Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 24-45vs UCLA | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 21-18@ Syracuse | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#32
Tristan Jernigan
Redshirt sophomore linebacker for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 230 lb · Tupelo, MS · Tupelo HS
Transferred Texas A&M → California for 2026
The numbers
9
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs UCLA
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Texas A&M in 2024.
- Transferred from Texas A&M to California in 2026.
Tristan Jernigan
Tristan Jernigan has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. The receipt: 6 tackles against UCLA — Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20243 games
- Signed with Texas A&M3-star out of Tupelo
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024–2025
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
2025Texas A&M
2026California
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Texas A&M8-5HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2025Texas A&M11-2HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2026California1-1HC: Tosh Lupoi · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/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 | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Texas A&M | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Texas A&M | 11 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 23 | 11 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 21–18
at Syracuse
3 TOT · 1 SOLO
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)
Game log
Background
Sophomore (2025) - Texas A&M Appeared in two games. Recorded three tackles and a tackle for loss. Listed as the No. 37 linebacker in the 2026 transfer portal by 247Sports. Freshman (2024) - Texas A&M Played in seven games, primarily on special teams. Tallied five tackles in the win over McNeese....
The linebacker corps · California
- #21Aaron Hampton41 tackles · 2025
- #10Jayden Wayne26 tackles · 2025
- #15Joshua Pierce14 tackles · 2025
- #4Justin Beadles12 tackles · 2025
- #32Tristan Jernigan3 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · California team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology