Conference Pacific-10 Conference Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig (2nd year) | 2010 record 5–7 (3–6 Pac-10) Base defense 3–4 | |
Head coach Jeff Tedford (9th year) Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast (1st year) | ||
The 2010 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) competition in the 2010 season. The Golden Bears were led by ninth-year head coach Jeff Tedford.
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Tedford surpassed the legendary Pappy Waldorf to become the Cal coach with 3rd most career victories with a victory over UC Davis in the season opener. Despite early successes however, the team had an inconsistent season. The Bears had only one road victory, lost the Stanford Axe to archrival Stanford in a 48–14 blowout, and ended the season with a three-game losing streak to finish 5–7 (3–6 Pac-10), Tedford's first losing season and the team's first losing season since 2001. Cal was ranked only once during the season with a No. 24 spot in the Coaches' Poll.
Preseason
On January 19, 2010 the Regents of the University of California approved the retrofit and renovation of California Memorial Stadium. The $321 million project began in June 2010 and is expected to be completed in time for the 2012 season. The project will renovate the seismically vulnerable west side of the stadium and add amenities such as club levels, restrooms, and a new press box. Renovation of the east side of the stadium will be done at a later time in phase III. The Bears will play at AT&T Park in San Francisco for the 2011 season while the renovations are being made.
Following the 2009 season the Bears saw several coaching changes. Pete Alamar, special teams and tight ends coach, was not asked back for the 2010 season. The Bears had struggled on special teams in 2009, ranking ninth in the conference in kick coverage, 48th nationally, and 99th nationally in punt coverage. Placekicker duties during the season alternated between Giorgio Tavecchio and Vince D'Amato, with consistency an issue. Alamar was succeeded by Jeff Genyk.
Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory, who was first hired by head coach Tedford upon Tedford's arrival at Cal in 2002, left to become a defensive assistant at Boise State. He was succeeded by Clancy Pendergast, who had been hired by the Oakland Raiders on February 8, 2010 as a defensive assistant. Pendergast had been previously been the defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals. Former NFL players Akili Smith and Ronnie Bradford joined the Cal coaching staff March 12, 2010 as administrative assistants for the offense and defense, respectively. Tedford had previously coached Smith as a quarterback at Oregon.
Jahvid Best announced on January 2, 2010 that he would forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft. He was picked by the Detroit Lions as the 30th overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft following Tyson Alualu, who was drafted as the 10th overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars. This marked the first time since 2003 that two Cal players had been drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. No other players were drafted until Syd'Quan Thompson was taken in the seventh round as the 225th overall selection by the Denver Broncos.
Offensive linemen Chet Teofilo and Mike Tepper signed undrafted free agent contracts with the Dallas Cowboys on April 24. Wide receiver Verran Tucker joined them on April 26, the same day that linebacker Devin Bishop signed a free agent contract with Denver.
Senior quarterback Kevin Riley entered the 2010 season as the Pac-10 leader in wins and touchdown passes. Although head coach Jeff Tedford declared on August 4 that there would be competition for the starting quarterback job., on August 25 he confirmed that Riley would be the starter.