Jeff Tedford Fired: California Fires Football Coach After 11 Seasons

Berkeley, CA — The California Golden Bears have fired coach Jeff Tedford after 11 seasons.

Athletic director Sandy Barbour said:

“This was a difficult decision made after considerable thought and analysis and reflection. Jeff Tedford is a good man who has brought great success and celebration and to his university and deserves to occupy a place of honor in the Cal family. His legacy is unquestioned.”

Previous Cal coach Tom Holmoe resigned from the position after a 1-10 season in 2001, and then-athletic director Steve Gladstone hired Tedford as the school’s 32nd head football coach. The Golden Bears had not had a winning seasons since 1993 and had won only 29 games since then.

In Tedford’s first season, he led Cal to a 7-5 record, which was the biggest turnaround that year. In 2004, the Golden Bears finished with a 10-2 record for a No. 9 national ranking in the AP Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

After winning 10 games twice in five years, Tedford was unable to keep the Bears near the top of the Pac-12 conference. Tedford suffered his worst season at Cal this year, losing the last five games to finish 3-9.

The Bears lost to rival Stanford for the third season in a row, and the team suffered a 59-17 loss at home to Oregon and a season-ending 62-14 loss at Oregon State.

Sandy Barbour met with Tedford for the last two days to discuss the future of Cal’s football program. She said she had to do what was right for the school.

Tedford released a statement thanking Cal for the opportunity to coach there. He said:

“All involved can feel a great sense of pride with their sacrifice, contributions and commitment that have made it possible to have the winningest tenure in Cal football history. We all can be very proud of helping to build a renovated Memorial Stadium that will have a positive impact on many athletes, fans and staff members for years to come.”

Jeff Tedford is still owed $6.9 million over the last three years of his contract, and Barbour said the sides are working on a settlement. She also said no state funds or students fees would be used to pay Tedford or a new coach.