Brett Johnson, who started all four games on the defensive line for Cal in 2020, was ruled out for next season by head coach Justin Wilcox on Wednesday. Johnson underwent a successful surgery to repair a broken hip suffered in an automobile accident this spring.

“The most important thing right now is that he focus on his overall health and well-being,” Wilcox said.

Since arriving at Cal as a true freshman in 2019, Johnson has racked up 46 tackles and three sacks over 13 starts. Last season, Johnson embraced his role as a veteran presence on the defensive line and enjoyed arguably his best year at the collegiate level, tying for third place on the team in total tackles. Against Stanford in the 2020 Big Game, the junior recorded a career-high 10 tackles.

Johnson is expected to make a full recovery for the 2022 season and will retain three years of collegiate eligibility from 2022 onward.