We can all second guess the OC for play calling and it may have been that change was needed. However no matter who is calling the plays, the OL remains a weakness on this team, as it has been in recent years. JSK can only do so much if not enough time to throw the ball - although he seemed to manage better last year. The OL is only going to be fixed by building a stronger base and depth through recruiting, which is a strength of Tosh. Last week, I thought it was the Defense that was more disappointing than the Offense, in giving up big plays and 39 points to Las Vegas. VT and Wake Forest will be much tougher challenges. ACC sports writers had Cal pegged for 12th in the conference at the beginning of the year. That looks about right or even a bit optimistic at this point. It takes time to turn around a program that was stuck at .500, I am not expecting much better results this year. But hopefully next year we will be better and the year after more so, as our recruiting kicks in. At this point we need to trust the process. The hiring decisions are made.
I believe the offense will improve substantially with Coach McCann calling the plays & taking over the OC duties. He has a proven record. I also am hartened that RR & Tosh are making this change now instead of holding on to an approach that did not work.
The more I think about it the more I'm aggravated that we didn't retain Harsin and let him own the entire offense including all the staffing decisions on that side of the ball. (Other than the keep Rolo mandate). Dude's offense is a pretty thing with all the presnap motion (that the players handled well) and we just lacked the talent at WR+RB (aside from obvious O Line issues, that he could've further adjusted for). It was a clear offensive identity (as opposed to none whatsoever), and things would be very different right now.
Great point! The offense was working last year thanks to Harsin. And we've provided more talent to take it to the next level. But no, get a 1st time coach and install a complex pro offense. Get proven college coaches. Ugh.
Ron is not without blame though. I liken it to handing the car keys to your newly licensed 16 year old kid on the first day and letting them pack the car with their rowdy friends and drive off.
They should bring in a consultant to teach the WRs proper blocking technique. We had a decade of no blocking, but now it seems they are being taught how to block like linemen and the refs call holding differently for WRs out in space
I'm trying to remember who were our best blocking WRs. Probably someone that wasn't flashy and I don't remember but was probably doing a great job blocking and went unnoticed.
Of the notable receivers, I feel like Chad Hansen and Marvin Jones were good blockers. Maybe Stephen Anderson too.
Also during the spring camp videos of Tosh running around and giving pointers gallore to players on both offense and defense, my first thought was "Does he really know proper technique for every friggin position on the field, being a former Dlineman and dline coach?"
Tosh commented on one of the holding penalties on strong a few games back, saying he told him what he did was right (thumbs up) and he doesn't mind the aggressive penalty that might only get randomly called. Well, based on the "thumbs up" comment that's usually when a o lineman is engaged with the d lineman and is grabbing their chest plate area, typically by the actual pads since jersies are tight. That usually doesn't get called in the thick of O-Line scrums, but out in the open for receivers is pretty different and it's a different ref calling it.
My trust is in Ron (VERY QUALIFIED). Sometimes you have to let people step in the sh_t to get them to understand this is not the right thing to do. To bad for the entire team, this has to play out like this.
There is another positive from Ron’s interview I want to call out: Ron specifically asked everyone to relook the film and question why the action of throwing JKS into the ground after being tackled is not a penalty.
He is in the position to demand for official response and he is doing it. The play resulted in a concussed player - which is what the spirit of the rule was trying to prevent.
If the current ruling doesn’t allow ref to call a penalty - we need to relook at the ruling. Or the ref didn’t call it for whatever reason.
Win or lose - we don’t need more concussed players in football and we need to do our best to prevent the avoidable.
Yes: I immediately asked the same question at the time. Based on the rules now on protecting the QB, that was a blatant late hit, and it happened in slow motion right in front of all the refs. Cal got screwed on that no call, and the injury suffered by JKS was 100% the result of a cheap shot. UNLV was a dirty team that also got away with taunting on numerous occasion. Meanwhile Cal gets 2 players summarily tossed out of the game for targeting. ACC refs don’t like and don’t respect Cal.
Thanks Avi. As you’ve said - the most important thing is Cal’s willingness to change and improve when they see something that’s not working.
This used to take a whole season to affect the change at Cal - for whatever reason. I am relieved to see that Tosh and Ron are true to their fail-forward philosophy and has put the necessary changes into action mid season.
I also hope that Somerville find other ways to add value - in areas he has proven success in NFL.
Cal took a gamble with first-time play caller and failed. I am okay with gamble and failure, as long as we recognize the failure and change quickly to improve our offense.
Yes it's a fail forward philosophy but we don't have any time to be failing. But since we already failed, it's good that they are learning from mistakes and fixing it for an improvement rather than keep failing.
Somerville should never have been hired in the first place. I want to also see Hutchinson being replaced. His aggressive defense doesn’t work for us - we don’t have the depth of personnel to sustain that level of physicality
I understand this sentiment, but respectfully disagree. We’ve been in the games in the fourth quarter and our inability to close out is most glaringly on the offense. If Hutchinson can stop giving up huge gash plays, I think he’s got potential. Only question is can we afford to wait and see?
I've had similar thoughts to this: it sucks that the team is bad and we made bad coaching hires, but at least they're moving way more swiftly to find a fix than Cal football ever would have done in the past.
More coping for those who partake. We've been tied or ahead in the fourth quarter in four of our five games thus far. Only exception was Clemson, where we trailed 17-10 heading into the final stanza.
We can all second guess the OC for play calling and it may have been that change was needed. However no matter who is calling the plays, the OL remains a weakness on this team, as it has been in recent years. JSK can only do so much if not enough time to throw the ball - although he seemed to manage better last year. The OL is only going to be fixed by building a stronger base and depth through recruiting, which is a strength of Tosh. Last week, I thought it was the Defense that was more disappointing than the Offense, in giving up big plays and 39 points to Las Vegas. VT and Wake Forest will be much tougher challenges. ACC sports writers had Cal pegged for 12th in the conference at the beginning of the year. That looks about right or even a bit optimistic at this point. It takes time to turn around a program that was stuck at .500, I am not expecting much better results this year. But hopefully next year we will be better and the year after more so, as our recruiting kicks in. At this point we need to trust the process. The hiring decisions are made.
I believe the offense will improve substantially with Coach McCann calling the plays & taking over the OC duties. He has a proven record. I also am hartened that RR & Tosh are making this change now instead of holding on to an approach that did not work.
It give me hope now that the second half offense vs UNLV is our new offense.
Btw I turned off TV at half time and didn't watch the second half so I don't know how it really went.
The more I think about it the more I'm aggravated that we didn't retain Harsin and let him own the entire offense including all the staffing decisions on that side of the ball. (Other than the keep Rolo mandate). Dude's offense is a pretty thing with all the presnap motion (that the players handled well) and we just lacked the talent at WR+RB (aside from obvious O Line issues, that he could've further adjusted for). It was a clear offensive identity (as opposed to none whatsoever), and things would be very different right now.
Great point! The offense was working last year thanks to Harsin. And we've provided more talent to take it to the next level. But no, get a 1st time coach and install a complex pro offense. Get proven college coaches. Ugh.
I blame meathead
Ron is not without blame though. I liken it to handing the car keys to your newly licensed 16 year old kid on the first day and letting them pack the car with their rowdy friends and drive off.
Haha
Wilder: Also teach them simple CATCHING! Dropped balls have cost us at least one game (FUCLA).
That too!
Talked with several college football coaches (minor program level) and none of them ever heard of an OC dismissed during a game.
Jim Mora did it the week prior at CO St iirc
Did it in game and, apparently, publicly fired the guy in earshot of fans.
I guess there's nothing new under the sun. Regardless, must've been an unpleasant scene.
They should bring in a consultant to teach the WRs proper blocking technique. We had a decade of no blocking, but now it seems they are being taught how to block like linemen and the refs call holding differently for WRs out in space
I'm trying to remember who were our best blocking WRs. Probably someone that wasn't flashy and I don't remember but was probably doing a great job blocking and went unnoticed.
Of the notable receivers, I feel like Chad Hansen and Marvin Jones were good blockers. Maybe Stephen Anderson too.
Our best receiver group was with Dykes & Franklin.
Yeah definitely. Harper, Treggs, Lawler, Powe, Harris, and Anderson. Then Hansen in 2016 after all of the above left.
Also during the spring camp videos of Tosh running around and giving pointers gallore to players on both offense and defense, my first thought was "Does he really know proper technique for every friggin position on the field, being a former Dlineman and dline coach?"
Tosh commented on one of the holding penalties on strong a few games back, saying he told him what he did was right (thumbs up) and he doesn't mind the aggressive penalty that might only get randomly called. Well, based on the "thumbs up" comment that's usually when a o lineman is engaged with the d lineman and is grabbing their chest plate area, typically by the actual pads since jersies are tight. That usually doesn't get called in the thick of O-Line scrums, but out in the open for receivers is pretty different and it's a different ref calling it.
Same, not something I ever really thought of before until it was a problem
Best and fair summary of the situation. At least Cal fans have something to actually hope for this Sunday, like a productive offense. Thanks Avinash!
My trust is in Ron (VERY QUALIFIED). Sometimes you have to let people step in the sh_t to get them to understand this is not the right thing to do. To bad for the entire team, this has to play out like this.
There is another positive from Ron’s interview I want to call out: Ron specifically asked everyone to relook the film and question why the action of throwing JKS into the ground after being tackled is not a penalty.
He is in the position to demand for official response and he is doing it. The play resulted in a concussed player - which is what the spirit of the rule was trying to prevent.
If the current ruling doesn’t allow ref to call a penalty - we need to relook at the ruling. Or the ref didn’t call it for whatever reason.
Win or lose - we don’t need more concussed players in football and we need to do our best to prevent the avoidable.
Yes: I immediately asked the same question at the time. Based on the rules now on protecting the QB, that was a blatant late hit, and it happened in slow motion right in front of all the refs. Cal got screwed on that no call, and the injury suffered by JKS was 100% the result of a cheap shot. UNLV was a dirty team that also got away with taunting on numerous occasion. Meanwhile Cal gets 2 players summarily tossed out of the game for targeting. ACC refs don’t like and don’t respect Cal.
The officiating crew was Mountain West.
That explains it. Thanks
Thanks Avi. As you’ve said - the most important thing is Cal’s willingness to change and improve when they see something that’s not working.
This used to take a whole season to affect the change at Cal - for whatever reason. I am relieved to see that Tosh and Ron are true to their fail-forward philosophy and has put the necessary changes into action mid season.
I also hope that Somerville find other ways to add value - in areas he has proven success in NFL.
Cal took a gamble with first-time play caller and failed. I am okay with gamble and failure, as long as we recognize the failure and change quickly to improve our offense.
Yes it's a fail forward philosophy but we don't have any time to be failing. But since we already failed, it's good that they are learning from mistakes and fixing it for an improvement rather than keep failing.
Somerville should never have been hired in the first place. I want to also see Hutchinson being replaced. His aggressive defense doesn’t work for us - we don’t have the depth of personnel to sustain that level of physicality
Don't think Hutchinson has done anything to warrant being fired yet.
Hutchinson hasn't done anything for our football team this year
I understand this sentiment, but respectfully disagree. We’ve been in the games in the fourth quarter and our inability to close out is most glaringly on the offense. If Hutchinson can stop giving up huge gash plays, I think he’s got potential. Only question is can we afford to wait and see?
I give that credit to Huthings, not Hutchinson.
"and wide receivers who looked far more comfortable with their drops"
I'd argue the WRs have been comfortable with drops all year
I've had similar thoughts to this: it sucks that the team is bad and we made bad coaching hires, but at least they're moving way more swiftly to find a fix than Cal football ever would have done in the past.
Yeah, in the past we would continue to do the same and keep failing. Not just waste an entire season but multiple seasons.
So we have a former Tedford’s OC calling plays now? How amusing.
We also have a former Tedford's DC on staff who can call plays if we want.
We used to hate Gregory for the bend but not break, but I actually want to see that this year.
Blondie: That's what Sirmon and DeRuyter were as well. We don't have the personnel for "seek and destroy" on defense.
TDR had a destroy defense. Lots of blitzing
More coping for those who partake. We've been tied or ahead in the fourth quarter in four of our five games thus far. Only exception was Clemson, where we trailed 17-10 heading into the final stanza.