Football
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Cal Bears Football Coaching Staff
Last Game
TBA
Dec 7, 2024
ACC Championship Game
Next Game
Oregon State
Aug 30
Corvallis, OR
Justin Wilcox
Head Coach
Justin Wilcox has compiled a long list of accomplishments and signature wins as the Travers Family Head Football Coach and is in his eighth campaign on the job at Cal and first in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024. Wilcox is the first Cal head coach to win the Big Game three straight times on the road since Pappy Waldorf captured six straight at Stanford from 1937-51. The 2023 victory at Stanford was Cal's fourth win in the Big Game in the last five meetings, including three in a row overall (2021-23) and three straight on The Farm (2019, '21, '23). The Golden Bears have also won a combined five times over in-state rivals UCLA and USC during Wilcox's tenure, as well as ended long losing streaks Wilcox inherited from his predecessors with multiple victories against Stanford, USC and Washington. In 2018 and 2019, Wilcox led Cal to back-to-back winning campaigns and bowl games for the first time since 2008 and 2009, then returned to a bowl in 2023. The Bears have knocked off five teams that either won Pac-12 titles that season or were reigning league champs during Wilcox's tenure and taken down four AP Top 25 teams in No. 8 Washington State (2017), No. 15 Washington (2018), No. 14 Washington (2019) and No. 23 Oregon (2020).
Most recently, he led the Bears to bowl-eligibility and a Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl selection in 2023 after wins in each of their final three regular-season games at home against Washington State and then on the road at state rivals Stanford and UCLA. Cal's other victories in 2023 came at North Texas in the season opener and at home against Idaho and Arizona State. Five of the team's seven losses were against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 first at No. 5 Washington in its' Pac-12 opener and then in a school-record four straight games against No. 15 Oregon State, at No. 16 Utah, vs. No. 24 USC and at No. 6 Oregon. The Bears also fell to perennial and national powerhouse Auburn in their home opener and Texas Tech in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. All seven teams Cal was defeated by and UCLA played in bowl games with Washington reaching the championship game of the College Football Playoff, while Idaho reached the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs.
The 2023 Bears featured running back Jaydn Ott, a 2023 honorable mention All-American (Phil Steele), first-team All-Pac-12 selection and Pac-12’s rushing champion, and 2024 Heisman Trophy candidate, who led the league and ranked among the nation’s best in all-purpose yards per game (135.67, #6 NCAA), rushing yards per game (109.6 ypg, #9 NCAA) and rushing yards (1315, #14 NCAA). Ott, who had five of the Pac-12’s top nine games for rushing yards in 2023 while no one else had move than one, also tied for second in the Pac-12 with 15 total touchdowns (#19T NCAA) and second with 12 rushing touchdowns (#29T NCAA) to lead a rushing offense that averaged 172.8 yards on the ground per game in 2023, which was fourth in the Pac-12 and Cal’s highest mark since 2012, including four games of 235 or more yards with a 357-yard rushing game in the season-opener at North Texas that was the most by the Bears since since rushing for 431 against Washington in 2008.
The 2023 defense led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12. In addition, the Bears’ three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally. All six players from Cal’s 2023 Independence Bowl squad who were honored on All-Pac-12 teams last season return in 2024, with Ott joined by second-team punter Lachlan Wilson, honorable mention choices in outside linebacker David Reese and defensive back Craig Woodson, and a pair of freshman honorees in Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year inside linebacker Cade Uluave and Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honorable mention selection quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Uluave and tight end Jack Endries were also 2023 Freshman All-American picks with Uluave a three-time first-teamer (College Football Network, FWAA, The Athletic) while Endries earned first-team recognition from College Football News and second-team honors from The Athletic, in addition to being an honorable mention choice of the College Football Network.
The Bears built on their momentum at the end of the 2023 regular season and have added 54 players overall, 41 scholarship players and 28 first-year transfers to their 2024 roster including 18 players that arrived on campus in January and participated in 2024 spring practice. Cal’s transfer portal recruiting class currently ranks No. 14 according to On3 and had been as high as No. 6 at one point. The Bears are scheduled to have 55 new players when the team's 2024 training camp begins including 28 first-year transfers. The 2024 off-season is the second in a row that the team's recruiting class has been among the nation's best. In 2023, the spring transfer portal class was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 “winners”, while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 “winners”) and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class).
Cal's 2022 squad was responsible for a dramatic come from behind victory over Stanford and an offensive explosion in a victory over Arizona despite being an inexperienced team that started the season with 58 of the 113 players on the roster having never participated in a game for the Bears, including 35 in their first season at Cal as the Bears ranked 12th in the Pac-12 and 127th of 131 FBS schools on Phil Steele's preseason experience chart. A total of 33 Bears played for the first time at Cal in 2022, while 24 made their first start for a Blue and Gold team that finished 4-8 overall. Cal excelled in several team statistical categories in 2022 including tying for second in the Pac-12 and tying for 12th nationally with three defensive touchdowns while also ranking among the nation's top teams in several turnover categories including fumbles lost (3, #3T Pac-12, #6T NCAA), turnover margin (0.50. #3 Pac-12, #22T NCAA) and turnovers lost (12, #3T Pac-12, #12T NCAA). At one point during the season, Cal had the nation's longest active streak by forcing at least one turnover in 19 consecutive games starting in the 2020 finale through the first six games of 2022. Cal was also among the top half of the Pac-12 and NCAA leaders in fewest penalties (63, #2T Pac-12, #23T NCAA), fewest penalty yards (44.58, #3 Pac-12, #28 NCAA), net punting (40.14 ypp, #3 Pac-12, #31 NCAA), fewest penalties per game (5.25, #3 Pac-12, #31T NCAA), punt returns (10.91 ypr, #4 Pac-12, #24 NCAA) and passing offense (268.0 ypg, #5 Pac-12, #31 NCAA). Wilcox received strong performances from several individuals in 2022 led by Ott, who was a Pro Football Focus All-True Freshman team member, led all Pac-12 freshman and ranked among the nation's top freshmen in all-purpose yards (1,218, #4 NCAA), all-purpose yards per game (101.50 ypg, #4 NCAA), total touchdowns (#5T NCAA) and rushing touchdowns (#8 NCAA), while he was second among Pac-12 freshman and among the nation's top freshmen in receptions per game (3.8, #5 NCAA), rush yards per carry (#6 NCAA), rushing yards per game (74.8 #7 NCAA) receptions (46, #8 NCAA) and rushing yards (897, #8 NCAA). J.Michael Sturdivant led the nation’s freshmen in receptions (65) and receptions per game (5.4), while ranking second in receiving yards (755) and receiving yards per game (62.9 ypg), and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (7).
Wilcox's team came on strong at the end of the 2021 campaign with four victories in its final six contests including arguably its most impressive performance of the season in a 41-11 Big Game win that marked Cal's largest margin of victory against Stanford since 2004. Cal had a Big Game-record 636 total yards in the contest including 352 on the ground that were the most rushing yards in a game by the Bears since 2008. The 2021 Cal offense was capable of producing big numbers that included over 500 yards of total offense three times (636, at Stanford; 534, vs. Sacramento State; 517, vs. Oregon State) and more than 200 yards rushing on four occasions (352, at Stanford; 255, vs. Oregon State; 246, vs. Sacramento State; 213, vs. Colorado). The Bears' 2021 offense also took tremendous care of the football with its 10 turnovers the fewest ever by a Cal team playing a full schedule with the previous low 13 by Wilcox's 2019 squad. Cal lost only two fumbles in 2021 to rank tied for second nationally and lead the Pac-12 for fewest fumbles lost. The Bears were also second in the Pac-12 and 11th nationally in turnover margin (+10, 0.83), while their 10 total turnovers lost were second in the Pac-12 and tied for seventh nationally. Fourth-year starting quarterback Chase Garbers, as well offensive linemen Matthew Cindric, Ben Coleman and McKade Mettauer earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors from the league's coaches. Garbers finished his Cal career ranked among the school's all-time leaders in total offense (4th), touchdown passes (T6th), passer efficiency (7th), passing yards (7th), 300-plus yard passing games (T7th) and 250-yard passing games (T9th), while he is also Cal's all-time leader for both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Wilcox's defense shone in the second half of the 2021 season by holding four of its last six opponents to 14 points or less. The Bears finished the campaign second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, fourth in total defense and fourth in rushing defense. Elijah Hicks led the way as a third-team All-American of Pro Football Focus and a consensus first-team All-Pac-12 pick, as well as the winner of the Pop Warner College Football Award, and a semifinalist for both the prestigious Campbell Trophy and Jason Witten College Man of the Year honors among a long list of accolades. Hicks co-led the Pac-12 with a career-high four forced fumbles and 0.33 fumbles per game (#11T NCAA). He also had three interceptions to tie for third in the conference. Fellow safety Daniel Scott earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus, while Cal had four players pick up honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors on the defensive side of the ball in OLB Marqez Bimage, OLB Cameron Goode, CB Lu-Magia Hearns and DL JH Tevis. Hearns also added honorable mention honors for the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year. Goode led the Pac-12 in per-game sacks with 0.68 and totaled 7.5 to finish his career eighth on Cal's all-time list with 21.5 (-132 yards).
Following the success of the 2021 campaign, Wilcox signed a contract extension in January of 2022 through the 2027 campaign.
"I appreciate the opportunity to be the head football coach at Cal and am excited about the future of our program," Wilcox said upon signing the extension. "I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute I have spent with the extraordinary young men who have been in our program. We are in a great position and strongly aligned with our university thanks to the leadership of Chancellor Carol Christ and our Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton. I thank both of them for their continued trust and confidence in me to lead a football program that will make the entire Cal community proud. We have very high expectations. I think we've earned the right to expect more, and that's exactly what we're going to do."
"Justin Wilcox is a football coach who shares our values and vision, and we want to ensure that he is the leader of our program for the long term," Knowlton commented. "Justin is a great fit for Cal Athletics and our university, with a philosophy that places an emphasis on developing young men on the field, in the classroom and as people. I am confident our fans and alumni share my enthusiasm for the direction of our program, and the level of success we have seen to date has set a foundation for sustained excellence in the future."
"Since the beginning of his tenure, I have been impressed by Justin Wilcox's leadership, and his commitment to enabling our student-athletes to take full advantage of the academic and athletic opportunities we offer," Christ said. "He is, in my opinion, the quintessential Berkeley coach who understands the university's values, as well as the value his program brings to the campus as a rallying point for Cal's global community. College football is a highly competitive environment, and the investment represented in Justin's new contract is commensurate with all that I know he will contribute to our university in the years ahead."
Wilcox's defense was just getting untracked in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ended the often-delayed season after four games with its final performance a second-half shutout of eventual Pac-12 champion Oregon in an inspiring 21-17 home victory over the Ducks. Oregon had come into the contest averaging 38.5 points per game but Cal was able to shut out the Ducks in the second half. Cal was the only team to blank Oregon for a half in either 2019 or 2020 and did it twice, adding a first-half shutout of the high-powered offense in Eugene in 2019. OLB Kuony Deng forced a pair of fourth-quarter fumbles to earn his first-ever Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors in the 2020 victory, while Goode registered a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss. The offense also had two key long touchdown drives in the first half including the longest one in the Wilcox era that took 19 plays and 9:51 off the clock in a game in which the Bears had a decided advantage in both time of possession and total plays. Cal would also score the only points of the second half on a 28-yard third-quarter touchdown pass from Garbers to Nikko Remigio followed by Dario Longhetto's extra point. Camryn Bynum (first team) and Goode (second team) earned All-Pac-12 selections, while Kekoa Crawford, Jake Curhan, Deng, Josh Drayden, Brett Johnson, Zeandae Johnson, Nikko Remigio, Michael Saffell and Jake Tonges were honorable mention all-conference picks, and Damien Moore an honorable mention selection for the league’s Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.
Wilcox began the 2019 season with four straight wins to move the Bears into the No. 15 spot in the AP Top 25 and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll. The victories included road wins at then-No. 14/12 Washington and Ole Miss, with the latter the first road triumph by a Pac-12 school at an SEC foe since 2010. The two signature victories helped the Bears to a 4-2 mark in true road games to give Cal back-to-back winning seasons on the road for the first time since 2004. A strong defense led by Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Weaver; an offense that took care of the football, produced explosive plays and had a penchant for game-winning drives; and a disciplined team that led the conference and ranked in the top 15 nationally in all penalty categories were among the keys to success. Weaver led the nation in total tackles (school-record and career-high 182), total tackles per game (14.0), solo tackles (103) and solo tackles per game (7.9) for a defense that allowed only 21.9 points per contest and ranked fourth in the Pac-12 in both scoring defense and total defense (389.9 ypg). In addition to being the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year, Weaver was a finalist for several other awards honoring the nation's top player (Lombardi Honors), defensive player (Lott IMPACT Trophy), linebacker (Butkus Award) and senior (Senior CLASS Award). Wilcox also played a role in the significant development of several others including arguably and most notably Ashtyn Davis, who anchored the team's defensive backfield and was one of three national finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy given annually to the nation's top collegiate player who began his career as a walk-on. On offense, Cal put together game-winning drives on its final possessions both at Washington and Stanford while committing only 13 turnovers to establish a then-school record for the fewest giveaways in a full season that was later bettered by the 2021 team. Cal committed only nine turnovers in its last 12 contests after a season-high four in the opener against UC Davis and did not turn the ball over at all in five games. Cal's offense mostly clicked when Garbers was healthy with the Bears a perfect 7-0 in games he started and played more than a half. During its last four wins all coming over the team's final five games, the Cal offense averaged 30.0 points and 414.3 total yards per contest including a season-high 35 points in its final game in a Redbox Bowl victory over Illinois.
Wilcox guided the Bears to the Cheez-It Bowl and a 7-6 overall record in his second campaign in 2018 with the bowl appearance Cal's first in three seasons and first in a Pac-12 affiliated bowl since 2011. Cal reached a high point of 7-4 overall after winning four of five conference games in one stretch, highlighted by signature victories over eventual Pac-12 champion and then-No. 15/13 Washington, as well as at USC with the victory over the Trojans clinching bowl eligibility. Cal also started the season with a 3-0 mark and in Week 5 made its first appearance since 2015 in the AP Top 25 at No. 24. Cal’s defense finished the 2018 campaign among national and Pac-12 leaders in nearly every category. The Bears ranked in the top 10 nationally and paced the conference in interceptions (21, #2 NCAA), defensive touchdowns (5, #4T NCAA), passing yards allowed (175.1 ypg, #9 NCAA) and turnovers gained (28, #T6 NCAA). Cal also led the league and ranked in the top 20 in the country in pass efficiency defense (107.26, #11 NCAA) and first downs allowed (227, #18 NCAA). In addition, the Bears were 15th nationally in total defense (317.2 ypg) and 22nd in scoring defense (20.4 ppg), while finishing third in the Pac-12 in both categories. Weaver (Pro Football Focus) and Jordan Kunaszyk (Sports Illustrated) earned second-team All-American honors and paced the nation with a total of 307 tackles between them that are the most ever in a campaign by a Cal duo. Weaver's 159 tackles were the second-highest total in the nation and at the time tied for second on Cal's all-time single-season list until he surpassed the total in 2019 to move his 2018 final number down a spot. Kunaszyk's 148 tackles were the fourth-highest single-season total in school history at the time (now fifth) and also fifth nationally. Weaver's 12.2 stops per game were sixth in the nation while Kunaszyk's 11.4 were ninth with Weaver and Kunaszyk ranking second and third, respectively, in the Pac-12 in both total tackles and tackles per game as the duo combined for 34.3 percent of Cal's total stops. Jaylinn Hawkins led the Pac-12 and tied for third nationally with his six interceptions including three in the Cheez-It Bowl to earn Defensive Player of the Game honors and a spot on Sports Illustrated's All-Bowl squad. Patrick Laird led the 2018 offense and finished 39 yards from becoming only the third Cal player to ever amass a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He did become the first Cal player since Marshawn Lynch to rush for over 100 yards twice in the Big Game with his second consecutive 100-yard rushing contest against Stanford and also had more receptions in a season than any running back in school history with a team-high 51. Laird captured a multitude of honors for his accomplishments on and off the field highlighted by his selection as a second-team Senior All-American by the Senior CLASS Award, his spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, and his selections as one of three national finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy and a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy.
The highlights of Wilcox's first season as the head coach in Berkeley in 2017 included a 3-0 start and non-conference wins over Power 5 programs North Carolina and Ole Miss, as well as a 37-3 victory over then No. 8/9 Washington State in an ESPN nationally-televised Friday night home game. The victory against the Cougars snapped Cal's 17-game losing streak to top-10 teams, was the Bears' first victory against a top-10 team since 2003 and only its second top-10 win dating back to 1977. Cal finished 5-7 overall by adding a Pac-12 victory over Oregon State while taking three conference squads down to the final moments before falling by a combined total of seven points to Arizona, and on the road in its final two games of the season at UCLA and Stanford. Cal ranked among the nation’s top defenses for much of the season in nearly every category related to turnovers before finishing among the nation's best in defensive touchdowns (4, #21T NCAA), fumbles recovered (10, #27T), turnovers gained (24, #29T) and passes intercepted (14, #32T). Cal’s seven takeaways against Washington State equaled the second-most by an FBS team in 2017 with the Bears’ 9.0 sacks in the contest the most by a Cal team since 2005. The 2017 Cal defense had better total numbers and rankings than the 2016 squad in 14 of the primary 15 team defensive statistics tracked by the NCAA. Even more impressive was the Bears’ average improvement in the national rankings of just under 40 spots per category in those 15 defensive statistical categories..Ross Bowers, Laird, Kanawai Noa and Vic Wharton III led Cal’s 2017 offense with Bowers throwing for 3,039 yards to rank sixth on the Bears’ all-time single-season list and Laird (1,127 yards, 8 TD) becoming the 16th Cal player to rush for 1,000 yards or more in a season, while Wharton III (67-871, 5 TD) and Noa (56-788, 4 TD) were the top two receivers. Devante Downs, Laird, James Looney and Patrick Mekari were honorable mention All-Pac-12 picks.
Wilcox has coached 12 players as Cal’s head coach who are currently on NFL rosters in Christopher Brooks (Miami), Camryn Bynum (Minnesota), Jake Curhan (Seattle), Ashtyn Davis (New York Jets), Cameron Goode (Miami), Jaylinn Hawkins (New England), Elijah Hicks (Chicago), Patrick McMorris (Miami), Patrick Mekari (Baltimore), Daniel Scott (Indianapolis, injured reserve), Jackson Sirmon (New York Jets) and Jake Tonges (San Francisco). A total of 28 Cal players since Wilcox became the Bears’ head coach in 2017 have been on NFL rosters with the list also including Ian Bunting, Trevon Clark, Cindric, Kekoa Crawford, Raymond Davison III, Deng, Downs, Drayden, Garbers, Laird, Zeandae Johnson, Looney, Makai Polk, Demetrius Robertson, Jordan Veasy and Weaver.
Cal football student-athletes have also had success in the classroom throughout Wilcox's tenure. The program announced its highest Graduation Success Rate ever at 86 percent in December of 2022 then followed that up with 83 percent in 2023. Cal has also recorded its top two scores in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate and its highest team grade-point average under Wilcox. The team's APR of 976 for the 2022-23 academic year (most recent data available from NCAA) announced in June of 2024 was 13 points higher than the national football average of 963 and third-highest number in school history. In addition, Cal has earned a combined 92 spots on the last four Pac-12 Academic Honor Rolls since its' inception in 2020 including a program-high 31 in 2022. Matt Anderson was the Pac-12's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2017 before Michael Saffell won the prestigious award in 2020.
Fan support for the Bears has also increased since Wilcox became the team's head coach. Student attendance nearly doubled from 2017 to 2018, and student ticket purchases where higher in 2021 than they had been in the past 10 years. In addition, Cal fans had a 95% season-ticket renewal rate for 2021 compared to the 2019 campaign. In 2022, the Bears drew a sell-out crowd of 51,892 when they hosted the 125th Big Game against Stanford. The 2023 campaign opened with a solid 44,141 in attendance and a sold-out student section for a nationally-televised ESPN game against Auburn.
Wilcox has also played a significant role in several recent gifts that have benefited the Cal football program. He was instrumental in securing a seven-figure gift to the school's football program in 2019 from former Cal quarterback, four-time NFL AP MVP, and Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers' gift was used to renovate the football locker room and create the Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship that is now awarded annually to a junior college transfer like Rodgers, who came to Cal after one season at Butte College near his hometown of Chico. In 2021, the Travers Family committed $7.5 million to endow the Travers Family Head Football Coach position and Paul White gave $1.5 million to fund the Paul F. White Innovation and Wellness Center.
Wilcox's players have also been active in the community with Cindric's 2023 selection to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® the fourth time one of Wilcox's Cal players has been selected including three consecutive seasons from 2018-20 (Laird, Marcel Dancy, Hicks). Laird earned a spot on the prestigious squad primarily for his work with the Patrick Laird Summer Reading Challenge, which was later picked up by Saffell, while Dancy was honored for his efforts as a volunteer coach for the Oakland Dynamites Youth Football and Cheer squad, and Hicks for his fundraising efforts that included netting over $60,000 for families affected by COVID-19. Cindric was also the co-founder of the Golden Buddies Football Clinic along with Myles Williams that took place for the first time in 2023 before Williams came back for a second season along with co-hosts Endries and Mendoza. The second event doubled to about 100 participants and allowed children aged 6-13 with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in football drills and interact with about 40 Cal football players running the various event stations. Saffell was also a finalist for the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy, while Hicks was the winner of the 2021 Pop Warner College Football Award.
Wilcox made his objectives clear at his opening press conference shortly after he was hired on January 14, 2017.
"The goal here is pretty simple," Wilcox said at the time. "It is to consistently compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes and leave them with a fulfilling experience in Berkeley. The type of student-athlete we want at Cal is smart and tough. We want student-athletes that will play football at a high level and also succeed in the classroom at the top public institution in the world. Recruiting players that come from winning programs and know how to win is important. They will help us to build and maintain a winning culture."
Wilcox and his staff emphasize the importance of recruiting their own backyard.
"There are a large number of student-athletes in our own geographic footprint that fit our profile athletically and academically, and we have had a lot of success attracting many of them to Cal," Wilcox said. "Being successful recruiting your backyard is important for so many reasons. There are so many Cal alumni in our area that want to support our program and our student-athletes when they attend Cal, and having student-athletes from their communities in our program will help them connect with our university."
Prior to becoming Cal's head coach, Wilcox spent the previous 11 seasons as a defensive coordinator at Boise State (2006-09), Tennessee (2010-11), Washington (2012-13), USC (2014-15) and Wisconsin (2016). Over his first 23 seasons in collegiate coaching, Wilcox has been a member of staffs that have participated in 17 bowl games, won five conference or division championships and compiled an all-time record of 182-92 (.664).
In his most recent position before becoming Cal's head coach, Wilcox helped a 2016 Wisconsin team to an 11-3 overall record and a No. 9 ranking in the final AP Top 25 in addition to a Cotton Bowl win as the team’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. The Badgers also captured the Big Ten West Division with a 7-2 league mark. At Wisconsin, Wilcox inherited a defense that had to replace five of 11 starters and was still able to produce one of the most effective units in the nation. The Badgers ranked among the country’s top 10 in five key categories – rushing defense (98.8 ypg, #3), third-down conversion defense (27.9%, #4), scoring defense (15.6 ppg, #4), total defense (301.4 ypg, #7) and passing efficiency defense (106.91, #10) – despite facing a schedule that featured seven nationally ranked opponents. T.J. Watt was named a first-team All-American by ESPN.com and Sports Illustrated, as well as first-team All-Big Ten, while T.J. Edwards was selected the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl.
Wilcox was also instrumental to the success of Washington and USC in four previous seasons as a defensive coordinator in the Pac-12.
The Trojans won the Pac-12 South title in 2015 and made a second consecutive appearance in the Holiday Bowl, leading the conference in third-down conversion defense and scoring five defensive touchdowns (No. 3 NCAA). In 2014, USC’s defense ranked among the nation’s top 20 in turnover margin, red zone defense and third-down conversion defense.
The Huskies ranked in the top 40 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense in his first campaign in 2012 after finishing the previous season ranked lower than No. 105 in each category. Washington’s scoring defense jumped to tied for No. 29 nationally in 2013, while its team passing efficiency defense improved 60 spots to No. 27 in 2012 before climbing to No. 10 in 2013, with its 41.0 sacks tied for fourth nationally. Washington played in the 2012 Las Vegas Bowl and 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl.
Wilcox also spent two seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator (2010-11) and four campaigns as the defensive coordinator at Boise State (2006-09). The Broncos went 49-4 during his time in the role at Boise State while leading the Western Athletic Conference in scoring defense and total defense each season. In 2009, Wilcox guided Boise State to a No. 14 ranking in both total defense and scoring defense as well as a No. 3 showing in turnover margin. The Broncos opened the season with a 19-8 win over eventual Pac-12 champion Oregon and closed the campaign with a 17-10 victory over previously undefeated TCU in the Fiesta Bowl while winning their third Western Athletic Conference title in four seasons with Wilcox as defensive coordinator and fourth in his six seasons on the staff (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009). Boise State’s 2008 squad posted a 12-1 record with Wilcox’s defense ranked third nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 12.6 points per game and holding eight of 13 opponents to 10 points or fewer. The Broncos also led the WAC in rushing defense in both 2006 and 2007. Boise State was No. 8 nationally against the run during Wilcox’s 2006 debut season as defensive coordinator, and his overall defensive scheme was instrumental in helping the squad to a 13-0 record and an overtime victory against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
Wilcox spent three seasons as Cal’s linebackers coach from 2003-05 in his first position as a full-time coach following two campaigns as a graduate assistant at Boise State (2001-02). The Bears posted a 26-12 record during his first stint in Berkeley with trips to the Insight, Holiday and Las Vegas bowls.
The 1999 graduate of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology is the son of the late Dave Wilcox, a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1964-74. His uncle, John (Philadelphia Eagles, 1960), and brother, Josh (New Orleans Saints, 1998-99), also played in the NFL.
As a collegiate student-athlete, Wilcox was a safety and cornerback at Oregon (1996-99), helping the Ducks to bowl games (1997 Las Vegas Bowl, 1998 Aloha Bowl, 1999 Sun Bowl) in each of his final three seasons. In 1999, he was named second-team All-Pac-10 and also earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors.
Justin Wilcox File
Birthdate: November 12, 1976
Hometown: Junction City, OR
High School: Junction City HS
College: Oregon, 1999, Bachelor's In Anthropology
All-Time Head Coaching Record (8th Season): 36-43 (5-7, 2017; 7-6, 2018; 8-5, 2019; 1-3, 2020; 5-7, 2021; 4-8, 2022; 6-7, 2023)
Head Coaching Record at Cal (8th Season): Same
Coaching Experience
*Season: School – Position (Champions, Postseason)
2001: Boise State – Graduate Assistant
2002: Boise State – Graduate Assistant (WAC Champions, Humanitarian Bowl)
2003: California – Linebackers (Insight Bowl)
2004: California – Linebackers (Holiday Bowl)
2005: California – Linebackers (Las Vegas Bowl)
2006: Boise State – Defensive Coordinator (WAC Champions, Fiesta Bowl)
2007: Boise State – Defensive Coordinator (WAC Champions, Hawaii Bowl)
2008: Boise State – Defensive Coordinator (Poinsettia Bowl)
2009: Boise State – Defensive Coordinator (WAC Champions, Fiesta Bowl)
2010: Tennessee – Defensive Coordinator (Music City Bowl)
2011: Tennessee – Defensive Coordinator
2012: Washington – Defensive Coordinator (Las Vegas Bowl)
2013: Washington – Defensive Coordinator (Fight Hunger Bowl)
2014: USC – Defensive Coordinator (Holiday Bowl)
2015: USC – Defensive Coordinator (Pac-12 South Division Champions, Holiday Bowl)
2016: Wisconsin – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers (Cotton Bowl)
2017: California – Head Coach
2018: California – Head Coach (Cheez-It Bowl)
2019: California – Head Coach (Redbox Bowl)
2020: California – Head Coach
2021: California – Travers Family Head Football Coach
2022: California – Travers Family Head Football Coach
2023: California – Travers Family Head Football Coach (Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Travers Family Head Football Coach
*Season in which bowl game was played
Peter Sirmon
Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
Peter Sirmon is in his seventh season at Cal and fifth campaign as the Golden Bears' defensive coordinator in 2024, while he also continues to be the program's inside linebackers position coach for the seventh consecutive campaign. Sirmon started at Cal in 2018 as the inside linebackers coach before adding co-defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator duties to his role in 2019. He also served as the recruiting coordinator for three seasons from 2019-21.
Sirmon has been instrumental for developing a multitude of key defensive players at Cal including a pair of All-Americans in ILB Evan Weaver and CB Elijah Hicks with Weaver a consensus first-team pick and also the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 while Hicks was a third-teamer in 2021. Weaver was also the nation’s leading tackler in 2019. Sirmon's son, Jackson Sirmon, was a fourth-team preseason All-American in 2023 and named first-team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus despite missing the final seven games due to injury.
Sirmon has coached seven players at Cal who have combined for nine first or second-team All-Pac-12 selections by the league's coaches including Jackson Sirmon (2022 first team), Hicks (2021 first team), CB Camryn Bynum (2020 first team, 2019 second team), OLB Cameron Goode (2020 second team), S Ashtyn Davis (2019 second team), ILB Jordan Kunaszyk (2018 first team) and Weaver (2019 first team, 2018 second team). S Daniel Scott was also a first-team All-Pac-12 pick of Pro Football Focus in 2021 and the second-rated safety in the Pac-12 behind only his teammate Hicks. In 2023, ILB Cade Uluave was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, while OLB David Reese and DB Craig Woodson were honorable mention All-Pac-12 selections.
Seven of the 11 defensive players Sirmon has coached at Cal since his 2018 arrival that have been on NFL rosters are still currently in the league in Bynum (Minnesota), Davis (New York Jets), Goode (Miami), Hicks (Chicago), S Jaylinn Hawkins (New England), S Patrick McMorris (Miami) and Scott (Indianapolis injured reserve). S Josh Drayden (Washington), DE Zeandae Johnson (Minnesota), ILB Jordan Kunasyzk (Carolina, Cleveland, Washington) and ILB Kuony Deng (Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburgh) have also previously been on NFL rosters.
On the recruiting front, Sirmon highlighted his three-year tenure as Cal's recruiting coordinator by the signing of a 2021 class that ranked as high as No. 20 nationally according to ESPN, which was Cal's highest-ranked class since the 2011 group checked in at No. 15 nationally by 247Sports. He also helped the program bring in a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class) then followed that up with a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked No. 14 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 at one point.
Sirmon’s defenses have always had a knack for taking the ball away and in 2023 led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12. Three different Cal defensive players – S Patrick McMorris, Uluave and CB Nohl Williams – recovered three fumbles each to rank tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 19th nationally. In addition, the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, while their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg). Dating back to the final game of 2020, Cal has at least one takeaway in 35 of its last 38 games and at one point during the 2022 season, the defense had the longest streak of consecutive games in the nation with at least one turnover with 19 in a row.
Cal tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 12th nationally in 2022 with three defensive touchdowns, while also tying for third in the Pac-12 and tying for 22nd nationally in turnover margin (0.50). In addition, Cal was among the top half of the Pac-12 and NCAA leaders in fewest penalties (63, #2T Pac-12, #23T NCAA), fewest penalty yards (44.58 ypg, #3 Pac-12, #28 NCAA) and fewest penalties per game (5.25, #3 Pac-12, #31T NCAA). Jackson Sirmon led the team with a career-high 104 tackles while adding career highs of 6.0 tackles for loss (-18 yards) and 3.5 sacks (-12 yards), three pass breakups, 37 fumble recovery yards and one fumble recovery touchdown, as well as a career-high-tying one forced fumble. He also ranked third in the Pac-12 and among NCAA leaders in both tackles per game (8.7, #40 NCAA) and tackles (#47T NCAA).
Sirmon's 2021 defense improved throughout the season in his first full campaign as the team's defensive coordinator (his first season in the role in 2020 was shortened to four games by COVID). Cal held four of its final six opponents to 14 points or less in 2021 while the Bears also won four of their final six games. Cal finished the campaign second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (22.2 ppg), fourth in total defense (366.7 ypg) and fourth in rushing defense (137.2 ypg). Hicks led the way as a third-team All-American of Pro Football Focus and a consensus first-team All-Pac-12 pick, as well as the winner of the Pop Warner College Football Award, and a semifinalist for both the prestigious Campbell Trophy and Jason Witten College Man of the Year honors among many accolades. Hicks notched 72 tackles while co-leading the Pac-12 with a career-high four forced fumbles and 0.33 fumbles per game (T#11 NCAA). He also had three interceptions to tie for third in the conference. Fellow safety Daniel Scott earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus and was among the league's leaders in solo tackles (team-high 60, #T2), interceptions (team-high-tying 3, #T3) and total tackles (team-high 82, #10 Pac-12) with all career bests. True freshman cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III finished with team highs of 10 pass breakups and 11 passes deflected, while sixth-year senior cornerback Josh Drayden started and played in all 12 games on his way to a school-record 55 career games played. In addition to Hicks' first-team selection by the league's coaches, Cal had four players earn honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors on the defensive side of the ball in OLB Marqez Bimage, Goode, Hearns and DL JH Tevis. Hearns also picked up honorable mention honors for the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year. Goode led the Pac-12 in sacks with 0.68 per game and totaled 7.5 to finish his career eighth on Cal's all-time list with 21.5 (-132 yards).
In his first season as the team's defensive coordinator in a 2020 campaign shortened to four games by COVID, Bynum (first team) and Goode (second team) earned All-Pac-12 selections while Deng, Drayden, DL Brett Johnson and DE Zeandae Johnson were honorable mention all-conference picks. Deng served as a team captain in 2020 when he led the squad with 31 tackles and two forced fumbles, while adding 2.5 tackles for loss (-10 yards) and one quarterback hurry. He ranked third in the Pac-12 and tied for fourth nationally with 0.5 forced fumbles per game as well as tied 10th in the conference in tackles with 7.8 stops per contest. Both of his forced fumbles came in the fourth quarter of a 21-17 win over Oregon. Goode was tied for second both nationally and in the Pac-12 with his 2.0 tackles for loss per game, as well as sixth in the Pac-12 and tied for 30th in the nation with 0.75 sacks per contest. Drayden ranked tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 13th nationally with his 1.2 passes defended per game. Cal's 2020 defense led the Pac-12 and ranked tied for 20th nationally in red zone defense by allowing only 12 scores in 16 opponents' red zone visits (75.0%) with only nine of the 12 touchdowns. The defense was also a disciplined unit that helped the Bears lead the Pac-12 in per game averages for both fewest penalty yards (35.0) and penalties (4.5), while ranking fifth and tied for 12th nationally.
In 2019, Sirmon was Cal's co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, and paired up with his fellow defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Tim DeRuyter to earn FootballScoop Linebackers Coaches of the Year presented by AstroTurf honors. Weaver finished the 2019 campaign with a school-record 182 tackles and in addition to his consensus first-team All-American honors was also the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, LLott IMPACT Trophy, The Lombardi and the Senior Class Award. Weaver (182) and Deng (119, No. 3 Pac-12, No. 15 NCAA) finished the 2019 season with a combined 301 tackles. The number not only allowed Cal to lead the nation for most tackles by a duo for a second straight season but was six shy of the Bears' school-record of 307 by a duo that Weaver (159) and Jordan Kunaszyk (148) recorded in 2018.
In his first season on Cal's staff in 2018, Sirmon helped the Bears' defense finish among national and Pac-12 leaders in nearly every category. The Bears ranked in the top 10 nationally and paced the conference in interceptions (21, No. 2 NCAA), defensive touchdowns (5, No. T4 NCAA), turnovers gained (28, No. 6T NCAA) and passing yards allowed (175.1 ypg, No. 9 NCAA). Cal also led the league and ranked in the top 20 in the country in pass efficiency defense (107.26, No. 11 NCAA) and first downs allowed (227, No. 18 NCAA). In addition, the Bears were also 15th nationally in total defense (317.2 ypg) and 22nd in scoring defense (20.4 ppg) while ranking third in the Pac-12 in both categories. Both of Sirmon's starting inside linebackers in 2018 – Weaver (Pro Football Focus) and Kunaszyk (Sports Illustrated) – earned second-team All-American honors with Kunaszyk adding first-team All-Pac-12 recognition from the league's coaches while both earned first-team all-conference accolades from multiple media organizations. Their combined 307 tackles were the most by any duo in the nation and the highest total ever by two players in a single season at Cal. Weaver's 159 tackles were the second-highest total in the nation and are tied for third on Cal's all-time single-season list while his 12.2 stops per game were sixth in the country. Kunaszyk's 148 tackles are the fifth-highest single-season total in school history and were fifth nationally with his 11.4 tackles per contest ninth in the nation. Weaver and Kunaszyk ranked second and third, respectively, in the Pac-12 in both total tackles and tackles per game. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins led the Pac-12 and tied for third nationally with his six interceptions including three in the Cheez-It Bowl to earn Defensive Player of the Game honors and a spot on Sports Illustrated's All-Bowl squad.
Prior to his arrival at Cal, Sirmon was the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State (2016) and Louisville (2017) for one season each after previously coaching on staffs with Cal's Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox for six seasons at Tennessee (2010-11), Washington (2012-13) and USC (2014-15), including the final three campaigns during that six-year stint as a recruiting coordinator.
Sirmon helped Louisville to an 8-5 record and an appearance at the TaxSlayer Bowl as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2017. Louisville was nationally ranked for much of the season and reached as high as No. 14 in the AP Top 25. Sirmon’s defense was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 10 fumbles recovered and third with 23 turnovers gained to help get the ball back to a high-powered offense that ranked third nationally in scoring. Linebacker Dorian Etheridge earned Freshman All-American honors after leading the Cardinals with 83 tackles while All-ACC honorable mention selection Trumaine Washington was involved in a team-best six takeaways with four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Mississippi State won the St. Petersburg Bowl during Sirmon’s lone campaign as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2016 with his unit contributing four defensive touchdowns to tie for eighth nationally. A Bulldogs’ defense that included 11 first-time starters and nine freshmen had 23 turnovers gained to rank tied for 38th nationally with the total nine more than the previous season. Linebacker Leo Lewis led all SEC freshmen in tackles (79) and became the first FWAA Freshman All-American in school history, while Jeffrey Simmons paced all SEC freshmen defensive linemen in tackles (40) on his way to joining Lewis on the Freshman All-SEC team.
Sirmon spent two campaigns from 2014-15 at USC as the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach. In 2015, the Trojans won the Pac-12 South title and made a second consecutive appearance in the Holiday Bowl, leading the Pac-12 in third-down conversion defense and scoring five defensive touchdowns to rank third nationally. Sirmon's guidance propelled outside linebacker Su'a Cravens to All-Pac-12 first-team honors for the second straight season before Cravens was taken in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Inside linebacker Cameron Smith was selected as the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in addition to being named a Freshman All-American by several media outlets.
Sirmon was the linebackers coach at Washington the two prior seasons from 2012-13, adding recruiting coordinator to his duties for the first time in 2013. The Huskies ranked in the top 40 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense in his first campaign in 2012 after finishing the previous campaign lower than No. 105 in each category. Washington’s scoring defense jumped to tied for No. 29 nationally in 2013, while its team passing efficiency defense improved 60 spots to No. 27 in 2012 before climbing to No. 10 in 2013, with its 41.0 sacks tied for fourth nationally the same season. The Huskies played in the 2012 Las Vegas Bowl and 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl with Sirmon moving on to USC before the latter. Sirmon tutored eventual first-round NFL Draft pick Shaq Thompson during his back-to-back honorable mention All-Pac-12 seasons as a 2012 freshman and 2013 sophomore.
Sirmon’s successful tenures as the recruiting coordinator at both Washington and USC were highlighted by Rivals’ top recruiting class in 2015 that included 12 top-100 recruits after a 2014 Trojans’ group that ranked No. 9 and a 2013 Washington unit that was No. 18, all according to 247Sports. Notable members of those recruiting classes included current NFL players highlighted by USC’s Sam Darnold (San Francisco), Rasheem Green (Chicago), Adoree’ Jackson (New York Giants), JuJu Smith-Schuster (New England), as well as USC's Ronald Jones II and Washington’s Kevin King and John Ross, who are currently free agents.
Sirmon first coached with Wilcox for two seasons at Tennessee, starting as a graduate assistant working with the Vols’ safeties during their 2010 Music City Bowl campaign before being promoted to linebackers coach in 2011.
Sirmon also spent one season as a graduate assistant at Oregon in 2009 when the Ducks won a Pac-10 title and played in the Rose Bowl after getting into the coaching business as the linebackers coach at Central Washington in 2008 for a team that finished 10-2 overall and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Sirmon played seven NFL seasons as a linebacker with the Tennessee Titans from 2000-06, participating in 81 games with 54 starts and registering 343 career tackles while adding four interceptions including one that he returned for a touchdown. Tennessee won two divisional titles (2000 AFC Central, 2002 AFC South) before picking a third playoff appearance during his tenure in 2003. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Sirmon, who received his bachelor's degree in political science from Oregon in 1999, was a starter in all four of his collegiate seasons (1996-99) and selected to the Senior Bowl after his 1999 senior campaign. He helped the Ducks to winning campaigns in each of those seasons and three bowl games (1997 Las Vegas Bowl, 1998 Aloha Bowl, 1999 Sun Bowl). A four-year collegiate teammate of Wilcox and a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a 1999 senior, Sirmon was the Ducks' leading tackler during his sophomore and senior seasons.
Sirmon and his wife, Lindsay, have four children – son Jackson, who played six seasons of college football at Washington (2018-21) and Cal (2022-23) and is now an NFL hopeful who played in the 2023 Senior Bowl; and daughters Austyn, Savanna and Sadie.
Peter Sirmon File
Birthdate: February 18, 1977
Hometown: Walla Walla, WA
High School: Walla Walla HS
College: Oregon, 1999, Bachelor’s in Political Science
Family: Wife, Lindsay; Son, Jackson; Daughters, Austyn, Savanna, Sadie
Pronunciation: Sermon
Peter Sirmon Coaching History
Season: Team – Position (Champions, Postseason)
2008: Central Washington (NCAA Division II) – Linebackers (NCAA Division II Playoffs)
2009: Oregon – Graduate Assistant (Pac-12 Champions, Rose Bowl)
2010: Tennessee – Graduate Assistant, Safeties (Music City Bowl)
2011: Tennessee – Linebackers
2012: Washington – Linebackers (Las Vegas Bowl)
2013: Washington – Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
2014: USC – Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (Holiday Bowl)
2015: USC – Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (Pac-12 South Division Champions, Holiday Bowl)
2016: Mississippi State – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (St. Petersburg Bowl)
2017: Louisville – Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers (TaxSlayer Bowl)
2018: California – Associate Head Coach/Inside Linebackers (Cheez-It Bowl)
2019: California – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator (Redbox Bowl)
2020: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
2021: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
2022: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
2023: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers (Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
Bryan Harsin
Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
Harsin comes to Berkeley with 23 years of coaching experience on the offensive side of the ball, including 10 seasons as an FBS head coach at Auburn (2021-22), Boise State (2014-20) and Arkansas State (2013).
"Coach Harsin is one of the best offensive minds in football and we are excited to welcome him to Cal," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox said. "I have spent several years of my coaching career on the same staff and in the same room with Coach Harsin. He is a proven winner whose record speaks for itself and he will make an immediate impact on our offense and in recruiting."
With Wilcox as the defensive coordinator and Harsin as the offensive coordinator from 2006-09, Boise State went 49-4 overall and won two Fiesta Bowls.
Harsin led the Tigers to ranked wins over No. 17 Arkansas and No. 10 Ole Miss in 2021 and pieced together two Top-20 recruiting classes while on The Plains. He compiled a 69-19 overall record with three Mountain West Conference titles in his seven seasons in Boise.
Holding an 85-36 overall record as a head coach at the FBS level, Harsin is a former Boise State quarterback, assistant coach and offensive coordinator.
The former Bronco letter winner was named head coach at Boise State in December 2013 - he played quarterback for Boise State from 1995-99. Harsin coached running backs and receivers at Eastern Oregon in 2000 and began his coaching stint at Boise State as a graduate assistant in 2001 before taking over the tight ends as a full-time assistant coach from 2002-05.
Harsin assumed the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2006 when Chris Petersen was hired as head coach. He was Petersen's offensive coordinator for five seasons and was named a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award, awarded annually to the nation's top assistant coach. Boise State went 61-5 during his tenure as offensive coordinator.
In Harsin's first season as offensive coordinator, the 2006 Broncos went undefeated and running back Ian Johnson led the country in rushing touchdowns and scoring. Johnson also set a school single-season record with 1,713 yards. He was named to four separate All-America teams and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
In his five seasons as offensive coordinator at BSU, Harsin's offenses were in the top five nationally in scoring four times, capped by ranking first in 2009 (42.2 ppg) and second in 2010 (45.1 ppg). They also ranked second in 2006 (39.7 ppg), fourth in 2007 (42.4 ppg) and 12th in 2008 (37.6 ppg). In all, Boise State averaged 41.4 ppg during his time as coordinator.
The Broncos ranked in the Top 10 in total offense in three of Harsin's seasons as coordinator and were no lower than 18th in all five of his years, culminating in 2010 with an average of 521.3 ypg, which set the BSU school record and ranked second nationally. In those five seasons, the Broncos offense averaged 459.9 ypg.
As quarterbacks coach, Harsin guided Kellen Moore into becoming one of the nation's most productive quarterbacks. In 2010, Moore was named first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America and became Boise State's first Heisman Trophy finalist. He was also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Manning Award and was named the nation's top quarterback by The Touchdown Club of Columbus.
Harsin was the offensive coordinator for Boise State's Fiesta Bowl winning seasons in 2006 (43-42 vs. Oklahoma) and 2009 (17-10 vs. TCU). With Harsin on staff, Boise State won 11 conference championships.
Following the 2010 season, Harsin went to Texas, where he served as co-offensive coordinator from 2011-12. While with the Longhorns, Harsin helped guide the ascension of an offense that ranked 88th in scoring prior to his arrival to No. 24 nationally in 2012 (36.1).
In Harsin's first season at Texas, he had the task of putting a new offense in place with a young group that featured 10 freshmen and sophomores starting for the Longhorns. Despite its youth, the offense was able to put up over 500 yards of total offense four times and rank 21st nationally in rushing offense with 202.6 yards per game. The team ran for over 400 yards in back-to-back games against Kansas (441) and Texas Tech (439), marking just the fifth and sixth 400-yard rushing performances by Texas since 1980.
The Longhorns posted over 400 yards total offense in nine games and scored at least 30 in eight, including a season-high 66 against Ole Miss.
Harsin then earned his first head coaching opportunity at Arkansas State in 2013, which claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship and a berth in the GoDaddy.com Bowl that season.
The Boise, Idaho, native graduated from Boise State with a degree in business management. He and his wife, Kes, have two daughters, Devyn Lynn and Dayn Mykena, and a son, Davis.
Famika Anae
Offensive Line Coach
Famika Anae has been named the new offensive line coach of the California football program, Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Saturday.
Anae has over 10 seasons of collegiate coaching experience, most recently serving as the offensive line coach at New Mexico in 2024. The Lobos' high-powered offense was led by a strong running attack, ranking fourth nationally in rushing at 253.6 yards per game.
Led by Anae, the Lobos' offensive line led the country this season in both total sacks allowed (5) and sacks allowed per game (0.42). New Mexico also topped FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed, giving up just 26 on the season for 70 yards (2.17 pg). The 26 tackles for loss allowed were eight fewer than Army's 34, the second-least allowed in the country. The Lobos were fourth in the NCAA in total offense at 484.3 yards per game.
Anae led two All-Conference performers in 2024 as Baraka Beckett was named a First Team Mountain West offensive lineman and McKenzie Agnello was a Second Team selection.
Prior to New Mexico, Anae coached the offensive line at Campbell University for two seasons in 2022-23. Anae coached a pair of All-Coastal Athletic Association honorees in Mike Edwards, a First Team pick at offensive tackle and Tyler McLellan, a Third Team selection at tackle. Edwards was a two-time First Team pick under Anae, and was also an All-American in 2022 when they were members of the Big South Conference.
Campbell's 2023 offensive line ranked No. 2 in the FCS in pass blocking efficiency (93.2), according to PFF. The CU offense also led the CAA and finished fifth nationally in pass completion percentage (.702).
Anae spent three seasons coaching the offensive line at Texas A&M Commerce from 2019-21, developing three All-Conference players. In 2021, the offensive line made way for an offense that gained 3,580 total yards and allowed less than two sacks per game.
Amon Simon earned All-American honors for the second time in Anae's tenure at tackle in 2021. He was also named to D2Football's Elite 100 team and registered Second Team Region IV, and First Team All-LSC accolades. Center Christian Hernandez was also named Second Team All-Lone Star Conference.
Anae also coached at Dixie State in 2018, his first full-time role as a position coach with the offensive line. He was an assistant offensive line coach at Virginia (2016-18) and also BYU (2014-15).
Anae played two seasons on the offensive line at BYU from 2011-12 before injuries ended his career after his sophomore season. As a starter in 2012, Anae earned All-Independent honors for the Cougars. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from BYU in 2014. Anae and his wife Tessi Leila Tolutau have four children Liane, Savani, Fiaali'i, and Litiavava'u.
Aristotle Thompson
Running Backs
Aristotle Thompson is in his fifth season as the running backs coach at Cal in 2024 after spending the previous 11 campaigns (2009-19) in the same role at Cal Poly. Thompson and Cal's Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox worked together previously at Boise State, first in 2001 when Thompson was an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Broncos and Wilcox was a graduate assistant in his first season in the coaching profession. The two teamed up again for the Broncos during the 2007 and 2008 seasons with Thompson the assistant director of football operations and Wilcox the defensive coordinator.
Coaching Career
California – Running Backs (2020 – Present)
– Has a promising group of running backs in the fold in 2024 led by Heisman Trophy candidate and preseason All-American Jaydn Ott, who is poised to set Cal's all-time records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns after rushing for 2,212 yards and 20 touchdowns on 416 carries with averages of 5.3 yards per carry and 92.2 yards per game in his first two seasons at Cal in 2022 and 2023
– Helped Ott to honorable mention All-American (Phil Steele) and first-team All-Pac-12 selections (Associated Press, College Football Network, College Football News, Pac-12 Coaches, Phil Steele) as the Pac-12's rushing champion in 2023, leading the league and ranking among the nation's best in all-purpose yards per game (135.67, #6 NCAA), rushing yards per game (109.6 ypg, #9 NCAA) and rushing yards (1315, #14 NCAA, while also posting five of the Pac-12's top nine games for rushing yards while no one else had move than one, and tying for second in the Pac-12 with 15 total touchdowns (#19T NCAA) and 12 rushing touchdowns (#29T NCAA)
– Other running backs on the 2024 spring roster include returnees Byron Cardwell, Dean-Taylor Chapman, Jaivian Thomas and Justin Williams-Thomas, as well as Old Dominion transfer Kadarius Calloway
– Helped coach the running game to an average of 172.8 yards per game in 2023, which was its highest mark since 2012, including four games of 235 or more yards with a 357-yard rushing game in the season-opener at North Texas that was the most by the Golden Bears since rushing for 431 against Washington in 2008
– Also helped Ott earn a host of honors as a 2022 true freshman including first-team (The Athletic) and second-team (College Football News) Freshman All-American (The Athletic) picks, as well a True Freshman All-American selection (Pro Football Focus), in addition to All-Pac-12 honors as a third-team (Pro Football Focus), fourth-team (Phil Steele) and honorable mention (Pac-12 Coaches) choice after being among Pac-12 and NCAA leaders in all-purpose yards (1,218, #4 Pac-12, #67 NCAA), all-purpose yards per game (101.5, #6 Pac-12, #65 NCAA), rushing yards per game (74.8, #5 Pac-12, #58 NCAA), rushing yards (897, #5 Pac-12, #61 NCAA), total touchdowns (11, #8T Pac-12, #54T NCAA), rush yards per carry (5.28, #9 Pac-12, #52 NCAA) and rushing touchdowns (8, #11T Pac-12, #87T NCAA)
– Prior to Ott's 2022 arrival, Cal's run game showed moments of brilliance under the guidance of Thompson highlighted by a 352-yard rushing game to a key a 41-11 blowout at Stanford in 2021 that was one of four times the Bears rushed for 200 yards or more in 2021 (255, vs. Oregon State; 246 vs. Sacramento State, 213; vs. Colorado)
– One of Cal's trademarks since Thompson's 2020 arrival has been taking care of the football and in 2022 the Bears were among the Pac-12 and NCAA leaders in fumbles lost (3, #3T Pac-12, #6T NCAA), turnover margin (0.50. #3 Pac-12, #22T NCAA) and turnovers lost (12, #3T Pac-12, #12T NCAA) following a tremendous showing in 2021 when their 10 turnovers were the fewest ever by a Cal team playing a full schedule including only two lost fumbles to rank tied for second nationally and lead the Pac-12 for fewest fumbles
– Thompson's unit showed tons of promise in his first season in Berkeley in 2020 despite only playing four games and being limited in practice time due to COVID with the Bears notching their best effort on the ground with a season-high 241 rushing yards against Stanford that were the most since the team compiled 305 at Oregon State in 2018 and included a career-high 121 yards and one touchdown for Damien Moore as he became Cal's first true freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in the Big Game since Marshawn Lynch had 122 in 2004
– Moore earned an honorable mention selection for the Pac-12's Freshman Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 and the Bears' offense largely due to the play of the running backs was able to control the football much of the time with a 31:36 time of possession average that was fourth in the Pac-12 and 30th in the nation
Cal Poly – Running Backs (2009-19)
– During Thompson's time in San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly fielded a strong run game that featured at least one 1000-yard rusher in each of his final nine campaigns and helped the Mustangs put together five consecutive winning seasons from 2010-14
– Coached five players that earned FCS All-American honors over seven different seasons and also had one of his running backs recognized nationally or by the Big Sky for seven consecutive campaigns
Boise State – Assistant Director Of Football Operations (2007-08); Assistant Strength And Conditioning Coach
– Broncos were 30-7 during his three seasons with the program and played in bowl games each of the final two years
Grant High School – Defensive Coordinator/Running Backs (2005)
Eastern Oregon – Wide Receivers (2003-04)
Nampa High School – Wide Receivers/Defensive Backs (2002)
Collegiate Playing Career
Boise State (1997-2000)
– A four-year letterwinner as a running back at Boise State (1997-2000), helping the Broncos to their first two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conference championships with Big West titles in 1999 and 2000, while the Broncos also won the Humanitarian Bowl both seasons with victories over Louisville (1999) and UTEP (2000).
Other
– Son, Bryson, has had epileptic seizures since the age of four and along with older brother, Brock, began Helmets4Helmets at the ages of eight and six, respectively, as a way to give back to the Jack's Helping Hand foundation that has helped Bryson throughout his journey, to assist kids around the world who have epilepsy purchase helmets to protect their heads that are often not covered by insurance
– Honored with a spot on the 2022 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team for his work related to Bryson
– Featured in the Pac-12 Networks' Emmy award-winning feature on Bryson
Aristotle Thompson File
Birthdate: September 11, 1978
Hometown: Portland, OR
High School: Jesuit HS (Portland, OR)
College: Boise State, 2001, Bachelor's, Social Sciences with emphasis in Criminal Justice
Family: Wife, Sarah; Sons – Brock, Bryson, Lennon; Daughters – Akyra, Payton
Year-By-Year Coaching Positions
Season: Team (League) – Coaching Positions (Championships, Postseason)
2001: Boise State (Division I-AA, WAC) – Assistant Strength And Conditioning Coach
2002: Nampa High School, Nampa, ID – Wide Receivers/Defensive Backs
2003: Eastern Oregon (NAIA, Cascade Collegiate Conference) – Wide Receivers
2004: Eastern Oregon (NAIA, Cascade Collegiate Conference) – Wide Receivers
2005: Grant High School, Portland, OR, PIL) – Defensive Coordinator/Running Backs
2007: Boise State (FCS, WAC) – Assistant Director of Football Operations
2008: Boise State (FCS, WAC) – Assistant Director of Football Operations
2009: Cal Poly (FCS, Great West) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2010: Cal Poly (FCS, Great West) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2011: Cal Poly (FCS, Great West) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator (Great West Champion)
2012: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator (Big Sky Champion)
2013: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2014: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2015: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2016: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2017: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Assistant Head Coach; Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2018: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Assistant Head Coach; Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2019: Cal Poly (FCS, Big Sky) – Assistant Head Coach; Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2020: California (FBS, Pac-12) – Running Backs
2021: California (FBS, Pac-12) – Running Backs
2022: California (FBS, Pac-12) – Running Backs
2023: California (FBS, Pac-12) – Running Backs (Independence Bowl)
2024: California (FBS, Pac-12) – Running Backs
Kyle Cefalo
Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator
Kyle Cefalo has been named the new wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator of the California football program, Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday.
Cefalo has over a decade of coaching experience at the FBS level and has helped produce some of the most prolific offenses in the country during that span. During his time as an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Cefalo has been part of six teams that have been ranked in the top 25 nationally in both total offense and passing offense. Three of his teams have been ranked in the top 10 in the country in passing offense, including the No. 2-rated squad in passing offense when he was the wide receivers coach and special teams co-coordinator at Arkansas State in 2020.
Most recently the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Utah State, Cefalo directed a unit this past season that produced 467.7 yards per game – which ranks seventh in the nation and second in the Mountain West Conference.
Cefalo has also overseen the development of some of the top wide receivers in the country. He coached two Associated Press Second Team All-Americans and Biletnikoff Award semifinalists at Arkansas State – Omar Bayless in 2019 and Jonathan Adams Jr. in 2020. Adams was also the 2020 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.
Utah State's Deven Thompkins was also a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, Third Team All-American and First Team All-Mountain West performer in 2021. He finished second in the country with 1,704 receiving yards and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. Jalen Royals was a Third Team All-American for the Aggies under Cefalo's guidance in 2023, when he ranked second nationally with 15 touchdown catches.
Cefalo began his coaching career at Arkansas State in 2013 and spent three seasons there as a graduate assistant – the first of which he worked under then-Red Wolves head coach Bryan Harsin, who was named Cal's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach on Tuesday. Cefalo was also a grad assistant at Maryland in 2016 before returning to Arkansas State as inside wide receivers coach in 2017. Cefalo moved on to Utah State in 2021 as the Aggies' wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator before becoming the program's co-offensive coordinator in 2023. He took over sole offensive coordinator duties for Utah State this season.
During his coaching tenure, Cefalo has been involved in 10 bowl games and three conference championships. He played wide receiver for the University of Colorado from 2009-13.
Cefalo is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and earned his bachelor's degree in history from Colorado in the spring of 2012.
Mike Saffell
Tight Ends Coach
COACHING CAREER
California – Graduate Assistant, Offense (2022-23); Student Assistant (2021)
– Worked with offensive coordinator/offensive line coach (then offensive line coach/run game coordinator) Mike Bloesch in 2023 with an offensive line that helped the running game average of 172.8 yards per game, which was its highest mark since 2012, and create open running room for 2024 Heisman Trophy candidate Jaydn Ott, who in 2023 paced the Pac-12 and ranked among the nation’s best in all-purpose yards per game (135.67, #6 NCAA), rushing yards per game (109.6, #9 NCAA) and rushing yards (1315, #14 NCAA)
– Helped Cal make tremendous improvements in protecting the quarterback and not allowing negative plays in 2023, improving from 10th to fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed (2.58 to 1.50) and 11th to tied for fifth in tackles for loss allowed (6.08 to 5.42) from a year ago
– Helped produce a trio of Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week selections in Brian Driscoll (Week 1 at North Texas; Week 11 vs. Washington State) and Barrett Miller (Week 12 at Stanford)
PLAYING CAREER
California, Offensive Line (2017-20)
– Played in 28 career games with 23 starts including all 17 Cal games at center during his 2019 junior and 2020 senior campaigns before announcing his medical retirement from football with one season of eligibility remaining prior to the 2021 campaign
– Helped Cal to back-to-back bowl games with the Bears appearing at the Cheez-It Bowl in 2018 before knocking off Illinois at the 2019 Redbox Bowl to finish 8-5 overall
– Named the Pac-12's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a 2020 senior, as well as a team captain, and a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy that are considered college football's premier academic and community service awards, respectively
– A first-team Pac-12 All-Academic selection as a 2018 sophomore and a member of the league's inaugural Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll that replaced its Pac-12 All-Academic teams during his 2019 junior campaign
– Named second-team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus as a 2019 junior
– Picked up Cal’s Clint Evans Award as the program’s most intense freshman competitor in 2017 when he helped protect Ross Bowers on his way to the sixth-highest total for passing yards in school history (3,039) and opened holes for Patrick Laird, who registered the 18th 1,000-yard rushing season ever at Cal
– Took over from Laird as the lead ambassador for the Cal Athletics Summer Reading Challenge in 2019 and spoke to over 5,000 kids that summer to promote reading and combat summer learning loss before returning to the role in 2020 and taking the event online due to the COVID-19 pandemic
YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING POSITIONS
Season: Team – Position (Postseason, Notes)
2021: California – Student Assistant
2022: California – Graduate Assistant, Offense
2023: California – Graduate Assistant, Offense (Independence Bowl, Elevated To Tight Ends On Dec. 9, 2023)
2024: California – Tight Ends
Nick Rolovich
Senior Offensive Assistant
Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday that Nick Rolovich has been hired as a senior offensive assistant for the California football program.
Rolovich brings several years of offensive coaching experience with him to Berkeley, most recently serving as the head coach at Washington State (2020-21) and Hawai'i (2016-19). Prior to leading the Rainbow Warriors, Rolovich spent four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Nevada from 2012-15.
Rolovich guided WSU to a 38-28 win at Oregon State in the 2020 season opener, becoming the first Cougar head football coach to win his debut since 2003 and first to win his first game on the road since 1977. He mentored 11 student-athletes who received All-Pac-12 honors and WSU claimed the Pac-12's first two Freshman of the Week awards in 2020. Rolovich's Run and Shoot offense produced two of the Pac-12's top three leaders in receiving yards during the season.
Leading Hawai'i to a 28-27 overall record and three bowl games during his tenure in Honolulu, Rolovich guided the 2019 squad to its first 10-win season since 2010 as the Rainbow Warriors went 10-5, capped by a 38-34 win over BYU in the Hawaii Bowl. It was the program's first back-to-back winning seasons since 2006-07 after going 8-6 in 2018 and only the seventh time in program history Hawai'i reached double-digit wins.
Earning 2019 Mountain West Coach of the Year honors, Rolovich's offense threw for 338.0 ypg (fifth nationally), while the Rainbow Warriors were 13th in the FBS in total offense at 471.0 ypg. In 2018 the UH offense racked up over 5,800 yards of offense, along with 43 touchdown passes. The aerial assault accounted for 30.8 points per game and 419 yards per contest.
At Nevada, Rolovich's Wolf Pack offense ranked as high as eighth nationally (2012) in total offense at 514.8 ypg, generating 2,786 yards passing with a rushing attack that ranked seventh nationally at 271 ypg.
Spending a total of eight seasons at Hawai'i, Rolovich served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2010-11 after leading the quarterbacks in 2008-09. For the three years Rolovich had play-calling duties (2009-2011), the Warriors threw for 13,915 yards - an average of 347.9 yards per game - and 96 touchdowns. That includes the 2010 season in which Hawai'i averaged 394.29 yards per game and led the nation in passing offense while finishing sixth in the nation in total offense. That year, Rolovich guided quarterback Bryant Moniz to the top of the total offense chart nationally and to an eighth-place standing in passing efficiency.
Rolovich coached quarterbacks for two years at City College of San Francisco and began his coaching career as an assistant coach at San Marin High School in Novato.
The Novato native earned his bachelor's degree in economics from UH in 2004 and a master's in human performance and sport from New Mexico Highlands (2007).
Rolovich and his wife, Analea, have three sons, Daniel, William and Patrick, and one daughter, Alana.
Andrew Browning
Defensive Line
Andrew Browning is in his sixth season as the defensive line coach and his seventh campaign overall at California in 2024, having served one season in a quality control role on the defensive side of the ball in his first season with the Golden Bears in 2018 before moving into his current role.
Coaching Career
California – Defensive Line (2019 – Present); Qualify Control, Defense (2018)
– Has a group of players in 2024 that have racked up totals of 128 collegiate games played and 38 starts with Ricky Correia (35 games played/13 starts), Ethan Saunders (28/12) and Nate Burrell (25/13) the most experienced of the group and others with experience including Stanley Saole-McKenzie (15/0), Derek Wilkins (12/0), Akili Calhoun (9/0) and Curlee Thomas IV (4/0)
– Coached a veteran group of defensive linemen in 2023 that included eight players who at end of the 2023 campaign had combined to play in 219 games and make 66 collegiate starts at Cal in Correia, Jaedon Roberts (33/2), Brett Johnson (29/25), Saunders, Burrell, Darius Long Jr. (27/1), Saole-McKenzie, Wilkins, Calhoun, Thomas IV and Ieremia Ieremia (2/0)
– Helped Johnson earn Comeback Player Of The Year Semifinalist honors in 2023 for the award presented by College Sports Communicators In conjunction with AP and the Fiesta Bowl organization after Johnson started all 12 regular-season games and contributed 23 tackles after returning from separate season-ending injuries that required him to miss two full campaign in 2021 and 2022 and eventually medically redshirt following his 2023 comeback season
– Coached a unit that helped the Cal defense became elite at taking away the ball away and in 2023 led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12, while the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg)
– Dating back to the final game of 2020, Cal has at least one takeaway in 35 of its last 38 contests and at one point during the 2022 season, the defense had the longest streak of consecutive games in the nation with at least one turnover with 19 in a row
– Cal's 2022 defense finished tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with 18 turnovers gained and was sixth in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (27.7 ppg).
– Part of a coaching staff that helped Cal finish the 2021 season strong on defense by holding four of its last six opponents to 14 points or less before finishing second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (22.2 ppg), fourth in total defense (366.7 ypg) and in the top half of the league in nearly every category, while the Bears also won four of their final six games
– Browning's first campaign as the defensive line coach at Cal in 2019 was highlighted by the performance of a unit that helped contribute to a significant uptick in sacks as the Bears were second in the Pac-12 and 21st nationally with an average of 2.77 per game to help Cal reach a bowl game and post a winning season for the second straight campaign to mark the first time the Bears had done both since 2008 and 2009
– Coached Luc Bequette to the team's 2019 Brick Muller Award as its Most Valuable Lineman with a career-high 52 tackles while adding 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, while Zeandae Johnson finished with career highs of 29 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks to earn honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors, won the team's Bob Tessier Award as its Most Improved Lineman in his first season as a starter and Most Outstanding Defensive Player honors in the Redbox Bowl, while Brett Johnson was a Pro Football Focus third-team Freshman All-American and third-team All-Pac-12 selection, as well as Cal's Bob Simmons Award as the team's Most Valuable Freshman
– On the recruiting front, has helped bring in a 2021 class that ranked as high as No. 20 nationally according to ESPN, which was Cal's highest-ranked class since the 2011 group checked in at No. 15 nationally by 247Sports, a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class), and a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked No. 15 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 at one point
UTEP – Defensive Line (2013-17)
– Tutored future NFL players James Davidson, Horace Miller and Roy Robertson-Harris.
Boise State – Graduate Assistant, Defense (2011-12); Quality Control, Defense (2010)
– Started his coaching career with three campaigns on the staff at his alma mater Boise State, working in quality control for one season in 2010, and as a graduate assistant from 2011-12
– Helped Boise State combine for a 35-4 record during his three seasons with the Broncos, while winning a share of Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference crowns in 2010 and 2011, respectively, picking up victories at the 2010 and 2011 MAACO Bowl, and 2012 Las Vegas Bowl; and ranking in the final AP Top 25 all three seasons including a high of No. 8 in 2011, No. 9 in 2010 and No. 18 in 2012
– Helped Boise State finish with national top-15 rankings in scoring defense in 2010 (No. 2, 12.8 ppg), 2011 (No. 12, 18.7 ppg) and 2012 (No. 8, 15.8 ppg), while its' total defense numbers each of the three seasons were in the top 20 – 2010 (No. 2, 254.7 ypg), 2011 (No. 16, 320.9 ypg) and 2012 (No. 13, 315.6 ypg)
– The Broncos' defense produced 12 all-conference selections during Browning's three-season tenure on staff
Professional Playing Career
San Jose SaberCats (2008)
– Spent the 2008 season on the roster of the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League before moving into coaching
Collegiate Playing Career
Boise State (2003-06)
– Finished his four-year Boise State playing career that started as a 2003 walk-on freshman with 143 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks for teams that combined for a 46-6 record, while playing in bowl games all four years and winning two as a 2003 freshman at the Fort Worth Bowl and 2006 senior at the Fiesta Bowl, as well as at least a share of a conference title in each of his four campaigns, and ranking in the final AP Top 25 on three occasions including as high as No. 5 as a 2006 senior
– Earned first-team All-WAC and second-team Academic All-American honors from ESPN The Magazine as a 2006 senior when he established career highs of 46 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks for the Broncos' 13-0 Fiesta Bowl championship team that ranked No. 5 in the final AP Top 25
– A second-team All-WAC selection as a 2005 junior and earned honorable mention recognition during his 2004 sophomore season
File
Birthdate: January 29, 1984
Hometown: Lake Oswego, OR
High School: Lake Oswego HS
College: Boise State, 2007, Bachelor's in Communications
Family: Wife, Leah; Son, Matthew
Year-By-Year Coaching Positions
Season: Team – Coaching Positions (Champions, Postseason)
2010: Boise State – Quality Control, Defense (WAC Co-Champions, Maaco Bowl)
2011: Boise State – Graduate Assistant, Defense (Maaco Bowl)
2012: Boise State – Graduate Assistant, Defense (MWC Co-Champions, Maaco Bowl)
2013: UTEP – Defensive Line
2014: UTEP – Defensive Line (New Mexico Bowl)
2015: UTEP – Defensive Line
2016: UTEP – Defensive Line
2017: UTEP – Defensive Line
2018: California – Quality Control, Defense (Cheez-It Bowl)
2019: California – Defensive Line (Redbox Bowl)
2020: California – Defensive Line
2021: California – Defensive Line
2022: California – Defensive Line
2023: California – Defensive Line (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Defensive Line
Vic So'oto
Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Vic So'oto in his third season at Cal and his second campaign as the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2024 after serving as the outside linebackers coach in 2022.
Before joining Cal, the former NFL and collegiate player spent the previous two campaigns in 2020 and 2021 on the USC coaching staff after a prior four-year stint at Virginia (2016-19). So’oto was on coaching staffs that won division titles in back-to-back seasons with the Cavaliers in 2019 (ACC Coastal) and Trojans in 2020 (Pac-12 South), while reaching bowls in each of his last three campaigns at Virginia (2017 Military Bowl, 2018 Belk Bowl, 2019 Orange Bowl) and then again at Cal in 2023 with an appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
So’oto began his coaching career in 2015 as an intern at his alma mater BYU, where he spent six seasons as a student-athlete from 2005-10. He was also on NFL rosters for four years in Green Bay (2011-12), Oakland (2012), Washington (2012), Arizona (2013), New Orleans (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014).
Coaching Career
California – Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers (2023 - Present); Outside Linebackers (2022)
– Has been instrumental in fostering the growth of 2024 returning starting outside linebackers Xavier Carlton and David Reese with Carlton totaling 84 tackles while combining to register more tackles for loss (12.0, -46 yards) and sacks (9.0, -39 yards) over the last two campaigns than any other Cal player and Reese posting his best collegiate season in 2023 with career highs of 36 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss (-61 yards), 6.5 sacks (-58 yards), two pass breakups, four quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles (tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles also team highs) to earn honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition, as well as Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week and PFF College Football Defensive Team of the Week honors for his performance in the regular-season finale at UCLA
– Runs a Bears' kickoff return unit that posted an average of 19.83 yards allowed per return that was Cal's best since 2016 and ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in his first campaign as Cal's special teams coordinator in 2022 before dropping the yards allowed per kick return to 19.80 in 2023
– Coached Jaydn Ott to a 100-yard touchdown in his first ever kickoff return at any level of football in the 2023 regular-season finale at UCLA
– Helped 2024 returning punter Lachlan Wilson to a 2023 second-team All-Pac-12 selection according to the league's coaches and Phil Steele with Wilson's 44.5 yards per punt average second in the Pac-12 and 23rd nationally, seventh on Cal's all-time single-season list and his career 44.5 mark currently the best in Cal history
– Coached a unit that helped the Cal defense became elite at taking away the ball away and in 2023 led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12, while the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg)
– Helped the Bears win their final three regular-season games in 2023 to become bowl eligible and appear in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
– Named a Coach On The Rise by Our Coaching Network after Cal's win at UCLA
– Coached a 2022 outside linebacker group that was highlighted by the play of the team's leader in tackles for loss and sacks in Carlton (6.5 TFL, -31 yards; 4.5 sacks, -26 yards)
– On the recruiting front, has helped Cal bring in a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class) then followed that up with a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked as high as No. 15 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 by the media outlet at one point.
USC – Defensive Line (2020); Defensive Line/Outside Linebackers (2020-21)
– Tuli Tuipulotu became So'oto's second first-team All-Pac-12 selection in as many seasons as a 2021 sophomore when he had team-highs of 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks while Jackson was a second-team All-Pac-12 pick and Kana'i Mauga was an honorable mention choice
– Helped the Trojans to a Pac-12 South Division title and a 5-1 overall record in his first season in 2020 with his defensive linemen racking up awards (Marlon Tuipulotu, first-team All-Pac-12; Drake Jackson, second-team All-Pac-12; Nick Figueroa, honorable mention All-Pac-12; Tuli Tuipulotu, second-team Freshman All-American, honorable mention Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year)
– Recruited and signed Korey Foreman, a five-star recruit who was the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2021 according to 247Sports, while Rivals tabbed him No. 3 and ESPN No. 4, with 247Sports also listing him as the nation’s top defensive lineman and Rivals as the best strong side defensive end in the class
– Coached four players currently on NFL rosters in Drake Jackson (San Francisco), Mauga (Las Vegas), Jay Tufele (Cincinnati), Marlon Tuipulotu (Philadelphia) and Tuli Tuipulotu (Los Angeles Chargers) with Jackson and Tuli Tuipulotu being selected in the second round of the 2022 and 2023 NFL Drafts in the second round by their current teams, while Tufele was selected in the fourth round by Jacksonville and Marlon Tuipulotu in the sixth round by his current Eagles' squad in 2021 by Jacksonville, while Mauga signed as a free agent with Denver in 2022
Virginia – Graduate Assistant, Defense (2016); Defensive Line (2017-19)
– Coached on staffs that reached bowls in each of his three seasons as the defensive line coach (2017 Military Bowl, 2018 Belk Bowl, 2019 Orange Bowl)
– Coached a defensive unit that put up numbers among the nation’s best in each campaign of his full-time tenure including his final season in 2019 when the Cavaliers ranked ninth nationally in sacks (3.3) and 22nd in tackles for loss (7.1) on a squad that won the ACC Coastal title and finished 9-4 overall; while his 2018 squad was 12th in passing efficiency (107.6), 16th in passing yards allowed (183.0 ypg), 20th in total defense (330.5 ypg) and 21st in scoring defense (20.1 ppg) on its way to a 28-0 Belk Bowl win over South Carolina; and his 2017 team was seventh in passing yards allowed (165.8 ypg) and ninth in red zone defense (72.7%)
– Began his coaching career in 2016 as a graduate assistant on defense just two years removed from the end of his NFL playing career
– Position coach for NFL defensive tackle Andrew Brown in 2017 with Brown becoming a fifth-round NFL Draft pick of Cincinnati in 2018 and spending three seasons with the Bengals (2018-20) before later becoming members of rosters in Houston (2020), Indianapolis (2021), Tennessee (2021), the Los Angeles Chargers (2021-22), Arizona (2022), Chicago (2022) and Buffalo (2023)
BYU – Intern (2015)
– Served as an intern for a team that finished 9-4 overall and played Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
NFL Playing Career – Green Bay (2011-12); Oakland (2012); Washington (2012); Arizona (2013); New Orleans (2013); Pittsburgh (2014)
– Saw action with four different teams and was on rosters of six squads during his four-year NFL playing career, getting into games with Green Bay (2011-12), Oakland (2012), Washington (2012) and Arizona (2013), while he was also on the rosters of New Orleans (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014) but did not see any game action
– Totaled 14 games played, one start, eight tackles and one quarterback hit
Collegiate Playing Career – BYU (2005-10)
– Four-year letterwinner (2005, ’07, ’09-10) who started his career as a tight end before moving to defense as a linebacker and defensive end for his final three seasons of six campaigns that also included two redshirt years
– Teams combined for a 56-21 (.727) record during his playing career, finished the season ranked in the top 25 four times (2006, ’07, ’08, ‘09), won two Mountain West Conference titles (2016, ’17) and reached bowl games each year, winning three of five appearances at the Las Vegas Bowl in 2006, ’07 and ’09, and in their lone trip to the New Mexico Bowl in 2010
– First-Team All-Mountain West selection on a defense as a sixth-year senior in 2010 when he recorded 45 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 quarterback sacks and one interception
Other
– Selected by the American Football Coaches Association to its 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute in 2020
– Second cousin of the late Pro Football Hall of Famer Junior Seau
Year-By-Year Coaching Positions
Season: Team – Coaching Position (Postseason, Champions)
2015: BYU – Intern (Las Vegas Bowl)
2016: Virginia – Graduate Assistant, Defense
2017: Virginia – Defensive Line (Military Bowl)
2018: Virginia – Defensive Line (Belk Bowl)
2019: Virginia – Defensive Line (Orange Bowl, ACC Coastal Champion)
2020: USC – Defensive Line (Pac-12 South Champion)
2021: USC – Defensive Line/Outside Linebackers
2022: California – Outside Linebackers
2023: California – Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Terrance Brown
Defensive Backs
Terrence Brown is in his third season as a defensive backs coach at Cal in 2024 sharing duties with Tre Watson. Brown spent 11 seasons in the Pac-12 as a player and coach, including the last two seasons at Cal (2002-23) and five campaigns over two stints on the coaching staff at Washington (2015-17, ’20-21). He also played collegiately in the league for four seasons at Stanford (2009-12). Brown also coached at Vanderbilt (2018-19) in between his stints at Washington. In addition, he was among a group of 30 coaches on 247Sports’ 30Under30 list in both 2019 and 2020.
Coaching Career
California – Defensive Backs (2022 - Present)
– Has a strong combination of returnees and transfer portal additions to comprise the defensive backfield in 2024 led by a pair of sixth-year Cal seniors in two-time honorable mention selection Craig Woodson (2022, '23) and Miles Williams, 2023 first-year starters Nohl Williams and Matthew Littlejohn, two others with significant starting previous starting experience at Cal in Collin Gamble and Lu-Magia Hearns III, and promising transfers in 2023 FCS first-team All-American Marcus Harris (Idaho), Jasiah Wagoner (Oklahoma) and Ryan Yaites (LSU)
– Co-coached a unit that helped the Cal defense become elite at taking away the ball away and in 2023 lead the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12, while the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg), with Patrick McMorris being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins after posting strong numbers (90 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 SK, 1 INT, 8 PBU, 2 FR, 2 FF) and Woodson (81 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 2 FF) earning his second straight honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection
– Helped the Bears win their final three regular-season games in 2023 to become bowl eligible and appear in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
– Made an immediate impact in his first season at Cal in 2022, and along with Watson tutored a pair of the Pac-12's top safeties in Daniel Scott and Woodson, as well as one of the nation's top freshmen defensive backs in cornerback Jeremiah Earby, with Scott a fifth-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft after being a third-team All-Pac-12 pick of Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus as a 2022, Earby a second-team College Football News Freshman All-American, and all three honorable mention All-Pac-12 selections of the league's coaches
– On the recruiting front, has helped Cal bring in a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class) then followed that up with a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked as high as No. 15 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 by the media outlet at one point
Washington – Assistant Defensive Backs (2020-21)
– Returned to Washington for a two-season run in the second of two coaching stints with the Huskies in 2020
– Coached a 2021 defensive backs group that helped the Huskies lead the nation by a whopping margin of 25.0 yards per contest over No. 2 Cincinnati with the fewest passing yards allowed per game (143.3 ypg), pace the Pac-12 and rank third nationally in team passing efficiency defense (106.71), and be the least penalized team in the league while ranking in the top 15 nationally in all penalty categories
– Coached a pair of 2021 first-team All-Pac-12 defensive backs in Kyler Gordon and Trent McDuffie, while Elijah Molden was a first-teamer in 2020 when McDuffie earned second-team honors
– Helped the 2020 squad capture the Pac-12 North title and post a 3-1 overall record during a season shortened to four games by COVID-19
– Played a significant role in the Huskies leading the Pac-12 in 2020 in passing yards allowed (185.0 ypg, No. 13 NCAA) and total defense (346.2 ypg), while the scoring defense was second in the conference (25.0 ppg)
– Coached four Huskies currently on NFL rosters in Gordon (Chicago), McDuffie (Kansas City), Molden (Tennessee), and Keith Taylor Jr. (Kansas City), with McDuffie a first-round pick and No. 22 overall selection of the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft while Gordon was taken in the second round (No. 39 overall) by Chicago, Molden was a third-round pick (No. 100 overall) of the Titans in 2021 and Taylor Jr. a fifth-round selection of Carolina also in 2021
Vanderbilt – Cornerbacks (2018-19)
– Spent two seasons at Vanderbilt with the Commodores reaching the Texas Bowl and equaling their best record in eight years during his first campaign in 2018
– Coached second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection Joejuan Williams in 2018 when Williams led all SEC cornerbacks in interceptions (4), while also pacing all of the league's players in pass breakups (14) and passes defended (18) before he was selected by New England in the second round (No. 45 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft
– Coached a pair of players currently on NFL rosters in Williams (Minnesota) and Allan George (Cincinnati)
Washington – Defensive Graduate Assistant (2015-17)
– Spent three seasons in his first of two coaching stints with the Huskies, winning the Pac-12 title and reaching the College Football Playoff in 2016, while the Huskies compiled a 29-11 (.725) overall record and a 19-8 (.704) Pac-12 mark during the stretch, and played in bowls each season (2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl, 2016 Peach Bowl, 2017 Fiesta Bowl)
– Coached for a Washington squad that led the Pac-12 in total defense and scoring defense for three consecutive seasons from 2015-17
– Coached a pair of All-Americans in Budda Baker and Sidney Jones, while working with a long list of future NFL defensive backs in addition to Baker and Jones including Kevin King, Jordan Miller, Byron Murphy, Taylor Rapp, Keith Taylor Jr. and Zeke Turner, with Husky defensive backs earning five first-team All-Pac-12 honors during the period
Cal Poly – Cornerbacks (Spring 2015)
– Served as the cornerbacks coach
Cincinnati Bengals (2013)
– Signed as an undrafted free agent during the offseason but was not on the roster for the regular season
Stanford (2009-12)
– Started all 23 of his collegiate games during his final two seasons of a four-year collegiate playing career in which he compiled 113 tackles including a career-high 65 stops when he started a career-high all 14 contests as a 2013 senior
Year-By-Year Coaching Positions
Season: Team – Coaching Position (Postseason, Champions)
2015 (Spring): Cal Poly – Cornerbacks
2015: Washington – Defensive Graduate Assistant (Heart Of Dallas Bowl)
2016: Washington – Defensive Graduate Assistant (College Football Playoff, Peach Bowl, Pac-12 Champion, Pac-12 North Champion)
2017: Washington – Defensive Graduate Assistant (Fiesta Bowl, Pac-12 North Co-Champion)
2018: Vanderbilt – Cornerbacks (Texas Bowl)
2019: Vanderbilt – Cornerbacks
2020: Washington – Assistant Defensive Backs (Pac-12 North Champion)
2021: Washington – Assistant Defensive Backs
2022: California – Defensive Backs
2023: California – Defensive Backs (Radiance Technologies Indepedence Bowl)
2024: California – Defensive Backs
Tre Watson
Defensive Backs
Tre Watson is in his fourth season as a defensive backs coach at Cal in 2024 and his third sharing the duties with Terrence Brown. Watson, who in 2020 was among a group of 30 coaches listed in 247Sports' "30Under30", was previously the defensive backs coach at UNLV for one season (2020) following two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Oregon (2018-19).
Coaching Career
California – Defensive Backs (2021 – Present)
– Has a strong combination of returnees and transfer portal additions to comprise the defensive backfield in 2024 led by a pair of sixth-year Cal seniors in two-time honorable mention selection Craig Woodson (2022, '23) and Miles Williams, 2023 first-year starters Nohl Williams and Matthew Littlejohn, two others with significant starting previous starting experience at Cal in Collin Gamble and Lu-Magia Hearns III, and promising transfers in 2023 FCS first-team All-American Marcus Harris (Idaho), Jasiah Wagoner (Oklahoma) and Ryan Yaites (LSU)
– Co-coached a unit that helped the Cal defense become elite at taking away the ball away and in 2023 lead the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12, while the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg), with Patrick McMorris being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins after posting strong numbers (90 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 SK, 1 INT, 8 PBU, 2 FR, 2 FF) and Woodson (81 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 2 FF) earning his second straight honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection
– Helped the Bears win their final three regular-season games in 2023 to become bowl eligible and appear in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
– In his second season at Cal in 2022, along with Brown tutored a pair of the Pac-12's top safeties in Daniel Scott and Woodson, as well as one of the nation's top freshmen defensive backs in cornerback Jeremiah Earby, with Scott a fifth-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft after being a third-team All-Pac-12 pick of Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus as a 2022, Earby a second-team College Football News Freshman All-American, and all three honorable mention All-Pac-12 selections of the league's coaches
– Part of a Cal defensive coaching staff that helped the Bears tie for fifth in the Pac-12 with 18 turnovers gained and finish the campaign sixth in the league in scoring defense (27.7 ppg)
– In his first season at Cal in 2021, coached a defense that played a significant role in helping the Bears to a strong second half of the season by holding four of its last six opponents to 14 points or less before finishing the campaign second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (22.2 ppg), fourth in total defense (366.7 ypg) and in the top half of the league in nearly every category
– Coached third-team All-American Elijah Hicks and a pair of safeties in Hicks and Scott that earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus in 2021 with Hicks also selected a first-team All-Pac-12 defensive back by the league's coaches, the winner of the Pop Warner College Football Award, and a semifinalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy and Jason Witten College Man of the Year, among many honors, after notching 72 tackles while co-leading the Pac-12 with a career-high four forced fumbles and 0.33 forced fumbles per game (No. 11T NCAA), while he also had three interceptions to tie for third in the conference, while Scott was among the Pac-12 leaders in solo tackles (team-high 60, No. T2 Pac-12), interceptions (team-high-tying 3, No. T3 Pac-12) and total tackles (team-high 82, No. 10 Pac-12) with all three career bests
– Also responsible for the development of then freshman cornerback Hearns, who finished the 2021 campaign with team highs of 10 pass breakups that ranked tied for second in the Pac-12 and 11 passes defended that were third, while his 1.00 passes defended per game were also third in the conference
– Coached sixth-year senior Josh Drayden, now a Cal defensive graduate assistant, in the final 12 games (all starts) of his career in 2021 on his way to a school-record 55 career games played.
– Coached three Cal defensive backs currently on NFL rosters in Hicks (Chicago), Scott (Indianapolis) and McMorris (Miami) with Hicks a seventh-round selection of the Bears in the 2022 NFL Draft
– On the recruiting front, has helped Cal bring in a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class) then followed that up with a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked as high as No. 16 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 by the media outlet at one point
UNLV – Defensive Backs (2020)
– Hired for his first full-time collegiate coaching position as the defensive backs coach in 2020 after working on the same staff as first-year UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo in 2018 and 2019 at Oregon
Oregon – Defensive Graduate Assistant (2018-19)
– Won a Pac-12 title in 2019 and a pair of bowl games – Redbox Bowl (2018), Rose Bowl (2019) – and compiled a 21-6 (.778) record during his two seasons coaching with the Ducks, going 9-4 in 2018 and 12-2 in 2019
– Oregon intercepted 37 passes during his two seasons on the coaching staff, ranking No. 2 nationally in 2019 (20) and tied for 11th in 2018 (17)
– Coached Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins safeties Ugo Amadi and Jevon Holland, as well as 2019 Freshman All-American Verone McKinley III
– Coached three Oregon players now on NFL rosters in Ugo Amadi (New Orleans), Jevon Holland (Miami), McKinley III (Arizona) with Amadi selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by Seattle, while Holland was taken by Miami in the second round in 2021 and McKinley III signed as an undafted free agent by the Dolphins in 2022
Collegiate Playing Career – Washington (2011-13); Central Washington (2010); West Hills College (2009)
– Finished his collegiate playing career with three seasons at Washington, earning a scholarship prior to his 2012 redshirt junior campaign after originally joining the Huskies as a walk-on transfer from Central Washington and redshirting as a 2011 junior
– Compiled 74 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss (-5 yards), two interceptions that he returned for 118 yards including an 84-yard touchdown, 12 pass breakups, 14 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, while playing in all 26 games possible over his final two seasons at Washington
– Played in all 11 games (10 starts) as a 2010 sophomore at Central Washington and finished with 28 tackles, two interceptions including one he returned 40 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick to help the Wildcats to an 8-3 overall mark and a 7-1 record in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference
– Played in 10 games as a 2009 freshman at West Hills College, notching 34 tackles, two interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown, six pass breakups and eight passes defended
Prep Playing Career – Kennedy High School (Class Of 2009)
– An All-State player at Kennedy High School as a 2008 prep senior who helped his squad to a 9-2 record, a Seamount League title and a state quarterfinal berth as a running back who scored 35 touchdowns and finished with 1,818 rushing yards
Other
– Spent three years in Seattle from 2014-16 training NFL players in the offseason and former college players for the NFL Combine in between his playing and coaching careers, working primarily with Seattle Seahawks and former Washington players including Budda Baker, DeShawn Shead, Shaq Thompson, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright
Tre Watson Coaching History
Season: Team – Coaching Position (Postseason)
2018: Oregon – Graduate Assistant, Defense
2019: Oregon – Graduate Assistant, Defense
2020: UNLV – Defensive Backs
2021: California – Defensive Backs
2022: California – Defensive Backs
2023: California – Defensive Backs (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Defensive Backs
*Season in which bowl game was played
Jason Novak
Head Football Athletic Performance Coach
Jason Novak has been named the new head athletic performance coach for the California football program, Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday.
Novak comes to Berkeley with extensive experience, including most recently serving as director of strength & conditioning at James Madison in 2024 after serving in the same role at Michigan State from 2020-23.
Before arriving in East Lansing, Novak was the head of physical conditioning at IMG Academy (2019-20), was the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan (2015-19), and spent 11 years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans (2004-15).
Novak's offseason strength and conditioning program was one of the key reasons for Michigan State's school-record turnaround season in 2021 as the Spartans won 11 games, beat No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and finished ranked in the top 10 of the national polls (No. 8 coaches, No. 9 AP).
During his time as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan, Novak oversaw the year-round training for more than 450 student-athletes.
Prior to joining the Titans, Novak served as the director of strength and conditioning at Yale where he handled the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball in 2003-04.
He served in a similar capacity at Alabama State from 2000-03, and worked as a graduate assistant/strength coach at both Baylor and Stephen F. Austin.
Novak earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1998 and his master's degree from Baylor in sport management in 2000.
A native of Houston, Texas, Novak and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Drew, Avery and Gray.