Cal reportedly hiring Kyle Cefalo as the next wide receivers coach

Cefalo is widely considered one of the best developers of wide receiving talent in college football.

Credit: Kyle Cefalo

UPDATE: This is now official. Cal Athletics release:

Cefalo has over a decade of coaching experience at the FBS level and has helped produce some of the most prolific offenses in the country during that span. During his time as an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Cefalo has been part of six teams that have been ranked in the top 25 nationally in both total offense and passing offense. Three of his teams have been ranked in the top 10 in the country in passing offense, including the No. 2-rated squad in passing offense when he was the wide receivers coach and special teams co-coordinator at Arkansas State in 2020.

Multiple reports from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports and Matt Moreno of Rivals indicate former Utah State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Kyle Cefalo is set to replace Burl Toler III as the next Cal wide receivers coach. Cefalo brings a strong track record of offensive success and player development to the Bears. Cefalo was previously a graduate assistant under new offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin when Arkansas State.

Cefalo has been a wide receivers coach at his last two stops at Arkansas State and Utah State from 2017 to 2023, while taking on some varying coordinator responsibilities.

Under Cefalo, Utah State's offense ranked 39th nationally in scoring this season, averaging 36 points per game over the final nine contests. He has coached multiple All-American wide receivers and established himself as a standout recruiter. Utah State made a coaching change after the season, opening the door for Cal to pick Cefalo.

Cefalo guided Utah State WR Jalen Royals to a stellar season, with 55 receptions for 834 yards and six touchdowns in seven games. In 2022, Royals amassed 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns under Cefalo's leadership.

Some of Cefalo’s most notable success stories:

• In 2019 at Arkansas State, Cefalo coached Omar Bayless to record-breaking performances, including 1,653 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Bayless led the nation in receiving yards per game (127.2) and earned AP Second-Team All-America honors.

• The next year, Cefalo mentored Jonathan Adams Jr., the 2020 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and an AP Second-Team All-American. Adams, a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, ranked among the nation’s best with 79 receptions, 1,111 yards, and 12 touchdowns before signing with the Detroit Lions.

• Cefalo also helped Deven Thompkins achieve a historic 2021 season at Utah State, setting school records with 102 receptions for 1,704 yards and tying marks for consecutive 100-yard games (six) and single-season 100-yard games (nine). Thompkins, an AP Third-Team All-American and Biletnikoff semifinalist, finished second nationally in receiving yards.

This feels like a very good hire to offset the loss of Toler and should hopefully help a lot in ensuring Cal keeps its deep wide receiver room intact and develop them up. If they can’t, Cefalo should have the bona fides to go in and find even more impressive talent in the transfer portal.

Cal fans, what are your thoughts?