Report: Justin Wilcox Was Offered Oregon Job and Turned It Down

Cal coach deserves a new level of respect for his decision to stay with Golden Bears

This report should give Cal fans a entirely new level of respect for Justin Wilcox.

Wilcox was offered the Oregon head coaching job and turned it down to stay at Cal, according to a report by the Oregonian's John Canzano.

According to the report, based on multiple sources, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens formally offered Wilcox the job on Friday. 

The Ducks figured Wilcox would accept. Afterall, Wilcox was born in Eugene, Oregon, grew up in Junction City, Oregon, and played his college football for the Ducks. Oregon has become an elite football program nationally with lots of financial backing. At Oregon Wilcox would have made more money and could have a national championship as a realistic goal.

Plus, Wilcox had to be frustrated with the pandemic restrictions imposed by Bay Area entities on the Cal program. Those restrictions probably cost Cal a win at Arizona, which in turn cost the Bears a bowl game invitation since the Bears (5-7) woud up one win shy of being bowl-eligible.

Oregon was so certain that Wilcox would accept its offer that it planned to have T-shirts printed up and distributed at his introductory news conference.

But Wilcox surprised everyone by turning down the offer on Friday.

"I’ll bet Mullens nearly fell over," Canzano wrote.

The Ducks made a final bid to get Wilcox with another offer early Saturday morning. Wilcox slept on it and told Oregon officials he still would not accept the job.

It led Oregon to turn to Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who was hired at 2 p.m. Saturday. Lanning, 35, accepted the Ducks' offer and will be the Oregon head coach in 2022.

So it will be Lanning, not Wilcox, who will be introduced as the Ducks head coach at a news conference on Monday.

According to the report, Oregon interviewed UCLA coach Chip Kelly, but it seemed the Ducks wanted a defensive mind. The three confirmed candidates -- Lanning, Wilcox and BYU coach Kalani Sitake -- are all defensive-minded coaches. Sitake was removed from the equation when he agreed to a lucrative contract extension at BYU.

And Wilcox removed himself -- a stunning decision.

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Cover photo of Justin Wilcox by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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