'Electric' Jaydn Ott fries Wildcats' defense with 274-yard performance

BERKELEY, Calif. — For those who think football can get a little too complicated at times, Jaydn Ott is your guy.

In just his fourth game as a collegian, and first in Pac-12 play, Ott blazed through the Arizona defense for 274 yards on 19 carries. He did it with breakaway touchdown runs of 73 and 72 yards, and with absolutely zero doubt about his ability or the complexity of it all.

“When I see green, man, I just take off,” Ott said. “I know I’m gonna score.”

That, he did. On just the Bears’ second offensive play of the game, Ott broke free for a 73-yard dash into the end zone, immediately putting the Wildcats in a hole. While Arizona returned to play competitively in what was a high-scoring game most of the afternoon, Ott then later returned to put them away for good with a 72-yard run straight up the middle.

Green. Lots of green.

“Every time I touch the ball, I feel like I’m gonna score,” Ott said. “That’s my mentality.”

Ott didn’t score every time, of course, but he was efficient. Ott needed just 19 carries to rack up his 274 yards, with the breakaways contributing to an average of 14.4 yards per carry.

“What was it? 274 on 19? That’s explosive,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “We’ve been talking about him for a long time. You’ve seen it in flashes and you saw a bunch today. He’s a dynamic guy and has the ability to take it to the house.”

Before he jumped into Pac-12 play on Saturday against Arizona, Ott showed that ability. He was already twice named the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Week while rushing for 189 yards and collecting another 53 receiving yards over his first three games.

Then on Saturday, he blew those numbers up.

“Fourteen-point-four average?” Cal quarterback Jack Plummer said. “That’s pretty freaking good whether it’s pee-wee football or at the highest level. It’s not like we were giving him the ball every time.”

No, Ott just took advantage of the opportunities he had, while he and Plummer both credited the Cal offensive line for creating the openings he stepped his quick feet into.

092622-tuc-spt-uafbsidebar-p2 — California running back Jaydn Ott dusted the Wildcats for a 73-yard touchdown in the first half of Saturday’s game.
Godofredo A. Vásquez, Associated Press

On Ott’s first breakaway, Wilcox said Ott took advantage of the UA safeties’ formation, running to the Bears’ double-receiver side and taking off when the Bears blocked him well enough to create an opening. On his second breakaway with just under six minutes left in the game, Wilcox said, the Bears split an aggressive Wildcat defensive front, creating room for Ott to blow through.

More green.

That’s all he saw. All he cared to see.

“You know, sometimes guys look back when they get out in the open,” Wilcox said. “It’s true. People do look back. But fast guys don’t look back. They are just gonna outrun everybody because they have confidence in their speed. He’s one of those guys who doesn’t look backwards.”

Well, after the game at least, Ott had to look back. He was asked if he ever had a game like he did Saturday, like maybe in high school or something.

“Yeah, I had a game similar,” Ott said. “I had 10 carries for 210.”

Then Ott was reminded he actually did better than that Saturday.

“Yeah,” he said, sheepishly chuckling. “It’s a little better.”

And this was in college. In a Pac-12 game. Against an Arizona team that this season hadn’t allowed any rusher more than the 115 yards North Dakota State’s Hunter Luepke had a week earlier.

“It was great to see him get loose,” Wilcox said of Ott. “Awesome job by the O-line, tight ends, receivers, all those guys doing their part and getting him rolling. But, man, he’s an electric guy.”