Cal received some bad injury news Tuesday morning.
Redshirt sophomore safety Craig Woodson and redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Blake Antzoulatos have been ruled out for the season after suffering season ending injuries during camp, per head coach Justin Wilcox.
“Unfortunately during camp,” Wilcox noted, “both Craig Woodson and Blake Antzoulatos suffered lower body injuries that are going to keep them out for the season, unfortunate part of this game, both of those guys had put themselves in a position to compete for a lot of playing time. We look forward to getting them back as soon as possible and we’ll support them through the process.”
Both Woodson and Antzoulatos has been with the first team prior to their injuries last week, though they would’ve both likely been rotated in at their positions. Woodson was in a platoon at the safety position with Elijah Hicks and Daniel Scott, while Antzoulatos would’ve have been part of a main four-man group at inside linebacker with Evan Tattersall, Mo Iosefa, and Trey Paster.
Woodson and Antzoulatos saw their first major playing time in 2020, after taking special teams reps and redshirting in 2019.
Woodson started two of the four games in 2020, playing as a third safety in a number of defensive packages. For his career, he has recorded 19 tackles (17 in 2020), with 2 PBUs and a blocked punt against UCLA over his eight games played.
Antzoulatos played in all four games in 2020 as well, seeing his first major time on defense against Stanford. He has played in seven games in his career, with five tackles to his name (all made in 2020).
With both Woodson and Antzoulatos out, there are a few players who could end up taking more reps. Miles Williams and Ray Woodie have impressed at the safety spots during fall camp, and may be in line for bigger roles in the wake of Woodson’s injury. Williams in particular plays the same role as Woodson while in, and has a similar level of ranginess.
At inside linebacker, Kyle Smith has excelled around the ball in scrimmage situations, and may be able to join that group of Tattersall, Iosefa, and Paster at the position.
While Cal has had other injuries throughout camp as well, there aren’t any more long-term injuries, except those of Woodson, Antzoulatos, Brett Johnson, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, and Patrick Hisatake. That would imply that a group including contributors such as OL Will Craig, DL Ricky Correia, ILB Ryan Puskas, WR Kekoa Crawford, and RB DeCarlos Brooks, among others, will return soon.
“Everybody else we expect to be back with us,”Wilcox said “many of them within the short term, within days.”