Official: Former Cal OC Jake Spavital takes same position at West Virginia
UPDATE
Spavital was announced as West Virginia’s offensive coordinator Saturday afternoon.
“West Virginia is a great place for not only me, but my wife, Mehgan, as well,” Spavital said in a school statement. “Coming back to work for one of the best football programs in the country, work for my mentor and one of the best coaches in the country and be supported by one of the best fan bases in the country is special. There is not a better fit for me or more perfect timing. I’m excited to come back to West Virginia, and I can’t wait to get started.”
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Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has reportedly found a new job as the Bears have found a new head coach.
According to Fox Sports, Spavital will move across the country and become the offensive coordinator at West Virginia. Friday night, it was reported that Cal had hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox as its new head coach. The Bears fired Sonny Dykes last weekend.
Spavital spent one season at Cal after parting ways with Texas A&M after the 2015 season. Cal’s offense was one of the best in the country in 2016 with Texas Tech quarterback transfer Davis Webb. But the team’s defense was the polar opposite and the Bears finished with a 5-7 record and didn’t make it to a bowl game.
A&M hired UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone to replace Spavital after the 2015 season. The Aggies finished 8-5 in 2015 in a year full of quarterback drama. Both Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray announced they would transfer from the program in December, leaving third-stringer Jake Hubenak to start the team’s bowl game vs. Louisville.
Coincidentally, A&M finished 8-5 in 2016, though the quarterback situation was more stable with the addition of former Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight.
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West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen and Spavital worked together at Oklahoma State as assistants and Spavital was the quarterbacks coach at WVU in 2011 and 2012 after the Mountaineers hired Holgorsen. He left for Texas A&M in 2013.
Spavital, 31, will coach Florida transfer Will Grier at quarterback in 2017. Grier, who sat out the 2016 season due to transfer rules and an NCAA suspension, will replace the graduated Skyler Howard at quarterback for the Mountaineers.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
