This Spring, there was a shocking development as Cal running back Jaydn Ott decided that he was going to enter the transfer portal. Before Ott's name was even entered into the transfer portal, it appeared that Jaydn Ott was heading to Oklahoma, giving the Sooners a potential season-changing playmaker.
While the California Golden Bears had a losing season in each of Jaydn Ott's three seasons, it came as a genuine surprise when Ott transferred out of Cal. Ott stuck with the program through the Spring even as the roster suffered a ton of turnover but, decided to make the move anyway in the second transfer window.
The Sooners ended up transforming their offense landing a true star running back alongside their dynamic quarterback John Mateer. While Ott had a down season last year, rushing for just 385 yards, he's shown he can be a star rushing for 1,305 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2023.
Jaydn Ott throws his old program under the bus
As Oklahoma kicks off its fall camp, the players spoke to the media, including the Sooners' newest weapon. When Jaydn Ott was asked about the differences between Oklahoma and Cal, he pointed out one difference, stating that the Sooners care compared to Cal.
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
While the Oklahoma program is far more historic than Cal and has a much larger fanbase, the Golden Bears certainly care. The biggest issue with his comments is how Jaydn Ott throws his former teammates under the bus, questioning their work ethic compared to his new teammates. The players at Cal care just as much as the Sooners players, which makes putting them on blast unfair.
Nonetheless, the Sooners are going to be a more complete team this season thanks to the fact that they added Jaydn Ott. Last season, the Sooners finished 11th in the SEC with 155.2 rushing yards per game. The Sooners' offense is going to easily take a massive leap as John Mateer could beat out most running backs rushing, while Ott is a massive upgrade.