My main concern and I’ve been saying this from the beginning of the year is how many starters/impact players are injured. I’m not sure the severity of our running back injuries or wide receivers but CAL is going to need all hands on deck week in and week out in the fall if they even remotely want to remain remotely competitive against the pac 12. Injuries are part of the sport but it seems every year Cal hits the injury bug most severely. Hopefully we’re relatively healthy to start the season but getting those guys back will be critical…especially given the new offensive system. Reps are valuable
Hopefully we won't have any surprise departures from our 2-deep. I know WR, QB, and OL are positions that are specifically being recruited but, really, it's more of a top-5 list with OL taking spots 1-3. I have more faith in this offensive coaching staff than the previous one to identify and address the issue but it's a tough business these days.
Cal isn't going to last the season with two quarterbacks, one of whom will be staring down injury every times he he bolts from the pocket. So it will be intriguing to see who the Bears pick up this summer. Auburn is looking hard at Chance Nolan, and I think Cal should be doing the same to keep a California boy on the West Coast. He had 15 games under his belt at OSU and showed pocket presence and the ability to run when needed. He was injured mid season last year, but in 2021 he was the fourth highest rated QB in the Pac 12 and had a better season than Chase Garbers. I don't think Cal is going to get an impact QB because the word is out that Jackson has already won the job.
While the showcase was just that a show, it is concerning how Jackson plays. He seems to have a habit of leaping and throwing, this will not end well in a live game. Additionally, the OL did not look good against a DL that lacked a lot of starters. It appears that Jackson will be running a lot, which is going to be tough on him over the course of the season.
Seems like more team speed on both sides of the ball this year. The defense looks aggressive, more like pre covid seasons. New system, new players, new coaches. It is intriguing because we really do have the possibility of being a better, more exciting team, that is fun to watch and scores lots of points. The O line has work to do.
Spav builds his offenses around his personnel. To that end he has said that all he has installed this Spring is his base offense because he has been evaluating players. His system is pretty easy to understand and execute in the run game but the passing game takes a lot of reps. Both Jackson and Mendoza are going to need to work a LOT with their receivers this summer to start building chemistry that they will need to be effective in Spav's system. The more detailed install with twists and different looks will be installed in the Fall and it's why I said it will take three games for our sturdy Golden bears to really start figuring things out. But it should be fun!
Just because we don't have it all figured out in those first three games does not mean we can't win them, it just means we won't be running like a well oiled machine. I've read that Auburn has QB issues. Good. That's YUGE for us.
Well said and thank you. I agree with your conclusions. It's a case of finding hope where you can find hope. I've proven to myself that I absolutely suck at predicting how Cal will perform year to year. Thus, it's just a Go Bears! and hope for the best.
It doesn't really matter if they publish only two deep. It's not like 3rd string and below don't exist. Coaches know who they are and that's what it matters. Just because we don't know who they are doesn't mean we only have two deep players.
It doesn't make a difference if they publish two deep or three deep. When anyone on the two deep get injured, the next man up plays. It's not like NFL where you need to "activate" a player from the scout team. Third stringers and fourth stringers will already be on the roster, whether they will be listed on the depth chart or not.
My main concern and I’ve been saying this from the beginning of the year is how many starters/impact players are injured. I’m not sure the severity of our running back injuries or wide receivers but CAL is going to need all hands on deck week in and week out in the fall if they even remotely want to remain remotely competitive against the pac 12. Injuries are part of the sport but it seems every year Cal hits the injury bug most severely. Hopefully we’re relatively healthy to start the season but getting those guys back will be critical…especially given the new offensive system. Reps are valuable
"The Cal quarterback battle is not over?"
It appears all indication has SJV as the #1 and has practiced and scrimmaged with the 1's and FM with the 2's.
Hopefully we won't have any surprise departures from our 2-deep. I know WR, QB, and OL are positions that are specifically being recruited but, really, it's more of a top-5 list with OL taking spots 1-3. I have more faith in this offensive coaching staff than the previous one to identify and address the issue but it's a tough business these days.
Nicely done! Candid, insightful and, where there are no firm conclusion to be drawn, doesn’t draw any! Thank you.
Cal isn't going to last the season with two quarterbacks, one of whom will be staring down injury every times he he bolts from the pocket. So it will be intriguing to see who the Bears pick up this summer. Auburn is looking hard at Chance Nolan, and I think Cal should be doing the same to keep a California boy on the West Coast. He had 15 games under his belt at OSU and showed pocket presence and the ability to run when needed. He was injured mid season last year, but in 2021 he was the fourth highest rated QB in the Pac 12 and had a better season than Chase Garbers. I don't think Cal is going to get an impact QB because the word is out that Jackson has already won the job.
While the showcase was just that a show, it is concerning how Jackson plays. He seems to have a habit of leaping and throwing, this will not end well in a live game. Additionally, the OL did not look good against a DL that lacked a lot of starters. It appears that Jackson will be running a lot, which is going to be tough on him over the course of the season.
Seems like more team speed on both sides of the ball this year. The defense looks aggressive, more like pre covid seasons. New system, new players, new coaches. It is intriguing because we really do have the possibility of being a better, more exciting team, that is fun to watch and scores lots of points. The O line has work to do.
Spav builds his offenses around his personnel. To that end he has said that all he has installed this Spring is his base offense because he has been evaluating players. His system is pretty easy to understand and execute in the run game but the passing game takes a lot of reps. Both Jackson and Mendoza are going to need to work a LOT with their receivers this summer to start building chemistry that they will need to be effective in Spav's system. The more detailed install with twists and different looks will be installed in the Fall and it's why I said it will take three games for our sturdy Golden bears to really start figuring things out. But it should be fun!
We're gonna need it to happen in 1 because I cannot stand losing to a Freeze-led Auburn.
Just because we don't have it all figured out in those first three games does not mean we can't win them, it just means we won't be running like a well oiled machine. I've read that Auburn has QB issues. Good. That's YUGE for us.
Thanks
Great write-up. By Fall we will see where the chips lay. As usual I have donned my Blue and Gold colored glasses.
Well said and thank you. I agree with your conclusions. It's a case of finding hope where you can find hope. I've proven to myself that I absolutely suck at predicting how Cal will perform year to year. Thus, it's just a Go Bears! and hope for the best.
Thanks Avi! I think you nailed it, as usual. But as I said elsewhere, hope "Springs" eternal. Go Bears!
Didn't they discover Hopium at the cyclotron on the hill above Strawberry Canyon? It's a CAL thing. ;-)
All I know is that they didn't discover it at Stanfurd.
It doesn't really matter if they publish only two deep. It's not like 3rd string and below don't exist. Coaches know who they are and that's what it matters. Just because we don't know who they are doesn't mean we only have two deep players.
It doesn't make a difference if they publish two deep or three deep. When anyone on the two deep get injured, the next man up plays. It's not like NFL where you need to "activate" a player from the scout team. Third stringers and fourth stringers will already be on the roster, whether they will be listed on the depth chart or not.
Then just look at the roster on Calbears.com. it shows every player that is on Cal roster and you can check out how much experience each player has.
Depth chart doesn't show stats either