Sources: Wisconsin coordinator Justin Wilcox negotiating with Cal

ByBrett McMurphy and Jeff Goodman ESPN logo
Friday, January 13, 2017

Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox has been offered the Californiahead-coaching job and is in negotiations with the school to finalize a deal, sources told ESPN.

If Wilcox accepts, this will be his first head-coaching job.

Wilcox was a Cal assistant from 2003 to 2005. He would replace Sonny Dykes, who was fired Sunday after a 19-30 record in four seasons with the Golden Bears.

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.