Cal Football

The Head Coaching Hot Board

If Cal is to make a change this week or next, here's a perspective on the hiring criteria and some potential candidates
By Bear Insider
November 22, 2025
18k Views
10 Comments
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Hiring a Football Head Coach is far too often an exercise of reflecting on what most recently didn’t work rather than hiring the best possible fit.

Cal is a unique place and is facing a dynamic college football landscape that likely will not be patient with a program that has struggled  12+ years.

Therefore Ron Rivera will need a uniquely curated set of requirements for any potential replacement for Justin Wilcox.

Before we get there, let’s discuss the sources for candidates.

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Discussion from...

The Head Coaching Hot Board

4,884 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 17 hrs ago by Go!Bears
panda
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9:05p, 11/22/25
Lol you can tell BG had this article written up and ready to go immediately after the last nail in the coffin was in.

Wilcox is gone, folks.

Love this article btw. It's a great list.
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TedfordTheGreat
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9:08p, 11/22/25
love this article. it was fired up and ready to go, force the administration's hand and Ron's hand.

Sebastabear and others advocated to give ron the keys, now they are urging Ron to act. I love the activism here, put it in the hands of true bears who care about the program to advocate for change. You have our backing.
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BearGreg
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9:17p, 11/22/25
Staff
This is a premium article. Replying on Growls with names that are in the article is a no no.

Thanks.
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snarkk
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10:01p, 11/22/25
Rivera himself might be a candidate...
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Golden One
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10:15p, 11/22/25
The time to act is NOW! It makes no sense to wait after an almost certain loss to SMU. After today's game, there is no way the team is going to be motivated against a good time like SMU. Hell, they weren't even motivated for the Big Game. They have given up on Wilcox, and firing him now is the only thing that will give them even a little bit of motivation.
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ac_green33
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In reply to BearGreg • 11:28p, 11/22/25
BearGreg said:
This is a premium article. Replying on Growls with names that are in the article is a no no.

Thanks.

There's only 1 name on here I haven't seen come up organically on the boards before.
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PAC-10-BEAR
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In reply to BearGreg • 11:53p, 11/22/25
BearGreg said:
This is a premium article. Replying on Growls with names that are in the article is a no no.

Thanks.

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okaydo
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12:08a, 11/23/25
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calumnus
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In reply to okaydo • 2:00a, 11/23/25
okaydo said:


Jan. 16, 2017, just after Wilcox was hired, so was that Tosh as DL coach?

A bit different than an endorsement for Tosh as HC.
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Go!Bears
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In reply to okaydo • 7:50a, 11/23/25
okaydo said:

I don't think JW was on our payroll when Shaq was lost. Tosh was. That makes a difference to me.
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