Cal football inks 18 players in early signing period

Among the highlight videos Cal released on the first day of the early signing period Wednesday was one of 270-pound offensive lineman Matthew Cindric chasing a speedy defensive back 70 yards without ever considering stopping.

In a lot of ways, that short clip embodies the Bears’ entire recruiting class — a group that the Cal coaching staff believes is tough, tenacious and values team above personal achievement.

“You notice things like that: how hard they play and how much it means to them,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. “It goes back to: Do you really love playing football? It’s hard. It’s a physical game, and you get tired, but these guys show the fight and grit.