Now that V-Day Oregon is over, I have a few criticisms/comments:
1. For a team that wants a run-first identity, we aren't really that good at running the ball. 47 carries for 88 yards, for an average of 1.9 is bleak. We do cycle through a lot of backs but they went: Dancy (5 carries / 34 yards / 6.8 average). Damian Moore (12/26/2.2), Bradrick Shaw (6/14/2.3), Chris Brown (9/14/1.9). The only big-play back seems to be Garbers on a scramble.
2. What happened to the mid-range passing game? Everything seems like it is 5 yards or shorter, with the occasional 20+ yard attempt. The 8-15 yard pass seems to have disappeared.
3A. I know the Defense came up big in the second half with the shut out, but I felt they left a few turnovers on the board. Midway through the third Shough looked like he was ready for some turnovers, and Bynum had a chance at a pick, Goode had a chance at a pick deep in Oregon territory.
3B. It was nice to see the Defense lay the hurt on Shough, and punish him for running. He did look worn down by the end of the game.
4. What was with kickoffs suddenly barely getting past the 15 yard line? Usually the ball goes inside the 5 or into the end zone, but twice we struggled to get the ball past the 15. I wonder if there was an injury, which is why Wilcox was reluctant to kick on 4th down.
5. Cal is really missing DJ Rogers. I know there are reasons for why he didn't join the team, but
Cal could certainly use an athletic pass-catching tight end.
1 Our RB situation is like the Rams or the Patriots. We don't know which RB ends up getting the most carries or yards each week. They are all average to good, but we could say they are all mediocre to average.
#1, Cal just doesn't have a very good offensive line. In this game, Cal decided to start guys that haven't practiced or played in 2 weeks. A poor decision IMO because the guys they replaced were playing well and likely were getting into a rhythm. Four games in, it is clear that the unit with the most experience is the weakest unit on the team. This has been true for several years now. Cal won't achieve the offensive success they seek until they improve DRASTICALLY on the OL.
By contrast look at how the DL has performed with a skeleton crew.
With 4 returning starters, O-line was considered a strength of the team. If we don't have a very good offensive line, then we don't have a very good team. 1-3 says we don't.
It seems like given the fact that the underclassmen O-line have some experience we could rotate guys in more frequently to stay fresh. Also, keep in mind that patchwork O-line enabled us to rush for 220 yards last week, whereas the "old guard" O-line of yesterday only enabled 88 yards, and longest gain was Garbers' 21-yard scramble.
I think Oregon already has some blue chip QB recruits waiting in the wings to replace Shough. I think the announcers were hell bent on hyping him up and it wasn't really matching what I was seeing on the field.
Shough is the highest rated QB in the conference and has almost 10 yds/att. Of all the Oregon QBs, Shough was the highest rated in high school (his 247 composite is quite a bit higher than Jared Goff's was). Seems like Shough is doing just fine, especially for a first-time starter in the most Twilight Zone of seasons.
Also, re: Goff, I've never actually put any consideration into his HS rankings since he was a done deal Cal legacy. I recall thinking (knowing?) Zach Kline was rated higher than Goff out of HS and thought he was gonna be the next A-A-Ron Rogers at the time, and thus considered Goff even less.
Fair enough. I might've been influenced by reading some Ducks fans calling for him to be benched (for what that's worth). Incoming recruit Ty Thompson is rated higher though and presumably with be applying some pressure next year.
Nice win, and a great example of the razor thin margin for error Cal has displayed in the Wilcox era. The team is competitive in almost all of their games, despite the very likely HC edict that Offensive Coordinators basically “turtle it down, vanilla-style” with a lead.
That said, against both OSU & Stanford, if we make literally 1 more play in each, we win. We actually made those plays v. an overrated Oregon squad, so there ya go...it's ALWAYS nice to beat the Ducks, tho.
Good win... the Wilcox era at Cal will likely be brought to you by the folks that make Pepcid. Go Bears!
Going right down to the wire is de rigueur for Wilcox-era Cal teams. Unfortunately this tendency can lead to unfavorable outcomes, e.g. the OSU and Stanford gams. Without the turnovers and mistakes we would have won both of those games and would be 3-1 and in the driver's seat for the North title.
With dykes I was just as stressed out, even with a big lead. Remember giving up 36 to Arizona in the 4th quarter? Wilcox’s teams just have a more traditional definition of going down to the wire.
He explained in the post game interview that it was a bunch of factors, blah, blah, blah and in hindsight it wasn't the right call, blah blah blah. He didn't say anything revealing of anything. He never does!
Now that V-Day Oregon is over, I have a few criticisms/comments:
1. For a team that wants a run-first identity, we aren't really that good at running the ball. 47 carries for 88 yards, for an average of 1.9 is bleak. We do cycle through a lot of backs but they went: Dancy (5 carries / 34 yards / 6.8 average). Damian Moore (12/26/2.2), Bradrick Shaw (6/14/2.3), Chris Brown (9/14/1.9). The only big-play back seems to be Garbers on a scramble.
2. What happened to the mid-range passing game? Everything seems like it is 5 yards or shorter, with the occasional 20+ yard attempt. The 8-15 yard pass seems to have disappeared.
3A. I know the Defense came up big in the second half with the shut out, but I felt they left a few turnovers on the board. Midway through the third Shough looked like he was ready for some turnovers, and Bynum had a chance at a pick, Goode had a chance at a pick deep in Oregon territory.
3B. It was nice to see the Defense lay the hurt on Shough, and punish him for running. He did look worn down by the end of the game.
4. What was with kickoffs suddenly barely getting past the 15 yard line? Usually the ball goes inside the 5 or into the end zone, but twice we struggled to get the ball past the 15. I wonder if there was an injury, which is why Wilcox was reluctant to kick on 4th down.
5. Cal is really missing DJ Rogers. I know there are reasons for why he didn't join the team, but
Cal could certainly use an athletic pass-catching tight end.
1 Our RB situation is like the Rams or the Patriots. We don't know which RB ends up getting the most carries or yards each week. They are all average to good, but we could say they are all mediocre to average.
#1, Cal just doesn't have a very good offensive line. In this game, Cal decided to start guys that haven't practiced or played in 2 weeks. A poor decision IMO because the guys they replaced were playing well and likely were getting into a rhythm. Four games in, it is clear that the unit with the most experience is the weakest unit on the team. This has been true for several years now. Cal won't achieve the offensive success they seek until they improve DRASTICALLY on the OL.
By contrast look at how the DL has performed with a skeleton crew.
#4 Our KO kicker was out of the game.
# 5 How can you miss something you never had?
With 4 returning starters, O-line was considered a strength of the team. If we don't have a very good offensive line, then we don't have a very good team. 1-3 says we don't.
It seems like given the fact that the underclassmen O-line have some experience we could rotate guys in more frequently to stay fresh. Also, keep in mind that patchwork O-line enabled us to rush for 220 yards last week, whereas the "old guard" O-line of yesterday only enabled 88 yards, and longest gain was Garbers' 21-yard scramble.
Yes exactly my point re: patchwork v old guard. Start the youngins damnit!!
Tonges is OK, not great though.
All of our TE's are OK....interchangeable really. But none are playmakers...this type of O could really use a playmaker at TE.
I think Oregon already has some blue chip QB recruits waiting in the wings to replace Shough. I think the announcers were hell bent on hyping him up and it wasn't really matching what I was seeing on the field.
Shough is the highest rated QB in the conference and has almost 10 yds/att. Of all the Oregon QBs, Shough was the highest rated in high school (his 247 composite is quite a bit higher than Jared Goff's was). Seems like Shough is doing just fine, especially for a first-time starter in the most Twilight Zone of seasons.
Also, re: Goff, I've never actually put any consideration into his HS rankings since he was a done deal Cal legacy. I recall thinking (knowing?) Zach Kline was rated higher than Goff out of HS and thought he was gonna be the next A-A-Ron Rogers at the time, and thus considered Goff even less.
Fair enough. I might've been influenced by reading some Ducks fans calling for him to be benched (for what that's worth). Incoming recruit Ty Thompson is rated higher though and presumably with be applying some pressure next year.
Nearly full-strength Bears are a lot better than out-due-to-COVID Bears. Great win, GO BEARS!
Nice win, and a great example of the razor thin margin for error Cal has displayed in the Wilcox era. The team is competitive in almost all of their games, despite the very likely HC edict that Offensive Coordinators basically “turtle it down, vanilla-style” with a lead.
That said, against both OSU & Stanford, if we make literally 1 more play in each, we win. We actually made those plays v. an overrated Oregon squad, so there ya go...it's ALWAYS nice to beat the Ducks, tho.
Good win... the Wilcox era at Cal will likely be brought to you by the folks that make Pepcid. Go Bears!
Going right down to the wire is de rigueur for Wilcox-era Cal teams. Unfortunately this tendency can lead to unfavorable outcomes, e.g. the OSU and Stanford gams. Without the turnovers and mistakes we would have won both of those games and would be 3-1 and in the driver's seat for the North title.
With dykes I was just as stressed out, even with a big lead. Remember giving up 36 to Arizona in the 4th quarter? Wilcox’s teams just have a more traditional definition of going down to the wire.
True...but with Dykes, the defense was broken - that was a systemic problem. This seems like a conscious decision by the, which is worse, IMO.
Great win for the Bears!
THAT’S what I’m talking about!
He explained in the post game interview that it was a bunch of factors, blah, blah, blah and in hindsight it wasn't the right call, blah blah blah. He didn't say anything revealing of anything. He never does!
I just think the chance for a block, and lack of faith in the special teams led to that decision.