Why I would normally agree with you, I honestly do not believe that a 2-10 finish would result in Wilcox being fired. His buyout is an albatross for Cal.
I am no Wilcox fan at all but I seem to remember people were in favor of keeping Wilcox because he had shown consistent improvement in the program and wins, going from 5 to 6 to 7 wins and was bringing back a very experienced and senior team in 2020.
While people weren’t happy with the 5-7 season, they were willing to overlook it partly due to Covid issues. I believe most people wanted to retain him and give him an extension but everyone agreed they the extension should be short, maybe 1-2 additional years and it should have a buyout that was Cal friendly. Unfortunately, Knowlton negotiated a Saban level extension and buyout for a coach who it turns out is not very good.
Did you just happen to completely forget about the last decade before Lincoln Riley? They employed Clay Helton for 6 seasons. He took rosters full of 5-star recruits and still turned in losing seasons. They were forced to vacate their national championship due to NCAA violations, among other punishments, for cheating in football, men's basketball, and for some reason also women's tennis. They *just* had a huge admissions bribery scandal a few years ago.
But yeah, sure, USC is who we should model our administration after.
Great work, looking forward to the defense analysis. I envy their special teams play. Feels like a 50/50 game this Saturday; the spread seems high. The weather will be perfect for football and yelling.
Recognize also that Dillingham was outcoached in the 2nd halves the last three weeks by Gundy, Tedford and Riley. I hope we can adjust in-game to create some separation. I watched a lot of that Ok St / ASU game and ASU has some exceptional perimeter players on offense but didn't seem like they could sustain a 75 yard drive without penalty help.
I still can’t believe that he not only hired Baldwin to be his OC but also turns over all play calling duties to him. At least, unlike Wilcox he quickly realized his mistake and took play calling away from Baldwin.
As a die hard ASU fan who's watched pretty much every game since 2005, I'd say this is the best summation of ASU I've seen from another school. Well done. IMO Bourguet is the best QB on the team and especially the best equipped to handle the ~7 injuries we have on the o-line. You'll see a different ASU offense this week. I apologize in advance.
"If Cal terminates Wilcox without cause at the conclusion of the first year it must pay him $3.6 million. That buyout increases to $3.75 million in 2023, $3.9 million in 2024, $4.05 million in 2025 and $4.2 million in 2026."
I understand that each remaining year is additive. What you're actually referring to is "duty to mitigate," i.e., he has to look for a job. The specific text says "shall be offset dollar for dollar" so every dollar he makes as a HC, DC, or whatever, will offset Cal's payment. There's also anti-shenanigans language so he can't just structure his new job payments to start after Cal finishes their payments.
We could probably find someone with that name to coach at the offered salary. He just wouldn't know anything about coaching football. So basically perfect for Cal Berkeley.
Pyne will likely enter the portal because Rashada is the QB of the future. Doubt Rashada will enter the portal because he's already been through a lot with that, his dad played football at ASU, and he's had a relationship with Dillingham for years. Dillingham is somewhat of a QB whisperer and I think Rashada knows he's got a bright future at ASU where the sky is the limit.
Yeah that helped too but I think Bourguet is the only QB we have that can quickly read defenses and quickly get the ball into the playmakers' hands. He's also got a connection with Conyers and Badger already and both of them are hard to cover and bring down.
Well, no Bear in their right mind is thinking this is "our" game. I'd bet against the spread in a minute. I think we have a struggle ahead. ASU is often a sleeper/spoiler flying under the radar. Best of luck to you, after our game 😉, and, of course, in the Big 12.
BTW- Rashada has East Bay ties, as well, as ASU. Hew grew up just over the hill from Berkeley.
Haha likewise! And any ASU fan knows it stands for "Always Something University" so no matter how confident I am in my logical analysis I always have that fear in the back of my mind. I don't know much about Cal's football team this year either. Should be a good game!
BTW- I think the charge about Herm Edwards is just virtue-signaling BS.
"Per TheAthletic.com, the investigation arises from allegations that Edwards hosted recruits during the 15-month, no-contact period during the COVID-19 pandemic."
I am shocked at this spread. Perhaps this will be this seasons Arizona game? Weren’t we also largely favored to win that game and we did in fact dominate that game.
Even if we win, as we’re supposed to, it will be a somewhat hollow victory because as these 4 games in ‘23 have definitively proven, Justin Wilcox is not a P5 caliber head coach. He’s simply lost, with the messy QB situation just the latest example.
Good dude with character and integrity? Absolutely. But there’s really no hope of anything more than a yearly struggle of rock fights to get to 6 wins for a middling bowl…and while we’d take that in a heartbeat, it’s really no pathway to national relevancy, which is literally the most important factor right now.
I agree about SC sleep walking and playing sloppy. I turned off the Cal game and watched the SC game and SC seemed mostly in charge but kept making silly mistakes and unforced errors to keep it close.
Terrific Read! Many Thanks.
We should tank... so there is no excuse to retain this coaching regime.
Why I would normally agree with you, I honestly do not believe that a 2-10 finish would result in Wilcox being fired. His buyout is an albatross for Cal.
You’re 100% right… but a boy can dream
Check out the big brain on Brad.
Maybe you should be the best Cal AD.
I am no Wilcox fan at all but I seem to remember people were in favor of keeping Wilcox because he had shown consistent improvement in the program and wins, going from 5 to 6 to 7 wins and was bringing back a very experienced and senior team in 2020.
While people weren’t happy with the 5-7 season, they were willing to overlook it partly due to Covid issues. I believe most people wanted to retain him and give him an extension but everyone agreed they the extension should be short, maybe 1-2 additional years and it should have a buyout that was Cal friendly. Unfortunately, Knowlton negotiated a Saban level extension and buyout for a coach who it turns out is not very good.
Did you just happen to completely forget about the last decade before Lincoln Riley? They employed Clay Helton for 6 seasons. He took rosters full of 5-star recruits and still turned in losing seasons. They were forced to vacate their national championship due to NCAA violations, among other punishments, for cheating in football, men's basketball, and for some reason also women's tennis. They *just* had a huge admissions bribery scandal a few years ago.
But yeah, sure, USC is who we should model our administration after.
Great work, looking forward to the defense analysis. I envy their special teams play. Feels like a 50/50 game this Saturday; the spread seems high. The weather will be perfect for football and yelling.
Recognize also that Dillingham was outcoached in the 2nd halves the last three weeks by Gundy, Tedford and Riley. I hope we can adjust in-game to create some separation. I watched a lot of that Ok St / ASU game and ASU has some exceptional perimeter players on offense but didn't seem like they could sustain a 75 yard drive without penalty help.
I still can’t believe that he not only hired Baldwin to be his OC but also turns over all play calling duties to him. At least, unlike Wilcox he quickly realized his mistake and took play calling away from Baldwin.
Dillingham took over playcalling last week I believe.
That is correct.
Baldwin probably took his thick playbook to the interview.
How TF can you expect college kids to master that…ridiculous.
Thanks. Yep, a great read.....and somehow disturbing too.
As a die hard ASU fan who's watched pretty much every game since 2005, I'd say this is the best summation of ASU I've seen from another school. Well done. IMO Bourguet is the best QB on the team and especially the best equipped to handle the ~7 injuries we have on the o-line. You'll see a different ASU offense this week. I apologize in advance.
Wonderful work. Thank you.
Open question:
May someone explain how the buyout would work? Is it like alimony, if he’s hired elsewhere, we don’t owe him?
According to Faraudo:
"If Cal terminates Wilcox without cause at the conclusion of the first year it must pay him $3.6 million. That buyout increases to $3.75 million in 2023, $3.9 million in 2024, $4.05 million in 2025 and $4.2 million in 2026."
I understand that each remaining year is additive. What you're actually referring to is "duty to mitigate," i.e., he has to look for a job. The specific text says "shall be offset dollar for dollar" so every dollar he makes as a HC, DC, or whatever, will offset Cal's payment. There's also anti-shenanigans language so he can't just structure his new job payments to start after Cal finishes their payments.
Sources:
https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/wilcox-contract-details
https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/111309
Thank you.
I am pretty sure Wilcox will not score this level of pay, but, Hell, he's a decent DC.
I asked my son who our next coach should be and he said, "Andy Reid."
It works, kind of linke Andy Smith 2.0.
You heard it, here, first, Bears.
We could probably find someone with that name to coach at the offered salary. He just wouldn't know anything about coaching football. So basically perfect for Cal Berkeley.
LOL TypiCAL ©️BobR 2020
There's some fun speculation on Ron Rivera.
Great job, Chris. Now I'm really worried, even though I was before.
Dillingham's play calling is likely how they were competitive with $C.
Any chance Bourget, Rashada, and some other ASU players will be in the Portal come December?
Yeah, I have a bad feeling about this.
Lots of former players and staff spoiling to be avenged and, not to mention, a whole program looking to regain its footing.
*Wonders if Rashada comes to us Junior or Senior years.
Why would he do that?
ESPN east coast-to-coast exposure.
Mild-mannered coaching.... oh, wait, you were asking rhetorically, huh?
There will be plenty of noon kickoff games for the new Big12
3:00P.M. Eastern, perfect for me.
Actually, no.
I’m stymied coming up with reasons Anybody would transfer here. : (
Yeah, it's sketchy.
We need some serious change and not just coaching.
Pyne will likely enter the portal because Rashada is the QB of the future. Doubt Rashada will enter the portal because he's already been through a lot with that, his dad played football at ASU, and he's had a relationship with Dillingham for years. Dillingham is somewhat of a QB whisperer and I think Rashada knows he's got a bright future at ASU where the sky is the limit.
Perhaps, now, since Dillingham has awakened to the shortcomings of Coach Baldwin.
Yeah that helped too but I think Bourguet is the only QB we have that can quickly read defenses and quickly get the ball into the playmakers' hands. He's also got a connection with Conyers and Badger already and both of them are hard to cover and bring down.
Well, no Bear in their right mind is thinking this is "our" game. I'd bet against the spread in a minute. I think we have a struggle ahead. ASU is often a sleeper/spoiler flying under the radar. Best of luck to you, after our game 😉, and, of course, in the Big 12.
BTW- Rashada has East Bay ties, as well, as ASU. Hew grew up just over the hill from Berkeley.
Haha likewise! And any ASU fan knows it stands for "Always Something University" so no matter how confident I am in my logical analysis I always have that fear in the back of my mind. I don't know much about Cal's football team this year either. Should be a good game!
Many of us say, "Because Cal" or "TypiCAL"©️Bob R 2020
Cheers.
BTW- I think the charge about Herm Edwards is just virtue-signaling BS.
"Per TheAthletic.com, the investigation arises from allegations that Edwards hosted recruits during the 15-month, no-contact period during the COVID-19 pandemic."
Just happy that Cal fans enjoy reading my articles. Thanks.
Don't buy it.
It will come down to a FG- Longhetto's Revenge.
I am shocked at this spread. Perhaps this will be this seasons Arizona game? Weren’t we also largely favored to win that game and we did in fact dominate that game.
Even if we win, as we’re supposed to, it will be a somewhat hollow victory because as these 4 games in ‘23 have definitively proven, Justin Wilcox is not a P5 caliber head coach. He’s simply lost, with the messy QB situation just the latest example.
Good dude with character and integrity? Absolutely. But there’s really no hope of anything more than a yearly struggle of rock fights to get to 6 wins for a middling bowl…and while we’d take that in a heartbeat, it’s really no pathway to national relevancy, which is literally the most important factor right now.
$C probably sleep-walked into the game ready to do a 3/4 speed practice.
But, shoot, I think we have a challenge ahead. This game is more of a fifty-fifty.
I agree about SC sleep walking and playing sloppy. I turned off the Cal game and watched the SC game and SC seemed mostly in charge but kept making silly mistakes and unforced errors to keep it close.
If we lose to ASU, Wilcox likely reaches lame-duck status.
Lame duck implies you will be fired at the end of the season. He might have the longest lame duck status in CFB history.
Yup. He’s gonna be employed for at least another 20 f-ing games, but make no mistake - he’s been lame duck since Auburn, no pun intended.
With the ultimate punch in the face following a loss to Taylor’s Furd and, just like that, we’re a 2 win season.
Rival games are unpredictable, but here's hoping.
Not sure what a 3-4 win season does for us, except make our coach decisions more certain.