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Cal cornerback Hezekiah Masses Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal Defensive Backs Living Up to ‘The Standard’

Originally posted on Cal Bears on SI | By Jake Curtis | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 1:17 PM ET

At Cal they call it “The Standard.”

It’s the level of excellent expected of Cal defensive backs based on recent success.

“We expected them to play well,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said of his current defensive backs. “We have a high standard of play in there.”

There seems to be no other reason other than “The Standard” for why Cal has produced so many quality defensive backs the past five years

“I would just say the standard that we’ve set,” Cal safety Isaiah Crosby said in explaining that success.

“I feel like it’s the standard here,” said cornerback Brent “Paco” Austin.

Austin, shown in the video below, transferred to Cal from South Florida in large part because he saw the Golden Bears' tradition of defensive backs excellence as a path to the NFL.

Nine Cal defensive backs have been taken in the NFL draft since 2020, and eight of the 17 former Cal players currently on NFL rosters are defensive backs, four of whom are listed as starters.

With all five starting defensive backs gone from last season -- including three now on NFL rosters – there was concern whether the Bears’ secondary could live up to “The Standard” this season, especially with three of this year’s starters being players who were not on the Cal roster last season.

Even though Cal is 3-0 heading into Saturday night's game at San Diego State, it’s too soon to declare that this season’s Golden Bears secondary is as good as those of the past five years. Afterall Cal has yet to face an elite quarterback or a top-notch passing offense.

However, the early numbers are encouraging. Through three games, Cal has allowed just one passing touchdown, tied with five other teams for the fewest in the country. The Bears rank third in the country in fewest yards allowed per passing attempt (5.81), and they are second in the ACC in passer rating defense, behind only Louisville.

And the Bears defensive star so far has been cornerback Hezekiah “Zeke” Masses, a transfer from Florida International. He is tied with four other players for the most the most interceptions in the nation with three, and he ranks first in the country in pass breakups (six). His nine passes defensed (three interceptions, six pass breakups) are four more than anyone else in the nation.

“Every time the ball’s in the air, you know he’s going to come down with it,” Austin said.

. @HezekiahMasses talks about his 3rd interception of the season.#SmartAndTough #GoBears pic.twitter.com/FT3VxEeHR3
— Cal Football (@CalFootball) September 16, 2025

Wilcox sees room for improvement for Masses.

“I think he’s doing a nice job,” Wilcox said. “Based on what he’s capable of I’m not surprised. Can expect Zeke to play better and better. There’s things he’s got to work on. But he’s got the size, the athleticism to be a really good cover guy. Very coachable guy. He loves football. So it’s been a great addition to our secondary. I still think he’s got better football in front of him.”

The standard, you know.

There’s no question Wilcox focuses on maximizing the impact of his secondary. Cal has two secondary coaches on its staff, and Wilcox, who was a safety in college at Oregon and was a respected defensive coordinator before being hired at Cal, is sort of a defensive backs whisperer, imparting words of wisdom to his defensive backs from time to time.

“The proof is in the pudding,” Austin said.

The addition of Austin, Masses, a transfer from South Florida, and true freshman safety Aiden Manutai to the starting lineup along with the improvement of safety Crosby and nickelback Cam Sidney might give the Bears another solid secondary.

Austin said the secondary has played “really well,” and Crosby said in the video below, “the secondary has been great.”

However, Wilcox does not believe Cal’s secondary is a finished product.

“Those guys have some good man coverage skills, the corners,” Wilcox said. “We have to do a better job with our hands, and what I mean by that is just not – we’ve been in good position a lot of times and we’re probably overplaying our hands too much and those are resulting in [pass interference calls]. So we’ve go to limit those P.I.s. Those aren’t plays where you’ve got to P.I. the guy, where you’re beat so badly that you’ve got to P.I. them so they don’t complete a touchdown. Those are plays that we’re in position, and now we just have to stay in that control position and finish on the ball.”

There is a standard afterall.