Cal equipment manager's epic tackle of helmet-stealing fan has players going crazy
By Joe Lago
California's 24-21 comeback victory over rival Stanford last Saturday produced one more memorable clash (at least for fans wearing blue and gold) in the 132-year history of the Bay Area schools' rivalry.
RELATED: Pat McAfee still amazed by Cal's 'awesome' College GameDay in Berkeley
Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza's emotional postgame interview about "going 98 yards with my boys" to score the winning touchdown summed up just how much The Big Game means.
“THAT WAS AN AMAZING COMEBACK … I LOVE MY BOYS … GO BEARS FOREVER!”
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 24, 2024
Fernando Mendoza overcome with emotion after his game-winning drive vs. Stanford 🥹@CalFootball | @qb_fernando pic.twitter.com/yYZvGQDhPY
Another video went viral from Cal's big win that made the first-year ACC school bowl-eligible.
After the sellout crowd stormed the Memorial Stadium field, a fan grabbed a Bears helmet and took off with it, but equipment manager Trevor Skogerboe alertly prevented the pilfering by running down and body-slamming the thief.
Cal EQ guy demolished fan who tried to steal a players helmet 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gIsQatYJlr
— Brad (@Graham_SFN) November 25, 2024
On Tuesday, head coach Justin Wilcox gave Skogerboe his due by giving his tackling handiwork its own film breakdown during the team meeting. The moment was captured by Marshall Cherrington, Cal's director of player personnel.
Skogerboe was called up to the front of the room, and his tackle was replayed on the projection screen. The players went nuts as Skogerboe got a high-five and a hug from Wilcox.
This absolutely rocks 😂
— Old Row Sports (@OldRowSports) November 26, 2024
Cal equipment manager gets a film breakdown pic.twitter.com/J2LDeFYt6A
The 2024 season has been a rollercoaster for Cal. The highs and lows were captured in one day in early October, when the Bears faithful packed Memorial Glade for ESPN College GameDay's first-ever visit to Berkeley in the morning and Cal inexplicably blew a 25-point lead in a gut-punch loss to then sixth-ranked Miami at night.
A victory over Stanford can always salvage a Cal football season. Last Saturday's win will forever by savored by Bears fans for Mendoza's late-game heroics and postgame outpouring of emotions, but it will also be remembered for an equipment manager's mad dash and takedown of a helmet thief.
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