Overview
- Coach Tosh Lupoi confirmed Tuesday that he took play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville at halftime of Cal’s loss to UNLV and handed the headset to passing game coordinator Pat McCann.
- McCann’s in-game calls produced 24 second-half points and a comeback that briefly put Cal ahead, but UNLV answered in the fourth quarter to win 39-31.
- Somerville was hired despite no prior experience as a play-calling coordinator after three seasons as an assistant quarterbacks coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the change spotlights questions about his preparedness for the role.
- Starting quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele left the UNLV game with a concussion, attended practice on Tuesday but did not take part in contact work, leaving his availability for Virginia Tech uncertain.
- General manager Ron Rivera publicly backed Lupoi’s move as an aggressive step to find answers, and the shift raises near-term stakes for Cal’s coaching staff as the team tries to fix one of the worst offensive units in FBS this season.