Bruce Feldman has reported that Cal will likely hire Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox to replace former head coach Sonny Dykes. Dykes was fired on Sunday, Wilcox immediately became the first name circulated on the market, and appears to be on the cusp of being the next head coach for the California Golden Bears.
SOURCE: #Cal in contract negotiations with #Wisconsin DC Justin Wilcox to make him Bears new head coach.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 13, 2017
Wisconsin DC Justin Wilcox has been offered Cal job, sources told @ESPN. If he accepts, will be 1st head coaching job. 1st reported by Fox
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) January 13, 2017
A former defensive back at Oregon, Wilcox was an assistant at Cal during the early days of the Jeff Tedford era. From 2003 to 2005, Wilcox worked with Cal linebackers under Bob Gregory as the Bears built up one of the more fearsome defensive units in the nation. Wilcox would then join Chris Petersen’s staff at Boise State, where the Broncos would go on to win two Fiesta Bowls.
Wilcox would then enjoy stints on three different power five defensive coordinators. He was with Washington and USC under Steve Sarkisian and then joined Wisconsin. Aside from some struggles with the Trojans, Wilcox generally was in charge of top 20 defenses at every one of his spots.
This hire seems to indicate that Cal is recommitted to revitalizing one of the worst defenses in college football. Cal had a bottom five Power 5 defense three of the last four years. The pass defense was a disaster in the early Dykes years, and the run defense eroded to the worst in college football in 2016.
Cal fans, your thoughts on the potential head coaching hire?