Two of Cal’s largest athletics benefactors will now not contribute to the California Legends Collective, this system’s massive third-party NIL institution, till new common supervisor Ron Rivera is given full management of the soccer program, based on SFGATE. As issues stand, Cal coach Justin Wilcox nonetheless solutions on to athletic director Jim Knowlton, whereas Rivera’s position is targeted extra on serving to Cal regulate to the trendy panorama of faculty soccer.
The idea amongst Cal’s donors is that Rivera, given his expertise as a head coach on the NFL degree, could be higher suited in a quasi-executive position, just like Stanford’s Andrew Luck.
“You do not rent Mario Andretti and ask him to sit down within the passenger seat, proper?” Kevin Kennedy, the president of California Legends Collective, advised SFGATE. “There is a cause that you simply convey somebody like that on workers: With a purpose to give him management.”
Kennedy is without doubt one of the main donors that has withdrawn his monetary help, in the interim. On the floor, handing Rivera extra energy does make some sense. There is not any doubting his soccer acumen. A former linebacker at Cal, he led the Carolina Panthers from 2011-19, the place he was a two-time NFL Coach of the Yr, and the Washington Commanders from 2020-23. He had continued curiosity from NFL groups as a defensive assistant earlier than he assumed his present position at Cal.
With greater than a decade of NFL head teaching expertise beneath his belt, he understands the monetary aspect of soccer, a boon for a university program because it navigates NIL reform and pending revenue-sharing laws that concurrently enhance the bargaining energy of a collegiate athlete.
However handing Rivera full dominion over the soccer program could be a largely radical transfer, even when arch-rival Stanford has moved in that path with Luck, who was employed beneath particular circumstances. He joined this system in November 2024, amid a second straight 3-9 season beneath coach Troy Taylor. Luck was knowledgeable, on the time of his hiring, of an investigation into Taylor for bullying feminine workers members whereas threatening to have a compliance officer eliminated.
Taylor was fired — by Luck — because of that investigation in March. Luck shortly employed former Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich on an interim foundation to information this system by means of the 2025 season whereas Stanford and Luck conduct a nationwide seek for a extra everlasting alternative.
Previous to Taylor’s firing, Stanford had not had a profitable file in a full 12-game season since 2018. Stanford has additionally misplaced every of its final 4 “Massive Video games” towards Cal, one thing that has not occurred since 2002-06. The Cardinal’s instability and subsequent want for a guiding mild necessitated the consolidation of energy beneath Luck.
No different college on the Energy 4 degree has given its common supervisor vital sway over its complete soccer program. That does not imply common managers lack in utility — they are often invaluable assets for roster administration and recruiting, assuaging these vital burdens for the top coach.
Rivera can try this with out the keys to the proverbial metropolis. In contrast to Stanford, Cal is not ready the place it wants radical change. Although followers could clamor for extra, the Golden Bears have acquitted themselves properly beneath Wilcox.
He and Jeff Tedford are the one coaches since Pappy Waldorf (who led the Bears from 1947-56) to information Cal to at the very least three bowl appearances. Cal went 6-7 in its first yr with the ACC regardless of adjusting to a rigorous new journey schedule, and it got here a mixed three factors in need of upsetting a pair of ranked opponents in No. 8 Miami and No. 22 Pittsburgh.
There is not any telling what impact the shift in dynamics, had been Rivera to grow to be Wilcox’s direct boss, would have on Wilcox. He has drawn curiosity from different faculties earlier than — he interviewed for the Oregon emptiness in 2021 byt remained at Cal — and there is no doubt that, if he needed to, he would have his choose of defensive coordinator appointments.
Outstanding coaches like Chip Kelly have left sitting head teaching jobs to grow to be an assistant at locations like Ohio State. Granted, Wilcox remains to be younger (48) and has the power to maintain up with the stress of main a university soccer program.
Although it could be clever to make the most of Rivera to his fullest extent, Cal soccer is just not ready the place it must fully shake issues up.
