411 Comments

I’m sure all the big donors that were used to fund the ridiculous contract for Wilcox are pissed. Worse investment than Meta Facebook stock this year. Painful season for Starkey to endure his last year.

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Welp, give the era of Starkey's tenure, I imagine his system has built up immunity to Cal Fails.

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I had to step aside at 28-10. Wanted to resume the stream but Fox Sports only allows restart from beginning or Live.

So I went to box score and looks like Kai played and had 2 TDs. How was he?

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He looked fine but it was against the Oregon second-stringers. First TD drive featured a nice run for a first down at midfield but was a decent mix of rushes and passes, which was a pleasant surprise. Second TD drive was really due to a 55 yard TD pass where the defender slipped and fell, allowing Baker to go untouched into the end-zone.

Millner can use his feet, which is a must for an o-line that can't block all that well. He has a decent touch and seems to be more accurate than Plummer at the short-to-intermediate passes.

I think he's worth a start, maybe against Oregon State. He seems to be a better fit for our particular offense than Plummer in terms of the non-blocking o-line, West Coast-ish offensive scheme by Musgrave (I know it's not a West Coast offense but the way he runs it, it sure looks like a shitty version of one). Plus, wasn't Millner the first QB Musgrave recruited?

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Yeah, but the Oregon second-stringers are 3-4 star recruits.

Kai looked pretty damned good.

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Looked good. Deserves a start I think. Might as well try something cause the product that lost to colorado ain’t cutting it

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Oregon probably had third string D but that's a good sign. There should be a competition at least heading into next week

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WFC needs to put out a survey and ask its readers if Kai should start next week.

C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT

Jack Plummer 20/33 214 6.5 1 2

Kai Millner 8/11 114 10.4 2 0

TEAM 28/44 328 7.5 3 2

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Oct 30, 2022·edited Oct 30, 2022

His QB rating was 219.8 (I mean Millner). Plummer's rating was 113. I say start Kai against the Trojans. What we are getting with Plummer is a known quantity and he is not getting it done. The season is probably done with the exception of a toss-up against Stanford, a bowl between the 11th and 12th rated teams in the Pac-12.

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Granted, it was a limited amount of playing time and at the end of the game, but I think it earned him the right to get a look. Plummer can throw the ball well, but he is so inconsistent in his delivery. He also waits too long to let the ball fly and is scared to stand in the pocket. The short time Kai was in he got the ball out fast, on target and he stood in the pocket and delivered.

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Oct 30, 2022·edited Oct 30, 2022

My question Rug is what the hell has Jack Plummer done to earn such loyalty from the coaching staff? This offense consistently struggles to score and move the ball…yet he remains locked into the #1 spot on the depth chart…why?

He’s had issues since the UC Davis game…issues with accuracy, missed reads.

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He was probably handpicked by Musgrave from the portal. I am sure if they play Kai it would like a mistake by the coaching staff, and the ego thing gets in the way. Kai has more upside - he was the QB who threw that crazy backward throw for a 2 pt conversion in high school in a highlight that was shown on ESPN.

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I vote Millner!

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was worth a watch for the 2 TDs by the kid

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Very much so.

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At least we've got something new to talk about this week.

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Until next time Bear fans.

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Peace! Have a good week Tez!

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Why aren’t you goin on sides there?

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didn't want a QB controversy. If the Bears recover, and Kai takes them down for another score...

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Even Brando and Tillman were perplexed. Wilcox looked puzzled as well after they booted a liner right at the returner…which is really not a good sign, imo.

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Liking the decision making from Kai

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Yes, he scrambled well, too.

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So Kai just proved that the problem is not the O-Line...it's Plummer. He holds the ball forever.

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Are the Oregon defensive starters in?

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Compare Millner here vs Plummer against Colorado. Who is better?

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Good point.

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but has Ore put in their bench DL and stopped stunting?

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Ed Dickson just scored again wearing a Patrick Herbert jersey.

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I got a good laugh out of this one

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Oh, f-ing Ed Dickson.

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I call BS on the defense getting a pass. I’ve never seen so many wide open receivers in my life.

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you must be new around these parts.....

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Missed four home games in the last thirty years.

So no.

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jk.

btw: U-Dub had two scores last week with wide open -- really uncovered -- receivers.

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Sure, tho Cal’s lack of pressure did give Penix all day to throw…he picked them apart. Tough to hold up on the back end.

Of all the issues this team has, and there are many, coverage from the secondary shouldn’t be high on the list, imho.

We really miss Brett Johnson.

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That’s kinda what Oregon does tho - it’s a product of their offense, and the result of a strong O-line and an accurate, mobile QB.

This has not been the case in other games.

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It’s the product of zero pressure.

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Yup, definitely doesn’t help.

This doesn’t either, tho…

“….cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III and wide receiver Mason Starling are not dressed.

Also out: ILBs Muelu Iosefa and Blake Antzoulastos, OLB Braxten Croteau and CB Kaleb Higgins.”

That’s some big pieces on D.

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AND THE OVER BETTORS HAVE IT

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Taking the over is usually advisable when Oregon is involved. Bears play well for the first 1/3 of the game, and on the mop-up drives, but in between, talent, speed, and depth prevail, and Ducks win and cover.

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TE wide open Over the middle.

Smdh

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That was.a broken play and he still got a 1st Dow ln

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LB's were 3 yards off of the LOS on an QB sneak? huh?

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Or they got completely blown off the line?

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No penetration on def line.

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I think they just praised our OC....for his work in the 80s!? Anything more need to be said

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HE WAS SHORT. KNEE WAS DOWN

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He was short

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Since it’s doom and gloom time, I thought it would be interesting to ask where y’all think Cal will be in five years:

A) Cal no longer has a football program.

B) Cal has football but moves to FCS.

C) Cal has football but is no longer in a P5 conference, and at the bottom of whatever their conference is.

D) Cal is a middle of the road non P5 team.

E) Cal is one of the top non P5 teams.

F) Cal has football in a P5 conference but is the worst team in P5.

G) Cal is a decent P5 team.

H) Cal is a bowl-quality P5 team.

I) Cal is a conference champion.

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How about J, arguably the most likely scenario:

Cal is a middle of the road P5 team…

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That would be G.

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Great opportunity without USC and UCLA in the conference to dominate California in recruiting. But that required foresight. Could be I, but I'd bet on G

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Dont forget other B1G teams will be recruiting more from CA now too

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I'm less worried about that. Those who'd go to Ohio State would have gone there anyway. This is an opportunity for Cal, but I doubt they'll take it.

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Keep in mind the 9 other teams in the Pac-10, any any Mt West additions made, will all also be recruiting better.

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Dear alpha, if only it were true that the SoCal teams were going to give up California recruiting to us. Would that it were true

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Good point

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G. They’ve always reverted to G

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“Revert to decent” should be our motto. Latin translation of that, anyone?

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Reverti ad mediocritatem

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H

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D /C

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See how fast Kai made that read and got rid of the ball?

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His fakes, too, seemed better.

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And a strike

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I'll take a higher percentage of shorter range strikes to keep drives alive versus a long ball completion every now and then with a bunch of missed easy throws. Catch what I'm throwin' out there? Let's see more Kai.

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Exactly. Move the chains Rug.

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A successful special teams play!

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Cal is back!!!

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That was a pretty good drive. Although probably against 2nd string defense

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A touchdown!

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Perfect throw

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Looked good on the scoring drive.

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At least we threw past the sticks on 4th down

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Is that allowed?

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Ya love to see it.

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3rd and long and another short padd

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So, why not play the bench, now? Let's see Milner, again.

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Kai is in!

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Hopefully he’s your 2023 starting QB.

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Honest question, and not intended to flame or troll, but it’s gotta be asked in this modern era of the NIL and transfer portal:

…if you’re Jadyn Ott, J Michael Sturdivant, Jeremiah Hunter, Jeremiah Terry or Mavin Anderson, why wouldn’t you at least think about entering the portal, see what kind of offers you can get?

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Not really. Kids know they're the solution. And they're at the school for more than football.

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Remind them of Demetria Robertson

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I think the same is true for the top athletes on every bottom-dwelling team.

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Exactly.

But one of Wilcox’s positives is the kids like playing for him. What’s it gonna say if and when you see a mass exodus of talented skill position players skip town?

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It says the kids want some touches, adn they like to win. (Ott doesn't see the ball when the team is 4 TD's behind.)

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Because we can pay them to be here too!

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That’s misleading….we really can’t - we don’t have the infrastructure in place to do it.

It should come as no surprise why Alabama and other SEC schools, and Ohio State, Texas, USC, etc. hit the ground running in terms of the NLI….they were already paying the kids.

Cal wasn’t - they have no idea even how to.

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No doubt the SEC had a head start. And noting that Cal can't technically do it directly, but there is a collective for Cal players too. So saying cal has no idea is nonsense on multiple levels

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I meant they don’t know how to pay players because they weren’t paying them prior.

But it’s not nonsense. It took Cal over a year to even set it up, and my sources say it’s hardly been even funded.

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The California Legends NIL has been setup, go to Bear Insider for more info.

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Ya, I saw it when it came out in, what, August, September…a good year after the NIL was passed, though.

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Ducks gonna pour it on now

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need to, for the pollsters

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Why doesn't Peter Sirmon get the same criticism that Musgrave gets. He is also a terrible coordinator who underperforms given the talent he has

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Hard to grade the defense when they're gassed from being on the field too much. Key problem though is the lack of pressure on the opposing QBs - they're getting way too much time to through and no matter how good your talent and scheme, there will be holes in the defense when it turns into a scramble drill

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I disagree with this. His defense is out into bad situations way too often, they go thru long stretches with no rest because the Offense can't stay on the field.

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Oct 29, 2022·edited Oct 29, 2022

Because he can at least put a functional, competent D out there. The D played well enough to win at ND, at Wazzu, at Colorado….hell, even v UW.

They can at least keep you in a game.

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Oct 29, 2022·edited Oct 29, 2022

I said it wrong cuz clearly he isn't as bad a Musgrave but still don't believe he is a good d-coordinator, the defense is good cuz of the talent more so rather than his schemes

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Disagree, he's getting the most out of the talent we have

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Oct 29, 2022·edited Oct 29, 2022

Meh. This D is plenty talented, especially in the secondary. To say Sirmon is getting the most out of the talent we have implies that these are not talented players, when they are.

They definitely miss Brett Johnson tho.

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I’d like to see more pressure.

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This offense has to be the worst ever at Cal…with good skill players. All on the line and play calling that doesn’t adjust.

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Nah, still Holmoe.

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I remember our offense being worse despite having an NFL QB.

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worst performance-to-talent ratio

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That’s just an absolute joke of a play there.

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Sooo tired of the play calling. Just don’t get it. Oregon has gash plays and guys open everywhere. Why can’t we scheme?

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"just don't get it"

Oregon can block. We cannot.

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True. But have to adjust play calling.

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Are we really that bad of a football team? Or, is Oregon just that much more athletic in every aspect of the game?

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Man, we’re pretty bad.

We lost to one of the worst P5 schools in the country, for the 2nd consecutive year.

We can’t field a competent offense.

We can’t block anyone.

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Oregon looks so fast even on special teams defense. Field goal block was easy. A couple of punts looked like they should have been blocked. This joke of a punt. Even if the offensive line “just stands there”. We should be able to get a punt off in time.

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I’ve always though the running head start for the punt was an awful look.

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why not both?!

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Oct 29, 2022Liked by Rick Chen

<why not both.gif>

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Maybe Kai Time?

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He’s not prepared.

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Really?

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3rd and 19 and we throw a 5 yd pass

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We get to see Milner now. This offensive line situation is actually dangerous for the players.

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So who should be OC next year?

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Let's hire Sarkisian. he's about to get fired at Texas, and he can sort of.make an O go.

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Oct 29, 2022·edited Oct 29, 2022

Newellbany and I predicted 3 years, and thinks he gets a year of Arch Manning.

Skipping out on the Eyes of Texas though v Ok State is basically a fireable offense in Austin, especially after how hard the boosters fought to keep that racist schitt.

Meanwhile Cal extends a guy who is 10 games under .500. Different agendas.

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Does it matter?

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Who’d be happy if spavital came back?

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Me. I'm better than anyone Wilcox will hire.

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Ok. I vote for you. Is there an NIL for coaches that we can donate to?

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Yes! Glad you asked! I'll send my PayPal in a few seconds.

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whoever can recruit some big uglies

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Better yet, someone that can actually COACH big uglies…we have decent enough players - they’re just incredibly poorly coached.

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Ha!

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targeting, no question

(even the p12 refs can't screw that up)

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bingo

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Masochist until the end

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Oct 29, 2022Liked by Rick Chen

Ok. We can still cover the spread.

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God willing

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Oct 29, 2022Liked by Rick Chen

Kudos to the D. They know there’s no chance to win but they’re still going

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We can still enjoy the game. We can guess / bet on how many points the Ducks will end with.

I say 49.

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Draft Kings still showing Cal with a 1.3% chance to win...

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Not if Oregon continues to leave points on the field for no good reason.

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by the end of the 3rd period?

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45

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Fire Wilcox. Hire Kenny Dillingham.

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can't afford to fire him, unless you got $25m burning hole in your pocket

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I’m kidding. Wilcox is not going anywhere after that inexcusable extension.

Knowlton committed malpractice.

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oh, too bad, I was hoping that you did have the $25m to bail us out of this misery. hahahaha

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Don’t have $25M OC B…even if I did, I don’t think it would help.

Is there any amount of money in the world that would make the Administration care about football?

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sad, but true

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Hey Rugbear, who coaches the field goal team o-line? ST coordinator or o-line coach?

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it's mcclure, the o-line coach

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special teams coaching staff:

- kick return: toler iii (wide receivers)

- kickoff: so'oto (outside linebackers)

- point-afters and field goals: mcclure (o-line)

- punt: thompson (running backs)

- punt return: brown and watson (defensive backs)

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Oct 29, 2022Liked by Rick Chen

Thanks

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I don't know about usual coaching responsibilities but we don't have a ST coordinator

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Not sure.

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All phases are bad right now

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Oct 29, 2022Liked by Rick Chen

SERIOUSLY!

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trash

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