Christie Aguilar

It didn’t take a group of about a dozen cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers doing the "Cupid Shuffle" in perfect rhythm to show that Cal football’s defense is developing a chemistry that has lent itself to quality play on the field. (Though it was quite the scene.)

On day six of Cal football’s fall camp, the Bears donned full pads for the first time — and while the defensive line’s physicality remained rather similar to what it was with half pads — other positions such as safeties and receivers got in on the full-contact fun.

A new face in Ian Bunting — at 6’7’’, 255 pounds, he is hard to miss — along with the rest of the tight ends group and coach Charlie Ragle, could be a key weapon for the Bears as they chase more than a few wins in 2018.

Redshirt junior quarterback Ross Bowers, who is ready to take on the role as a starter should his name be called, looked back on last year’s disappointing end during Cal’s fourth day of fall camp.

This isn’t the Philadelphia 76ers — Cal football head coach Justin Wilcox makes sure to stray from photos of “inspirational” quotes and mottos in his workplace — but there is a process unfolding in Berkeley, and there may be reason to trust it.

Maurice Ways, who hails from the University of Michigan and transferred to Cal earlier this year, is, in a sense, experiencing a birth of his own — the birth of his Cal football career — though he has stayed true to blue and gold.

Moving parts — that’s really what day one of Cal football’s fall camp consisted of. From an experienced offensive line to a promising group of linebackers to a growing list of tight ends, it seemed as though the Bears were thrilled to be back in business.

Let’s not kid ourselves — the Pac-12 wet the bed in 2017. For those who remember vividly, the “conference of champions” was the runt of the litter for three straight months last season, failing to produce a top-10 team by year’s end, let alone a legitimate contender for the annual College Football Playoff.

On the horizon for the UC Berkeley faithful is a promising 2018 Cal squad that is likely to muster growing media attention and fan attendance come September.