Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 24-45vs UCLA | 5 | 94 | 18.8 | 0 | 49 | Season-high 94 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 21-18@ Syracuse | 3 | 64 | 21.3 | 0 | 43 | |
| Total | 8 | 158 | 20.1 | 0 | 49 |
#9
Ian Strong
Senior wide receiver for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 215 lb · Coram, NY · St. Anthony's HS
CFB Index 69 · #87 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceTransferred Rutgers → California for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
158
receiving yards · 2026
8 catches · 19.8 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 5 rec · 88 yds · 3 TD -- top 1% receiving TDs game. -- Best game: 5 rec, 94 yds, vs UCLA
Swing playSwung Rutgers from 46% to 76% to win.Maryland at Rutgers · 35-20
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 wide receiver for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Rutgers in 2023.
- Transferred from Rutgers to California in 2026.
In Their Words
150 windows · 2026 fan posts
ian×109.4rutgers×64.5run×9.9
“Imagining life for this offense if somehow they were able to keep Ian Strong on this team”
reddit/CFB · fan post, verbatim
Ian Strong
Moves the chains on third down. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt: 94 rec yds, 5 receptions against UCLA — Week 1, 2026.
158 REC YDS · 8 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
The week the volume broke through — put up 151 yds vs Iowa.Iowa · L 28-382025
20239 games
- Signed with Rutgers3-star out of St. Anthony's
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
California
2026era →
Tosh Lupoi
California
Coaching transition mid-career: Justin Wilcox → Tosh Lupoi. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to California
2025Rutgers
2026California
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Rutgers7-6HC: Greg Schiano · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2024Rutgers7-6HC: Greg Schiano · Run-leaning
2025Rutgers5-7HC: Greg Schiano · Run-leaning
2026California1-1HC: Tosh Lupoi · Pass-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / catch (95th percentile). Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 REC/g, 79.0 YDS/g, 20.1 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tosh Lupoi
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | California | 8 | 158 | 19.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Rutgers | 52 | 762 | 14.7 | 5 | -- |
| 2024 | Rutgers | 42 | 668 | 15.9 | 5 | -- |
| 2023 | Rutgers | 16 | 230 | 14.4 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 118 | 1,818 | 15.4 | 12 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 21–18
at Syracuse
3 rec · 64 yds
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With A. Davies — 34 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 52 LONG · J. Sagapolutele — 182 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 54.4 · -5 rush yds (2 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · UCLA · 3&9 · Q2 · EPA +4.12(00:40) Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete deep left to #9 I.Strong caught at CLA48, for 49 yards to the CLA38 (#27 T.James), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Syracuse · 2&11 · Q2 · EPA +3.98(08:19) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete deep middle to #9 I.Strong caught at SYR33, for 43 yards to the SYR33 (#12 C.Peal), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · UCLA · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.73(05:11) Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short right to #9 I.Strong caught at CAL37, for 21 yards to the CAL41 (#1 S.Jackson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · UCLA · 2&2 · Q1 · EPA -1.68(14:19) Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short right to #9 I.Strong caught at CAL28, for 4 yards loss to the CAL29 (#10 S.Omosigho; #12 M.Hartford)
- Week 1 · UCLA · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.63(11:36) Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short left to #9 I.Strong caught at CAL28, for 18 yards to the CAL33 (#39 A.Sacca), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · UCLA · 2&7 · Q4 · EPA +1.19(08:06) Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short right to #9 I.Strong caught at CAL30, for 10 yards to the CAL33 (#2 R.Pleasant; #25 T.Hendrick), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Syracuse · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.24(10:15) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short left to #9 I.Strong caught at SYR15, for 15 yards to the SYR14 (#12 C.Peal), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Syracuse · 3&9 · Q3 · EPA +0.20(13:22) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 J.Sagapolutele pass complete short right to #9 I.Strong caught at CAL44, for 6 yards to the CAL48 (#1 D.Samuel Jr.)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Corey Xavier Sutton’s 2021 season.
88%match
Matches Corey on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
TD rate
Through 4 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Cary Angeline’s path through NC State.
98%match
#3
Jalen Coker
95%
Matches Cary on
Yards per reception
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Corey Gammage's junior season at Marshall (2022).
77%match
All-Conference USA
Matches Corey on
Total EPA (college ability)
TD rate
Height
Differs from Corey on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ian Strong
Background
Accolades - Athletic Athlon Sports Preseason Third-Team All-ACC (2026) Biletnikoff Award Watch List (2026) Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000 (2026) Athlon Sports Fourth-Team All-Big Ten (2025) Biletnikoff Award Watch List (2025) Coaches and Media Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (2025) Phil St...
The receiver room · California
- #7Chase Hendricks1,037 receiving yards · 2025
- #9Ian Strong762 receiving yards · 2025
- #5Quaron Adams273 receiving yards · 2025
- #4Jordan King267 receiving yards · 2025
- #15Mark Hamper202 receiving yards · 2025
8 more on the roster · California team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology