Had the privilege of having lunch with an NFL scout recently and asked his take on the abundance of players entering the transfer portal...here's what he said (para-phrasing here)..."Jr, Sr and Grads who transfer is acceptable. Freshman/Sophmore who transfer are graded down when evaluating"..." Understandable for players to transfer (coaching changes, better NIL) but more scouts are seeing these players as being afraid to compete, and "the pool is an easy way out". I wish Hayes the best but he now (possibly) has a black mark on his NFL scouting/evaluation if he decides to try to play at the next level.
Yes, one year with the El Cerrito Rockets and then I skipped a year when we moved to Oakland and then I played my last year with the Oakland Dynamites. Pop Warner is a great place for kids to get a head start.
Provided the current system remains in place, will Cal appear on ANY College Football Playoffs rankings list put out by the CFP Committee in the next 10 years?
100% agree. But I want one thing that Utah has better than any other PAC12 team...its their brand: toughness and physicality. Utah beats better teams merely because they play tougher than them. CAL is well coached, but we need the toughness aspect that Utah has. Some of our players have it, but we need everyone on the field to play like Jackson Sirmon.
I never played angry unless someone fucked with me. But I played with an edge that is not acceptable in normal society. The edge is real simple: my job was, within the rules, to destroy the guy across from me. If he got hurt in the process I had no feelings of guilt. Likewise if I got hurt, I expected him not to feel guilty. It's a physical collision sport and anyone who steps on the field needs to understand that. You don't win unless you physically beat someone. No prisoners.
Once in High School Frosh football (I only played through JV and gave it up for the debate team after reading Meat on The Hoof), on defense, I made a two yard sack on the quarterback (come to think of it, it may have been a horse collar tackle- 1972, so less rules), a play or two later, the linemen across from me punched my face through the birdcage mask. God, I played even harder after that!
I hear you, but I think the difference is that when you play a lot of years and at a high level, then the pregame prep takes you to a different level, beyond anger. Anger makes you do stupid things. Controlled aggression is more of how I would call it. An angry guy on the street would never want to fuck with me if I had my game face on...it was kill or be killed. And 'll give you one more bit of that experience. During games I rarely felt pain and I never had any type of major injury, but when the final gun went off and the game ended, my body would just wilt with crushing pain as the adrenalin wore off. It was an indescribable experience, and I miss it so much.
Hard to say at this point because he is untested at CAL. I think he has solid CV's as an o-line coach in the heart of football country. He's young with energy, relatable, it sounds like he can recruit and he started 37 games as an offensive lineman in a spread offense. I really believe good offensive line coaches have to have played the position to really understand all the nuance of the techniques involved coupled with Nastiness. It's not mandatory, but I think guys who have played o-line are generally more successful as o-line coaches. If you look at McClure's resume it's really varied and it doesn't even say what position he played when he played at Sac State. Drawing x's and o's and blocking assignments is easy, teaching players how to win the blocks is an entirely different thing.
Very well could be true, but if he was a starter in a system that he liked, then why did he transfer? My guess is the coaches had an honest conversation with him and told him he had much more potential, but until they observed it in every down of a game the competition for his position was open and that they were going to look at the portal for more talent. Coach W is real honest about that stuff, and I expect his staff is the same.
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
I hate to see him go as he was a solid RB but I understand his thinking when we added Byron Cardwell. To bad these kids aren't patient any more. The Portal is changing football.
It's interesting for sure. I'm not convinced that what it looks like today is the way it will look tomorrow. Feels like we are still in the experiment stage of the portal -- both for student-athletes and for programs.
I'm not sure there will be any major change. But we'll see more players sitting out a year (or walking on or going Juco) because they overplayed their hand, couldn't find a landing spot, and lost their current scholarship.
The extra covid year is creating a bit of a player glut also but that will resolve soon.
I think there's a possibility that rules may change. I'm hesitant to argue that any changes will be made for the best interest of college football, cause there seems to be no one actually looking out for the interest of college football right now. My earlier point was more that the portal is so new that there really hasn't yet been the benefit of pulling back and seeing what the data shows about what types of players benefit most from this type of maneuvering. It's easy to suggest that have so much flexibility benefits the players, but I also wonder if the data could reveal a different story--that it benefits some over others. Ultimately, I think there will be both good and negative narratives that emerge that may dictate how athletes move forward.
seriously not even trying to play the devil's advocate, but i dont see why a 2nd transfer even matters or how that particularly would address whatever the real issue is (and I'm not sure that there is a real issue yet with the transfer portal)
To me it seems NIL is the major problematic TBD, and the transfer portal just is what it is. For the same reason I think the NFL draft requirement (the de facto age discrimination part) is BS, so really are most of any ncaa transfer restrictions, outside the lines of the regular season of course.
The NIL and the transfer portal are almost different animals entirely, except of course in the specific marquee instances where they overlap (Caleb Williams/ Jordan Addison/pursuit of Drake Maye).
It’s no surprise that the schools that were likely paying players illegally have hit the ground running with the NIL. It’s put the have’s (elites like most SEC/tOSU/USC) even further ahead of the have-nots (academic schools like Cal/Furd/N’western/Vandy), almost to the point that they’re hardly even swimming in the same pool.
Tough to see how schools that truly value academics can realistically compete, at least not for the CFP.
I'm really sorry to see this news. Every time he returned a kickoff I thought of his proud Mom in the stands beaming, albeit with a bit of a chip on her shoulder (I've been there and I get it, Mama Hayes). Ashton is someone I hoped and expected to get more playing time in the backfield; he's just too dynamic not to see the field ESPECIALLY in a more spread Spav-offense. While Kai is a higher priority, I hope the Cal staff leans on Ashton to stick around, though I know that's really a longshot.
Good luck to you, young man! Your effort and dedication will pay off.
Man I am really starting to hate the portal. Might be best for the players, but it sucks for the fans. Sort of reminds me of when free agency started in baseball and the composition of the teams became continuously in flux.
As far as Ashton goes, I am not all that surprised based on the frustrated message we got from his mother early in the season. Honestly wish the young man would have stuck around. Ott is talented, for sure, but he's not a complete running back. He's fast and slippery, but can't really power his way through tackles. I think there was room for others in the RB corps, but I understand that he was looking up at two guys and wanted an opportunity to be the #1 back somewhere. Just sad that we don't get to see these guys progress through their career.
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
No worries Ashton. We are sorry that you are moving on but fully understand and respect your decision. Best of luck to you where ever you land and you'll always be a Golden Bear! Roll on!
It sucks losing Hayes, but we upgraded with Cardwell. It sucks losing some LB's but we upgraded with the kid from Clemson. I would assert that we have actually benefited from the portal and the few players that we have picked up through it have been upgrades.
True. But Femi was never a great player for us...he had some good plays and not so good plays. Unless FUCLA has a real absence of talent at LB, I don't see him cracking into the starter role. He was ok, but he wasn't close to the player that Jackson Sirmon is...and I think our coaches do a real good job of evaluating Portal talent before offering schollies. Like I said, thus far all of our transfers have been upgrades, even if some didn't have great seasons (TJ Sessions - although I expect him to play MUCH better with a new o-line coach).
I thing Session's definitely has the athleticism to play the position, if he gets coached up. If Spencer Lovell was a downgrade then why did he start? He certainly was a slug, but if he started what does that say about our other guys and our depth? Or else McClure was just a shitty o-line coach who liked really big dudes, even if they were terrible. The latter is a real possibility.
I don't have an expert eye for football evaluation but there was a significant dropoff when Femi was not on the field for a couple of games midseason whatever the reason of his absence was, and immediately saw impact plays when he returned to the field.
This is rough for Cal as we have enough trouble getting good recruits already. Having them bolt after a season wastes the athletic department's time and resources. Without the lure of NIL money and high profile team status it's tough to see how Cal will be able to remain competitive in the future unless there is a renewed focus on the revenue sports.
The truth of the matter is that Cal has not been competitive for the past two seasons as other previously struggling teams in the conference like Oregon State, Washington State and UCLA have sped past them. I am truly fearful how good Stanford is going to become with Troy Taylor, and pretty much the same with a new head coach at Arizona State. I don't think Oregon State got this good this fast with the lure of NIL money. It comes down to head coaches with vision, unfortunately.
I read John Canzano's 2023 forecast post and he says neither Cal nor Stanford will be able to succeed in the Pac 12 anymore because of the changes in the CFB landscape.
I think Stanford will beat those low expectations. They have a nation wide recruiting base and thus can cast a wide net for great athletes who also study in school. Add in turn around artist TT, and I think they start winning again pretty soon.
Troy Taylor is dead to me. He crossed the red line and is seeking comfort in the tree. He shall now be referred to as Benedict Taylor. No Top Dog for you Benedict.
I think Stanford will be better than Cal rather quickly, most likely as soon as ‘23…just not sure TT is going to get Stanford in position to be competing for a P12 Championship game anytime soon.
But they’ll definitely be bowling sooner than Cal. Given the non-conference schedule over the next 5 years, plus his proven inability to win at the Conference level, it’s incredibly likely that Justin Wilcox will never earn another bowl bid as Cal’s Head Football Coach.
I think that's fairly accurate...and it should come as no surprise. The new landscape has more clearly defined the massive differences between the revenue and non-revenue sports...the NIL/transfer portal has really made a mockery of the "student-athlete" as it pertains to football, and Men's/Women's basketball. Cal and Stanford will ALWAYS put education first, and as such, the gap between the rest of the Conference will continue to grow until some semblance of reform arrives.
A new definition of "success" is probably needed, and it absolutely prioritizes coaching...for Cal, 6-6 and a lower bowl is probably the yearly ceiling of this program, at least with Wilcox. This program has zero chance of competing with UO, UW, UU, etc. for a Conference Championship with the current leadership in place, all the way to the top of the Department.
Mind you, I’d be stoked with 6-6 and yearly bowls - Sun/LV, etc. would be awesome. Think we should start scheduling 3 patsy’s in non-con once the Auburn/ UF run is done…
And line play, both sides, which has generally been poor under Wilcox…the dreadful O-line has definitely received most of the attention, but Cal’s D-line has largely been underwhelming the past 6 seasons. Injuries to Brett Johnson the last 2 have really hurt.
Had the privilege of having lunch with an NFL scout recently and asked his take on the abundance of players entering the transfer portal...here's what he said (para-phrasing here)..."Jr, Sr and Grads who transfer is acceptable. Freshman/Sophmore who transfer are graded down when evaluating"..." Understandable for players to transfer (coaching changes, better NIL) but more scouts are seeing these players as being afraid to compete, and "the pool is an easy way out". I wish Hayes the best but he now (possibly) has a black mark on his NFL scouting/evaluation if he decides to try to play at the next level.
Faraudo tweeting J Mike could be in the portal that is the worst and totally expected outcome so far
Yes, one year with the El Cerrito Rockets and then I skipped a year when we moved to Oakland and then I played my last year with the Oakland Dynamites. Pop Warner is a great place for kids to get a head start.
Hayes to Nevada
https://twitter.com/AshtonHayesRB1/status/1610804033526304769
Question for all:
Provided the current system remains in place, will Cal appear on ANY College Football Playoffs rankings list put out by the CFP Committee in the next 10 years?
15? 20?
100% agree. But I want one thing that Utah has better than any other PAC12 team...its their brand: toughness and physicality. Utah beats better teams merely because they play tougher than them. CAL is well coached, but we need the toughness aspect that Utah has. Some of our players have it, but we need everyone on the field to play like Jackson Sirmon.
You gotta be a little angry inside to be a good football player. It brings out the best and worst in people.
I never played angry unless someone fucked with me. But I played with an edge that is not acceptable in normal society. The edge is real simple: my job was, within the rules, to destroy the guy across from me. If he got hurt in the process I had no feelings of guilt. Likewise if I got hurt, I expected him not to feel guilty. It's a physical collision sport and anyone who steps on the field needs to understand that. You don't win unless you physically beat someone. No prisoners.
Once in High School Frosh football (I only played through JV and gave it up for the debate team after reading Meat on The Hoof), on defense, I made a two yard sack on the quarterback (come to think of it, it may have been a horse collar tackle- 1972, so less rules), a play or two later, the linemen across from me punched my face through the birdcage mask. God, I played even harder after that!
Yeah, anger and determination make a difference.
Good times and I always regretted giving it up.
I hear you, but I think the difference is that when you play a lot of years and at a high level, then the pregame prep takes you to a different level, beyond anger. Anger makes you do stupid things. Controlled aggression is more of how I would call it. An angry guy on the street would never want to fuck with me if I had my game face on...it was kill or be killed. And 'll give you one more bit of that experience. During games I rarely felt pain and I never had any type of major injury, but when the final gun went off and the game ended, my body would just wilt with crushing pain as the adrenalin wore off. It was an indescribable experience, and I miss it so much.
So were you a Pop Warner kids, in addition to high school?
RB room as it stands:
Jaydn Ott
Byron Cardwell
Ashton Stredick
Jaivian Thomas
Solid RB room…IF you have a competent O-line. Hoping that improves.
Gotcha
Rug, are you a fan of Bloesch?
Hard to say at this point because he is untested at CAL. I think he has solid CV's as an o-line coach in the heart of football country. He's young with energy, relatable, it sounds like he can recruit and he started 37 games as an offensive lineman in a spread offense. I really believe good offensive line coaches have to have played the position to really understand all the nuance of the techniques involved coupled with Nastiness. It's not mandatory, but I think guys who have played o-line are generally more successful as o-line coaches. If you look at McClure's resume it's really varied and it doesn't even say what position he played when he played at Sac State. Drawing x's and o's and blocking assignments is easy, teaching players how to win the blocks is an entirely different thing.
Guard
Very well could be true, but if he was a starter in a system that he liked, then why did he transfer? My guess is the coaches had an honest conversation with him and told him he had much more potential, but until they observed it in every down of a game the competition for his position was open and that they were going to look at the portal for more talent. Coach W is real honest about that stuff, and I expect his staff is the same.
Bummer, but more touches for Stredick fills me with happy.
I guess Bob couldn’t convince his mom that Ashton should stay at Cal. I will miss his mom posting here.
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
I just want to say thank you for all your hard work and commitment while at Cal and good to you in football, life and your future!!
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
I hate to see him go as he was a solid RB but I understand his thinking when we added Byron Cardwell. To bad these kids aren't patient any more. The Portal is changing football.
The Portal is a hell of a thing. It ensures that no team can hoard talent but may not reap the benefits of developing it. Hope he finds success.
It's interesting for sure. I'm not convinced that what it looks like today is the way it will look tomorrow. Feels like we are still in the experiment stage of the portal -- both for student-athletes and for programs.
Oh absolutely, there will be change.
This model is not sustainable for college football.
I'm not sure there will be any major change. But we'll see more players sitting out a year (or walking on or going Juco) because they overplayed their hand, couldn't find a landing spot, and lost their current scholarship.
The extra covid year is creating a bit of a player glut also but that will resolve soon.
hmm, what do you think will change? think they'd roll back the immediate eligibility change, which is really the major piece?
I think there's a possibility that rules may change. I'm hesitant to argue that any changes will be made for the best interest of college football, cause there seems to be no one actually looking out for the interest of college football right now. My earlier point was more that the portal is so new that there really hasn't yet been the benefit of pulling back and seeing what the data shows about what types of players benefit most from this type of maneuvering. It's easy to suggest that have so much flexibility benefits the players, but I also wonder if the data could reveal a different story--that it benefits some over others. Ultimately, I think there will be both good and negative narratives that emerge that may dictate how athletes move forward.
I think the kids should be able to transfer freely but play immediately only once. Otherwise they would have to sit out a year from second transfer.
seriously not even trying to play the devil's advocate, but i dont see why a 2nd transfer even matters or how that particularly would address whatever the real issue is (and I'm not sure that there is a real issue yet with the transfer portal)
To me it seems NIL is the major problematic TBD, and the transfer portal just is what it is. For the same reason I think the NFL draft requirement (the de facto age discrimination part) is BS, so really are most of any ncaa transfer restrictions, outside the lines of the regular season of course.
Second transfer usually won't happen often, but at least it should lead to better stability and better roster planning.
The NIL and the transfer portal are almost different animals entirely, except of course in the specific marquee instances where they overlap (Caleb Williams/ Jordan Addison/pursuit of Drake Maye).
It’s no surprise that the schools that were likely paying players illegally have hit the ground running with the NIL. It’s put the have’s (elites like most SEC/tOSU/USC) even further ahead of the have-nots (academic schools like Cal/Furd/N’western/Vandy), almost to the point that they’re hardly even swimming in the same pool.
Tough to see how schools that truly value academics can realistically compete, at least not for the CFP.
Players can grad transfer so they'll often have a de facto 2nd transfer regardless.
That’s a good one, JB.
Thanks. I will keep posting it everyday and maybe it will happen one day.
Great comment and 100% agree.
Arguably the biggest game changer in college football since the forward pass….
Very well stated.
I'm really sorry to see this news. Every time he returned a kickoff I thought of his proud Mom in the stands beaming, albeit with a bit of a chip on her shoulder (I've been there and I get it, Mama Hayes). Ashton is someone I hoped and expected to get more playing time in the backfield; he's just too dynamic not to see the field ESPECIALLY in a more spread Spav-offense. While Kai is a higher priority, I hope the Cal staff leans on Ashton to stick around, though I know that's really a longshot.
Good luck to you, young man! Your effort and dedication will pay off.
I would have thought in a Spav-offense he would have flourished as well. Sorry to see this kid go.
That’s unfortunate. Prob could compete for significant snaps next szn.
Man I am really starting to hate the portal. Might be best for the players, but it sucks for the fans. Sort of reminds me of when free agency started in baseball and the composition of the teams became continuously in flux.
As far as Ashton goes, I am not all that surprised based on the frustrated message we got from his mother early in the season. Honestly wish the young man would have stuck around. Ott is talented, for sure, but he's not a complete running back. He's fast and slippery, but can't really power his way through tackles. I think there was room for others in the RB corps, but I understand that he was looking up at two guys and wanted an opportunity to be the #1 back somewhere. Just sad that we don't get to see these guys progress through their career.
Hello, this is Ashton Hayes former RB at Cal. I just wanted to say that I have no communication with my mother. I just want to clear the air that she has been no part of my recruitment, commitment, or time playing in college. Anything she has discussed with you has nothing to do with where my head was at. I enjoyed my time at Cal, loved the school, teachers and staff. I just felt I needed to go somewhere with more opportunities. I don’t mind sharing this, but I must clear the air and say that nothing she said to you has anything to do what I was thinking or did. I would also like to add she has never been on my guest list for game attendance. I’m not sure what she stated but it has nothing to do with me. Thank you guys for being so supportive, it means a lot. I just don’t want any misinformation spreading. Thanks again and go bears!
Thanks for being a Bear Ashton and wishing you the best of luck on your future career and endeavors both on and off of the field.
No worries Ashton. We are sorry that you are moving on but fully understand and respect your decision. Best of luck to you where ever you land and you'll always be a Golden Bear! Roll on!
It sucks losing Hayes, but we upgraded with Cardwell. It sucks losing some LB's but we upgraded with the kid from Clemson. I would assert that we have actually benefited from the portal and the few players that we have picked up through it have been upgrades.
Why do you think it's an upgrade? Femi has produced. Sergio Allen could be really good and buried on a good team, or he could be a bust.
True. But Femi was never a great player for us...he had some good plays and not so good plays. Unless FUCLA has a real absence of talent at LB, I don't see him cracking into the starter role. He was ok, but he wasn't close to the player that Jackson Sirmon is...and I think our coaches do a real good job of evaluating Portal talent before offering schollies. Like I said, thus far all of our transfers have been upgrades, even if some didn't have great seasons (TJ Sessions - although I expect him to play MUCH better with a new o-line coach).
TJ Sessions was not that great, but the fact that no one beat him out was even more depressing. And Spencer Lovell was a downgrade for sure.
I thing Session's definitely has the athleticism to play the position, if he gets coached up. If Spencer Lovell was a downgrade then why did he start? He certainly was a slug, but if he started what does that say about our other guys and our depth? Or else McClure was just a shitty o-line coach who liked really big dudes, even if they were terrible. The latter is a real possibility.
Lovell was definitely a downgrade from Mettatuer. Don't you think so?
He started because there was nobody better than him which is just plain sad.
I don't have an expert eye for football evaluation but there was a significant dropoff when Femi was not on the field for a couple of games midseason whatever the reason of his absence was, and immediately saw impact plays when he returned to the field.
Losing Hayes is okay but losing Femi really sucks.
Please don't.
You can follow him but don't post his stats every week here.
He signed with Nevada.
He may not be a power back, but we just picked up Cardwell who will likely cut in front of Hayes.
The portal giveth and the portal taketh away.
This is rough for Cal as we have enough trouble getting good recruits already. Having them bolt after a season wastes the athletic department's time and resources. Without the lure of NIL money and high profile team status it's tough to see how Cal will be able to remain competitive in the future unless there is a renewed focus on the revenue sports.
The truth of the matter is that Cal has not been competitive for the past two seasons as other previously struggling teams in the conference like Oregon State, Washington State and UCLA have sped past them. I am truly fearful how good Stanford is going to become with Troy Taylor, and pretty much the same with a new head coach at Arizona State. I don't think Oregon State got this good this fast with the lure of NIL money. It comes down to head coaches with vision, unfortunately.
I read John Canzano's 2023 forecast post and he says neither Cal nor Stanford will be able to succeed in the Pac 12 anymore because of the changes in the CFB landscape.
I think Stanford will beat those low expectations. They have a nation wide recruiting base and thus can cast a wide net for great athletes who also study in school. Add in turn around artist TT, and I think they start winning again pretty soon.
Troy Taylor is dead to me. He crossed the red line and is seeking comfort in the tree. He shall now be referred to as Benedict Taylor. No Top Dog for you Benedict.
LOL. I am sure in his heart of hearts he wanted the Cal gig first. He will always occupy a special place in my football heart.
I think Stanford will be better than Cal rather quickly, most likely as soon as ‘23…just not sure TT is going to get Stanford in position to be competing for a P12 Championship game anytime soon.
But they’ll definitely be bowling sooner than Cal. Given the non-conference schedule over the next 5 years, plus his proven inability to win at the Conference level, it’s incredibly likely that Justin Wilcox will never earn another bowl bid as Cal’s Head Football Coach.
I think that's fairly accurate...and it should come as no surprise. The new landscape has more clearly defined the massive differences between the revenue and non-revenue sports...the NIL/transfer portal has really made a mockery of the "student-athlete" as it pertains to football, and Men's/Women's basketball. Cal and Stanford will ALWAYS put education first, and as such, the gap between the rest of the Conference will continue to grow until some semblance of reform arrives.
A new definition of "success" is probably needed, and it absolutely prioritizes coaching...for Cal, 6-6 and a lower bowl is probably the yearly ceiling of this program, at least with Wilcox. This program has zero chance of competing with UO, UW, UU, etc. for a Conference Championship with the current leadership in place, all the way to the top of the Department.
Mind you, I’d be stoked with 6-6 and yearly bowls - Sun/LV, etc. would be awesome. Think we should start scheduling 3 patsy’s in non-con once the Auburn/ UF run is done…
And line play, both sides, which has generally been poor under Wilcox…the dreadful O-line has definitely received most of the attention, but Cal’s D-line has largely been underwhelming the past 6 seasons. Injuries to Brett Johnson the last 2 have really hurt.