Cal offensive line coach Famika Anae officially back for 2026
The California Golden Bears will have several assistants returning to the sidelines next season.
One of the worst-kept secrets in Memorial Stadium is out, as Famika Anae is back for the 2026 season as Cal’s offensive line coach. Anae is one of eight confirmed returning coaches on Tosh Lupoi’s inaugural staff.
In Anae’s first season on the job at Cal, he got busy in the transfer portal, and landed multiple contributors like starting interior offensive linemen Tyson Ruffins and Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, as well as tackle Leon Bell also starting for most of the season. He’ll be returning key contributors like tackle Frederick Williams and center/guard Bastian Swinney. His 2026 recruiting class has some high-end talents like offensive tackle Daniel McMorris, and potential talents like Esaiah Wong, Kamo’i Huihui-White and Elisha Faamatuainu.
Anae has been busy in the portal, and Cal has already landed five offensive line transfers from the portal.
Offensive tackle Jimothy Lewis (via Mississippi State)
Offensive tackle Mykeal Rabess (via Florida International)
Interior offensive lineman Kahli Tafai (via Minnesota)
Interior offensive lineman Ashton Rivera (via Kent State)
Offensive tackle Jacob Arop (via South Dakota)
Cal has widened their staff, so Anae will get some help on the line, as Viane Talamaivao will be coming over from Stanford to assist with offensive tackles and run game coordination.
You can read more about Anae’s methods from our own Thomas Dunn above.
Here is the confirmed Cal coaching staff, which is looking bigger than ever:
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)
Bryan Barraza, edges coach (Oregon staff)
Ed McGilvra, assistant defensive line coach (Sacramento State defensive line)
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)
Still room for Marshawn to be added to the staff.
I think Anae is a coach who can fix our OL issues but couldn't do it in a single year. Retaining him is good news.