Cal Bears Football

Ron Rivera became the newest tenured NFL head coach to try his hand at the college game.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones reported Wednesday that Rivera is expected to assume a "general manager-like role" for the Cal football program.

Rivera confirmed he's returning to his alma mater, adding that Bill Belichick "has made going back to school, cool."

Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool. Stay tuned I am coming home. @CalAthletics @UCBerkeley @Cal #GoBears🐻

— Ron Rivera (@RonRivera80) February 5, 2025

It doesn't matter the sport or the level, administrators and executives are always quick to jump on what they consider to be the newest trend.

Hiring former NFL head coaches isn't unprecedented in college football, but Belichick's decision to take the North Carolina job is almost without parallel. The Tar Heels are betting that his experience and plan to turn them into "an NFL program at a college level" helps attract talent that otherwise wouldn't have looked at Chapel Hill.

Others were bound to try the same blueprint.

In the case of Rivera and Cal, his duties will involve far less coaching. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported the 63-year-old will "be involved in oversight of the program and its big-picture needs, including budget, coaching staff and the student-athlete experience."

Ron Rivera as GM is the first Cal Football decision in a long long time I have high conviction on that we got right, and the clearest marker to date that Football is a priority under this new administration.

We’re taking things seriously for first time since the mid 2000’s

— Ghost (@GhostofGarbers) February 5, 2025

Cal had a pair of 10-win seasons under Jeff Tedford in the 2000s, and the Golden Bears saw some of their top stars from that era thrive in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch and DeSean Jackson all spent time in Berkeley.

That kind of success has proven elusive after Tedford was fired in 2012, though. Cal has yet to finish a season ranked in the Top 25 since then and has only been ranked whatsoever in three separate years.

The fanbase might've been a little disappointed when the school chose to retain head coach Justin Wilcox, who has posted five straight losing records.

Bringing Rivera into the fold is a sign of ambition that's going to resonate positively with any disenchanted fans.

After winning a national championship with Ohio State on Monday night, backup quarterback Devin Brown made a quick decision to move on from the team.

Chirs Hummer of 247Sports reported on Tuesday that Brown committed to transfer to Cal following his three seasons with the Buckeyes. Brown was ranked as a 4-star prospect and the No. 6 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2022 by 247Sports' composite.

Hummer noted that Brown entered the transfer portal on Dec. 8 but chose to remain with Ohio State for its run through the College Football Playoff, which ended with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in Monday night's national title game. According to Hummer, Brown is "expected to enroll at Cal on Tuesday, and the Bears view him as a big part of their 2025 offensive plans."

Brown played sparingly during his time with the Buckeyes and has career numbers of 331 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception along with 37 rushing yards and another score. He spent the 2023 season backing up Kyle McCord, and he did the same for Will Howard this year.

Brown is the latest high-profile quarterback to join Cal through the transfer portal, joining Oregon transfer Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, a 4-star recruit in the class of 2025 who spent just one month with the Ducks before choosing to find a new home.

The Bears will be replacing former quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana after producing 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions this past season.

Hummer stated that Brown and Sagapolutele are expected to compete for the starting quarterback job for Cal under new offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin, but Brown's experience will give him an edge.

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 210

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POSITIVES

— Athletic safety with fluid hips and quick feet. Shows range as a deep safety. Smooth backpedal and loose hips that aid his man coverage skills.

— Aggressive in the run game. Comes downhill quickly, striking ball-carriers and running his feet through contact.

—Versatile safety but excels in play close to the line of scrimmage. Shows twitch and high motor when blitzing.

— Ball skills when playing the man and ball. Shows good timing to swipe through hands and is calm with the ball in the air.

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NEGATIVES

— Capped long speed. Quicker than fast. Has allowed the ball-carrier to outrun his angles at times.

— Inconsistent ball awareness, especially in zone. Lacks elite feel in zone coverage, allowing him his eyes to pull him out of position.

— Average length. Although he is physical, he can get engulfed when taking on tight ends and linemen. Length shows up at times in tackling. Can melt off leg tackles.

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2024 STATISTICS

— 13 Games, 70 Tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 INT, 1 FR, 7 PBU

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NOTES

— Born Feb. 20, 2001

— Games Started: 40

— 3-Star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— 2024: Third Team All-ACC

— 2023: Fourth Team All-Pac-12

— 2022: Honorable mention All-Pac 12

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OVERALL

Craig Woodson is an athletic and versatile safety prospect from Cal, combining fluid athleticism with a high motor and physicality. At 6'0" and 210 pounds, Woodson possesses a solid frame to compete at the next level, showcasing his ability to contribute both in coverage and run support. His aggressive and competitive nature, paired with his versatility to play deep or close to the line of scrimmage, makes him an intriguing prospect for teams seeking a multifaceted defensive back.

Woodson thrives in run defense with his aggressive, downhill style of play. He shows excellent twitch and a quick trigger when diagnosing plays, often striking ball carriers with force and running through contact to secure tackles. His physicality and stoutness at the point of attack make him an effective player in tight spaces, especially when blitzing or filling run lanes. However, his capped long speed can lead to issues when pursuing ball carriers in space, occasionally resulting in missed angles or allowing runners to break containment.

In coverage, Woodson's fluid hips and quick feet allow him to transition smoothly and compete in man-to-man assignments, though his ideal usage lies in zone schemes. He demonstrates good timing and ball skills, frequently swiping through receivers' hands to disrupt passes and maintaining calmness with the ball in the air. Despite these strengths, Woodson's zone awareness is inconsistent, as he sometimes gets caught out of position by overcommitting to his reads. Additionally, his average length can hinder his ability to compete against larger pass-catchers and occasionally shows up as a limitation in contested situations.

Craig Woodson projects as a mid-round selection with the potential to carve out a meaningful role as a versatile safety in a defense that leverages his physicality and high motor. While his long speed and underneath zone instincts may limit his ceiling as a full-time free safety, his aggressive nature, strong tackling, and ability to match up with tight ends make him a valuable chess piece in sub-packages or as a hybrid defender. With his competitive edge and versatility, Woodson has the tools to contribute as a rotational safety with the potential for spot-starting duties early in his career.

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GRADE: 6.9 (Potential Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 118

POSITION RANK: S12

PRO COMPARISON: Khari Willis

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

A Cal student had the moment of a lifetime while participating in Pat McAfee's kicking contest on ESPN's College GameDay.

Daniel, a civil engineering major, nailed his second field goal attempt to win a $100,000 prize and a $600,000 donation for Hurricane Helene relief efforts:

MISSED THE FIRST ONE, BUT NAILED THE SECOND KICK IN HIS VANS 🔥

Daniel is walking away with $100k and $600K is being donated to Hurricane Helene relief efforts. pic.twitter.com/6mGOLjAE7b

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 5, 2024

Daniel said he's a former soccer player and he has kicked footballs before, but never from such a distance. He was among the students who showed up before midnight on Friday for Saturday morning's broadcast of College GameDay in Berkley. To make the feat even more impressive, he kicked the field goal while wearing a pair of laceless Vans. He celebrated with McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit, the latter of whom held the ball in place for the kick, after the ball sailed through the uprights.

McAfee debuted the kicking contest last year and it has provided some incredible moments at College GameDay. A Washington student won the first edition on his second attempt for a $30,000 prize.

At the beginning of the 2024 season, a Texas A&M freshman won a $50,000 prize after the crowd pressured McAfee to give him a second attempt.

A wild edition of Pat McAfee's Kicking Contest on 'College GameDay' in College Station. 🏈📺🎙️💰pic.twitter.com/ijV5j6cjbt

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 31, 2024

Even comedian Druski got in on the action last week while College GameDay was at Alabama. Unfortunately, his attempt was so far left that it almost went out of the camera frame.

Cal is set to take on No. 8 Miami in its second ACC matchup on Saturday night. The Golden Bears fell to 3-1 after losing their conference opener to Florida State last week, while the Hurricanes are entering the matchup with a perfect 5-0 record.

For the first time ever, ESPN's College Gameday rolls into the University of California, Berkeley, campus Saturday morning ahead of the Bears' showdown with the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes.

The matchup, the first between the teams since 2008, will see Cal look to put an end to Miami's dazzling 5-0 start and knock it out of the Top 10.

Find out when you can tune in and what to expect from the high-stakes contest with this preview of Saturday's popular preshow and subsequent game.

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Date: Saturday

Time: 9:00 a.m.

TV: ESPN, ESPN U

Streaming: ESPN+

Location: Memorial Glade at the University of California, Berkeley

Crew: Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Pete Thamel, Jen Lada and Jess Sims.

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Miami Looks to Retain Top 10 Ranking

The Miami Hurricanes sit at No. 8 in the Associated Press Top 25, with the nation's third-ranked offense and a star under center in Cam Ward leading the No. 1 passing attack in the FBS with just under 393 yards per game.

Ward has tallied 19 touchdowns to just four interceptions through the first five games of the season and should find success against a 39th-ranked California pass defense, which is allowing 182.2 yards per game.

The Bears started the season promisingly with a 3-0 record. Then came a disastrous 14-9 loss to a reeling Florida State on September 21 that halted their momentum and potentially cost them a spot in the Top 25.

They will look to get back to their winning ways and, with a defense ranked 12th in points allowed, have a chance.

Even if they allow Miami to pass the ball all over the field, if they can limit the number of touchdowns they yield and make the Hurricanes settle for field goals, the matchup is winnable.

Those are big "ifs."

The visitors are playing some of the best football in the nation, and on a prime-time stage, will have the opportunity to announce to the world that The U is back.

A win by 10 might be a stretch given Cal's defense, but it's possible, given how well the Miami offense is playing.

A Cal football legend will appear on College GameDay this Saturday.

Marshawn Lynch, who played for the Golden Bears from 2004 to 2006, will be the guest picker on GameDay this week as the show heads to Berkley for the first time ever for a matchup between Cal and No. 8 Miami.

After the show announced Lynch's guest appearance, he called for Cal fans to show up bright and early at Memorial Glade on Cal's campus.

"YesLawd. Pull up early on ya boi at Memorial Glade…" he wrote in a post on X. "And when I say early this time, I mean hella early!!! Pit opens at 3:30am, yeah AM. Show is live at 6am, so we on team no sleep, straight from yo night out, right to campus ready to get it in."

YesLawd. Pull up early on ya boi at Memorial Glade… And when I say early this time, I mean hella early!!! Pit opens at 3:30am, yeah AM. Show is live at 6am, so we on team no sleep, straight from yo night out, right to campus ready to get it in. https://t.co/zKuKd4MPpX

— Marshawn Lynch (@MoneyLynch) October 3, 2024

Lynch had an outstanding tenure at Cal, recording 3,230 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns in his three seasons. Beyond his strong play on the field, Lynch became a fan favorite among Golden Bears fans, and his eccentric personality will be on full display in front of his fans on Saturday.

Cal has struggled for much of the last decade but has seen a bit of a resurgence to start the 2024 season. The Bears won their first three games of the year—including one against Auburn—before dropping a matchup against Florida State last week.

In front of Lynch and the rest of a Cal-friendly crowd, the Bears will look for a big upset over Miami this week.

The Pac-12 could "turn its attention to former members Cal and Stanford" after the conference announced the addition of four Mountain West teams on Thursday, Pete Nakos reported for On3.

"Multiple sources have told On3 it's a logical move for Cal and Stanford to join the Pac-12 if a window opens to leave the ACC," Nakos wrote.

Amanda Christovich of Front Office Sports reported that Cal and Stanford could need to file lawsuits to break the ACC's grant of rights, which runs through summer 2036.

Re speculation about two schools the Pac-12 could go after next:

Source confirms to @FOS that all ACC schools have signed onto its Grant of Rights. That includes Stanford and Cal. So if they want to depart, they're going to have to make like FSU and Clemson and go to court.

— Amanda Christovich (@achristovichh) September 12, 2024

Cal and Stanford announced their exit for the ACC last September amid a wave of departures that saw the Pac-12 whittled down to just Washington State and Oregon State.

With Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State set to join the conference before the 2026 season, the Pac-12 is two programs shy of the eight-school FBS minimum.

As Nakos pointed out, rejoining the Pac-12 would make sense for Cal and Stanford given their geographical proximity to teams in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

Cal football's debut ACC season features road trips to play schools like Florida State, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest on the opposite side of the country.

Stanford, meanwhile, is set for several cross-country road trips of its own with away games at Syracuse, Clemson, Notre Dame and North Carolina State.

The Raleigh News & Observer's Shelby Swanson reported last month that athletes from 11 ACC schools and 10 sports "commonly expressed concerns about missing classes due to excessive travel" during the upcoming season.

The Pac-12's inability to secure a lucrative media agreement was part of the reason Cal and Stanford joined the exodus from membership last year.

Clemson and Florida State have both sued the ACC for the financial penalties the conference has pledged to charge schools should they exit the conference.

According to Florida State, exiting the ACC before the grant of rights expires in 2036 would cost the school $572 million, per Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press.

Neither Florida State nor Clemson formally stated they wanted to leave the conference by Aug. 15, which was the ACC's deadline for notice of departure the following year.

The lawsuits are currently ongoing in Florida and North Carolina. If considering a move back to the Pac-12, Cal and Stanford could be watching to see how feasible leaving the ACC would be.

The California schools aren't the only programs that have been tied to a potential move to the Pac-12. Nakos additionally named Tulane and Memphis, among others, as possible expansion targets for the rebuilding conference.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 208

HAND: 10"

ARM: 30 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.45

3-CONE: 6.75

SHUTTLE: 4.17

VERTICAL: 39.5"

BROAD: 10'8"

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POSITIVES

— Ideal size for safety position. Has very good length with a filled-out frame.

— Versatile player who has shown ability to align from multiple spots. Plays best when coming down into the box.

— Typically a good tackler who triggers quickly to what he sees. High-motor player who closes ground to ball-carrier, keeps leverage and is a hard striker.

— Ability to play through trash. Can avoid blockers by dipping and ripping, as well as using his hands to take on and control blocks.

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NEGATIVES

— Shows some tightness and rigidness in the open field when tackling. Often lunges at legs, which leads to missed tackles.

— Shows a smooth backpedal but a lack of hip fluidity slows him through his transition.

— Can be heavy-footed at times, causing trouble with change of direction. Struggles sinking his hips to get in and out of breaks. Gives too much space out of breaks.

—Below-average man skills. Lacks twitch to match routes and cover skills to play ball and man.

— Poor eye discipline at times. Can get locked in on the quarterback and loses track of threats in his area.

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NOTES

— Started 28 Games

— 2022 PFF 3rd Team All-Pac 12

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OVERALL

Daniel Scott is a longer safety with a thick lower half and very good frame to add more weight. He is a physical player with good functional strength. He has shown versatility this season to play from multiple alignments but does best when rolling down into the box. As a run defender, Scott does a very good job of reading and reacting to what he sees. He triggers quickly and comes downhill like his hair is on fire. He takes great angles, giving ball-carriers a one way go and runs his feet on contact. For the most part, Scott shows to be a good open-field tackler, getting the ball-carrier down on the ground for minimal extra yards. On occasion, tightness and lack of mobility can show up when tackling, leading to him diving at legs and missing tackles. Scott also shows his physicality when taking on blocks, using his hands to control blockers and quickly discarding them; as well as showing the elusiveness to evade blockers in space.

When playing the pass, Scott looks less confident. Although he has shown decent movement skills at times, he really struggles in man coverage. He lacks the ability to sink his hips to get in and out of cuts, allowing receivers to gain a step or two on him out of breaks. He shows good ball skills and timing when breaking up passes but struggles covering downfield. Scott lacks the twitch and top-end speed to carry receivers downfield. Due to his short-area quickness and anticipation, Scott performs best when he is able to keep his eyes on the quarterback and receiver; breaking downhill on balls thrown. Ultimately Scott is a run-first defender who on occasion shows bad eye discipline and can be distracted from his responsibilities. He fits best when able to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He will add depth to any room that picks him but will be limited in pass coverage.

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GRADE: 5.9 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 206

POSITION RANK: S17

PRO COMPARISON: Talanoa Hufanga

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Justin Wilcox is set to be head coach of the Cal football team for the foreseeable future.

The school announced on Thursday that Wilcox has agreed to a contract extension through the 2027 season. The Golden Bears went 5-7 last season and finished fourth in the Pac-12 North.

Cal had started the year 1-5 but went 4-2 to close the season, ending with a win over USC. The Golden Bears also defeated their rival Stanford 41-11 in November.

"I appreciate the opportunity to be the head football coach at Cal and am excited about the future of our program," Wilcox said in the release. "I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute I have spent with the extraordinary young men who have been in our program."

Wilcox has coached Cal since 2017 and compiled a 26-28 record in five seasons. The team had back-to-back winning seasons and bowl game appearances in 2018 and 2019, a feat the program hadn't achieved in 10 years. The Golden Bears lost the Cheez-It Bowl to TCU in 2018 but topped Illinois in the Redbox Bowl the following year.

However, Cal has never finished with a conference record above .500 in Wilcox's tenure.

"We have very high expectations," Wilcox added. "I think we've earned the right to expect more, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

Under Wilcox, Cal has also seen substantial growth off the field. According to the press release, "the program announced its highest graduation success rate ever at 84 percent" in December."