Tosh Lupoi Fills Out His First Cal Football Coaching Staff

1 jam yang lalu

New Cal shot coach Tosh Lupoi apparently has completed his staff.

Lupoi announced Thursday nan retention of 7 members of nan 2025 unit and nan hiring of six much position assistants.

He antecedently had introduced six adjunct coaches, including Jordan Somerville arsenic violative coordinator and Michael Hutchings arsenic protect coordinator.

Nick Rolovich, who worked arsenic nan Bears’ elder violative adjunct and was promoted to interim caput coach for nan last 2 games aft Justin Wilcox was fired, has officially been retained to activity pinch quarterbacks and service arsenic adjunct caput coach.

His return is nary surprise, successful portion because he developed a beardown and productive narration pinch budding prima backmost Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The freshman made statements successful support of Rolovich precocious successful nan season.

Also returning is violative statement coach Famika Anae, who came to Cal past play from New Mexico and wrong linebacker coach Bob Gregory, who worked arsenic a elder protect adjunct past autumn successful his return to a 2nd stint connected nan Cal staff.

Keith Hayward, who coached protect backs past play successful nan first twelvemonth of his 2nd go-around pinch nan Bears, will stay connected unit arsenic protect passing coordinator.

Jason Novak, who came aboard listed season, will return arsenic nan caput diversion capacity coach.

Jeff McDaniels, who worked arsenic an adjunct pinch nan violative statement and tight ends, will move to adjunct quarterbacks coach. Mike Saffell will statesman his 10th play astatine Cal arsenic a subordinate aliases adjunct coach, now successful his 3rd play arsenic tight ends assistant. Sione Ta’ufo’ou will run arsenic adjunct wrong linebackers coach aft moving pinch protect linemen and extracurricular linebackers successful his debut play past year.

Among newcomers added to nan unit Thursday is erstwhile Golden Bears prima wide receiver and Cal Athletic Hall of Famer Geoff McArthur, who will activity pinch nan team’s receivers.

Other position assistants are Pat McCann arsenic passing crippled assistant, Bryan Barrazza, who will pinch edges, Ed McGilvra arsenic protect statement assistant, Ryan Berry arsenic protect adjunct and Duke DaRe arsenic adjunct protect backs coach.

Here are thumbnail bios, courtesy of Cal, connected those announced arsenic unit members connected Thursday:

The returning assistants

Nick Rolovich, Quarterbacks/Assistant Head Coach

Rolovich returns to Cal for a 2nd play successful 2026 arsenic nan Bears' quarterbacks coach and adjunct caput coach. Rolovich worked intimately pinch Sagapolutele quarterback and helped nan existent freshman create into 1 of nan nation's apical awesome callers and a imaginable early 2026 Heisman Trophy candidate. Rolovich was antecedently a caput coach astatine Hawai'i (2016-19) and Washington State (2020-21), arsenic good arsenic nan violative coordinator and quarterbacks coach astatine Hawai'i (2008-11) and Nevada (2012-15). In addition, Rolovich was nan quarterbacks coach astatine City College of San Francisco (2006-07) and helped nan Rams seizure nan 2007 inferior assemblage nationalist title. He has coached 30 players who person gone connected to play successful nan NFL.

Famika Anae | Jeff Faraudo

Famika Anae, Offensive Line

Anae returns for his 2nd play arsenic nan violative statement coach astatine Cal successful 2026. He began his coaching profession arsenic an adjunct violative statement coach astatine BYU (2014-15) and besides had stops astatine Virginia (2016-17), Dixie State (2018), Texas A&M Commerce (2019-21), Campbell (2022-23) and New Mexico (2024) earlier joining nan Golden Bears successful 2025, helping an inexperienced portion incorporated 4 caller starters and amended passim nan season. In their last 2 games, nan Golden Bears allowed conscionable a azygous sack. Anae's signature coaching play came successful 2024 arsenic nan violative statement coach astatine New Mexico erstwhile his group put up unthinkable numbers, starring nan federation successful sacks allowed (0.42 per game) and tackles for nonaccomplishment allowed (2.17 per game), while ranking 4th nationally successful unreserved discourtesy (253.6 ypg). At Virginia, Anae coached early NFL violative linemen Chris Glaser and Eric Smith.

Bob Gregory, Inside Linebackers

Gregory will coach nan Bears' wrong linebackers successful 2026 aft serving arsenic a elder protect adjunct successful nan first play of his 2nd stint astatine Cal a twelvemonth ago. Gregory has been 1 of nan nation's apical adjunct coaches complete a profession that has spanned much than 4 decades and included a brace of stops each astatine Oregon (1998-2000, '22), Boise State (2001, '10-13) and Cal (2002-09, '25 - present). Gregory started his profession astatine Washington University (1987-88) and besides had stints astatine Willamette (1991-97), Washington (2014-21) and Stanford (2023-24). He has spent 16 of his seasons arsenic a protect coordinator for 5 different programs (Washington University, Willamette, Boise State, California, Washington), while coaching connected 7 teams that person won convention championships and 22 that person played successful vessel games. A full of 46 players who Gregory has been straight responsible for coaching either arsenic a protect coordinator aliases position coach astatine nan collegiate person gone connected to play successful nan NFL.

Keith Heyward, Defensive Pass Game Coordinator

Heyward returns for nan 2nd play of his 2nd stint astatine Cal successful 2026 and will activity successful nan domiciled of protect walk crippled coordinator aft coaching protect backs successful 2025, erstwhile he helped Hezekiah Masses earn second-team All-American and first-team All-ACC honors aft sharing nan nationalist lead successful passes defended (18) and ranking successful a necktie for seventh successful interceptions (5). Heyward, who spent nan 2021 run moving pinch nan extracurricular linebackers successful his first tenure astatine Cal, has besides had coaching stops astatine Oregon State (2005-06, '08-11, '24), Cal Poly (2007), Washington (2012-13), USC (2014-15), Louisville (2016), Oregon (2017-20), UNLV (2022) and nan Las Vegas Raiders (2023). His teams person played successful 13 vessel games and won 2 convention championships, arsenic good arsenic a stock of different regular-season title. A full of 35 of players who Heyward has been straight responsible for coaching either arsenic a protect coordinator aliases position coach astatine nan collegiate level person gone connected to play successful nan NFL.

Jeff McDaniels, Assistant Quarterbacks

McDaniels is backmost for a 2nd play astatine Cal successful 2026 and will move into nan domiciled of adjunct quarterbacks coach aft moving arsenic an adjunct pinch nan team's violative statement and tight ends successful his first play successful Berkeley successful 2025. McDaniels helped create Mason Mini into 1 of nan nation's apical pass-catching tight ends a twelvemonth agone and worked pinch an inexperienced violative statement that incorporated 4 caller starters and improved passim nan season. Prior to his presence astatine Cal, he was connected staffs astatine Texas State (2015-16), his alma mater Davidson (2017-19), Boise State (2020), Auburn (2021-22) and Eastern Washington (2023-24). He has coached 13 players who person gone connected to nan NFL headlined by existent Denver Broncos starting backmost Bo Nix and Buffalo Bills receiver Khalil Shakir.

Jason Novak, Head Athletic Performance Coach

Novak returns to Cal for a 2nd play arsenic nan caput diversion capacity coach successful 2026 to proceed a three-decade profession that has fixed him extended acquisition astatine nan NFL, collegiate and elite prep levels. Novak spent 11 campaigns connected nan spot and conditioning unit of nan Tennessee Titans (2014-14) and has a mixed 19 seasons of acquisition astatine nan collegiate and elite prep levels (Alabama State, Baylor, Cal, Central Michigan, IMG Academy, James Madison, Michigan State, Stephen F. Austin, Yale). Novak made an contiguous effect successful his first play astatine Cal successful 2025, arsenic nan Bears sewage disconnected to a beardown 3-0 commencement and past had comeback wins against classed teams successful 2 of their last 3 regular-season contests astatine No. 15 Louisville successful overtime and against No. 21 SMU. Novak coached 3 Pro Football Hall of Famers and 29 Pro Bowlers pinch nan Titans, while he has worked pinch 41 players during his collegiate and precocious schoolhouse stops who person gone connected to play successful nan NFL.

Mike Saffell | Jaden Yenjai

Mike Saffell, Assistant Tight Ends

Saffell returns for his 10th play astatine Cal arsenic a subordinate aliases coach and his 3rd run arsenic a full-time personnel of nan coaching unit successful 2026. Saffell, who will proceed to activity pinch nan tight ends, helped Jack Endries (2024) and Mason Mini (2025) become nan nation's apical pass-catching tight ends complete nan past 2 seasons, pinch Endries besides starring each Cal players successful some receptions and yards receiving. At nan property of 24, Saffell was promoted from a second-year postgraduate adjunct to nan team's tight ends coach betwixt nan 2023 regular play and nan Bears' quality successful nan Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. He started his coaching profession successful 2021 arsenic a student adjunct pinch a brace of tight ends - Keleki Latu and Jake Tonges - from his tenure arsenic a postgraduate aliases student adjunct going connected to play successful nan NFL. Saffell besides played 4 seasons astatine Cal arsenic an violative lineman (2017-20). He was a squad skipper and nan Pac-12's Football Scholar-Athlete of nan Year arsenic a 2020 senior.

Sione Ta'ufo'ou, Assistant Inside Linebackers

Ta'ufo'ou will beryllium Cal's adjunct wrong linebackers coach successful his 2nd play pinch nan Bears successful 2026 aft moving pinch nan protect statement and extracurricular linebackers past year. Ta'ufo'ou spent 2 campaigns arsenic nan protect coordinator astatine UAB (2023-24) pursuing a successful profession arsenic a prep coach, astir precocious astatine Lipscomb Academy successful Nashville (2020-22), wherever his teams reached 3 authorities title games pinch wins successful nan past two. He besides served arsenic an adjunct caput coach successful 2022 erstwhile his defense allowed only 5.5 points per game. In 3 seasons astatine Lipscomb, Ta'ufo'ou's squads posted a 37-4 grounds and 14 shutouts. He was antecedently a precocious schoolhouse caput coach astatine Menlo Atherton (2010-14) and Archbishop Mitty (2017-19) aft opening his coaching profession pinch 2 campaigns arsenic an adjunct astatine Menlo School (2008-09). Four players who Ta'ufo'ou has been straight responsible for coaching - Desmond Little, BJ Mayes, Dacarrion "Mac" McWilliams, Joseph Vaughn - person gone connected to play successful nan NFL.

New coaching unit members

Geoff McArthur, Wide Receivers Assistant

McArthur, who will statesman his Cal coaching profession arsenic nan adjunct wide receivers coach, ranks arsenic Cal’s all-time leader pinch 3,188 receiving yards. He shares nan all-time lead successful 100-yard receiving games pinch 11 and is 2nd pinch 202 profession receptions. In addition, McArthur is seventh astatine Cal pinch 20 touchdown catches. He was named a second-team All-American arsenic a inferior successful 2003 and was besides chosen second-team All-Pac-10, nan team’s Most Improved Player and nan Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame’s College Male Athlete of nan Year. McArthur continues to clasp Cal’s play receiving yards people pinch 1,504 successful 2003 while his 85 receptions nan aforesaid play are fourth. A first-team All-Pac-12 action arsenic a senior, he led nan squad successful receptions pinch 57, on pinch 862 receiving yards and 7 touchdown receptions. He shares nan Cal single-game grounds for astir receptions (16) pinch Jacob De Jesus and is 2nd successful receiving yards aft tallying 245 yards successful nan 2003 Big Game.

Bryan Barraza, Edges

Barraza comes to Berkeley aft a stint astatine Oregon wherever he worked pinch nan protect linemen and extracurricular linebackers, Barraza’s stint astatine Oregon included clip moving and aiding nan improvement of 5 2025 All-Big Ten selections successful Bear Alexander, Jadon Canady, Teitum Tuioti, Matayo Uiagalalei and A'Mauri Washington.

Ed McGilvra, Defensive Line Assistant

McGilvra comes to Berkeley aft a twelvemonth astatine Sacramento State wherever he was nan protect statement coach. The Hornets’ protect statement group mixed for 32.5 sacks and 59.0 tackles-for-loss. Outside of coaching, McGilvra is known for his training of NFL talent. McGilvra hosts immoderate of nan apical tier talent each off-season, including Khalil Mack, Aidan Hutchinson and more. McGilvra has a group of much than 50 progressive NFL players that train pinch him complete nan offseason, including 16 erstwhile first-round draught picks.

McGilvra has coached nan protect statement for some nan Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl pinch 3 players winning MVP honors astatine nan Senior Bowl. He has worked intimately pinch NFL teams including nan LA Rams, LA Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans complete nan past decade, helping to create undrafted free agents.

Pat McCann, Passing Game Assistant

McCann has been a collegiate coach for much than 15 years and spent nan 2025 play astatine Oregon State arsenic wide receivers coach. Prior to his clip successful Corvallis, McCann spent 3 years astatine Fresno State arsenic wide receivers coach and was later elevated to violative coordinator for his last 2 seasons successful nan program. McCann coached 3 All-MWC first squad selections pinch nan Bulldogs.

Before Fresno, he coached astatine Eastern Washington for 3 years, arsenic wide receivers coach while besides serving arsenic nan passing crippled coordinator and recruiting coordinator for 1 season. Under McCann, nan Eagle discourtesy led nan FCS successful full discourtesy successful 2021, averaging 555.7 yards per crippled (including 400.5 yards done nan air) while scoring 44 points per game. Quarterback Eric Barriere was named an All-American and All-Conference successful 2021 while being selected arsenic nan National FCS Player of nan Year.

Duke DaRe, Defensive Backs Assistant

DaRe joins nan Bears aft serving arsenic a value power coach for 2 years astatine Baylor. With nan Bears he will activity arsenic an adjunct protect backs coach nether Da’Von Brown and Connor Boyd. A autochthonal of Clayton successful nan Bay Area, DaRe was a video intern for nan Oakland Raiders and joined nan unit arsenic a subordinate unit adjunct moving pinch General Manager Mike Mayock earlier moving into a protect adjunct domiciled for nan Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders from 2018-2021 moving pinch nan protect backmost unit. After nan 2021 season, he transitioned to nan assemblage game, wherever he was a postgraduate adjunct astatine Northwestern earlier his clip astatine Baylor.

Ryan Berry, Defensive Assistant

Berry will service arsenic an adjunct to nan protect staff. Most recently, Berry worked pinch nan protect secondary while connected Fran Brown’s unit astatine Syracuse. He besides has worked connected coaching staffs astatine Buffalo and Northern Illinois.