California Golden Bears Athletics
Isaiah Crosby is one of many Cal connections to the state of Texas.
Photo by: Brianna Ali/Cal Athletics
10/23/2026 9:45 AM | Football, Inside The Lair, Inside Cal Football
Isaiah Crosby Among Many Cal Football Players Returning Home To Texas This Saturday
California football defensive back Isaiah Crosby, who's from Fort Worth, expects to have 20-30 family members and friends in the stands at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday when the Golden Bears take on No. 23 SMU. Cal running back Ashten Emory, who's from Dallas, figures he'll have at least 40 people pulling for him.
Crosby and Emory are two of the eight players who hail from Texas on the Cal roster this season. And Crosby and Emory are each looking forward to a homecoming.
"We have a lot of Texas guys," Crosby said, "and it's always cool to just talk about going back home and being able to play in a stadium that we grew up around."
Said Emory: "I think it will be a great blessing. I'm looking forward to it."
There has been something of a pipeline from Texas to Berkeley over the past two decades or so. Running backs Justin Forsett (2004-07 at Cal) and Daniel Lasco (2012-15) and defensive back Craig Woodson (2019-24) are three Bears from the Lone Star State who made it to the NFL.
Forsett was the first prominent Texas recruit for Cal in the 21st century. He ranks third in school history in rushing yards (3,220), punctuated by an outstanding senior season in 2007. That's when he set the school record for rushing attempts (305) and gained 1,546 yards on the ground, the third-highest total in school history. He also had a program-record-tying 15 rushing touchdowns that season.
One of Forsett's teammates in his first two years with the Bears was current Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi.
Forsett is "as good as they come. He's a brother to me," Lupoi said. "I'd love to go find some Justin Forsetts or have some playing right now."
An alum of Grace Prep in Arlington, Texas, Forsett spent nine seasons in the NFL. He was inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021, the same year Marshawn Lynch was inducted. Forsett and Lynch spent three seasons (2004-06) as teammates with the Bears.
And it so happens that Lynch was one of the running backs Emory enjoyed watching when he was growing up.
Lynch "ran physical. He extended the plays," Emory said. "He was just a very talented player."
Emory, who went to Rockwall High in a suburb of Dallas, began his college career at UTEP. He ran for 569 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season before transferring to Cal.
Because of injuries to Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas, Emory has received increased playing time the past three games. He ran for two touchdowns – including the 2-yard game-winner with 18 seconds left – in the Bears' 25-20 victory over Virginia Tech on Oct. 10.
A serious hamstring injury ended Crosby's season last year after only four games. His return to the field this season has been one of the more inspiring stories around the Cal program. Crosby leads the Bears with 40 tackles.
An alum of Manor High in Texas who spent two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College, Crosby discussed how he handled the rehabilitation process following his injury.
"Just focusing on the things that I can control," Crosby said, "which is preparing my body to be able to get back right and get back to playing...
"It's a hard process – don't get me wrong...Just trying to focus on one day at a time and just stacking good days. I feel like that's how you get progression and then ultimately, that's how you get back to where you need to be."
Though Crosby and Emory are enthused about returning to the Metroplex, they know the homecoming will feel a lot sweeter if they return to the Bay Area on Saturday night with a victory.
"You still have to understand that you've got one job: You're going down there to play football and that's it," Emory said. "Of course, it's good to have people in the stands cheering for you, but it's just a regular game. You've got to make the main thing the main thing."
Lupoi reinforced the idea that Cal hopes to extend its pipeline in Texas. "We get the opportunity to drop in there, heavily recruit that place," he said.
Notes: The other six Texans on the Cal roster are defensive back Khamani Hudson (Houston), defensive lineman Legend Journey (Arlington), defensive lineman Michael-Anthony Okwura (Houston), punter/kicker Erik Peters (Houston), defensive back Jordan Sanford (Arlington) and outside linebacker Serigne Tounkara (Houston).
Crosby and Emory are two of the eight players who hail from Texas on the Cal roster this season. And Crosby and Emory are each looking forward to a homecoming.
"We have a lot of Texas guys," Crosby said, "and it's always cool to just talk about going back home and being able to play in a stadium that we grew up around."
Said Emory: "I think it will be a great blessing. I'm looking forward to it."
There has been something of a pipeline from Texas to Berkeley over the past two decades or so. Running backs Justin Forsett (2004-07 at Cal) and Daniel Lasco (2012-15) and defensive back Craig Woodson (2019-24) are three Bears from the Lone Star State who made it to the NFL.
Forsett was the first prominent Texas recruit for Cal in the 21st century. He ranks third in school history in rushing yards (3,220), punctuated by an outstanding senior season in 2007. That's when he set the school record for rushing attempts (305) and gained 1,546 yards on the ground, the third-highest total in school history. He also had a program-record-tying 15 rushing touchdowns that season.
One of Forsett's teammates in his first two years with the Bears was current Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi.
Forsett is "as good as they come. He's a brother to me," Lupoi said. "I'd love to go find some Justin Forsetts or have some playing right now."
An alum of Grace Prep in Arlington, Texas, Forsett spent nine seasons in the NFL. He was inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021, the same year Marshawn Lynch was inducted. Forsett and Lynch spent three seasons (2004-06) as teammates with the Bears.
And it so happens that Lynch was one of the running backs Emory enjoyed watching when he was growing up.
Lynch "ran physical. He extended the plays," Emory said. "He was just a very talented player."
Emory, who went to Rockwall High in a suburb of Dallas, began his college career at UTEP. He ran for 569 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season before transferring to Cal.
Because of injuries to Adam Mohammed and Carter Vargas, Emory has received increased playing time the past three games. He ran for two touchdowns – including the 2-yard game-winner with 18 seconds left – in the Bears' 25-20 victory over Virginia Tech on Oct. 10.
A serious hamstring injury ended Crosby's season last year after only four games. His return to the field this season has been one of the more inspiring stories around the Cal program. Crosby leads the Bears with 40 tackles.
An alum of Manor High in Texas who spent two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College, Crosby discussed how he handled the rehabilitation process following his injury.
"Just focusing on the things that I can control," Crosby said, "which is preparing my body to be able to get back right and get back to playing...
"It's a hard process – don't get me wrong...Just trying to focus on one day at a time and just stacking good days. I feel like that's how you get progression and then ultimately, that's how you get back to where you need to be."
Though Crosby and Emory are enthused about returning to the Metroplex, they know the homecoming will feel a lot sweeter if they return to the Bay Area on Saturday night with a victory.
"You still have to understand that you've got one job: You're going down there to play football and that's it," Emory said. "Of course, it's good to have people in the stands cheering for you, but it's just a regular game. You've got to make the main thing the main thing."
Lupoi reinforced the idea that Cal hopes to extend its pipeline in Texas. "We get the opportunity to drop in there, heavily recruit that place," he said.
Notes: The other six Texans on the Cal roster are defensive back Khamani Hudson (Houston), defensive lineman Legend Journey (Arlington), defensive lineman Michael-Anthony Okwura (Houston), punter/kicker Erik Peters (Houston), defensive back Jordan Sanford (Arlington) and outside linebacker Serigne Tounkara (Houston).
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