42 Comments
Oct 3, 2021Liked by Rick Chen

I’m not surprised that Cal football hasn’t and won’t achieve the heights of the Tedford years. I am surprised that Cal football hasn’t been able to achieve .500 consistently and go to bowl games. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation. Top 25 consistently? Eh probably not. But as an alum, all I want is some good play and an excuse to go to some bowl game as a break.

Expand full comment

The question is, does Wilcox get an extension? If he doesn’t, then he essentially is a lame duck coach and recruiting takes a big hit. IMO, he has not earned it as he has certainly not shown the ability to win football games.

But if we fire him, what are the chances that the AD will hire someone better?

I think we need to do what the Beavers did, hire an alum. I think Troy Taylor could be the man.

Expand full comment

Welp what we thought about the ILB seems to have come to fruition. Olajedo and Paster got a lot of snaps. Even grey-shirt Rutchena got some snaps and an INT!! So, the coaches have accepted the fact that production at that position isn’t there. Tattersall may have gotten a few snaps, but I don’t recall seeing him on D and I will not be reviewing this game’s tape.

That said, the defense played well enough to win. Two INTs, 21 points allowed, and a blocked punt. That block turned out to be catastrophic for the Bears as IIRC it ended with a Beaver receiver making a one-handed toe point Baryshnikov touchdown! It’s good to see younger players coming in and producing: Roberts, Hearns, Saunders, Oladejo, Paster and Rutchena.

Slater Zellers. I bet prior to this season, 99% of Cal fans would not have recognized the name. In his prior 2 seasons I don’t recall him having a bad snap. He is a good player but is mentally completely gone atm. Kinda like a golfer on the 1st tee with no confidence where his drive will go. No amount of coaching is going to help him get over the mental block. Perhaps a sports psychologist may help. He just has to “trust” his muscle memory to get over this bump so he can perform to his normal self. Perhaps the next 2 weeks will allow for that.

Lastly, the obvious. The staff must allow another QB to play in a game. First, it would allow CG a different perspective from the sideline, which sometimes aids a player. Second, if the season is in the shitter we need Millner to see the field as it would seem he is the heir apparent at QB. But moving on from CG is now fully on the table. I don’t feel it will produce wins necessarily given the state of our OL but it will prepare Millner and get him accustomed to game speed.

Expand full comment

Death spiral coming.

I do hate this time period for Cal football:

-Dead stick season

-Players, fans and even Coaches checking out and going through the motions

-Letting the Coaching staff go

-A way too long search process involving an expensive Consulting group that eventually offers up a lame list of Coaches

-A flurry of transfers

-Unrealistic expectations with the new staff amid rebuilding and changing the football style

Of course in the weeks after I post this, Cal will turn the season around to save their Coach and we’ll be complaining about these same issues for years to come because…Cal

Expand full comment

The wheels have come off the cart. Need to re-boot and re-group. Saying "it's all on me" does not improve the overall picture of the situation with Cal football, which is bleak.

Expand full comment

Is it any wonder we can’t win when we have lost the recruiting wars? Think about it—- if you have a lick of talent, are you coming to this rudderless ship, or are you going down the peninsula, or to Socal, or Eugene. I agree with other posters here; a massive overhaul is needed, from coaching, to recruiting, to charging less for tickets to get butts back in the seats (I ain’t gonna pay $77 bucks a seat to see Cal and Colorado battle for mediocrity). And go out and poach a head coach with personality and swagger!

Expand full comment

A bye week during the Wilcox era has been used to develop underclassmen. I suggest (strongly) that it is use to develop the 1st string. Especially the OL which has been a weakness at Cal for many many years. Wazzu did a great job exploiting the OL. If, as Cindric claimed in his post game interview, the issue is one of technique than that should have been fixed DURING the game. Given it wasn't fixed than the OL 1st string can practice technique against our 1st string DL each day for the next 2 weeks until they have the technique down pat. To my eye the issue is more than technique.

The OL has had a 6 player rotation all season until this game. When we went deeper into the depth chart ~ Rohme came in for Craig ~ things did not improve. btw, did Craig get benched or was he injured? Driscoll apparently did not play at all (according to the participation report) and he had been playing well, perhaps he's injured now but Wilcox will never let it be known unless specifically asked.

OT: the best team in the Pac12, IMO, is OSU. Not coincidently they have the best OL in the conference. And they also have potential League players at DB and LB. I suspect they will be ranked #1 in the conference when the WFC rankings come out this week.

Also, the quacks offense isn't that good and the QB isn't going to beat anyone. His supporting staff is good but they rely on quick strike explosive plays. It's the defense that keeps them in games, not a bad formula to have. Cristobal should have been left on the tarmac in San Jose after his bone headed decision to pass the ball when furd had timeouts w/ only 2 minutes left to play in the game, saved 'furds ass and cost his team an outside chance at the playoffs.

Expand full comment

Fire garbers

Expand full comment

But was Wilcox angry at his press conference?

Expand full comment
Removed (Banned)Oct 3, 2021
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Removed (Banned)Oct 3, 2021
Comment removed
Expand full comment