With just one season as head coach, Delaware State HC DeSean Jackson’s coaching rise has taken another unexpected turn, putting him firmly on the radar of a major FBS program. And as speculation heats up, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has already hinted at the field Jackson is suddenly a part of.

“Interesting candidate pool at Cal: a couple of top coordinators; Jim Mora and some guys who’ve done amazing work in G5; and maybe Cal great DeSean Jackson, who worked wonders at a program that went 2-21 the previous two seasons and lead it to an 8-4 year,” Bruce Feldman noted.

California’s coaching search began after the dismissal of Justin Wilcox, who posted a 48-55 record across nine seasons and finished this year 6-5. With the Golden Bears now evaluating their next direction, Jackson’s name has surfaced as a potential option. Feldman classified him as a “long shot” due to his short-term coaching tenure, yet his history with California as a wide receiver and his impressive one-year coaching experience with Delaware State could end up with the Cal job.

At Delaware State, Jackson completely re-regenerated a program that had flatlined. In a single season, he lifted a 1-11 team out of irrelevance and carried it all the way to an 8-4 finish and a spot in the MEAC title game, something the school hadn’t touched in nearly two decades. It became one of the most dramatic ascents anywhere in FCS football, earning him a place among the finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, the honor reserved for the nation’s top FCS coach.

And when you stack that kind of revitalization against what California is searching for, the alignment becomes hard to overlook. The Golden Bears need someone capable of jolting the program back to life, someone who understands the school’s DNA, and someone who can restore belief in a fanbase that’s been stuck in neutral. Jackson ticks all the boxes.

When asked about the coaching rumors earlier this season, Jackson said that he’s focused on the Hornets for now. But also hints that he’s open to opportunity.

“I’m very focused where I’m present. It’s where my feet are…” Jackson told the media last week. “As far as aspirations, obviously, I would love to take it bigger if I could… HBCU is always gonna hold a special place in my heart… If my destiny and my road are somewhere, who knows?”

But if Jackson ultimately stays put or the Golden Bears choose to lean on more proven experience at the FBS level, the program has no shortage of alternatives.

Other potential options for California’s job

Based on Bruce Feldman’s reports, DeSean Jackson is just a part of the option. He listed out a wide range of options for the Golden Bears. The options include Cal interim coach Nick Rolovich, Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, UC Davis coach Tim Plough, UConn coach Jim Mora, San Diego State coach Sean Lewis, New Mexico coach Jason Eck, and Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

Nick Rolovich, who’s currently leading the program, has experience in the coaching role, who formerly led Washington State and Hawaii. He also took Hawaii to a 10-win season in 2019, before things were ruined due to COVID at Washington State.

On the other end, Tosh Lupoi could be a terrific fit. The 44-year-old former Cal DL earned a reputation as a ‘dogged recruiter’ when he helped bring a bunch of blue-chip prospects to Berkeley while on Jeff Tedford’s staff. He possesses the experience that Jackson lacks, being the assistant of Nick Saban at Alabama and currently leading Oregon under Dan Lanning.

They could be the toughest contenders for the Cal role, but nothing is official unless the GM, Ron Rivera, makes the call.