Injuries are every athlete’s worst nightmare, and college football players know that all too well. For Cal wide receiver Isaac Torres, this season has been a tough reminder of that truth, but his story is far from over. After playing in 2 games, he was injured in Week 3 and ended up missing out on some games.

Torres took to X, saying, “I made a huge decision after speaking with my family to redshirt and save my senior year. I was told by the coaches that if I chose to redshirt, I wouldn’t remain with the program. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. To be clear—I’m not ineligible, and I’ll be graduating with my bachelor’s from Cal this December. Leaving my teammates was never something I wanted, but they have reached out and have expressed their gratitude towards me and have been supportive with my decision.”

However, his recent post on X stirred up confusion online, with many mistaking his redshirt decision for a retirement announcement. But Torres has clarified that his football career is not over; he’s simply taking time to heal and plans to come back stronger. While some assumed the move was tied to his ER visits, Torres explained that the hospital trips came later, linked to lingering effects from his earlier injury.

He was diagnosed with pancreatitis and intussusception. “It’s been a tough stretch, physically and mentally, but I’m grateful for my time at Cal, my teammates, coaches, and everyone who’s supported me. I’ve learned a lot through this process, and I’m focused on getting healthy and ready for what’s next,” Torres added. Despite the demanding stretch, Torres remains focused on recovery and what’s ahead.

Now, missing out on a player like him is a massive blow for Cal, as he caught 51 passes for 872 yards with 8 touchdowns in 8 games last season, and on top of that, his 109 receiving yards per game gave him third position in the state. Isaac Torres was even named Santa Rosa JC’s Most Valuable Player. Now, Cal will have to move forward without one of its key playmakers, and there’s little time to dwell.

Will Cal’s gonna hold up against UNC?

After coming off a disappointing 45-21 loss against Duke, Cal needs to bounce back hard against North Carolina. Losing a game despite taking a lead of 21-7, they fell apart badly, and the frustration is pretty evident in his words.  “We’ve got to grow up; that’s the overriding theme. We’re immature,” Justin Wilcox said. “We have glimpses where we can play good football, but it’s too much of a roller coaster. Can’t play that way and win.” Just after coming from a 34-0 loss against San Diego, this loss just made things worse for them.

Cal felt pretty bad on defense despite having a strong start, as Duke surrendered 210 yards and 21 points on their first three drives, but then their defense fell by allowing six sacks, which is their most this season. And the worst thing is, they gave up 24 points in less than eight minutes of the season, and that’s where they need to improve. Even Wilcox didn’t think twice before calling out his players, saying, “Terrible defense.” Even their offense didn’t hold up strong, as QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was sacked six times and even threw three interceptions.

Wilcox didn’t mince words before calling them out: “We’ve got to protect the quarterback.” But Jaron took the entire blame on himself, turning out as a true leader. “The O-line . . . they were doing the best they could. I’ve just got to keep my eyes down the field and not put them down. That was a big part of me, and taking care of the ball.” Now that they are getting a bye week to come up strong against North Carolina, let’s wait and see how they hold up against them.