California Golden Bears football is preparing for the 2025 season with a defensive line group that includes 14 players, of whom 10 are returning from last year. The roster features redshirt senior Aidan Keanaaina, who has been named to the Preseason All-ACC team by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. Last season, Keanaaina appeared in 13 games, recording 45 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss (TFL), one sack, and a pass defended.
T.J. Bollers is another key returnee, having played in all 13 games last season with one start. He finished the year with 23 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 4.5 TFL for a loss of nine yards. Stanley Saole-McKenzie contributed as well, appearing in every game off the bench and posting a career-high of 12 tackles and one TFL.
Other players aiming to make an impact this season include BJ Canady, Legend Journey, Ike Okafor, Michael-Anthony Okwura, Jack Olyphant, and R.J. Stephens.
Since the end of the previous season, California has added two transfers to its defensive line: Tyson Ford from Notre Dame and Zaelyn Smith from Houston Christian University. Ford participated in two games as a freshman at Notre Dame and was rated as a three-star transfer by recruiting outlets such as 247Sports, On3, and Rivals. Smith brings experience from his four seasons at Houston Christian University where he played in 36 games and totaled 134 tackles, 15 TFLs, ten sacks, three passes defended or forced fumbles (the release notes both), and two fumble recoveries.
Andrew Browning enters his seventh season as California’s defensive line coach after serving eight years overall with the program—one year in quality control followed by his current role since being promoted in 2019. Under Browning’s guidance since his promotion to defensive line coach, California’s defense has recorded at least 24 sacks in five out of six seasons; the exception came during the COVID-19-shortened campaign.
Browning previously coached at UTEP from 2013-17 where he mentored future NFL players James Davidson, Horace Miller and Roy Robertson-Harris. He began his coaching career at Boise State—his alma mater—with roles ranging from quality control to graduate assistant between 2010-12 after spending time on the San Jose SaberCats’ roster in the Arena Football League during the 2008 season.
For more updates on Cal football coverage throughout the upcoming season fans can follow @CalFootball on X or @cal_football on Instagram.
