lost its alpha. Ott’s not just a loss—he’s the loss. With him gone and four other RBs also transferring this spring, Cal’s depth chart looks more like a Craigslist ad: “Wanted: Humans who can run with the ball. Must bring own cleats.”

There’s also the business side. Ott’s decision to bounce just before the spring transfer window opens (officially on Wednesday) gives him max exposure. He’s now the No. 1 RB on the board, hands down. ESPN spilled that Cal was fighting off SEC interest for weeks. They fought, alright. But Ott just hit the eject button.

Cal’s big man Trent Ramsey reportedly hitting the transfer portal

And just when you thought Cal’s Monday couldn’t get messier—enter Trent Ramsey stage left. While everyone was losing their minds over Ott, the Bears’ 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive lineman was quietly packing his things too. According to On3, Trent Ramsey is hitting the portal as well and reportedly made that decision five to seven hours before Ott. No joke, the dominoes were lined up before the first one even fell.

Ramsey wasn’t exactly a household name, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t important. He suited up in six games in 2024, including late-season matchups against Wake Forest, Stanford, and SMU. While he didn’t lock down a starting role, he added valuable depth and size to a line that’s already thinner than patience in a DMV line. And the Bears? They can’t afford to lose depth right now—not when their run game just flatlined.

Even more intriguing? Cal’s already eyeing a replacement. Pete Nakos of On3 reports that Division II All-American Bryce George is visiting this week. The Ferris State big man is a 6’4, 320-pound brawler with a second-team AP nod under his belt. Translation: He’s legit. Cal’s staff is clearly trying to plug the gaps in this ship before more water rushes in. But with Ramsey gone and Ott bolting, it feels less like plugging gaps and more like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Ramsey, a redshirt junior from Tampa, came in with a serious pedigree. The big man had offers from Penn State, Miami, Oregon, and Florida State. Cal snagged him back in 2022, but he never quite cracked the rotation like folks expected. Now, with the portal buzzing, Ramsey is trying to find somewhere he can shine. And who can blame him? If you’re buried on the bench and your backfield star just bailed, it might be time to read the room.

Ott leaving is headline material, no doubt. But Ramsey dipping too? That’s the kind of subplot that could quietly snowball. Cal’s in the middle of a full-on roster renovation, and if they can’t stabilize soon, it might get ugly. Add in the loss of other running backs like Kadarius Calloway, Byron Cardwell Jr., and Justin Williams-Thomas? And yeah—it’s starting to feel like this team is pulling a full send into rebuild mode.

Spring’s supposed to be a time for hope, but for Cal fans, it’s feeling more like heartbreak season. Unless they hit the portal hard and fast—on both sides of the ball—they’re looking at a long, bumpy ride into fall. The portal taketh… and man, did it taketh hard this week.