Cal GM Ron Rivera Criticizes Tosh Lupoi's First Season After Third Straight Loss

California general manager Ron Rivera offered a blunt assessment of his program's trajectory this week, following the Golden Bears' third consecutive defeat. Speaking during the team's open practice date, Rivera evaluated the state of the squad and the performance of first-year head coach Tosh Lupoi, who is now leading a team with a 3-6 record.

During a Thursday appearance on KNBR, Rivera did not hold back in his comments regarding the coaching staff's execution. He noted that Lupoi arrived as a first-time head coach and brought along a couple of inexperienced coordinators. Rivera stated that the offense did not function as required, describing the situation by saying the coach has bumped his head a lot. While the GM said the staff has spoken extensively to offer advice and direction, he observed that Lupoi has been receptive to some suggestions but not to others.

The season began with high expectations for Cal. The team was viewed as a potential contender in the Atlantic Coast Conference, largely due to the return of quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The sophomore had impressed during his freshman year, but those hopes were quickly dashed in the season opener. Cal suffered a 45-24 blowout loss to UCLA, a game in which the Bruins, led by first-year coach Bob Chesney, appeared well ahead of schedule.

UCLA remains unbeaten and currently holds the No. 8 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Despite the stark contrast in results, Rivera cautioned against direct comparisons between the two head coaches. He pointed out that the expectations for Cal were very high, but he emphasized that UCLA's situation was different. Chesney, who was already a current head coach, brought in approximately half of the team that had previously advanced to the playoffs.

The season started to unravel after Cal pulled to a 2-1 record following victories over Syracuse and Wagner. The turning point came in a Friday night matchup against Clemson, where the Golden Bears lost 24-10 without finding an offensive rhythm. In the following week, during a 39-31 loss to UNLV, Lupoi made a significant change by stripping offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville of play-calling duties at halftime. Passing game coordinator Pat McCann was promoted to take over the role.

The change in signal callers led to a rebound victory against Virginia Tech. However, the instability continued as Lupoi benched Sagapolutele before a 41-7 defeat to Wake Forest. The Golden Bears have now lost five of their last six games. This slide has raised the possibility that Cal may miss the postseason entirely unless they can secure wins against Virginia, Stanford, and Pittsburgh in the coming weeks.

Sagapolutele had a standout freshman campaign, completing 63.6% of his passes for 3,117 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He ranked third in the conference in passing yards and earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on four separate occasions. This year, however, his production has dipped. Although he has started the last two games after regaining the starting position, he has not recorded a multi-touchdown game since September 19. As a freshman, he achieved that feat five times.

Rivera remains optimistic about the long-term direction of the program. He stated that the team must demonstrate continued growth in player development and culture. The GM believes that these elements are becoming stronger, which are essential components for the team's future success.