Cal Fires Head Coach Sonny Dykes

Getty Images/Ezra Shaw(BERKLEY, Calif.) – Cal fired Sonny Dykes, the school’s head football coach, after four seasons on Sunday.

“Coach Dykes clearly built up our program — both on the field and in the classroom — and he leaves Cal in a stronger position than when he arrived,” Cal athletic director Mike Williams said in a statement. “For that alone, he deserves credit and our thanks. After our bowl win last season, we showed our commitment to him with a contract extension. But after looking at a number of factors after the end of this season, I felt that we needed a change of direction for the good of our student-athletes and our program.”

Dykes had recently signed an extension that was supposed to keep him as head coach through the 2019 season. According to ESPN, he is still owed 70 percent of his remaining base salary and talent fee, which comes out to $5.88 million.

In response to his firing, Dykes said in a message to the team that he was “as surprised as you all about the news today. I am sorry you all found out the way you did. All I can say is I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you; it has been an honor to be your coach.”

Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital will serve as interim coach of the Golden Bears.

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