logo
Back to school: Ron Rivera joins staff at alma mater Cal

Back to school: Ron Rivera joins staff at alma mater Cal

Reuters05-02-2025

February 5 - Ron Rivera, who took the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl a decade ago, said Wednesday he's headed to the football staff at Cal, his alma mater.
The former coach of the Panthers and Washington Commanders, Rivera interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets this offseason but didn't land any offers. But he seems content with his Plan B, and, after all, if six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick can work on the NCAA level, he can, too.
"Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool," Rivera posted to X about his new job. "Stay tuned I am coming home."
ESPN reported that Rivera, 63, largely will help Cal head coach Justin Wilcox and the program in an administrative role. He'll assist in overseeing the big picture of the program, including budget and coaching staff, per the report.
Rivera was an All-American linebacker at Cal after his senior season in 1983. That year, he set a school record with 26.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including 13 sacks. He had 337 tackles during his Golden Bears career.
He was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.
This will be the first foray into college for Rivera, who posted a 102-103-2 record with the Panthers (2011-19) and Washington (2020-23).
He was fired by the Commanders following the 2023 season.
--Field Level Media

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The science-driven training methods behind Oleksandr Usyk's training
The science-driven training methods behind Oleksandr Usyk's training

The Independent

time3 hours ago

  • The Independent

The science-driven training methods behind Oleksandr Usyk's training

As a fitness writer, certain sporting figures fascinate me; the sheer athleticism of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton; the iron mindset of serial CrossFit champ Mat Fraser. Recently, I added Oleksandr Usyk to that list. He is lighter than your average heavyweight contender, coming in 10kg shy of Anthony Joshua and 25kg short of Tyson Fury in their most recent bouts. Yet he emerged victorious both times. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN He is also wily in the ring, growing into fights and felling more powerful opponents by subsidising any deficits in brawn with speed and brainpower. Put to this his propensity for dancing, and you have a captivating character. Now, having seen a snapshot of his training methods, it is clear his strength and conditioning sessions are far from conventional as well. These are the techniques and protocols he is using to prepare for Daniel Dubois on 19 July. Focus on rate of force production View this post on Instagram A post shared by CHYCKI (@chycki_the_brains_behind) In December last year, Usyk's strength and conditioning coach Jakub Chycki, an associate professor at The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, shared a training montage of the fighter's work in the gym. For any fitness fan, it is an intriguing watch. The first thing I noticed was that Usyk rarely moves slowly. Instead, he can repeatedly be seen executing an explosive concentric phase (the lifting portion) of compound exercises such as the trap bar deadlift, bench press, landmine punch and leaning single-leg landmine squat. During the trap bar deadlift, he even uses a tool to monitor the velocity of his lifts. This makes sense; how often do you see a boxer throw a slow punch? Having impressive maximal strength levels is all well and good, but if you are unable to translate that to power (force times velocity) then it rarely has much application in a sporting context. Non-conventional training tools Strength and conditioning sessions are usually dominated by barbells and dumbbells. Chycki's prescriptions for Usyk are not limited by these options. During the video, Usyk frequently performs exercises with kettlebells and gymnastic rings. The positioning of the kettlebell's handle away from the weight's centre of gravity allows for more dynamic exercises like the American kettlebell swing and split stance snatch. The kneeling bottom-up kettlebell press can also develop impressive stability around the shoulder joint, which is key in boxing to reduce injury risk. Using the gymnastic rings can develop greater proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body) and allow your joints to follow a more natural path, again lowering injury risk. Both tools also allow you to move in a range of different ways. Exploring all planes of motion There are three planes of motion the body can move in. As a rough guide, these are the sagittal plane (up, down, forward and backward motions), frontal plane (bending and side to side movements) and transverse plane (twisting). While most strength training exercises are sagittal-dominant, most sports are not. Boxing requires an immense amount of rotational ability and torque to create a powerful punch, while landing rates would likely be far higher if opponents were unable to duck and weave to avoid shots. As such, Usyk's training involves a heavy dose of all three planes of motion. There is a single-arm ring row to reach, single-arm kettlebell press variation and landmine rainbow to meet transverse plane requirements, while kettlebell lateral lunges, Copenhagen planks and shoulder-centric resistance band exercises see him operate in the frontal plane. He also employs all three ranges of motion in his stretching, mobility and movement work. The body adheres to the SAID (specific adaptations to imposed demands) principle, so if you want to maintain strength and mobility around your joints, the best way to achieve this is to use it regularly by moving in a variety of ways. This sends a strong message to the body that you need to use these positions, so it preserves the ability to access them. Plyometrics This is linked to the rate of force production. Chycki has Usyk perform multiple plyometric exercises, which can be defined as movements that involve the rapid stretching then shortening of a muscle. The emphasis is on moving quickly to develop power, but you will also develop more robust bones, tendons and ligaments by doing so. For example, Usyk performs band-assisted plyometric press-ups and medicine ball catches into rainbow slams. Deep tier plyometrics and landings Another exercise that caught my eye saw Usyk assume the bottom position of a Bulgarian split squat, with his front foot planted and rear foot elevated, then perform multidirectional oscillations on his front foot. I cannot say for sure what he is up to here, but it reminds me of a technique I recently discussed with movement mechanics expert and The Training Stimulus founder Ash Grossmann: deep tier plyometrics. This method places the athlete in the bottom position of an exercise, where the agonist (primary working) muscle is lengthened, then tasks them with pulsing in and out of that end range. 'You're accessing long muscle lengths, then creating force and getting yourself out of them,' Grossmann told me during our interview. He explained: 'You're developing huge amounts of control and coordination in your body, alongside the long muscle lengths. Then you can build them up to bigger and bigger jumps, so you're generating more force both through the ground and the force generated from your body.' The result is improved mobility, proprioception and springiness in the working muscles. It can also build the body's confidence in accessing this deeper range of motion and improve an athlete's ability to generate power through the ground, which is pivotal in boxing. Usyk also uses deep tier landings through a safety bar lunge and lateral lunge. Here, he allows himself to quickly fall into the bottom position of the exercise, then practices safely catching himself then quickly generating enough force to exit this position. Badminton, speed, agility and quickness training Athletic training tends to operate on a spectrum between general physical preparedness (GPP) and specificity. Coaches first need to develop the general physical attributes they want from an athlete – a certain level of strength, speed, power, VO2 max, agility and mobility. This can be seen during Usyk's strength work, and conditioning snippets on a fan bike. Then, when these foundations are laid and maintained, training can taper to more sport-specific protocols that use those attributes to achieve a desired outcome. Think of it like a sculptor at work. GPP involves tearing off an appropriately sized chunk of clay; specificity involves moulding it into the exact shape you want. In Chycki's video, there are many examples of Usyk using sport-specific training, from shadow boxing to speed and reaction tests. There is also a clip of him playing what looks like badminton, developing the speed and quickness he needs to react to unpredictable stimuli in a sporting setting. Targeted hip flexor training The hip flexor muscles are those responsible for bringing your knee toward your chest; think walking, running, cycling and various scenarios in most other sports. However, unlike other joint actions, it is hard to load this movement pattern and strengthen the muscles involved. Many people use a short resistance band to achieve this, lopping it around their feet and lifting their knees in turn. But the elastic nature of the band means the resistance profile changes depending on how far it is stretched, and it is hard to progressively overload the working muscles with this approach. Instead, Chycki has Usyk stand on an elevated surface with his left foot, hook a kettlebell around his right foot, then raise his right knee. By doing this, it is easier to progress the sets, reps and weights he uses over time, strengthening the hip flexor muscles. By developing this injury-prone area, you reduce your risk of a spell on the sidelines. These muscles can also help stabilise the pelvis and aid Usyk's mobility around the ring, giving him the tools he needs for explosive forward movements. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.

Boxer Claressa Shields sounds off after Angel Reese wins top BET honor
Boxer Claressa Shields sounds off after Angel Reese wins top BET honor

The Herald Scotland

time4 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Boxer Claressa Shields sounds off after Angel Reese wins top BET honor

Shields' accolades over the past year include defeating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse for the WBO light heavyweight and WBC heavyweight titles last July and then beating Danielle Perkins for the WBA heavyweight title in February. Reese won the award for the second consecutive year over a star-studded field of Shields, A'ja Wilson, Coco Gauff, Dawn Staley, Flau'jae Johnson, JuJu Watkins, Sha'Carri Richardson and Simone Biles. Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, did make it clear she supports Reese, but thought she was more deserving of the honor. "Ain't nobody saying Angel Reese don't have accolades or she not good.... I'm saying I thought the person with "THE MOST" accolades & accomplishments would win the Award," Shields posted, adding, "I'm team Angel Reese!" Shields attended the awards ceremony with her boyfriend, Brooklyn rapper Papoose. "For My First BET Nomination, I came how a Champion Should," she posted on Instagram, saying the couple enjoyed the full experience. As for the Sportsman of the Year award, it went to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. He prevailed over a field that included Aaron Judge, Anthony Edwards, Deion Sanders, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Saquon Barkley and Stephen Curry.

Kansas City Chiefs weigh major stadium decision that could lead Patrick Mahomes & Co to leave state
Kansas City Chiefs weigh major stadium decision that could lead Patrick Mahomes & Co to leave state

Daily Mail​

time10 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Kansas City Chiefs weigh major stadium decision that could lead Patrick Mahomes & Co to leave state

The Kansas City Chiefs have secured Missouri state financial aid for renovations at Arrowhead Stadium while the team continues to entertain a competing offer from neighboring Kansas that could give Patrick Mahomes & Co. a new dome. Lawmakers approved hundreds of millions in tax breaks to entice Major League Baseball's Royals as well as the NFL's Chiefs to remain in Missouri amid concerns about disaster relief for St. Louis tornado victims on the opposite side of the state. The Chiefs and Royals currently play football and baseball in side-by-side stadiums in Jackson County, Missouri, under leases that expire in January 2031. Jackson County voters last year defeated a sales tax extension that would have helped finance an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City. That prompted lawmakers in neighboring Kansas last year to authorize bonds for up to 70 percent of the cost of new stadiums in order to lure teams to their state. The Royals bought a mortgage for property in Kansas, though the team also has continued to pursue other possible sites in Missouri. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said at the NFL annual league meeting in March he hopes to have a domed stadium to host larger spectacles, such as the Super Bowl: 'I do think for the community, a dome would be a tremendous asset. It would give the Kansas City region an opportunity to host significant events.' The Kansas offer is scheduled to expire June 30, creating urgency for Missouri to approve a counteroffer. Missouri's legislation authorizes bonds covering up to half of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments. If they choose to stay in Missouri, the Chiefs plan a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs, in a statement to The Associated Press, described the legislative vote as a 'significant step forward' that enables the team to continue exploring options to remain in Missouri. The Royals described the legislation as 'a very important piece of our decision-making process' but made no site-specific commitment. 'Our focus remains the same: to prioritize the best interests of our team, fans, partners and regional community as we pursue the next generational home for the Kansas City Royals,' the team said in a statement to the AP. Though they have no specific plans in the works, the St. Louis Cardinals also would be eligible for stadium aid if they undertake a project of at least $500 million. Many economists contend public funding for stadiums isn't worth it, because sports tend to divert discretionary spending away from other forms of entertainment rather than generate new income. But supporters said Missouri stands to lose millions of dollars of tax revenue if Kansas City's most prominent professional sports teams move to Kansas. They said Missouri's reputation also would take a hit, particularly if it loses the Chiefs, which have won three of the past six Super Bowls. 'We have the chance to maybe save what is the symbol of this state,' Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis County, said while illustrating cross-state support for the measure. The legislation faced some bipartisan pushback from those who described it as a subsidy for wealthy sports team owners. Others raised concerns that a property tax break for homeowners, which was added in the Senate to gain votes, violates the state constitution by providing different levels of tax relief in various counties while excluding others entirely. 'This bill is unconstitutional, it's fiscally reckless, it's morally wrong,' said Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store