Justin Wilcox second-best odds to be next Oregon coach, Jeff Tedford returns to Fresno

Also other coaching moves around the Pac-12.

The coaching carousel is in hot stove mode. Even though Cal currently has an intact coaching staff, one can never know what exactly is in store once the cycle heats up.

The departure of Mario Cristobal at Oregon could entail a chain reaction that reverberates across the West Coast. Cal coach Justin Wilcox is currently on the Vegas odds boards be the next head coach at Oregon. He only trails UCLA coach Chip Kelly at this time.

Jaime Eisner @JaimeEisner

Odds to be Oregon's next HC (@betonline_ag): Chip Kelly (+175) Justin Wilcox (2/1) Joe Brady (4/1) Bryan Harsin (5/1) Kalani Sitake (6/1) Matt Campbell (9/1) Chris Petersen (11/1) Dave Aranda (14/1) Josh Heupel (16/1) Andy Avalos (18/1) Bill O'Brien (20/1) Luke Fickell (20/1)

Reminder that Vegas is not always a reflection of reality, but betting action. Chip Kelly obviously has the cachet from his previous head coaching experience, but so far there hasn’t been much public buzz about him returning for a second stint in Eugene. Ditto Wilcox in Berkeley, who has currently hit the recruiting trail hard to close the 2021 Cal class.

As for actual coaching news, there hasn’t been much leaking. Oregon has interviewed BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. BYU went undefeated in their five matchups with Pac-12 teams this season, including Pac-12 champion Utah.

Dick Harmon @Harmonwrites

Hearing that Oregon is requesting Kalani Sitake to interview. Whether or not he does remains to be seen.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe had this to say on the future of Sitake.

Jay Drew @drewjay

BYU AD Tom Holmoe on coach Kalani Sitake's future (on BYUtv's BYU Sports Nation): “We are in conversations with Kalani at this point in time, and he’s our coach. We want him for a long time, and good things are going to happen in the near future.”

There has been speculation on Oregon’s coaching list, including Baylor coach Dave Aranda, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and retired coach Chris Petersen, but nothing else concrete has come out on who Oregon has interviewed.

We go from one former Cal coach to another. As expected, Jeff Tedford is back in charge of Fresno State.

Fresno State Football @FresnoStateFB

THE RETURN 🧸 📰: bit.ly/3IA3dAI #GoDogs | #PrideOfTheValley

Seems as if Tedford had another trick play up his sleeves—after recommending former Fresno coach Kalen DeBoer for the Washington job, he opened up the Fresno position to take himself.

Also from Oregon, Cristobal’s departure has led to other former Cal coaches making moves. Both defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and defensive backs coach Marcel Yates (who left for Oregon last year) are headed down to Lubbock to join Joey McGuire’s coaching staff.

Adam Rittenberg @ESPNRittenberg

Source confirms #TexasTech is set to hire veteran defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to the same role. DeRuyter most recently was DC at Oregon and has held same role at Cal, Texas A&M and other spots. Marcel Yates also joining as DBs coach. @CoachSamz first reported.

Although DeRuyter had a good defense at Oregon, it never really achieved the level of expectations that we thought might happen with the level of talent at his disposal.

In other Pac-12 coaching news:

Here’s USC head coach’s Lincoln Riley’s official introduction at Heritage Hall. And…cringe.

Jeremy Brown @JBrownMaven

This is like a bad SNL skit minus Will Ferrell and any other comedic talent. I almost feel bad for the cruel and unusual hell that Lincoln Riley is living through here. That is truly cringe. #Cringe #Unusual #Hell #USCFootball

Less cringe for USC: Riley has brought along many of his key contributors from Oklahoma, including defensive coordinator Alex Grinch (formerly Mike Leach’s DC at Washington State), Dennis Simmons (a shorter stint at Wazzu), and strength coach Bennie Wylie. It’s expected Oklahoma defensive end/outside linebackers coach Jamar Cain will also join. Cain coached at Fresno under Tedford and was at Arizona State with Herm Edwards for a season.

Washington: Kalen DeBoer’s hire was a relatively quiet one, but he’s already brought along his offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who has paired with DeBoer at Fresno State and Eastern Michigan most of the last seven years. Also coming up from Fresno is cornerbacks coach Julius Brown, to take the same position. DeBoer also snagged his old director of player personnel Courtney Morgan.

Washington State: Jake Dickert is bringing the Air Raid back to Pullman. The Cougars have hired offensive coordinator Eric Morris, former inside receivers coach at Wazzu under Mike Leach. Morris has been the head coach at Incarnate Word for the past few years, but he is most famous for being Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, where he helped recruit and develop NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes.

Also joining is offensive line coach Clay McGuire, recently let go from USC. McGuire was part of Leach’s original staff at Washington State. And there are reports that Nevada defensive coordinator Brian Ward will be joining as well, in the same role.

More news sure to come.