Cal Football Elevates Keith Heyward to Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
The California Golden Bears will have an experienced group of defensive staffers next season.
Keith Heyward was retained along with several other assistants (Nick Rolovich, Famika Anae, Mike Saffell, etc.). Heyward was elevated from a defensive backs coach role to take over pass game coordinator responsibilities. Heyward overlapped with Tosh Lupoi during their time at Washington in 2013, and was also the pass game coordinator for new defensive coordinator Michael Hutchings at USC from 2014-15.
Heyward came back to Cal after a one-year stint as outside linebackers coach in 2021. He was the defensive coordinator for UNLV in 2022 and Oregon State in 2024. He has also been a defensive backs coach at Washington and Louisville, a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Oregon. Heyward has coached up a long set of NFL-caliber defensive backs, and his experience will be vital .
Between Lupoi, Bob Gregory and Heyward, Hutchings will have a bevy of experienced defensive coordinators to collaborate with next season in his first year on the job.
Confirmed Cal coaching staff
Tosh Lupoi, head coach (Oregon defensive coordinator)
Jordan Somerville, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers assistant QB coach)
Nick Rolovich, quarterbacks coach (returning)
Jeff McDaniels, assistant quarterbacks (returning)
Keith Bhonapha, running backs coach (Michigan State RB/ST coach)
Pat McCann, pass game coordinator (Oregon State WR coach)
Ike Hilliard, wide receivers coach (long-time NFL WR coach)
Geoff McArthur, assistant wide receivers coach (Cal legend)
Steve Haunga, tight ends coach, run game coordinator (Oregon offensive analyst)
Mike Saffell, assistant tight ends (returning)
Famika Anae, offensive line coach (returning)
Viane Talamaivao, offensive tackles coach/RGC (Stanford assistant OL coach)
Michael Hutchings, defensive coordinator (Vikings safeties coach)
Da’Von Brown, defensive backs/co-DC (Western Kentucky, same roles)
Keith Heyward, defensive pass game coordinator (returning)
Darrion Daniels, defensive line coach (Oregon defensive analyst)
Ed McGilvra, assistant defensive line coach (Sacramento State defensive line)
Bryan Barraza, edges coach (Oregon staff)
Lorenzo Alexander, assistant edge coach (Cal football legend, runs linebacker training camps)
Ryan Berry, defensive assistant (Syracuse quality control)
Bob Gregory, inside linebackers coach (returning)
Sione Ta’ufo’ou, assistant inside linebackers (returning)
Connor Boyd, safeties coach (Oregon defensive analyst)
Duke DaRe, assistant defensive backs coach (Baylor quality control)
Zach Tinker, special teams coach (Oregon special teams analyst)
Jason Novak, head athletic performance coach (returning)
Good news regarding Keith Heyward. On another topic, what is happening or has happened with the eligibility determination for Jacob De Jesus? Anyone, anyone?
I chuckle at some of these posts, "...who is doing what?", "...who is in charge?", "I wanna pony". blah, blah, blah.
The coaches know what they are doing. Keep in mind these coaches are dealing with mostly kids, the more coaches the better. For on the field and off the field.