Pac-12 News: Jeff Tedford Fired From Cal; Will Trojans Pursue Him As New OC?

Sep 22, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley (7) shakes hands with California Golden Bears coach Jeff Tedford after the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated California 27-9. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Jeff Tedford, the winningest coach in Cal history, has been fired as the head coach after 11 roller coaster seasons.

Tedford resurrected the Golden Bears program when he was hired after they went 1-10 in 2001, their worst record in school history. In his inaugural season he led Cal to a 7-5 record, and two seasons later, they finished 10-2 and were No. 9 in the country. QB Aaron Rodgers has Tedford to thank for his discovery and the preparation that has helped him to become an NFL star. Often regarded as a QB guru, it has ironically been Tedford’s inability to develop any other quarterbacks after Rodgers that played a major role in his termination.

Over the past three years, Cal has regressed back to the days before Tedford arrived to breathe new life into the program, going 9-18 in Pac-12 play. This year, they won only two conference games en route to a 3-9 record that featured a five-game losing streak.

Teford had an 82-57 record in 11 seasons, one Pac-10 title, two 10-win seasons, one Academic Heisman, and is second only to USC in terms of players drafted to the NFL.

Despite his struggles to keep Cal competitive for 11 years, Jeff Tedford is still a really good coach, and there is one team in Southern California that is in the market for a new offensive coordinator. Having head coach Lane Kiffin call the plays for USC has not worked out this season, and it is no secret that some coaching changes are to be made once this season is over. Tedford could be a good look as the OC for the Trojans, as he and Kiffin worked well together during their tenure at Fresno State.

Whether USC will contact him regarding this opportunity will be determined in the days and weeks to come, but if they do, he could be just what USC needs to get things going again in the Lane Kiffin era.

For more on how Jeff Tedford could benefit USC, click here.