I had set 6-6 as our ceiling for the season. We hit it and could have been as good as 9-3 in an alternate, though closely-related, timeline in a very tough conference.
The Wilcox question is irrelevant since we're still tied to him next year. But this team looks FAR better at times than I'd expected in its conference swan song. Really proud of what the team has accomplished.
I had set 6-6 as our ceiling for the season. We hit it and could have been as good as 9-3 in an alternate, though closely-related, timeline in a very tough conference.
The Wilcox question is irrelevant since we're still tied to him next year. But this team looks FAR better at times than I'd expected in its conference swan song. Really proud of what the team has accomplished.
I understand what you're saying, but while the outcome was about what was expected, the journey was not ok between pulling defeat from the jaws of victory for the close losses and the completely uncompetitive games (sigh, why did I choose this year to go to Washington?).
I see this a bit more glass half empty - I think the staff squandered what should have been a pretty decent to good team with poor coaching and poor decisions, particularly around the QB position.
Indeed, it turned out that we had more talent than we thought. We saw improvement on offense (including OL). I don't know why Mendoza was buried at number 3 when he's clearly the best QB so that's on the coaching staff. We definitely had some defensive stinker games.
It's overall a partial credit scenario. We were overall an uneven but decent team that could have been a very good team (great teams blew us out). Our actual ceiling was probably bottom half of the Top 25.
There are some guys though that are good because they thrive in the competition of a game, and Fernando seems like one of those to me. With those, no way to know if they are that good until you play them. Obviously would have been nice if it happened earlier, but I am glad it did eventually happen!
But how many years are you willing to accept a 6-6 record? Is mediocrity the new standard? And do you think with Wilcox at the helm we will get stellar recruits? No we wonтАЩt; we rank #64 for 2024 college football recruits (10 ACC schools even rank higher than Cal, and we play 7 of them next year). We are destined to be out- recruited every year that we keep Wilcox; I mean, be honest, would YOU come here to play under Wilcox if YOU were a 5 star or 4star recruit?
And Jaydn OttтАФ- love you bro, but you are going to be a SERIOUS HEISMAN CONTENDER next year. You will get a much smaller spotlight here than you would playing behind a monster O Line like Texas or Ole Miss, and next year alone Texas will play prime time tv games against the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Texas A&M. I am NOT a fan of Texas but I do wish nothing but the best for Ott, and feel we will just hold him down if he stays. Look out for yourself, kid!
Until the grade criteria relax, no coach here will recruit lots of 4 or 5 stars.. At least Wilcox is accustomed to the grade straitjacket and looks for players who fit well (Uluave, Endries, Reese) instead of unproven teenagers with just pedigree.
You are SO right about the grade criteria. What's Oregon's? Probably just too be alive. So many of you Wilcox haters know nothing about it or how the NIL works. Mendoza, Ott, Uluave, etc. are here also for the education they will get at a great academic University.
I am not defending Wilcox in the least. We have him next year because we can't afford a buyout due to our financial situation. I thought we would be 4-8 with 6-6 as our ceiling and I'm just circling back to my preseason prediction.
Ott is an absolute stud. The NFL already knows about him and will evaluate him wherever he is. I certainly hope he's satisfied with the NIL (which I've been told is good but have no evidence) and playing situation and am glad he didn't jump last year.
Ott strikes me as a guy who has his eye on the future prize, the NFL. He loves being at Cal, he loves (and is loved by) his team, he's developing here and getting better every year. A lot of unknowns when you switch schools. If we can offer a competitive NIL deal I believe we have a good shot. He's going to be highly rated by pro scouts wherever he plays.
While we have had some truly stellar rbтАЩs come out of Cal, I think (sadly) the kid might bolt for greener pastures. The times are changing, as Dylan said. Heck, college kids are even getting endorsements and commercials now while playing, and I donтАЩt blame them. I REALLY REALLY love the kid, but I think heтАЩd be foolish to stay with Wilcox. The spotlight tv games are Saturday mornings and afternoons; we wonтАЩt merit many of those, I fear.
Well, we're part of an ESPN conference now so they won't be deriding us for shits and giggles, and he's about to get a lot more visibility with us playing East Coast games.
The NFL scouts aren't just watching the spotlight TV games and Ott knows they'll see his film. Worth noting that almost the entire o comes back next year and AT & Spav are almost certainly staying, so he knows what he can look forward to here.
I had set 6-6 as our ceiling for the season. We hit it and could have been as good as 9-3 in an alternate, though closely-related, timeline in a very tough conference.
The Wilcox question is irrelevant since we're still tied to him next year. But this team looks FAR better at times than I'd expected in its conference swan song. Really proud of what the team has accomplished.
I understand what you're saying, but while the outcome was about what was expected, the journey was not ok between pulling defeat from the jaws of victory for the close losses and the completely uncompetitive games (sigh, why did I choose this year to go to Washington?).
I see this a bit more glass half empty - I think the staff squandered what should have been a pretty decent to good team with poor coaching and poor decisions, particularly around the QB position.
Indeed, it turned out that we had more talent than we thought. We saw improvement on offense (including OL). I don't know why Mendoza was buried at number 3 when he's clearly the best QB so that's on the coaching staff. We definitely had some defensive stinker games.
It's overall a partial credit scenario. We were overall an uneven but decent team that could have been a very good team (great teams blew us out). Our actual ceiling was probably bottom half of the Top 25.
There are some guys though that are good because they thrive in the competition of a game, and Fernando seems like one of those to me. With those, no way to know if they are that good until you play them. Obviously would have been nice if it happened earlier, but I am glad it did eventually happen!
For sure. We got that Brock Purdy luck.
But how many years are you willing to accept a 6-6 record? Is mediocrity the new standard? And do you think with Wilcox at the helm we will get stellar recruits? No we wonтАЩt; we rank #64 for 2024 college football recruits (10 ACC schools even rank higher than Cal, and we play 7 of them next year). We are destined to be out- recruited every year that we keep Wilcox; I mean, be honest, would YOU come here to play under Wilcox if YOU were a 5 star or 4star recruit?
And Jaydn OttтАФ- love you bro, but you are going to be a SERIOUS HEISMAN CONTENDER next year. You will get a much smaller spotlight here than you would playing behind a monster O Line like Texas or Ole Miss, and next year alone Texas will play prime time tv games against the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Texas A&M. I am NOT a fan of Texas but I do wish nothing but the best for Ott, and feel we will just hold him down if he stays. Look out for yourself, kid!
Until the grade criteria relax, no coach here will recruit lots of 4 or 5 stars.. At least Wilcox is accustomed to the grade straitjacket and looks for players who fit well (Uluave, Endries, Reese) instead of unproven teenagers with just pedigree.
You are SO right about the grade criteria. What's Oregon's? Probably just too be alive. So many of you Wilcox haters know nothing about it or how the NIL works. Mendoza, Ott, Uluave, etc. are here also for the education they will get at a great academic University.
This year was a gauntlet so 6-6 is a passing grade to me.
6 wins next year would be completely unacceptable.
Takes a village. Maybe the record reflects more about a lack of institutional support than it does about the HC.
I am not defending Wilcox in the least. We have him next year because we can't afford a buyout due to our financial situation. I thought we would be 4-8 with 6-6 as our ceiling and I'm just circling back to my preseason prediction.
Ott is an absolute stud. The NFL already knows about him and will evaluate him wherever he is. I certainly hope he's satisfied with the NIL (which I've been told is good but have no evidence) and playing situation and am glad he didn't jump last year.
Ott strikes me as a guy who has his eye on the future prize, the NFL. He loves being at Cal, he loves (and is loved by) his team, he's developing here and getting better every year. A lot of unknowns when you switch schools. If we can offer a competitive NIL deal I believe we have a good shot. He's going to be highly rated by pro scouts wherever he plays.
While we have had some truly stellar rbтАЩs come out of Cal, I think (sadly) the kid might bolt for greener pastures. The times are changing, as Dylan said. Heck, college kids are even getting endorsements and commercials now while playing, and I donтАЩt blame them. I REALLY REALLY love the kid, but I think heтАЩd be foolish to stay with Wilcox. The spotlight tv games are Saturday mornings and afternoons; we wonтАЩt merit many of those, I fear.
Well, we're part of an ESPN conference now so they won't be deriding us for shits and giggles, and he's about to get a lot more visibility with us playing East Coast games.
The NFL scouts aren't just watching the spotlight TV games and Ott knows they'll see his film. Worth noting that almost the entire o comes back next year and AT & Spav are almost certainly staying, so he knows what he can look forward to here.
Every dollar of NIL money should go to keeping Ott another year.
I think he stays because itтАЩs the bird in hand and he will play just one more year before NFL anyway
He probably also saw what happened to Sturdivant.
That would be his smart play. Plus, here, he especially stands out, like a big fish in a small pond.
Lastly, look at all the NFL greats that came from non-powerhouse programs. Jerry Rice comes to mind.