Cal names Justin Wilcox head coach; source says it's 5-year deal

ByJeff Goodman and Brett McMurphy ESPN logo
Sunday, January 15, 2017

Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox has been hired as head coach ofCalifornia, the school announced Saturday.

The deal is for five years, a source told ESPN.

This will be the first head-coaching job for Wilcox, who was a Cal assistant from 2003 to 2005.He replaces Sonny Dykes, who was fired Sunday after a 19-30 record in four seasons with the Golden Bears.

"I couldn't be more excited to become head football coach at the University of California," Wilcox said. "It has been a dream of mine to lead a college football program, and there's no better place than here at Cal where I got my start and at a school that means so much to me."

Athletic director Mike Williams cited Wilcox's previous coaching stint at Cal as a reason he was the right person for the job.

"As a former assistant coach for us, Justin understands what it takes to be successful at Cal -- in the classroom and on the field," Williams said. "He has deep West Coast roots, having grown up and spent the bulk of his career in the Pac-12 and the conference footprint. Justin just led the No. 7 defense in the country at Wisconsin, and his teams have consistently ranked among the best in the nation. I am confident we have found someone who is clearly the right fit for Cal."

Wilcox, 40, had been a defensive coordinator for the past 11 seasons at Wisconsin (2016), USC (2014-15), Washington (2012-13), Tennessee (2010-11) and Boise State (2006-09).

A 1999 graduate of Oregon, where he played safety and cornerback, Wilcox began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Boise State in 2001. After two seasons at Boise State, Wilcox spent the next three years as Cal's linebackers coach.

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