Cal Football Hires Ike Hilliard as Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach
The California Golden Bears are rounding out their coaching staff.
Cal continues to season experience with young up-and-comers, and their latest hire is along a similar wavelength. NFL veteran and college football national champion Ike Hilliard is joining Tosh Lupoi’s new coaching staff as a co-offensive coordinator and a wide receivers coach.
Hilliard has been an NFL assistant for much of the last decade and a half, with his longest stint coming with the Washington NFL football team from 2014-19, where he coached Cal legend DeSean Jackson to two 56 reception, 1000+ yard seasons in 2014 and 2016. Other coaching stints included a two year period with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020-21 to help develop Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster, as well as additional one year stints with the Miami Dolphins, Washington, and the Buffalo Bills. His most recent stint came with the Atlanta Falcons from 2024, where he parted ways early in the 2025 season.
Hilliard helped develop Terry McLaurin in Washington to an All-Rookie Team campaign in 2019; 1000+ yard campaigns with Brandon Marshall (Dolphins), Pierre Garcon (Commanders), Diontae Johnson (Steelers); and Drake London (Falcons).
Hilliard did have one stint in college football in 2022, where he was a wide receivers coach under last year’s offensive coordinator (then Auburn head coach) Bryan Harsin. He took over an interim co-offensive coordinator role after Harsin was let go, and Auburn did put up 33 points against Missisippi State and 27 against Alabama in his brief time playcalling.
Hilliard is a 12 year NFL pro after being drafted 7th overall in 1997, making a Super Bowl with the New York Giants in 2000. He won a national title with the Gators in 1997, earning Biletnikoff Award semifinalist recognition.
Hilliard will be joining new Cal offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville and assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich in the likely offensive braintrust, as the Bears look to build an effective passing offense around Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele.
Welcome to Cal Coach!
He was part of Jay Gruden's staff when Rivera took over in Washington so likely not a Rivera hire, though Ron may have some familiarity. Not a lot of OC experience, especially at the college level, but LOTS of NFL WR coaching experience. In terms of success, it's hit-and-miss because that's the nature of the NFL. But he was regularly employed, which means he's a trusted entity.
The goal as it seems to me: Recruit a lot of experienced talent through the portal who can handle NFL coaching and give it to them. The emphasis will be on the players more than the playbook. It's a recipe for a fast turnaround and extremely busy portal if it all works out.
Wow an old Coach!
Now let's get capable WRs