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California hires Justin Wilcox as new football coach

In this Sept. 1, 2012 file photo, Washington defensive coach Justin Wilcox paces on the sidelines during an NCAA college football game in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Josh Dubow Associated Press

BERKELEY, Calif. – California has hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox as its new head coach to replace the fired Sonny Dykes.

Athletic director Mike Williams announced the hiring Saturday, less than a week after Dykes’ surprising firing. Wilcox will be formally introduced at a news conference on Tuesday.

Williams said he made the move to fire Dykes at the unusual time of six weeks after the end of season in part because he wanted a coach committed to Cal after Dykes flirted with various job openings in recent years and needed someone who could excite a fan base that had grown apathetic in recent years.

He hopes Wilcox does just that. The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dave Wilcox, has never been a head coach before but did spend three years as linebackers coach at Cal from 2003-05 under Jeff Tedford and has been a defensive coordinator for the past 11 seasons at Boise State, Tennessee, Washington, Southern California and Wisconsin.