Holmoe Named New Cal Coach
Moving quickly to fill the vacancy left by Steve Mariucci’s departure for the San Francisco 49ers, California promoted defensive coordinator Tom Holmoe to coach on Saturday.
Holmoe, 36, a former NFL defensive back who played on three Super Bowl-winning teams with the 49ers, is Cal’s fourth coach in six years. It is his first head coaching job.
Mariucci resigned Thursday after a 6-6 record in his only season at Cal to become the 49ers’ new coach, replacing George Seifert.
Before leaving, Mariucci endorsed Holmoe as his successor.
Athletic Director John Kasser, wanting a replacement in place quickly to preserve the school’s recruiting season, settled on his choice after a series of interviews over the last three days.
“Sometimes you find all the qualities you really admire in one person and that’s why I feel so comfortable in announcing we have selected Tom Holmoe as our new football coach,” Kasser said.
Holmoe signed a five-year contract which will extend through the 2001 season. He said he’ll continue running the West Coast offense that Mariucci installed with great success at Cal last season.
Holmoe, a starting cornerback at Brigham Young from 1980 to 1982, was a fourth-round pick of the 49ers in 1983 and played for them for seven seasons.
He returned to BYU to work as a graduate assistant in 1990 and two years later moved to Stanford, where he coached the secondary under his former 49er coach, Bill Walsh.
In 1994, Holmoe moved to the pro ranks, spending two years coaching the 49er defensive backs under Seifert before going to Cal last year as Mariucci’s defensive coordinator.
*
Charlie Weatherbie, who coached Navy to its first winning season in 18 years, was rewarded with a 10-year contract extension through 2007. Financial terms were not disclosed. Navy went 9-3 last season, including the victory over Cal in the Aloha Bowl.
*
Cal quarterback Pat Barnes threw for three touchdowns in the second quarter to lead the North to a 35-14 victory over the South in the Senior Bowl at Mobile, Ala.
Barnes was thought of as the country’s third- or fourth-best quarterback prospect coming in, but may have increased his stock with the second-quarter performance in front of about 600 NFL scouts and coaches.
He completed five of 10 passes for 88 yards and was named most valuable player in a game featuring strong-armed Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller and Arizona State’s Jake Plummer.
While Barnes dominated the second quarter, San Diego State running back George Jones was the story of the third. He ran for a 52-yard touchdown and turned a screen pass from Druckenmiller into a 24-yard score to give the North a 35-7 lead after three quarters. Jones rushed for 89 yards in 10 carries.
*
Lou Holtz will coach the North team in today’s Hula Bowl in Honolulu, which possibly will be his last game as a college coach.
The South coach is Florida State’s Bobby Bowden, whose starting quarterback will be Florida’s Danny Wuerffel, the Heisman Trophy winner. USC’s Brad Otton is a backup.
Holtz will start Brigham Young’s Steve Sarkisian, with Colorado’s Koy Detmer and Air Force’s Beau Morgan coming off the bench.
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
(Southland Edition Division I Coaching Changes
*--*
SCHOOL FORMER NEW COACH Alabama Gene Stallings Mike Dubose Arkansas State John Bobo Joe Hollis Baylor Chuck Reedy Dave Roberts Boise State Pokey Allen Houston Nutt Boston College Dan Henning Tom O’Brien California Steve Mariucci Tom Holmoe Fresno State Jim Sweeney Pat Hill Illinois Lou Tepper Ron Turner Indiana Bill Mallory Cam Cameron Kansas Glen Mason Terry Allen Kentucky Bill Curry Hal Mumme Maryland Mark Duffner Ron Vanderlinden
*--*
*--*
SCHOOL FORMER NEW COACH Minnesota Jim Wacker Glen Mason New Mexico State Jim Hess Tony Samuel Notre Dame Lou Holtz Bob Davie Oregon State Jerry Pettibone Mike Riley Pittsburgh Johnny Majors Walt Harris Purdue Jim Colletto Joe Tiller San Jose State John Ralston Dave Baldwin Southern Methodist Tom Rossley Mike Cavan Tulane Buddy Teevens Tommy Bowden Vanderbilt Rod Dowhower Woody Widenhofer Western Michigan Al Molde Gary Darnell Wyoming Joe Tiller Dana Dimel
*--*
More to Read
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.