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Evan Weaver had the season that TCU linebacker Ty Summers was supposed to have - the difference is the 6’3”, 245 pound Spokane native stayed healthy.
Lining up at ILB for the Golden Bears, Weaver led Cal in tackles with 143 stops, nearly tripling the output of his junior campaign. He was the third best tackler in the country, averaging 6.9 solo stops per game, adding 4.5 sacks and 9.5 TFLs to his defensive totals in 2018.
Weaver had nine games in which he posted double-digit tackle totals, recording at least nine stops in all but one contest. Deceptively athletic, he had a game-changing moment in the Golden Bear’s stunning upset over Washington when he returned an interception 37 yards to pay dirt in what turned out to be the winning score.
A three star prospect out of Gonzaga Prep, a well-regarded school and program in Washington State, Weaver had 13 offers coming out of high school, including both of his home state programs and several other Pac 12 schools. The prep defensive end standout was long considered a Husky lean, but chose Cal for a variety of reasons, including the educational prestige. As a prep, he led Gonzaga to a state title as a senior, starring as a pass-rushing menace on defense and a 1,000 yard rusher on offense. He began his career with the Golden Bears as an edge rusher before moving to linebacker as a sophomore, a position that has fit him to a tee, according to head coach Justin Wilcox. “Evan is playing at a high level right now. He loves football. The guy eats up everything about football. He loves the physical part of the game. Loves hitting people. He’s a throwback guy.”
Weaver has missed just one game in his three years in Berkeley, starting 16 games. He is creeping up the all-time tackles list at Cal as he finished top ten in the nation in both solo tackles per game and total tackles. He seems to always be around the ball and in the fray, something that makes him an incredibly effective linebacker, of course.
What TCU and Cal fans will be watching for is the first time 6’3”, 231 pound Sewo Olonilua meets 6’3”, 250 pound Evan Weaver in the hole. That collision will shake the stadium, for sure.