Another coaching domino just toppled in the college football world. California has officially cut ties with Justin Wilcox after a 48-55 run across nine seasons, GM Ron Rivera confirmed Sunday. With nearly $11 million heading Wilcox’s way in buyout cash, the hunt is on for the next captain of the ship. Here are three top names who could slide into the driver’s seat.

Will Stein

At the top of the list of probable candidates, Oregon Ducks’ offensive coordinator Will Stein can be placed. Stein turned Bo Nix into a star. He elevated Dillon Gabriel. And now he’s cooking with Dante Moore, too. The coach’s QB magic just doesn’t miss. But moving away from Wilcox with an assistant coach might invite double thoughts. However, Cal’s history has already proved how taking big risks paid off.

Cal went bold in 2002, handing the keys to Jeff Tedford, a guy who’d never been a head coach but had a sharp offensive mind from his Oregon OC days. Eleven seasons later, he delivered an impressive 82-57 run. Cut to Stein.

Wilcox built his brand on defense before Cal handed him the big chair. And after how things played out, Cal’s brass might think twice before going down that road again. Stein’s a Louisville kid and ex-Cardinal QB, but his résumé stretches coast to coast, with high school and college gigs in Texas. The last two years, he has been cooking out West. Stein’s offense has Oregon humming, sitting No. 2 in Big Ten scoring and No. 4 nationally in yards per play. And remember, before he brought the fireworks to Eugene, he was orchestrating UTSA’s attack in 2022.

Jim Mora

In case Cal is skeptical about not replacing Wilcox with an assistant coach, here comes another option- Jim Mora, the UConn Huskies head coach. Mora has pulled off one of the most impressive coaching feats of the year. He steered the Huskies to another nine-win season. He’s already logged two 10-win campaigns at UCLA and knows the West Coast like the back of his hand. But what comes off as his USP to fill into Wilcox’s shoes?

His NFL pedigree. Mora has made multiple stops at the New Orleans Saints (DB), the San Francisco 49ers (DB), head coach at the Atlanta Falcons, among others. Hailing from California, Mora went 46-30 at UCLA Bruins and has posted a 27-23 tally in four years at UConn, steady results coast to coast. Mora feels like a natural fit for Wilcox’s replacement. He’s coached against them at UCLA, worked in the Bay as the 49ers’ DC, and knows the territory inside out. The catch? Cal will have to sprint, not stroll, as Stanford is eyeing him too.

Pat Fitzgerald

Cal could toss another seasoned skipper into the mix, but this one comes with a “former head coach” sticker attached. Pat Fitzgerald, once the face of Northwestern football, said he feels “100% vindicated” after the August settlement that followed his wrongful-termination saga. 

Hazing allegations pushed Northwestern to fire Fitzgerald, who countered with a $130 million wrongful-termination battle. Come August, the saga ended in a hush-hush settlement with no terms revealed. Fitzgerald’s 17-year Northwestern run closed at 110-101 with 11 bowl trips and two West division titles, and he still turned down suitors from bluebloods like Michigan to several NFL teams. 

Post-firing, he’s been in football grad school. Fitzgerald has been visiting NFL camps, dropping in on colleges, and absorbing every schematic shift to stay ready for his next jump. 

These are the realistic options to slide into Justin Wilcox’s chair. His nine-year ride is over, and now the race begins to see who steps up and when.