California general manager Ron Rivera offered a blunt assessment of head coach Tosh Lupoi's first season after the Golden Bears fell to 3-6 with a third consecutive loss. Rivera said Lupoi "has bumped his head a lot" and acknowledged that the program's trajectory has been negative.
Rivera, speaking on KNBR, noted that Lupoi brought in inexperienced coordinators and that the offense has not worked out as needed. He said they have talked extensively, with Lupoi receptive to some advice but not all.
The Golden Bears entered the season as a potential ACC contender with quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele returning after a strong freshman campaign. However, they were blown out 45-24 by UCLA in the opener. Rivera downplayed comparisons to UCLA's first-year coach Bob Chesney, noting UCLA brought a playoff-experienced coach and half his team.
After a 2-1 start with wins over Syracuse and Wagner, Cal lost to Clemson 24-10, beginning a slide. Lupoi stripped offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville of play-calling duties, promoting Pat McCann. The team rebounded to beat Virginia Tech with a different quarterback, but Lupoi later benched Sagapolutele before a 41-7 loss to Wake Forest. Sagapolutele has since regained the starting role but has not thrown multiple touchdowns in a game since September 19.
Rivera emphasized the need to show growth and development, stating the culture is getting stronger. Cal must win its remaining games against Virginia, Stanford, and Pitt to reach the postseason.
