USA Today photo: Justin Wilcox will be head coach for the Cal Bears signed a five year deal is seen here as former defensive coordinator last season with the Wisconsin Badgers

by Morris Phillips and Michael Duca

BERKELEY–As previously rumored, Justin Wilcox, formerly the defensive coordinator at the University of Wisconsin, has agreed to a five year deal as the new head football coach for the University of California.

Cal is not disclosing any financial terms the agreement. Sources say that Wilcox had signed a contract for the five years and will be the Bears new head coach for 2017.

The Bears parted ways with former head coach Sonny Dykes last Sunday. Dykes’ four years were successful on offense, and he shored up Cal’s embarrassing graduation rate, but could never get his defense in a position to stop the opposition.There was speculation that interim coach Jake Spavital was going to be named the head coach, but the University wanted to start fresh with a with a different philosophy, and that’s what they expect out Wilcox. Spavital has taken a job with West Virginia.

Wilcox has also coached at Boise State, Tennessee, Washington and USC as well as Wisconsin. Wilcox comes to Cal with some Pac-12 familiarity from being defense coordinator at Washington and USC.

Short-lived rumors that dismissed 49ers boss Chip Kelly would return to the college sidelines were just that – short-lived.

Wilcox returns to Cal after having been an assistant coach (linebackers coach) under former Cal head coach Jeff Tedford between 2003-05 and has a resume of experience on defense. This time Wilcox comes back to Cal for his first head coaching gig. Wilcox is the son of NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and former San Francisco 49er Dave Wilcox. The younger Wilcox impressed Cal with his defensive success, most recently at Wisconsin, which ranked seventh in the nation on defense this past season. Wilcox has a lot of work to do, as Cal finished last season 125th out 128 schools on defense.

With Wilcox Cal feels like they’ve found somebody who’s committed long term, not just for the upcoming 2017 season, “(We) want somebody who is committed to Cal for the long term, somebody who really wants to be at Cal and somebody who really wants to build a winning program.” said Cal Athletic Director Mike Williams last Sunday after it was announced that Dykes was being fired.

Morris Phillips and Michael Duca cover Cal football for http://www.sportsradioservice.com