Oski: You aren't kidding. I've noticed this glaring deficiency for the last three games. Absolutely ZERO pressure on the QB for the last three games (which explains why the last three QB's have put up video-game stats on our defense). I guess we are missing Johnson and the 'Root more than most people thought we would. Sigh.....
To be fair, I don't remember the last time we've had a consistent pass rush, maybe Tedford era? When it was good, I think the Wilcox/TDR defense was about scheme + solid fundamentals + takeaways. Now that the strengths have unexpectedly become weaknesses for whatever reason, the lack of a pass rush is more glaring / compounding.
1. The defense is simply below average, and has issues at every level. This is going to end badly.
2. The offense is better, but the fact the O-line couldn't steamroll Sac State late in a game is disconcerting. This only adds to the inconsistency of the offense.
3. Still worried about the kicking game.
4. The league has GOT to do something about the super-long video reviews. It takes way too long and makes the game's unbearably long.
5. A lot of young players were out there.
6. Wilcox never wins pretty, even against lesser opponents.
I can't believe that we have had such a HUGE drop off on defense. Giving up 467 yards to Sac. State? Brutal isn't the word to describe what will happen to us if we don't turn things around on defense. All of our "gimme" Pac-12 games (Oregon State, Colorado, Wazzu) are starting to look like real dog fights. Arizona should be beatable but at this point, who knows? Football gods, pray for us.
With our suspect secondary, OSU and WSU are going to light them up with their passing attack. Colorado will be the true dog-fight. We should beat Arizona but it's at Arizona and we haven't beaten Arizona in 12 years and haven't won in Arizona in 17 years, so that's probably a bizarre loss, like 2014.
I still think we're going to manage to play to the level of our opponent in most of these games and win a couple of them. there will surely be a couple blow out losses and the key will be how the team responds to the first one of them.. does Wilcox lose them? A couple have compared this to Tedford's final season. For that to be the case, I think you'd need to see the fight go out of this team.
No one has brought up Heyward's name, but he is our OLB coach. Heyward had been coaching DBs for the past decade+ and was hired to coach linebackers at Cal. I think there's some problem there as well.
Wilcox/Sirmon/Heyward have been long time buddies.
‘How Cal—Yes, Cal—Built What May Be the Best Secondary in College Football’ … two years ago in SI. Wow. Maybe we got complacent but an FCS team picked the secondary apart today. Too predictable? Need more pressure upfront? Something has to change or it will be a long season. Hopefully the after-action report shows the fixes needed. Go Bears!
There are still two members of the Takers left, Hicks and Drayden. Not sure why that hasn't shored up this young secondary. Hearns the true freshman at 160 pounds was out there, he seems like the only athlete who can cover man to man. The loose zone we played was just that, loose and ready to be picked apart. I'll be having visions of that small TE over the middle play over and over again.
If only that anger translated into results and improvement. I feel like it has been 5 years of Wilcox giving the angry press conference over and over again.
Thanks yeah I just watched the press conference. Looked like he was almost shaking with anger. Specifically mentioned DB coach, and players not executing or even practicing well.
I was sort of kidding when I said last week that Wilcox was Homoe redux and that he reached his peak in 2019 with that win against the mighty fighting Illini. I'm not kidding now. Based on what Washington did to Arkansas State today, that game next week is going to be a blood bath. Cal is going to be on the Pac 12 Network A LOT this year. That Washington State game in two weeks......anyone wanna bet it won't be on the Pac 12 network?
perhaps the most consistent part of this year is that each week the fan base is calling for a firing: week one Wilcox, week two Musgrave, week three Sirmon...fire everyone!!
For some reason this loss had me harken back to the frustration of watching the 2012 team fail to completely put away Southern Utah in 2012. That team wound up finishing 3-9--and the coach fired.
At least Coach Tedford had his Icarus moment briefly before crashing to earth. Wilcox's coaching career arc, if this continues apace, barely resembles a flightless bird.
I agree and that’s why Tedford was given a lot of slack and time to turn it around, even though the program was tending down in terms of competing for a Pac 12 title.
Wilcox hasn’t won enough to earn more time. He already got a mulligan for last season.
In retrospect, and I may be in the minority here, it seems that Baldwin learned of Garber's limitations and tried his best with what he knew to scheme around it. Musgrave, on the other hand, seems to think he can coach up Garbers to become what he really is not.
Meanwhile, the value of Gerald Alexander has also risen since he's been gone. Why choose who he did as assistants when he was originally hired, and then seemingly accept lesser talent as those coaches moved on? What happened to his decision making?
As a guy who used to be a strong Wilcox proponent admittedly I am starting to get very worried about the defense. D is his specialty. I think he has delegated too much authority to Sirmon who obviously is lost as a DC. He should go back to coaching LBs. Plus, Wilcox looks angry all the time, wears sunglasses the whole game even on a cloudy day and was hobbling on crutches. I don't see much moxie or spark like he used to have. Maybe it's a case of early burnout or maybe he is reading too much on social media (like this site) and can't take the pressure.
Just on a different subject but about the PAC12: Fresno State is the real deal. They played #3 Oregon very close and today beat UCLA....the should be ranked. Also, LSU is not that good and Orgeron should probably start looking for a real estate agent.
Haener's performance in leading the team back with 56 seconds left, despite what appeared to be a severe and painful injury, was legendary. UCLA's vaunted defense this year was picked apart.
Arizona is terrible again. They just lost to FCS Northern Arizona, in addition to getting wrecked by San Diego St last week. Colorado has no offense whatsoever: they just got shut out 30-0 at home by Minnesota, after scoring just 7 against aTm.
Most telling stat for me is the zero sacks. Their QBs had plenty of time to throw and text a friend about it.
Oski: You aren't kidding. I've noticed this glaring deficiency for the last three games. Absolutely ZERO pressure on the QB for the last three games (which explains why the last three QB's have put up video-game stats on our defense). I guess we are missing Johnson and the 'Root more than most people thought we would. Sigh.....
To be fair, I don't remember the last time we've had a consistent pass rush, maybe Tedford era? When it was good, I think the Wilcox/TDR defense was about scheme + solid fundamentals + takeaways. Now that the strengths have unexpectedly become weaknesses for whatever reason, the lack of a pass rush is more glaring / compounding.
It's been a long time.
Even Cam Goode was stymied.
My thoughts:
1. The defense is simply below average, and has issues at every level. This is going to end badly.
2. The offense is better, but the fact the O-line couldn't steamroll Sac State late in a game is disconcerting. This only adds to the inconsistency of the offense.
3. Still worried about the kicking game.
4. The league has GOT to do something about the super-long video reviews. It takes way too long and makes the game's unbearably long.
5. A lot of young players were out there.
6. Wilcox never wins pretty, even against lesser opponents.
Conference play is gonna be brutal with this defense
I can't believe that we have had such a HUGE drop off on defense. Giving up 467 yards to Sac. State? Brutal isn't the word to describe what will happen to us if we don't turn things around on defense. All of our "gimme" Pac-12 games (Oregon State, Colorado, Wazzu) are starting to look like real dog fights. Arizona should be beatable but at this point, who knows? Football gods, pray for us.
With our suspect secondary, OSU and WSU are going to light them up with their passing attack. Colorado will be the true dog-fight. We should beat Arizona but it's at Arizona and we haven't beaten Arizona in 12 years and haven't won in Arizona in 17 years, so that's probably a bizarre loss, like 2014.
I still think we're going to manage to play to the level of our opponent in most of these games and win a couple of them. there will surely be a couple blow out losses and the key will be how the team responds to the first one of them.. does Wilcox lose them? A couple have compared this to Tedford's final season. For that to be the case, I think you'd need to see the fight go out of this team.
Wow that long? I know some terrible games I want to get rid from memory.
We also don’t play them yearly anymore so we have missed some truly awful Arizona teams.
Well it doesn’t seem like he is a gifted recruiter.
maybe exposing the flaws this game was a good thing. whether anything can be done about them is another thing.
Haven’t we had enough flaws exposed and kept it vanilla enough against Nevada and TCU?
I’m going with the “we kept it vanilla” rationalization. Next week we’ll unveil all the brilliant blitz and coverage packages
Lack of pressure on the Sac State QB's portends a disaster in Seattle.
Yep...could go sideways, quick.
Fire Sirmon
Like right now. Before he gets back to his office. Just do it in the post game interview.
And take his stupid green jacket and burn it
Can't we just take him an airport somewhere and fire him on the tarmac?
No one has brought up Heyward's name, but he is our OLB coach. Heyward had been coaching DBs for the past decade+ and was hired to coach linebackers at Cal. I think there's some problem there as well.
Wilcox/Sirmon/Heyward have been long time buddies.
That was...unimpressive
Look, I love Troy Taylor, but there is no reason Sacramento State should drop 30 points on Cal. It’s hard envisioning four wins this year.
I have a bad feeling we are going to get worked by Washington next week.
30 points against a Dykes defense? Sure. 30 against a Wilcox defense in year 1? Defensible. 30 against Wilcox in year 5 is completely unacceptable.
‘How Cal—Yes, Cal—Built What May Be the Best Secondary in College Football’ … two years ago in SI. Wow. Maybe we got complacent but an FCS team picked the secondary apart today. Too predictable? Need more pressure upfront? Something has to change or it will be a long season. Hopefully the after-action report shows the fixes needed. Go Bears!
There are still two members of the Takers left, Hicks and Drayden. Not sure why that hasn't shored up this young secondary. Hearns the true freshman at 160 pounds was out there, he seems like the only athlete who can cover man to man. The loose zone we played was just that, loose and ready to be picked apart. I'll be having visions of that small TE over the middle play over and over again.
Hey a new game started, and we are winning 21-0. Art Kaufman's defense looks way better than Peter Sirmon's defense.
Wilcox seems even more pissed than usual.
If only that anger translated into results and improvement. I feel like it has been 5 years of Wilcox giving the angry press conference over and over again.
Angry talk. coachspeak, etc.
Good
Anything specific that he mentioned?
Secondary and coverages.
I think we ran a lot of vanilla stuff that had very bad execution causing breakdowns. Can't have a good defense if they can't handle the basics.
Thanks yeah I just watched the press conference. Looked like he was almost shaking with anger. Specifically mentioned DB coach, and players not executing or even practicing well.
I think Wilcox will be acting db coach this week.
We should have Heyward coach DBs and not linebackers.
Sirmon and Wilcox should coach linebackers.
I had the same thought.
I was sort of kidding when I said last week that Wilcox was Homoe redux and that he reached his peak in 2019 with that win against the mighty fighting Illini. I'm not kidding now. Based on what Washington did to Arkansas State today, that game next week is going to be a blood bath. Cal is going to be on the Pac 12 Network A LOT this year. That Washington State game in two weeks......anyone wanna bet it won't be on the Pac 12 network?
A lot of our games are going to be regulated to Siberia, otherwise known as the P12 network.
Buh bye defense returns. Aaargghh. Now Musgrave looks solid compared with Sirmon.
perhaps the most consistent part of this year is that each week the fan base is calling for a firing: week one Wilcox, week two Musgrave, week three Sirmon...fire everyone!!
The common denominator in this is Wilcox. At this point, he owns it all and needs to be the one fired and replaced if we have a 3-9 season.
For some reason this loss had me harken back to the frustration of watching the 2012 team fail to completely put away Southern Utah in 2012. That team wound up finishing 3-9--and the coach fired.
Yep. I said the same thing in the game thread. This team reminds me of Tedfords last season at Cal, the 2012 squad.
At least Coach Tedford had his Icarus moment briefly before crashing to earth. Wilcox's coaching career arc, if this continues apace, barely resembles a flightless bird.
I agree and that’s why Tedford was given a lot of slack and time to turn it around, even though the program was tending down in terms of competing for a Pac 12 title.
Wilcox hasn’t won enough to earn more time. He already got a mulligan for last season.
In retrospect, and I may be in the minority here, it seems that Baldwin learned of Garber's limitations and tried his best with what he knew to scheme around it. Musgrave, on the other hand, seems to think he can coach up Garbers to become what he really is not.
Meanwhile, the value of Gerald Alexander has also risen since he's been gone. Why choose who he did as assistants when he was originally hired, and then seemingly accept lesser talent as those coaches moved on? What happened to his decision making?
Of course. As a leader, you're responsible for your team
Nobody was calling to fire Musgrave after week two?
oh, I thought they were on the 3rd down and short long pass plays
I personally was pretty pleased with our offense against TCU. Defense has clearly been the issue to me the last 2 weeks.
I'm very pleased with the improvement. Maybe I'm wishing too much but I would like to see more balanced play calling
LMAO
After that we can conclude that a game was played today.
As a guy who used to be a strong Wilcox proponent admittedly I am starting to get very worried about the defense. D is his specialty. I think he has delegated too much authority to Sirmon who obviously is lost as a DC. He should go back to coaching LBs. Plus, Wilcox looks angry all the time, wears sunglasses the whole game even on a cloudy day and was hobbling on crutches. I don't see much moxie or spark like he used to have. Maybe it's a case of early burnout or maybe he is reading too much on social media (like this site) and can't take the pressure.
Just on a different subject but about the PAC12: Fresno State is the real deal. They played #3 Oregon very close and today beat UCLA....the should be ranked. Also, LSU is not that good and Orgeron should probably start looking for a real estate agent.
Haener's performance in leading the team back with 56 seconds left, despite what appeared to be a severe and painful injury, was legendary. UCLA's vaunted defense this year was picked apart.
Arizona is terrible again. They just lost to FCS Northern Arizona, in addition to getting wrecked by San Diego St last week. Colorado has no offense whatsoever: they just got shut out 30-0 at home by Minnesota, after scoring just 7 against aTm.
and Arizona and UCLA will beat Cal.
This is the way…