Ian Strong finds his groove after cross-country move to California
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Two days before Cal football’s 2026 season opener, Ian Strong sat in a chair at Highly Recommended Barber Studio in downtown Berkeley. The wide receiver’s eyes were locked on his phone, watching Rutgers face Massachusetts nearly 3,000 miles away in Piscataway, New Jersey.
From this chair, everything Strong laid eyes on was new. Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan was in his first Scarlet Knights game. The Minutemen eventually won their first game in an absurd 677 days. And although he constantly yelled at the screen, that’s all Strong could do as his former team crumbled on national TV.
For the old Scarlet Knights wideout, a Rutgers football game is a reminder of the past. He spent three seasons in New Jersey, totaling 1,668 yards and 12 touchdowns.
But Strong was always a secondary receiving option behind KJ Duff or Dymere Miller. With one season of eligibility left in 2026, he looked for a No. 1 role. Cal let him compete for one.
“I just feel like this place was going to help me become the best player I could be and also the best man I could be,” Strong said in his introductory press conference on May 20. “Cal is a great education. It’s not just about football. My mom wants me to get a great degree. That’s why I picked Cal.”
In January, Strong entered the transfer portal. Less than a week later, he settled on the Golden Bears, where he teamed up with talented quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and first-year head coach Tosh Lupoi.
It was pretty clear to see that if he wasn’t the best guy out there, he was one of two.Joe Minucci, St. Anthony’s High School head coach
Although Cal fell to UCLA in its season opener 45-24 last weekend, Strong’s connection with his new signal-caller was evident. The receiver’s 94 yards on five catches led the Golden Bears, including a 49-yard grab late in the second quarter.
As Cal faces Syracuse Saturday, Strong looks to continue his torrid start in challenging matchups against top cornerbacks Chris Peal and Demetres Samuel Jr.
“All he cares about is playing well,” said Will Platt, Strong’s mentor and wealth manager. “Because he was very focused on that, everything worked out to his benefit, and he ended up exactly where he should have been, which is right now a really good player on a nationally ranked team that has the ability to be drafted.”
Strong’s West Coast move ended a rocky journey. Like most high school athletes in the United States at COVID-19’s peak, Strong’s recruiting process wasn’t easy.
St. Anthony’s High School (New York) head coach Joe Minucci said Strong’s film was limited after a five-game modified season in 2021.
Entering his senior year with the Friars, the Long Island native carried offers from William and Mary, Bucknell and Colgate, among other Football Championship Subdivision schools. Strong and his coaches said they were frustrated, knowing he could make an impact at a higher level.
But Strong kept a level head and began showing out. Then, Rutgers, a Football Bowl Subdivision squad, called.
“He was a dominant football player,” Minucci said. “It really didn’t matter who the opponent was. It was pretty clear to see that if he wasn’t the best guy out there, he was one of two.”
As a two-way senior, Strong compiled 797 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns and 80 tackles. St. Anthony’s won its 16th New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association Championship, and Strong was named conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Ian Strong celebrates for Rutgers during a matchup against Iowa. Strong spent three seasons with the Scarlet Knights, totaling 1,668 yards and 12 touchdowns. Courtesy of Lucas Tang
Strong’s near-flawless senior campaign only boosted his resume. 247Sports listed him at safety, but he thrived everywhere. As New York’s No. 1 recruit and a three-star, Army became his second FBS offer.
Strong’s impact with Rutgers wasn’t immediate, but he slowly grew into his own. As a freshman in 2023, he tallied 45- and 47-yard performances against Wisconsin and Iowa, respectively. The next year, he eclipsed 100 yards for the first time against Virginia Tech and again versus Kansas State in the Rate Bowl.
Strong’s final year with the Scarlet Knights was most impressive. He started with three 100-yard games, including a career-high 151 on eight catches in a 38-28 shootout loss against Iowa.
The performances caught Cal’s attention after it finished 7-6 in 2025 and lost its top two receivers. Now, Strong’s next up in Berkeley. Alongside Sagapolutele, who shoulders high expectations, Strong knows he’s in the right spot.
“His impact should be pretty special,” Minucci said. “I know they have a talented quarterback out there, and I think as they progress and work with one another and get used to one another, I could see that combination being pretty successful throughout college football.”
Before Strong’s arrival, the Golden Bears’ main goal was beating Stanford, longtime Cal fan Liz Smith said. Now, their sights are set higher.
“You can’t be a Cal fan without hope,” said Smith, who’s held season tickets for nearly 40 years. “You can be a Cal fan with a dashed heart, but you can’t be a Cal fan without hope.”
From the start of Strong’s football career at age 10, he stood apart. He studied his own game and opponents with a mental focus Platt hadn’t seen before as a coach.
On the national stage, over a decade later, that dedication paid off. Saturday in the JMA Wireless Dome is another chance for Strong to prove it.
