Ex-Cal QB Zach Kline reportedly headed to Fresno State
Zach Kline will reportedly stay in the state of California for his final year of college football.
The Fresno Bee is reporting that Kline, a well-traveled quarterback, will join the roster of Fresno State as a fifth-year senior.
If the transfer comes to fruition, Fresno will be the fifth stop and fourth school in Kline’s college football journey. Kline was a top 50 recruit in the 2012 class and started his career at Cal where he backed up future No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff in 2013 after redshirting in 2012. With Goff cemented as Cal’s starter, Kline transferred to Butte College for the 2014 season. Next was a stint at Indiana State in 2015, where he appeared in three games. After his lone season with the Sycamores, Kline opted to transfer back to Cal to finish his degree. Upon his return to Berkeley, Kline rejoined the football team as a walk-on and participated in spring practice.
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When announcing his decision to transfer yet again earlier this month, Kline said his experience playing in the Golden Bears’ spring game – when he completed 15-of-16 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns – inspired him to try to be a starting quarterback for his final year of eligibility. With Texas Tech transfer Davis Webb in the fold at Cal, Kline knew he would have to make a change to have that chance.
At Fresno, the depth chart appears to be crowded. With the additions of junior college transfer Christian Rossi and true freshman Quentin Davis alongside sophomore Kilton Anderson, senior Ford Childress and redshirt freshman Chason Virgil, the Bulldogs have four scholarship quarterbacks (Rossi is walking on).
Anderson started five games in 2015 but is nursing a shoulder injury. With Anderson on the mend, Childress and Virgil competed for the starting role in the spring.
So where does Kline fit in? Well, according to the Bee’s Marek Warszawski, there are a few lingering questions surrounding the position that could affect its depth.
Anderson recently underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period. When I ran into Anderson this week outside the Duncan Building, he was cheerful and sounded optimistic that he would return. Inside the building, however, are murmurs he could miss the entire season.
Then there’s the uncertain status of senior Ford Childress, who by the end of spring football had pulled into a dead heat with redshirt freshman Chason Virgil for the starting job.
In summer workouts, Virgil is participating, serving as one of the main leaders. Davis is participating, having enrolled in summer school. Even Anderson is assisting the workouts with his right shoulder in a sling. Childress, however, has been absent for personal reasons – and from what I gather there’s a growing concern his absence could linger.
So instead of having five quarterbacks, there’s a very real possibility Fresno State is down to three: Virgil, Davis and Rossi.
If Anderson and Childress aren’t available once fall camp rolls around, Virgil would presumably compete with Kline for the starting role. Before an injury ended his season, Virgil threw for 298 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in three games played in 2015. He also rushed for 53 yards.
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Kline hasn’t seen action in an FBS game since 2013, when he appeared in six games as Cal’s No. 2 quarterback. He threw for 443 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 43-of-82 passes that season.
Now it looks like that wait could end in 2016.
For more Fresno State news, visit FSBulldogs.com.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
