Nick Rolovich Reportedly Will Be Cal's Quarterback Coach Under Tosh Lupoi in 2026

Cal interim head coach Nick Rolovich said earlier this week that he'd like to stay on the Cal coaching staff under new head coach Tosh Lupoi, and apparently he got his wish.

Rolovich is being retained by Lupoi and will serve as the Bears' quarterbacks coach in 2026, according to a report by Pete Thamel of ESPN. Rolovich reportedly agreed to a two-year deal to stay on at Cal.

Sources: Nick Rolovich will remain at Cal, signing a two-year deal to become the school’s quarterback coach and assistant head coach. He’s the former head coach at both Hawaii and Washington State. pic.twitter.com/Ff6AA4AFId
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 11, 2025

This season Rolovich served as Cal's senior offensive assistant, a new position that enabled Rolovich to work closely with freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The two seemed to have developed a close relationship, and Sagapolutele has mentioned how much he respects Rolovich.

"Rolo is such a treat, and it's just been a dream to be able to work with him," Sagapolutele said Tuesday

It is noteworthy that Rolovich will also carry the title of assistant head coach, which will presumably would bump his salary a bit, but he does not have the title of offensive coordinator. That position remains open under Lupoi, who is still operating as Oregon defensive coordinator until the Ducks are eliminated from the College Football Playoff.

Currently, Bryan Harsin is Cal's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and he developed a relationship with Sagapolutele as well. There is no report as to whether Harsin will be retained on the Cal staff in any capacity. Harsin has been mentioned in connection with some head coaching vacancies.

Rolovich has been the head coach at two FBS schools, first at his alma mater, Hawaii, for four years from 2016 to 2019, and then at Washington State in 2020 and 2021. He was the archtect of the offense at both of those schools.

Before that he had been the offensive coordinator at Nevada.

He did not have a job at fulltime job after being dismissed at Washington STate unhtil he landed the job at Cal following the 2024 season.

Rolovich is a Bay Area product. He attended Marin Catholic High School in Novato, then played quarterback for two seasons at City College of San Francisco. He was a member of the University of Hawaii football team in 2000 and 2001 when he was a teammate of Timmy Chang, currently the head coach at Hawaii, Cal's opponent in the December 24 Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu.

Rolovich was Hawaii's starting quarterback for most of the 2001 season and threw 34 touchdown passes that season.

He has spoken highly of Cal since being hired by Justin Wilcox.

“Cal’s been really good for me," Rolovich said on Tuesday.

Cal is 1-0 with Rolovich as its head coach after the Bears upset 21st-ranked SMU 38-35 six days after Wilcox was fired and replaced by Rolovich on an interim basis.

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