Tim DeRuyter, a coach who played an integral role in transforming Cal football’s defense from rags to riches, is leaving his roost to join Oregon as the Ducks’ defensive coordinator, according to multiple sources.

Oregon has been looking to fill the shoes of Andy Avalos, the team’s former defensive coordinator who took the head coach position at Boise State. DeRuyter served at the helm of Fresno State’s football program before joining Cal’s coaching staff in 2017. Prior to his tenure with the Bulldogs, DeRuyter was defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Nevada, Navy, Ohio and Air Force, his alma mater.

Before his arrival, the Bears ranked No. 127 in the nation in points allowed. Under his watch, DeRuyter inflated that ranking and many others, boosting it to No. 22 in 2018 and slicing the number of points scored on Cal by more than half. In 2019, the Bears ranked within the top 30 in the country in four defensive categories, including No. 9 in passing yards allowed with 175.1 yards per game. Cal currently sits at No. 38 in the country in total defense.

In addition to the success of the unit, DeRuyter coached a wealth of Bears to personal bests as linebackers coach. Evan Weaver, inside linebacker who smashed the school record for most tackles in a season with 182, was nominated for multiple awards and honored as the 2019 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. The same year, fellow inside linebacker Kuony Deng and Weaver combined for 301 tackles, the most in the nation for any pair of linebackers for the second year in a row. Outside linebacker Cameron Goode, who achieved career-highs in multiple categories in 2019, helped loft DeRuyter’s defense to No. 21 in the nation and second in the Pac-12 in sacks with 36 that season.

Multiple student athletes, including corner Camryn Bynum, defensive end Zeandae Johnson, lineman Brett Johnson and now-pro Bears Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins garnered nominations and awards nationally and from the conference while achieving career-mosts in tackles under DeRuyter.

DeRuyter served as associate head coach this past season in addition to co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach. The Ducks have won the conference title two years in a row and currently rank No. 62 in the nation in total defense.