Musgrave and McClure must go! Wilcox needs to set aside friendships and do what's best for the program and his tenure at Cal. A young OC with innovative ideas is needed to take advantage of the young offensive talent we have and to exploit the aggressive Pac-12 defenses. Otherwise, these young men might be looking to go elsewhere. McClure has worn out his welcome here. Next man up. It's the BYE week. Do something now, Wilcox!!!
Recruiting OL is very difficult because of the development that happens in the first 1-2 years. Vatikani looks to be a win, but otherwise...? Its been 6 years. Whatever deficiencies exist are on the coaching staff.
So, we're at 1:10 left in the 1st half, and it's 2nd and 1, and the scoreboard says 7-3 Wazzu, right? Remember this down? You've got the Pac12 Freshman of the Week in the backfield. You only need 1 yard to cross the 50-yd line and get a 1st down. So, if you're Cal, what should you do? Throw it downfield, of course... ;(
Yes. I keep trying to think of time when the obvious was obvious... early Tedford? Mariucci? Gilbertson? Snyder? Not Sonny. Definitely not Holmoe. My dog was sleeping and said "Give it to Ott." <sigh>
I think the play of the day that summarized our offensive/play calling ineptitude was the reverse attempt. Nobody blocked or was assigned to block the defensive end and he ended up tackling the receiver for a 11 yard loss who had no chance to make a play.
Yes. That play happened in our side of the stadium, right in front of us, and it was painfully horrible. Poor Sturdivant got a face full of meat for his efforts, and looked stunned, as you would. To even try that play without the proper blocking is beyond bad.
I'm just home from the game (A great motorcycle ride across the entire State, from the pastoral Palouse to the Columbia and then up and over the Cascades, through every ecosystem, just amazing) and this synopsis captures my view of the game in Pullman. We couldn't protect to save our lives. We couldn't do anything over the middle or at mid-distance. We couldn't get enough pressure on Ward. But it's really on the offense. Hard to keep Pac12 teams below 28 points, but scoring 9 is pathetic. It was about the worst offensive performance I've seen from a team in a very long time. With no excuses.
I'm to a place where if Angus doesn't go, then Wilcox is not fit for our coach, and Musgrave too, as it's not just the line, but something about the play calling and execution, which is on him. No one can doubt that Sonny Dykes or Tedford with the right O line coach would be getting 40+ a game from this collection of talent. Our O line is big enough, strong enough and smart enough, so it's on coaching. Period. Goldarn it. Pisses me off. To have a team with this much potential pissed away by bad Oline play and play calling just deeply pisses me off.
At least I got a great motorcycle ride and camping on the Snake River out of it. Go Bears.
I've watched Cal football for decades. I have accepted the program is what it is. I watch the game because I support the kids. Lack luster performance I've watched before, but not pulling Plummer and later reinserting him made me cuss at the TV in a way I don't think I've done before, EVER. Players could get hurt, yes, but watching him take a couple of big hits, obviously limping, AND then fall down untouched, bleeding, AND be back on the field hurts me as a person. Now I don't know the whole story or the reasoning, but as a fan, I don't ever want to watch that sort of thing happen again.
I know he wasn't concussed, but given the Tua situation is on everyone's minds and we had no real chance to win, this seemed a particularly careless decision.
Completely agree on Tua, and neither Plummer nor Ott should’ve been in there late - that said, it looks like he scuffed up his knee…tackle football players should be able to play with a skinned knee…
Offense seems clueless about how to use TEs. Latu, Terry and Mojarro seem like good players but the play calling can’t get them involved in the passing game or allow them to help with pass protection.
I agree. To have such talented and capabler TE's and have them all of shit, is pathetic. They are neither making much dent in pass protection, nor are they tearing up the field with passes. We targeted Terry ONCE, and it bounced off his hands. How do you build confidence in a player if you leave him hanging with a fail?
Fantastic write up and a great therapeutic read for the stages of grief we’re going through post game.
If Wilcox should get mad at anyone, it should start with himself.
The Coach is responsible for recruiting and developing players.
I can see if the players have a lapse here and there and get chewed out, but these issues have been with us over the past 6 years.
It’s gotten old and repetitive and I would normally checkout, but it is somewhat comforting to vent with like-minded people not because we don’t care. It’s quite the opposite.
This was beyond embarrassing. This was a unprecedented coaching disaster which honestly makes anyone question the competence and intelligence of our coaching staff. The defense did a decent job, but were exhausted out b/c of he offensive play .There were so many unbelievable bad plays called by the offensive, it made you wonder if Musgrave was trying to lose., ..Then again that might be giving him too much credit that he could actually execute a plan. ..It was obvious and scared playcalling, poor 3rd down playcalling, stupid playcalling (reverses). I mean, I just can't believe this is what Wilcox has put together after 5yrs. The goddamn chancellor and regents should be doing something about this...fire the AD to start.,then go down vthe line. We need new hungry talent... this level of mediocrity brings shame to our great university. It's sad for the kids, bc its not their fault.
As long as the administration doesn't care about the football program it doesn't matter who is AD or head coach.
The administration has been either hostile or indifferent to the football progrsm for the last 70 years. Changing the AD and the head coach is window dressing, nothing more.
It's now been six years of almost unwatchable football. It is time for a complete overhaul instead of tinkering with the OC and/or O-Line coaches. From the ND game, we saw that Gerald Alexander is still watching Cal football. Maybe he would leave the NFL for a head coaching position? I would even have preferred if Wilcox (who does seem like a good person) would have taken the Oregon job and we could have tried Tedford 2.0.
There is no way Tedford would be allowed back nor should we want him back, except for sentimental reasons, if I understand right.
1. His APR was abysmal.
2. The secret stance that Cal should never be a football "factory" (read factor; read national contender) ever again. I could feel the university snobs' nerves fraying when Cal was moments away from being ranked #1, remember that?
3. Tedford had his downslide and had "peaked" as a D1 coach. His seasons were not so good towards the end. Have you seen Fresno State's record this year?
I mean, I had hoped Wilcox would be Tedford 2.0, but you can't win on Defense alone anymore than Sonny Dykes could win on Offense alone. Now, if only we could clone a combination of Dykes and Wilcox....
*starts dreaming as Bear fans perpetually do. ZZZzzzzz
Don’t disagree that rehiring Tedford would have been problematic but I would absolutely prefer him over Wilcox at this point (and would prefer Alexander over both).
Welp, that's just one of several obstacles or considerations for his return. Personally, yes, I think he's one of our best ever and a sentimental favorite.
I watched part of that game and it reminded me of the Cal @ Maryland game where Cal seemed unable to wake up until the 3rd quarter. Fresno could NOT get going the first half at all.
One last thought (of the many agonizing ones made by others): This whole "win-by-transfer-portal" thing is *not* for the Bears. As if it ever could be. Why not go ahead, make the tough call: bench Plummer, and get Millner out there with a rolling pocket scheme. Let him and the very young OL take their lumps in 2022 in anticipation of 2023. The game will slow down for everyone involved and they will get used to each other: Use 2022 as an extended practice season to develop experience. I hate writing this and the following: but this approach also gives JW time to consider other folks for OC and the OL coach...
What you are saying makes a lot of sense. Plummer is not going to be the future, whereas Millner and Mendoza are. We need a shake-up and some innovative thinking to ride out the storms of this season.
Oh, I want to win, and agree that Plummer gives us the best chance to win. No argument from me. I just wonder if that commitment — one that I expect will prevail barring some injury to JP — will continue to set back (or delay) Millner's development. Mendoza, too.
Musgrave and McClure must go! Wilcox needs to set aside friendships and do what's best for the program and his tenure at Cal. A young OC with innovative ideas is needed to take advantage of the young offensive talent we have and to exploit the aggressive Pac-12 defenses. Otherwise, these young men might be looking to go elsewhere. McClure has worn out his welcome here. Next man up. It's the BYE week. Do something now, Wilcox!!!
Recruiting OL is very difficult because of the development that happens in the first 1-2 years. Vatikani looks to be a win, but otherwise...? Its been 6 years. Whatever deficiencies exist are on the coaching staff.
Thank you Avi. Great write-up, albeit disheartening.
So, we're at 1:10 left in the 1st half, and it's 2nd and 1, and the scoreboard says 7-3 Wazzu, right? Remember this down? You've got the Pac12 Freshman of the Week in the backfield. You only need 1 yard to cross the 50-yd line and get a 1st down. So, if you're Cal, what should you do? Throw it downfield, of course... ;(
I was ambivalent on Musgrave but that series did it for me, he needs to go.
Yes. I keep trying to think of time when the obvious was obvious... early Tedford? Mariucci? Gilbertson? Snyder? Not Sonny. Definitely not Holmoe. My dog was sleeping and said "Give it to Ott." <sigh>
I think the play of the day that summarized our offensive/play calling ineptitude was the reverse attempt. Nobody blocked or was assigned to block the defensive end and he ended up tackling the receiver for a 11 yard loss who had no chance to make a play.
Yes. That play happened in our side of the stadium, right in front of us, and it was painfully horrible. Poor Sturdivant got a face full of meat for his efforts, and looked stunned, as you would. To even try that play without the proper blocking is beyond bad.
I'm just home from the game (A great motorcycle ride across the entire State, from the pastoral Palouse to the Columbia and then up and over the Cascades, through every ecosystem, just amazing) and this synopsis captures my view of the game in Pullman. We couldn't protect to save our lives. We couldn't do anything over the middle or at mid-distance. We couldn't get enough pressure on Ward. But it's really on the offense. Hard to keep Pac12 teams below 28 points, but scoring 9 is pathetic. It was about the worst offensive performance I've seen from a team in a very long time. With no excuses.
I'm to a place where if Angus doesn't go, then Wilcox is not fit for our coach, and Musgrave too, as it's not just the line, but something about the play calling and execution, which is on him. No one can doubt that Sonny Dykes or Tedford with the right O line coach would be getting 40+ a game from this collection of talent. Our O line is big enough, strong enough and smart enough, so it's on coaching. Period. Goldarn it. Pisses me off. To have a team with this much potential pissed away by bad Oline play and play calling just deeply pisses me off.
At least I got a great motorcycle ride and camping on the Snake River out of it. Go Bears.
Agreed. Time to move on
Sounds like an awesome ride! Stay positive!
Frustrating and disappointing.
We should not be in this position in year 6.
Seems like we are on a long bridge to nowhere.
I've watched Cal football for decades. I have accepted the program is what it is. I watch the game because I support the kids. Lack luster performance I've watched before, but not pulling Plummer and later reinserting him made me cuss at the TV in a way I don't think I've done before, EVER. Players could get hurt, yes, but watching him take a couple of big hits, obviously limping, AND then fall down untouched, bleeding, AND be back on the field hurts me as a person. Now I don't know the whole story or the reasoning, but as a fan, I don't ever want to watch that sort of thing happen again.
I know he wasn't concussed, but given the Tua situation is on everyone's minds and we had no real chance to win, this seemed a particularly careless decision.
Completely agree on Tua, and neither Plummer nor Ott should’ve been in there late - that said, it looks like he scuffed up his knee…tackle football players should be able to play with a skinned knee…
Offense seems clueless about how to use TEs. Latu, Terry and Mojarro seem like good players but the play calling can’t get them involved in the passing game or allow them to help with pass protection.
I agree. To have such talented and capabler TE's and have them all of shit, is pathetic. They are neither making much dent in pass protection, nor are they tearing up the field with passes. We targeted Terry ONCE, and it bounced off his hands. How do you build confidence in a player if you leave him hanging with a fail?
Fantastic write up and a great therapeutic read for the stages of grief we’re going through post game.
If Wilcox should get mad at anyone, it should start with himself.
The Coach is responsible for recruiting and developing players.
I can see if the players have a lapse here and there and get chewed out, but these issues have been with us over the past 6 years.
It’s gotten old and repetitive and I would normally checkout, but it is somewhat comforting to vent with like-minded people not because we don’t care. It’s quite the opposite.
To about 95 percent of Power 5 programs Wilcox’s tenure would look like a disaster.
This was beyond embarrassing. This was a unprecedented coaching disaster which honestly makes anyone question the competence and intelligence of our coaching staff. The defense did a decent job, but were exhausted out b/c of he offensive play .There were so many unbelievable bad plays called by the offensive, it made you wonder if Musgrave was trying to lose., ..Then again that might be giving him too much credit that he could actually execute a plan. ..It was obvious and scared playcalling, poor 3rd down playcalling, stupid playcalling (reverses). I mean, I just can't believe this is what Wilcox has put together after 5yrs. The goddamn chancellor and regents should be doing something about this...fire the AD to start.,then go down vthe line. We need new hungry talent... this level of mediocrity brings shame to our great university. It's sad for the kids, bc its not their fault.
As long as the administration doesn't care about the football program it doesn't matter who is AD or head coach.
The administration has been either hostile or indifferent to the football progrsm for the last 70 years. Changing the AD and the head coach is window dressing, nothing more.
^^^^THIS!
It's now been six years of almost unwatchable football. It is time for a complete overhaul instead of tinkering with the OC and/or O-Line coaches. From the ND game, we saw that Gerald Alexander is still watching Cal football. Maybe he would leave the NFL for a head coaching position? I would even have preferred if Wilcox (who does seem like a good person) would have taken the Oregon job and we could have tried Tedford 2.0.
There is no way Tedford would be allowed back nor should we want him back, except for sentimental reasons, if I understand right.
1. His APR was abysmal.
2. The secret stance that Cal should never be a football "factory" (read factor; read national contender) ever again. I could feel the university snobs' nerves fraying when Cal was moments away from being ranked #1, remember that?
3. Tedford had his downslide and had "peaked" as a D1 coach. His seasons were not so good towards the end. Have you seen Fresno State's record this year?
I mean, I had hoped Wilcox would be Tedford 2.0, but you can't win on Defense alone anymore than Sonny Dykes could win on Offense alone. Now, if only we could clone a combination of Dykes and Wilcox....
*starts dreaming as Bear fans perpetually do. ZZZzzzzz
Don’t disagree that rehiring Tedford would have been problematic but I would absolutely prefer him over Wilcox at this point (and would prefer Alexander over both).
APR and grad rates are somewhat misleading…guys that transfer, or leave for the NFL, kill your numbers. Tedford had plenty of both.
Welp, that's just one of several obstacles or considerations for his return. Personally, yes, I think he's one of our best ever and a sentimental favorite.
And he had Fresno ranked in his first stint there.
They just lost to UConn. Do you know how bad UConn currently is? I do agree that he is a good coach for a MWC team.
That’s a bad loss, even after the cross country trip.
I watched part of that game and it reminded me of the Cal @ Maryland game where Cal seemed unable to wake up until the 3rd quarter. Fresno could NOT get going the first half at all.
Tedford 2.0 = Quinn Tedford?
LOL. He'd be a hungry Bear alright.
Anyone know if he is related to Tedford 1.0?
Cal football: it is what it is.
One last thought (of the many agonizing ones made by others): This whole "win-by-transfer-portal" thing is *not* for the Bears. As if it ever could be. Why not go ahead, make the tough call: bench Plummer, and get Millner out there with a rolling pocket scheme. Let him and the very young OL take their lumps in 2022 in anticipation of 2023. The game will slow down for everyone involved and they will get used to each other: Use 2022 as an extended practice season to develop experience. I hate writing this and the following: but this approach also gives JW time to consider other folks for OC and the OL coach...
Not making a bowl game in year 6 is a “rebuild” is not acceptable.
What you are saying makes a lot of sense. Plummer is not going to be the future, whereas Millner and Mendoza are. We need a shake-up and some innovative thinking to ride out the storms of this season.
I really don't think Milner is the answer. There are several worthy games to win still and Plummer gives us the best chance to win.
I agree.
Especially if he’s back next year…Musgrave needs to help him out schematically. The empty-backfield sets are ridiculous.
Wait did I just read Musgrave and next year in the same sentence??
As for next year, I meant Plummer, who apparently has another year of eligibility.
Musgrave needs to help him this year…IF Musgrave is back next year…….sigh.
Oh ok got it
Oh, I want to win, and agree that Plummer gives us the best chance to win. No argument from me. I just wonder if that commitment — one that I expect will prevail barring some injury to JP — will continue to set back (or delay) Millner's development. Mendoza, too.
Lots of pain in these comments. Hope we rebound in Colorado.
An awful loss before bye week means we are depressed for two weeks. The potential good is that we have two weeks so Wilcox can fire a coach.