When Tosh Lupoi stepped back onto the Berkeley campus after a decade away, he brought more than a coaching résumé; he carried the confidence of a recruiter who had helped shape powerhouse programs at Alabama and Oregon. Joining him was Ron Rivera, the newly appointed general manager, whose mandate was as clear as it was ambitious: rebuild a program that had been financially strapped and stagnant under its previous leadership.
A New Leadership Duo
Rivera, who arrived in March 2025, discovered a program hemorrhaging resources and lacking a coherent recruiting pipeline. He responded by dismissing longtime coach Justin Wilcox after a disappointing loss to Stanford and set about reshaping the staff, hiring experienced coordinators Jordan Somerville and Michael Hutchings from the NFL ranks. At the same time, Rich Lyons, the university’s new chancellor, signaled unwavering support, pledging to close the budget gaps that had held the team back for years.
Recruiting Surge
The first fruits of this overhaul have been unmistakable. High‑profile prospects such as quarterback Dane Weber, wide receiver Rahzario Edwards and defensive back Elyjah Staples have all chosen Cal over traditional powerhouses in the Big Ten and Big 12. The 2025 recruiting class now sits at No. 19 nationally, a remarkable climb that follows a top‑15 transfer portal haul just a year earlier.
Financial and Administrative Overhaul
Rivera’s front‑office reforms went beyond X’s and O’s. He uncovered a cash‑flow crisis that had left the program unable to compete for talent, and he set about correcting it with a combination of aggressive NIL funding and a re‑engineered roster budget. Kevin Kennedy, president of Cal’s NIL collective, has argued that money is no longer a limiting factor for Lupoi’s recruiting pitches, a sentiment echoed by the chancellor’s office as it earmarks additional resources for the football program.
Sleeper Threat for the Season
With a talented quarterback in Weber, a revamped coaching staff, and a recruiting class that ranks among the nation’s best, Cal enters the upcoming season as a dark‑horse contender. Analysts at The Athletic and ESPN alike have begun to label the Golden Bears a sleeper team — one that could surprise the traditional powerhouses and reshape the Pac‑12 landscape.