What Nick Rolovich treasures most about his two seasons helping out as an assistant football coach at San Marin High School were the daily drives home from practice.
His son Daniel, the oldest of his four children, was a sophomore and junior at the Marin County high school in the fall of 2023 and ’24, and Nick was was between college coaching jobs, a year away from joining the Cal staff.
“Some of the greatest years of my life being able to drive home with him before he got his license, just spending that time with him,” said Rolovich, now the Bears’ associate head coach and quarterbacks coach. “As a parent, those times are pretty precious.”
Daniel Rolovich is a freshman quarterback this year at San Jose State, and last Saturday made his college debut as the Spartans visited UTEP. He was told shortly before kickoff that he was starting, and the 19-year-old was ready.
He directed the Spartans on a nine-play, 80-yard drive on their first possession — his first as a college player — and capped it with an 11-yard touchdown pass to fellow freshman Carson Clark.
SJSU went on to a 24-11 victory and Rolovich completed 12 of 23 passes for 193 yards without an interception. He also ran for 39 yards as the Spartans improved to 4-3 on the season.
Daniel's big day had its origins in a father-son conversation during one of those drives home from practice three years ago. The sophomore did not have a good practice that day and Nick “got on him” about it.
“I mean no harm. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings,” Nick told his son later in the car. “I see some real talent in you and this is the way you get better.
“I love you no matter what. You told me you want to play college football. Do you want me to coach you like your dad? Or do you want me to coach you like a college football coach and get you prepared?”
Nick told his son not to answer immediately, but to sleep on it.
Daniel had his answer in the morning. “I want you to coach me like I’m going to play college football,” he told his father.
Daniel will be the Spartans’ starter again on Saturday afternoon when they play Nevada at Reno. Rolovich and the Bears are in Dallas to face No. 23 SMU earlier in the day.
Rolovich said he’s trying to give his son space to navigate his own path. “Through this process, I want to remove myself a little bit and let him go through this battle himself,” said Nick, who threw 34 touchdown passes as a senior at Hawaii in 2001 and played in NFL Europe and the Arena Football League before beginning his coaching career.
The Bears were playing Wake Forest on Saturday night while Daniel and the Spartans were at UTEP. Rolovich talked with his son the next day.
“I asked him if he was sore? He took some shots and he was sore,” Rolovich said. “It’s a reminder that there’s so many elements of preparation for a game at this level.
“I’m most proud that he was mentally prepared for the opportunity. That’s what we talked about a bunch. There’s going to be corrections on the film, there’s going to be throws you want back.
“But are you mentally prepared for that moment? It sounds like he was and the film looks like he was.”
Rolovich could his first chance to watch his son as a college player when the Spartans host Northern Illinois on Nov. 7. Cal has a bye that day. “I hope so,” he said.
Rolovich looks back at his two years helping to develop his son’s quarterbacking skills as a lifetime memory. Finding just the right balance was challenging, he said.
“But as long as you put him as your son first and his journey’s his journey, I think it’s an incredible experience I wish every father could experience.”
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