Now we just have to wait 280 days or whatever for the first game of next season. Gradually as the years roll by we realize that Cal fandom has exhilarating highs but more frequent lows and what-could-have-beens. But that is the nature of the experience and still we watch, spend our money, and hope for the big breakthrough that might come one day. With that said, Go Bears!
Especially with a killer schedule…replacing Colorado and U of A with a roadie v the Utes at Rice Eccols and a home tilt v. a likely-Kenny Dillingham coached ASU…yikes. Toss in at North Texas and Auburn…ugh.
Barring a miracle transformation with the OC hire, ‘23 ceiling is 5-7.
Thanks for the sunshine, Jimmy, but I am starting to like it down and dirty. Yeah, between the tepid recruitment and the transfer portal, I'll see you and raise you to a 3-9.
Cal couldn't run the ball, which can be traced to the O-line mostly, but UCLA ran for over 350 yards. That will win virtually any and every game.
If you are a first rate lineman (either side, hs grad or tranfer), you can walk into Berkeley ad be handed a starting job for the extent of your eligibility.
Tired of losing seasons. Why did it take so long to fire Musgrave? Why is mediocrity acceptable? Why is our play so inconsistent (coaching?)? Lot of heart in the players. Feels like we are close. But why can’t we recruit (local kid Luke Duncan would rather be #3 at UCLA than come here)?
All the while lamenting the billion dollar industry that P5 college sports has become.
Hey Carol, it really is amazing how successful football and basketball programs lift the Olympic sports a helluva lot more than your complaints about the changing dynamic of revenue sports do.
One Bay Area scribe notably said UCLA's season was over after last week, and they had nothing to play for. And reportedly, Cal's season has been over for some time now. It did not look at all like either assessment was accurate. Very enjoyable game that someone had to lose. Having Charbonet I will note is definitely preferable to not having Charbonet.
Tough way to end the season but we competed hard in this game. Ended up just being another one score loss. I hope the OC hire is successful. The weird thing is that sans Musgrave the Bears receivers are starting to block so that even the WR screen became a legit play against UCLA!!!
Based on my research, in year 4 the buyout is only about $1M, unless Knowlton secretly extended him with some guaranteed deal similar to the malpractice he committed with Justin Wilcox.
A couple of donors cover that Fox buyout easy, and I’m convinced that Fox will be gone at the end of this season. But there’s no interim HC in the wings…sad thing is Fox is gonna go 5-26 after that Seth Davis article where he mentioned how they finally have the right guys!! Hahahahaha.
We really need Troy T or even Tedford..:). At least we know OL wasnt the problem.. I'm leaning KM to take a look at qb. It's been six years Wilcox and not even a low level bowl. Fu##!
Watching Tedford and company right now vs Wyoming, and I know it’s not supposed to be the same talent level as the PAC 12, but boy are they moving up and down the field! (If Tedford comes back can he bring Bulldog QB Haener with him!)
The "not prevent anything" D, in the last 58 seconds of the half was a good example of why Wilcox has to go. We should have just lined up our team along the hash marks, 50 or so on each side, and watch UCLA score.
I wish we could get rid of Wilcox, he just isn’t a very good HC. His ceiling is a P5 DC or a G5 HC. That being said, with the extension he has two more season to try to right the ship. He needs to hit home runs with his OC and OL coaching hires. He needs to hit the portal hard for OL, DL, and OLB.
Year 6 and this program has fully regressed in coaching, recruiting, and defense. Offense is the same old problem unit we have come to expect.
Like Fox, a loser HC doesn’t just change with more time and opportunity.
Once again, you’re looking at the tree and not the forest fire.
Were OSU, Colorado, WSU and UW so much more talented than us?
OSU blew our doors off.
Colorados only win came against us and they had an interim head coach.
Two years in a row that WSU has slowly strangled us to death.
UW has a new coaching staff and a bunch of new players and beat us.
The issue isn’t this one game, no one doubts that UCLA has an advantage when it comes to talent. It’s the culmination of losing the last two season to Arizona, Nevada, WSU twice, UW twice, OSU blowing us out this season, losing to Colorado this season that is the problem and not this one lose today.
He isn’t wrong about ucla having more talent but in my original post that he responded to I never mentioned ucla or being disappointed in this loss. I mentioned this season and last season being a let down and disappointment, which I am not wrong, they are/were.
The problem isn’t a close loss to ucla. The issue is we are constantly losing to teams with lesser talent (OSU, WSU, Colorado, Arizona last season)
Throw out the Covid season and Wilcox has had two consecutive losing seasons where are win total has decreased. Wilcox has had 5 full seasons at Cal and has 3 losing seasons.
Cal is not without talent…but they ARE poorly coached. Given the talent, Cal is probably the worst coached team in the entire conference, if we’re being honest. UCLA is definitely better in the trenches, and they have DTR and Charbonnet, no doubt…but they are also better coached. They’re better prepared. Most of the teams Cal played this season were better prepared.
Been a pleasure everyone. Let's do it again next year.
Now we just have to wait 280 days or whatever for the first game of next season. Gradually as the years roll by we realize that Cal fandom has exhilarating highs but more frequent lows and what-could-have-beens. But that is the nature of the experience and still we watch, spend our money, and hope for the big breakthrough that might come one day. With that said, Go Bears!
Here here! Go Bears forever!
Why on earth would I want to do this AGAIN next year?
see you in March lets not kid ourselves
Everyone knows next year will be better!
Past performance does not guarantee next season’s results.
It kind of does with Wilcox as the HC.
Point taken.
Especially with a killer schedule…replacing Colorado and U of A with a roadie v the Utes at Rice Eccols and a home tilt v. a likely-Kenny Dillingham coached ASU…yikes. Toss in at North Texas and Auburn…ugh.
Barring a miracle transformation with the OC hire, ‘23 ceiling is 5-7.
Thanks for the sunshine, Jimmy, but I am starting to like it down and dirty. Yeah, between the tepid recruitment and the transfer portal, I'll see you and raise you to a 3-9.
Because we will.
No, I do not want this again next year.
Tough season but we kept the Axe. I’ll miss watching 32 patrol the deep half.
Now transfer portal, stay the hell away from our dudes but bless us with linemen.
Yes, THIS!
The portal is a one way path this year, with all roads leading to Berkeley.
Hear, hear,
Give that Bear,
A beer.
Cal couldn't run the ball, which can be traced to the O-line mostly, but UCLA ran for over 350 yards. That will win virtually any and every game.
If you are a first rate lineman (either side, hs grad or tranfer), you can walk into Berkeley ad be handed a starting job for the extent of your eligibility.
Great selling point. But, wait, there's more! Now, with low TOP for the offense, you won't get gassed.
We beat Furd! In a comeback. In the fourth quarter. We beat a Furd.
Other than that the season was a big disappointment. The Bearcast is a great place to appreciate that we are not out of our minds.
The Arizona win was a milepost, and it kept them out of a bowl. That was a solid win.
At this point, the football team may well wind up with more wins than the men's basketball team.
It could be a push…baffling
Tired of losing seasons. Why did it take so long to fire Musgrave? Why is mediocrity acceptable? Why is our play so inconsistent (coaching?)? Lot of heart in the players. Feels like we are close. But why can’t we recruit (local kid Luke Duncan would rather be #3 at UCLA than come here)?
I agree that the administration seems to be too comfortable with mediocrity!
I picture the administration sitting in rocking chairs on Carol Christ's lovely remodeled wraparound porch, sipping Arnold Palmers...
...oblivious to the fire burning in the kitchen.
All the while lamenting the billion dollar industry that P5 college sports has become.
Hey Carol, it really is amazing how successful football and basketball programs lift the Olympic sports a helluva lot more than your complaints about the changing dynamic of revenue sports do.
OH WELL, JUSY ONE MORE WOULDA, COULDA GAME FORUS OLD GUYS. I COULD NOT HAVE WANTED A BETTER SHOW THAN WHAT OUR BEARS PUT INTO THIS GME! GERBEAR
Agreed, GerBear… loved your posts. Be well this holiday season, my friend!
Go Gerbear! Your participation is highly valued by us Old, but not as old Blues.
Hell yes Gerbear!
Your contributions and positivity have been a high point on this site for this season. Until next season, Mr. Colvin. And Go Bears, always!
One Bay Area scribe notably said UCLA's season was over after last week, and they had nothing to play for. And reportedly, Cal's season has been over for some time now. It did not look at all like either assessment was accurate. Very enjoyable game that someone had to lose. Having Charbonet I will note is definitely preferable to not having Charbonet.
Charbonnet is great and will be a successful NFL back…possibly the 1st one off the board if he runs a solid 40-time.
But that Chip Kelly O-line is sooooo solid.
Tough way to end the season but we competed hard in this game. Ended up just being another one score loss. I hope the OC hire is successful. The weird thing is that sans Musgrave the Bears receivers are starting to block so that even the WR screen became a legit play against UCLA!!!
Hard to be optimistic with Wilcox at helm but I hope he hits a home run on the next hires, hits the portal hard, and starts recruiting hard.
Give me some that hopium!
Yes, indeed.
But we pretty much say this every year, right?
We do.
How long until our next bowl game appearance? 2024 season is my bet.
Good bet. There’s so many obstacles.
I’m rooting for SC to make the CFB playoffs, we need that money to help with the Fox buyout.
Based on my research, in year 4 the buyout is only about $1M, unless Knowlton secretly extended him with some guaranteed deal similar to the malpractice he committed with Justin Wilcox.
A couple of donors cover that Fox buyout easy, and I’m convinced that Fox will be gone at the end of this season. But there’s no interim HC in the wings…sad thing is Fox is gonna go 5-26 after that Seth Davis article where he mentioned how they finally have the right guys!! Hahahahaha.
I did enjoy my time at the games this year…as I do every year! Onward…Go Bears!
We really need Troy T or even Tedford..:). At least we know OL wasnt the problem.. I'm leaning KM to take a look at qb. It's been six years Wilcox and not even a low level bowl. Fu##!
What? OL definitely was the problem. When it had good protection, Plummer completed passes. When it was poor, everything was bad.
We did get one low level bowl in 2019
Watching Tedford and company right now vs Wyoming, and I know it’s not supposed to be the same talent level as the PAC 12, but boy are they moving up and down the field! (If Tedford comes back can he bring Bulldog QB Haener with him!)
The "not prevent anything" D, in the last 58 seconds of the half was a good example of why Wilcox has to go. We should have just lined up our team along the hash marks, 50 or so on each side, and watch UCLA score.
Isn't defense his strong point?
To me, that was the critical drive of the game.
It was the go ahead TD.
I honestly think UCLA was ready to pack it until that drive.
Another let down of a season.
I wish we could get rid of Wilcox, he just isn’t a very good HC. His ceiling is a P5 DC or a G5 HC. That being said, with the extension he has two more season to try to right the ship. He needs to hit home runs with his OC and OL coaching hires. He needs to hit the portal hard for OL, DL, and OLB.
Year 6 and this program has fully regressed in coaching, recruiting, and defense. Offense is the same old problem unit we have come to expect.
Like Fox, a loser HC doesn’t just change with more time and opportunity.
You are looking at a tree, I’m looking at the burning forest fire.
Once again, you’re looking at the tree and not the forest fire.
Were OSU, Colorado, WSU and UW so much more talented than us?
OSU blew our doors off.
Colorados only win came against us and they had an interim head coach.
Two years in a row that WSU has slowly strangled us to death.
UW has a new coaching staff and a bunch of new players and beat us.
The issue isn’t this one game, no one doubts that UCLA has an advantage when it comes to talent. It’s the culmination of losing the last two season to Arizona, Nevada, WSU twice, UW twice, OSU blowing us out this season, losing to Colorado this season that is the problem and not this one lose today.
GB49 is not wrong here.
He isn’t wrong about ucla having more talent but in my original post that he responded to I never mentioned ucla or being disappointed in this loss. I mentioned this season and last season being a let down and disappointment, which I am not wrong, they are/were.
The problem isn’t a close loss to ucla. The issue is we are constantly losing to teams with lesser talent (OSU, WSU, Colorado, Arizona last season)
Throw out the Covid season and Wilcox has had two consecutive losing seasons where are win total has decreased. Wilcox has had 5 full seasons at Cal and has 3 losing seasons.
But he’s not entirely right either.
Cal is not without talent…but they ARE poorly coached. Given the talent, Cal is probably the worst coached team in the entire conference, if we’re being honest. UCLA is definitely better in the trenches, and they have DTR and Charbonnet, no doubt…but they are also better coached. They’re better prepared. Most of the teams Cal played this season were better prepared.
Dan Lanning doesn’t appear to be working out up in Oregon, perhaps they should fire him and bring Wilcox home.
If OSU‘s comeback holds, they’ll be yelling for lanning’s head
Yep, this would be the second time Lanning has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Wilcox will be the hot commodity again
Best 4-8 team in the country.
We couldn’t be so lucky.