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Soon after the hiring of head coach Justin Wilcox, Cal players began tweeting earlier today that strength and conditioning coach Damon Harrington might be on the outs with the Bears.
@coachDamon51 not being there has me sick
— Tre Watson (@tre1watson) January 15, 2017
Damn bro just damn
— Black Roses™ (@A1_Pericoo) January 15, 2017
Love you coach Damon!!!!!! You believed in me from the start! Never forget how you looked out for me ! Forever respect For bless you!!!!!
— The Jordan Duncan✨ (@Duncan2Humble) January 15, 2017
FIDO
— Ray Hudson (@rayhudson11) January 15, 2017
Ryan Gorcey has confirmed it.
#Cal official has confirmed to me that Bears S&C coach Damon Harrington will not be retained: https://t.co/E2C18tARbZ
— Ryan Gorcey (@RGBearTerritory) January 15, 2017
Damon Harrington followed Sonny Dykes from Louisiana Tech a year after he became the Cal head coach, and became easily the most popular coach in the Cal locker room (as generally most strength coaches tend to be). The Bears did improve in terms of overall health (no more catastrophic run of season-ending injuries a la 2013), but results on the field were mixed in terms of overall effectiveness.
Harrington’s career at Cal was not without controversy: He was tied very much into the investigation of the death of Cal defensive lineman Ted Agu during a workout drill, as well as the locker room assault on Cal football player Fabiano Hale. Harrington wasn’t convicted, but this is one less PR nightmare that Cal Athletics can now put in their rearview mirror.
I don’t really have a long list of potential strength and conditioning coaches, but I imagine Justin Wilcox has his list of candidates that are more ideal for developing an offense that can adapt to tempo.