Cal Football: Justin Wilcox Dealing With a COVID-19 World - Just Like the Rest of Us

He has no secret knowledge of plans for the season, but focuses on safety

Cal football coach Justin Wilcox is healthy. 

He’s happy to report that his family, players and staff also are doing well so far.

Beyond that, Wilcox readily concedes he does not have a lot of answers.

He cannot tell you what summer workouts might look like for his players. Or when fall training camp will begin. Or even if we will have a college football season.

“It all starts with the health and safety of the people in our country and the whole world,” Wilcox said in a phone interview Monday. “To get ahead of ourselves and think we have a better plan, I think that’s foolish. Nobody I know is qualified to do that.”

Like most of us, Wilcox is working from home while we shelter in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the work he is doing — other than to conduct spring practices in Memorial Stadium — is the same as it would be otherwise. He’s just not in his office and not dealing with people face to face.

But in our conversation he came off very much like the guy we have gotten to know since arriving on campus three years ago: calm, thoughtful and organized.

Wilcox is devoting his time and energy to the things he can impact, and staying in his lane on topics above his pay grade.

Here’s how our conversation went:

Q. How would you describe what these past few weeks have been like for you?

A. Like they are for everybody. No matter where you are in the world or who you are or what your profession may be, these are unprecedented times for all. We’re all trying to figure out how to get through it, do our best so we can all get back to what we love to do. Nobody knows exactly what it’s going to look like.

Q. How well are you able to stay in touch with your players? Is that part of your daily routine?

A. Zoom, phone calls, text threads . . . there’s a certain amount of meeting time we can have with them. We had a team council Zoom meeting with them last Friday. There’s nothing like being face to face. We all know that’s the way it is right now and we’re doing our best to keep them engaged and talk to them.

They have concerns too, about school and football. We all have a lot of similar questions. There’s not a lot of answers right now other than follow the directions we've been given by experts in the country, throughout the world. In terms of timing there’s a lot that’s unknown, a lot to be determined.

Q. What is your sense of how they are coping with this in terms of being kept away from their friends and teammates, missing traditional training and adapting to online classes?

A. Like everybody else throughout the country, it’s a challenge. I don't think it’s any different for any of us, for our players or any student who’s having to do virtual learning. They’re managing that, being at home. They’ve got a lot of questions, which I understand. We all do. We’re doing our part, following the directions that have been given by the people who would know best.

Q. Given that the NCAA extended the dead period for recruiting, how are you and your staff staying connected with prospects so you don’t lose momentum in recruiting? Are you doing anything different or creative?

A. This time of year only thing we’re missing out on is the unofficial visits. Communication other than that is really the same. We’re engaging with the recruits. We have some virtual tours we are able to show them, (that show) our entire program . . . facilities to academic support to more specific football things. Just like they would see on a football visit.

Q. What is your takeaway from conversations you are having with athletic director Jim Knowlton or coaches at other schools about when fall training camp might begin? And how the season will be impacted?

A. “It’s A to Z. Nobody has an answer out there. Everybody wants an answer. Timelines have been set by the conference as far as the earliest everyone would be back. Really, there’s nothing more than that.

The answers we have right now are we need to protect each other and everybody do their part so we can mitigate this as best we can. As it relates to football, we’re no different than any other profession. There’s no secret that we have, that Jim Knowlton has.

We have conference calls once a week. We plan the best we can for what it might look like in summer: June, July, August. But it’s not like a bunch of football coaches and even administrators to this point would know any more than the experts who do this for a living.”

*** Justin Wilcox and his Bay Area coaching counterparts urge folks in the video below to stay safe and shelter in place.

Q. Traditionally, teams have about a month of training camp before the first game. Would shortening that period of time impact quality of play or safety? Or both?

A. It all comes back to health and safety first. If and whenever we can come back and everybody's going to be safe and healthy, at that point we’ll prepare to play games. There's a discussion on that. What does it look like in terms of getting guys in shape and prepared to play. There’s no substitution for in-person workouts and meetings.

We’re doing some modeling, counting back from fall camp and what that would look like. Would it affect conditioning or play? Certainly you’ve got to work out and practice, at a minimum to be safe. That’s what’s being talked about.

Q. What’s the most interesting or promising idea you’ve heard related to altering the schedule or tweaking how things play out this season?

A. There’s a lot of speculation from a lot of different people. I try not to read too much. We just don’t know.

Q. Word from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is a decision about the future of the season could be made by the end of May. Gov. Gavin Newsom is sounding pessimistic that we will have stadiums full of people in the fall. How concerned are you that the season might be canceled?

A. I think everybody has concern right now. There’s so much that’s unknown. What we can do is act on the information we have. The most important thing right now is the health and safety or our players and families and loved ones. That’s what’s first and foremost . . . things that are within our control. Things that aren’t we really don’t spent a lot of time on. If something changes, we’ll be ready to adjust.

When will we again see Memorial Stadium filled by a big crowd?

Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

Q. Can you even imagine playing games in empty stadiums?

A. Again, haven't really put a ton of thought into that. I know that’s being talked about. What does that mean? Does that mean the fans can’t come but the players are OK? I don't know what that looks like.

Q. I believe you guys managed four spring practices before everything was shut down. With four new coaches on the staff and a new offense to install, how much of a setback is losing the rest of spring ball?

A. Certainly we wish we had more practices. We got a lot of good work in, got a good amount of the offense installed. There was a lot of teaching and learning going on. Guys did a really nice job of picking things up. We've got pretty smart guys. With the offense, there’s a lot to it. It all makes sense once you kind of learn the language. We give them little tests and do virtual meetings with them. Is it ideal? Of course not, it’s not ideal for anybody in the country. We’re trying to make the best of it.

Q. Are your days wall-to-wall work or do you have time to exhale?

A. For everybody it’s a challenge right now. To think we’re any different than anybody else out there would be a little arrogant. Nobody who's alive has ever been through anything like this. We’re all doing the best we can and staying positive.

I’ve got plenty of work to do with the staff, players, recruiting. It is different. I’m not in my office. But I'm fortunate to be healthy. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.

*** During spring camp last month, Justin Wilcox talked about position changes and the creation of a new "star" position on defense