Cal GM Ron Rivera Reflects on Louisville Win, Expects More Ahead

Cal football general manager Ron Rivera shared positive feedback about coach Justin Wilcox on his weekly KNBR radio show but also said the Bears still have work to do this season.

“I’m really excited about where we are right now. A lot of positive things are moving forward for us,” he said.

Moving forward with another victory or two will be an important factor for Rivera when he decides whether Wilcox will return as the Bears’ coach in 2026.

Rivera was thrilled with Cal’s 29-26 overtime road victory over then-No. 15 Louisville on Satuday, praising Wilcox’s decision to go for the win on fourth down from the 3-yard line rather than settle for a game-tying field goal attempt.

“I was on the sideline. I was close to Justin,” Rivera said on the Murph and Markus Show. “Justin just looked up and said, `At some point we’re going to have to go for a two-point conversion. Let’s do it now — let’s go for it.’

“Riverboat Ron was proud of him, I’m telling you. It was an amazing decision, I really loved the idea. You’ve got to take into account we’re on the road in a hostile environment. You’re down on the 3-yard line. It truly was a two-point conversion attempt.”

Jacob De Jesus moments after his touchdown catch | Photo by Al Sermeno

The move paid off, of course, as freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hit wide receiver Jacob De Jesus with the game-winning touchdown pass.

“The play call was excellent, going to our best receiver at the time. I think Jacob was on a roll, he was very confident, very comfortable, and I think JKS also was very confident, very comfortable in the call.

“He ran it about as well you could. (De Jesus) broke inside, leaned real hard to sell the inside move to the corner. He put his head down to try to cut Jacob off and Jacob cut it right back out outside for the touchdown. That’s about as good as it gets.”

There's more to accomplish

In Rivera’s mind, it can get better still. Cal (6-4, 3-3 ACC) has a bye this week before trekking to Stanford (3-7, 2-5) for the 128th Big Game on Nov. 22. Already bowl eligible, the Bears close the regular season on Nov. 29 at home against SMU (7-3, 5-1) and Rivera wants the Bears to play themselves into a stronger postseason position.

“It is one of the goals that we most certainly do set every year, to be bowl eligible. But also to go to a prime bowl,” he said. “If we don’t make it to the ACC playoffs, we want to get to a prime bowl. We’ve got two more games, both games are very important.

“Each time you win, you go to another level of bowl game. That’s what we would like to do. We would like to see what we can do the next couple weeks. Win ‘em both, that gives us an opportunity to go to one of the upper-level bowls. That’s the task at hand, now we’ve got to go out and do it.”

Rivera likely has not made any decisions about next season, but he has been consistent in saying the program’s goal is to win eight or nine games. Two more victories would lift the Bears to an 8-4 regular-season record — their best since 2008.

The win at Louisville opened the door for lots to happen.

“To see it all come together, culminate on a heck of a play at the end of a game, that, to me, was very impressive. I was really excited, very fired up for the guys, very happy for Justin and the decision that he made,” Rivera said.

“You’re seeing some development from this young team. And that’s what’s really a positive for me as I look at this group of guys and see what’s happening.”

What else Ron Rivera had to say

— On Sagapolutele, who passed for a season-best 323 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and delivered in the game’s biggest moment:

“It says a lot about him, mostly about his poise, about who is he under pressure. That’s what you’re looking for is that kind of player. That’s the kind of guy we’re obviously we’re looking to retain, make sure we keep him here and have him as a Golden Bear a few more years. Really excited about what he’s done and how he’s performed. He’s shown some tremendous growth.”

— On offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and his game plan for Louisville, which generated 423 yards and 10 plays that gained at least 20 yards, many of them to De Jesus:

"Credit the game planning. Bryan Harsin came out and what he did was he found a way to create those mismatches. Everything from having Jacob on a linebacker a couple times, the nickel back to a true corner to a safety. Moving and shifting and motioning him really created those opportunities for those matchups. JKS, as soon as he recognized those things, that’s where he was going. Again, credit to the game plan. I really thought that was good football.”

— On the offensive line, where the Bears moved Nick Morrow and Braden Miller into the starting lineup at tackle, handed the center position to Bastian Swinney and moved Tyson Ruffins from center to right guard. Jordan Spasojevic-Moko remained at left guard:

“Those guys played solid football. When you see the protection and how it showed up in the pocket, shaped like a pocket for JKS to climb into and throw the ball downfield with really very little harassment, that was a heck of a feeling. There were some really good things that happened this past week.”

— On senior cornerback Hezekiah Masses, a transfer from FIU, who made his fifth interception of the season:

“I think this is a young man who has an opportunity to play on Sundays, I really do. He’s got the cover corner skills that you’re looking for. He’s guy that really does anticipate really, really well. He’s got good footwork, good eye-hand discipline for the most part. He puts himself in position to come over the top and make plays.

“You’d like to see him be a little more physical with his hands at the point of release. He showed his physicality in this game, coming up and making a couple of tackles. Scouts will love that. But his ball skills are tremendous. He can locate, adjust and put himself in position to make interceptions and that’s what people are going to look at. He’ll get a lot of looks.”

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