It's only been a few months, but it didn't take new Oklahoma Sooners running back Jaydn Ott long at all to realize he had found greener grass in OU.
Ott was asked about the differences between OU and his old school, California, and although he tried to hold back at first, there was just no way for him to sugarcoat things.
"I don't know how to put it nicely," Ott said with a chuckle. "The biggest difference -- these guys care.
"Not saying that my former teammates at Cal don't care, but there's levels. And it shows in the way guys treat their craft and how often they're taking care of things outside of the facility in order to be good within it."
At OU Media Day today, I caught up with Cal transfer Jaydn Ott about the differences between the Golden Bears and the Sooners.#BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/aQiB5Muf4B
— James Wicks (@JamesWicksTV) July 30, 2025
Ott was harsh about his old program
All dozen or so Cal fans will probably get upset about Ott's quote, but he just said the obvious out loud. This has become even less of a secret with the Transfer Portal, as good players like Ott constantly leave lesser programs for something bigger and better.
Jaydn Ott could’ve been a Cal legend among the likes of Marshawn and Chuck Muncie but instead decided to throw it all away by transferring and constantly disrespecting the program publicly. We made him a rich man and it shows a lack of class.
— Ghost (@GhostofGarbers) July 30, 2025
Could’ve been richer if he stayed.
“Going into the spring last year, I decided to thug it out, see if it was the right spot for me at Cal,” Ott said. “I had a good spring, but I just felt like it was time to move on. I had a good time at Cal and a good experience, but I just really wanted to grow as a player, so I decided to take a look at some other schools, some other options. I talked to the coaches once I was in the portal, and it went down fairly quickly. It just felt like a good spot for me here.”
Last season, Ott was hindered by an ankle injury, and he even admitted on Wednesday that the injury was mishandled and he should have sat out a few games. That falls on Cal. In 2023 when healthy, though, Ott led the Pac-12 with 1,315 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Ott now gets to play in the SEC, and some even doubt if he'll still produce coming from the ACC and Pac-12 with Cal. He'll suit up for a program with seven national titles and seven Heisman Trophy winners. Cal hasn't won a title since 1937 and has never produced a Heisman winner. Ott will play in front of 83,489 fans at home, compared to 63,000.
“To see the history behind this place," Ott said. "it just makes me want to step my game up and keep the standard high.”
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