Justin Wilcox could be out as Cal’s head coach if the Bears don’t finally take a step forward this season. Wilcox has held the job for eight years, piecing together a 42-50 overall record. Cal logged a 6-7 finish for the second straight year in 2024, and the program’s struggles in close games continue to haunt him. There’s a growing feeling across campus and among boosters that major changes are needed, especially now that Ron Rivera has been hired as Cal’s new football general manager. 

As Richard Johnson of CBS Sports said, “There’s gonna be a microscope on that Cal program to me. And if they don’t perform, I think Ron Rivera may be looking at making a change with that coaching staff this fall.” Rivera has direct authority over staffing decisions and answers directly to the chancellor. This is the same model Stanford used when they installed Andrew Luck in the top front office job, only to see him fire Troy Taylor immediately. Moreover, Luck also gave Frank Reich a one-year stopgap deal as interim head coach, making it clear this was only a short-term arrangement. This move puts more pressure on Ron Rivera at Cal to deliver results and consider decisive changes if things stagnate. All eyes are now on whether Rivera will match that sense of accountability.

Cal’s coaching instability only scratches the surface. The team is struggling to keep talent, with 37 players leaving via the transfer portal this offseason, including their starting quarterback, top two running backs, top wide receiver, and top tight end. These departures gutted a roster that should have gotten stronger under Wilcox. Brandon Marcello said, “Let’s face it Cal so difficult to win at we know that and I still think he’s been doing a pretty good job but goodness gracious losing these pieces in the transfer portal very difficult.” The revolving door keeps spinning, and Cal’s pipeline, already weakened by inconsistent development, is stretched thinner than ever.

The influence of donors and the sense of urgency around Cal football is impossible to ignore. Rivera’s responsibilities as GM give him unprecedented control, and the expectation is to shake up a program that has underperformed for years. Shehan Jeyarajah on CBS pointed out, “The big question for me is like how serious are they going to be about this?… You can fire Justin Wilcox, who has done a pretty good job, are you going to invest enough in the next guy to expect better results? Justin Wilcox has been there a very long time. I think that’s a conversation that probably will be had regardless.” As Stanford’s move with Luck showed, Bay Area programs are ready to invest in big, pro-style leadership and demand results; Cal’s boosters want the same and are prepared to pull funding if they don’t get it.

Looking at the whole picture, it really feels like this is do-or-die territory for Justin Wilcox. Year after year, Cal circles mediocrity while rivals make aggressive, modern front office and roster changes and invest in football. The Bears’ transfer losses, weak finishes, and long-standing roster gaps have turned up the heat, and with Rivera calling the shots, changes feel inevitable. If Wilcox cannot deliver clear progress, Rivera’s authority and the changing tides at Cal make a coaching shake-up not just possible but likely and necessary for the program’s future.

Cal’s running back room

Cal’s running back room has been upended by the transfer portal, and you don’t see turnover like this very often. Five running backs exited over the offseason, which is a huge shift for a staff that kept its head coach but brought in a new offensive coordinator. Jaden Ott, who moved on to Oklahoma, “was one of the best running backs in the country,” as Richard Johnson put it, especially when healthy. Javon Thomas, who “really towed the mail for Cal last year in Jaden’s absence,” headed south to UCLA. Along with Fernando Mendoza leaving for Indiana and standout tight end Jack Andre heading to Texas, Cal’s offense has quickly become full of new faces.

This leaves Brian Harson, the new offensive coordinator, with plenty of fresh options and a real puzzle to solve. The Bears have three notable transfers ready to go: LJ Johnson from SMU, Kendrick Raphael from NC State, and Brandon High from UTSA. Johnson summed up the new outlook and said, “I look at LJ Johnson, who’s in from SMU, Kendrick Raphael, who’s in from NC State, and Brandon High, who’s in from UTSA, as guys who may be sharing the road in the cow backfield.” With so much upheaval, a running-back-by-committee approach feels inevitable, and coaches already seem to agree.

As Cal works through preseason camp, a clearer picture should emerge, but for now, it’s all about flexibility and giving everyone a chance. Johnson noted, “I am expecting a committee approach with more clarity to come in the next week or so about just how it will shake out.” The new mix has everyone curious, and fans are eager to see who steps up first and how this quickly-reshuffled backfield meshes once the games begin.