BERKELEY – Cal head coach Justin Wilcox announced Monday that Burl Toler III has agreed to return to his alma mater to become the Golden Bears' running backs coach. Toler was a four-year letterwinner at Cal and began his coaching career with three seasons on the school's football staff following his professional playing career.
"Burl is an excellent addition to our staff who has been very successful as a football coach and recruiter early in his career," Wilcox said. "I've known Burl since he played on Cal teams when I was an assistant coach in Berkeley, and I think the world of Burl and his family. As an alum and with his family's history at Cal, he has a deep understanding of and a strong connection to the university that will prove important. We're looking forward to having him rejoin our Cal family."
"It's amazing to be back home at Cal," Toler said. "I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity coach Wilcox has given me to join his tremendous staff, and I'm excited to get to work coaching and recruiting elite student-athletes at Cal. I'm also thankful for the experience of working with the coaches and players at Fresno State and UC Davis. Those experiences have prepared me for this unbelievable opportunity at my alma mater."
Toler played wide receiver at Cal from 2001-04, helping the Bears to an Insight Bowl victory and a Holiday Bowl appearance in his final two seasons. He compiled career totals of 69 receptions for 873 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Toler was Cal's second-leading receiver as a 2003 junior with 48 catches for 609 yards receiving to go along with three scoring grabs. He completed his junior campaign by hauling in a team-high six passes for 84 yards in a 52-49 victory over Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl.
Toler spent the 2017 season as the wide receivers coach at UC Davis, and one of his charges, Keelan Doss, led all FCS and FBS schools in receptions (115), per-game receptions (10.5 rpg) and receiving yards (136.3 ypg), while his 1,499 total yards receiving led all FCS receivers. Doss earned consensus first-team All-America and Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors while being a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given annually to the nation's top FCS player. Wide receiver Marcus Cummins also earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors under Toler's tutelage in 2017.
In 2016, Toler served as wide receivers coach at Fresno State, helping three wideouts to at least 45 catches and 630 yards receiving each, with KeeSean Johnson ranking third in the Mountain West Conference with 5.5 receptions per game.
Toler held several different roles during three seasons at Cal from 2013-15. He was the special teams quality control assistant all three seasons, while also working with the wide receivers in 2014 and the running backs in 2015 when Cal won the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
Toler graduated from Cal in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in social welfare and a concentration in sociology. Following his collegiate playing career, he spent time in the NFL on the rosters of the Oakland Raiders (2006) and Washington Redskins (2007-08). He also played in NFL Europe (Cologne), the Italian Football League (Bologna), the Canadian Football League (Hamilton) and Arena League (San Jose, Orlando, San Antonio) before retiring as a player in 2013.
Toler's family has a deep connection to Cal and the Bay Area. His father, Burl Toler Jr., was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker for the Bears from 1974-77 and a team captain as a senior. His mother, Susan, is a Cal graduate, as are his brothers Cameron and sisters, Pita and Lauriena. Cameron, was a member of the Cal football program from 2004-07, while Pita and Lauriena were on\ the Cal track & field team. Pita currently works as a member of the Cal Athletic Development staff. In addition, his grandfather, the late Burl Toler Sr., played on the legendary 1951 USF team and later became the first African-American official in the NFL before spending 25 seasons in the role from 1965-89.
Toler and his wife, Drea, are the parents of daughter, Lale, and son, Burl IV.
Offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin, who was also the team's running backs coach in 2017, will now manage tight ends while Charlie Ragle will focus on his role as special team coordinator after also overseeing the tight ends last season.
BURL TOLER COACHING HISTORY
Season: Team – Position (Postseason)
2013: California – Quality Control, Special Teams
2014: California – Quality Control, Special Teams/Wide Receivers
2015: California – Quality Control, Special Teams/Running Backs (Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl)
2016: Fresno State – Wide Receivers
2017: UC Davis – Wide Receivers
