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.
We really miss Alexander. Tre Watson is our DB coach. I was very leery about hiring him after reading his resume because he had only ONE YEAR OF ACTUAL COACHING EXPERIENCE (AT UNLV AS A DEFENSIVE BACK COACH) BEFORE COMING TO CAL. That's very little concerning considering Cal is a Power 5 football school. Before that he was a defensive graduate assistant ("coach" is not added to those three words) at Oregon for two seasons.
The best area of our team this season, at least for two games, is probably our running backs (though Garbers has performed well the last two games), who have performed admirably. Our coach there, Aristotle Thompson, was the running backs coach at Cal Poly for eleven years and had other responsibilities there, like assistant head coach while handling running back coaching duties for an additional three seasons, before he joined us in 2020.
Now that type of experience is what I would prefer a new Cal coach to have, especially if he is a good recruiter. I'd say being a very good football coach in teaching players how to play their position, like TDR, is more important to Cal's football fortunes than how well you are as a recruiter, but having both skills is obviously best.
‘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!
Just checked, but there could be a good argument that the Mountain West this year is a tougher conference than the Pac 12. Did not check all games between them but the Mountan West could have a better record between them. Nevada beat Cal. Fresno State beat UCLA and came close to beating Oregon at Oregon. San Diego St. beat Arizona and Utah. Utah State beat Washington State. Boise St. lost by a point to a consistently very good Oklahoma St. team.
Here is the record for this season for every team in the Mountain West. Just click on each team to see how they are doing this season. You might conclude the Mountain West should be higher rated as a conference the the Pac 12 so far this season.
As long as I'm at it, here is the summary of Tre Watson's experience before coming to Cal. He may be very talented and up and coming but, In my opinion having one year as a full, not graduate, assistant coach is not enough to coach at Cal. That is on Wilcox. Might have come from Watson's Oregon connection.
Compare Watson's experience as a full time coach to Aristotle Thompson's experience, our RB coach, with so many years as a designated assistant coach at Cal Poly.
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!!
Insta-Recap & Rate The Game: Cal v. Sac State Football: Defense, What Defense?
Most telling stat for me is the zero sacks. Their QBs had plenty of time to throw and text a friend about it.
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
maybe exposing the flaws this game was a good thing. whether anything can be done about them is another thing.
Fire Sirmon
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.
(Gobears49)
We really miss Alexander. Tre Watson is our DB coach. I was very leery about hiring him after reading his resume because he had only ONE YEAR OF ACTUAL COACHING EXPERIENCE (AT UNLV AS A DEFENSIVE BACK COACH) BEFORE COMING TO CAL. That's very little concerning considering Cal is a Power 5 football school. Before that he was a defensive graduate assistant ("coach" is not added to those three words) at Oregon for two seasons.
https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tre-watson/5308
The best area of our team this season, at least for two games, is probably our running backs (though Garbers has performed well the last two games), who have performed admirably. Our coach there, Aristotle Thompson, was the running backs coach at Cal Poly for eleven years and had other responsibilities there, like assistant head coach while handling running back coaching duties for an additional three seasons, before he joined us in 2020.
https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/aristotle-thompson/5300
Now that type of experience is what I would prefer a new Cal coach to have, especially if he is a good recruiter. I'd say being a very good football coach in teaching players how to play their position, like TDR, is more important to Cal's football fortunes than how well you are as a recruiter, but having both skills is obviously best.
‘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!
Hey a new game started, and we are winning 21-0. Art Kaufman's defense looks way better than Peter Sirmon's defense.
(Gobears49)
Just checked, but there could be a good argument that the Mountain West this year is a tougher conference than the Pac 12. Did not check all games between them but the Mountan West could have a better record between them. Nevada beat Cal. Fresno State beat UCLA and came close to beating Oregon at Oregon. San Diego St. beat Arizona and Utah. Utah State beat Washington State. Boise St. lost by a point to a consistently very good Oklahoma St. team.
Here is the record for this season for every team in the Mountain West. Just click on each team to see how they are doing this season. You might conclude the Mountain West should be higher rated as a conference the the Pac 12 so far this season.
https://themw.com/standings.aspx?path=fball
As long as I'm at it, here is the summary of Tre Watson's experience before coming to Cal. He may be very talented and up and coming but, In my opinion having one year as a full, not graduate, assistant coach is not enough to coach at Cal. That is on Wilcox. Might have come from Watson's Oregon connection.
Compare Watson's experience as a full time coach to Aristotle Thompson's experience, our RB coach, with so many years as a designated assistant coach at Cal Poly.
https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tre-watson/5308
https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/aristotle-thompson/5300
Again, I suggest you review Coach Wilcox's demeanor in this presss conference after the Sac. St. game. Doesn't seem like a happy camper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1prMtGg2TQ
ReplyDelete
Wilcox seems even more pissed than usual.
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?
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!!
After that we can conclude that a game was played today.