This piece initially appeared in our twice-weekly sports activities e-newsletter Part 415. Join the e-newsletter right here and subscribe to the Part 415 podcast wherever you pay attention.
It’s been a very long time since there was real, sustained school soccer fever within the Bay Space, and when NIL collectives started paying student-athletes in 2021, it appeared as if Cal and Stanford’s packages would possibly fade into obscurity.
The emergence of the switch portal, a wild wave of convention realignment, and extended on-field struggles for each packages created the right storm for the brand new school soccer world to go away the Bay Space behind.
When the Pac-12 disintegrated, Cal and Stanford discovered a house within the ACC, but it surely appeared unrealistic to assume the Bears and the Cardinal would possibly compete for convention titles on the soccer area with the likes of Clemson and Miami.
Up to now, they haven’t.
2 days in the past
5 days in the past
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Cal’s seven regular-season wins in 2025 are its most since 2019. Stanford’s 4 wins this yr are tied for its highest whole since 2018.
The fact is a big share of graduates from each universities doubtless wouldn’t care in the event that they stopped competing in soccer altogether. However regardless of the headwinds, Cal and Stanford are urgent ahead, extra decided than ever to compete in a sport through which the chances have traditionally been stacked in opposition to them.
Final November, Stanford employed two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up Andrew Luck to fill a newly created GM function. In March, Cal responded by bringing in former NFL head coach Ron Rivera to fill the identical, first-of-its-kind place in Berkeley.
Each Luck and Rivera spent their first yr on the job securing crucial monetary assets that may theoretically bankroll higher rosters. In addition they spent current weeks finishing teaching searches and figuring out new leaders for the Cardinal and the Bears.
On Tuesday, Luck sat at a podium in Palo Alto alongside former teammate Tavita Pritchard, a fellow Stanford quarterback who was launched as this system’s new coach. Three days later, Rivera sat alongside former Cal defensive lineman Tosh Lupoi, a prolific recruiter who will take over the Bears after Justin Wilcox was fired throughout his ninth season as head coach.
Lupoi wasted no time attending to work. He left his introductory press convention, booked a ticket to Hawaii (opens in new tab), and spent two hours convincing freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to remain in Berkeley subsequent season.
Neither Pritchard nor Lupoi has ever been a head coach, however each have performed and labored as assistants at their respective packages. Pritchard began beneath Jim Harbaugh and referred to as performs beneath David Shaw whereas Lupoi performed and coached beneath Jeff Tedford, teaming up with Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch, and DeSean Jackson.
Pritchard and Lupoi perceive the challenges Stanford and Cal face in addition to anybody. They’ve every recruited gamers to their alma maters however have by no means had the kind of assets which might be accessible to them now. Every coach stories to a GM who is devoted to elevating cash, buying expertise, and growing the infrastructure that shall be essential to preserve constructing momentum if and when their packages do succeed.
Lupoi may not be the following Tedford, and Pritchard in all probability isn’t going to be the following Harbaugh, however give Cal and Stanford credit score. At a time once they may simply fold and quit on soccer, each packages are making high-profile hires, vital investments, and public commitments to constructing higher groups.
Nobody is aware of if any of this may work, however for each Cal and Stanford, it’s much better than standing on the sidelines.
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