16 Comments

"A powerful and fast back, but someone who may not translate to being a three down back ever, which for Cal isn’t necessarily an issue."

Why is that - what do you see him not being not able to improve upon in college to where he would be a workhorse back? You compared him to Nick Chubb (!) and Hassan Haskins (!) who is an All-American who had 270 carries last season.

If he's got strength, speed, and cut-back ability - how does that make him "one-dimensional?"

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So this part I've gone back and forth with a lot of people in my circle. My definition of being multi dimensional is being versatile, which includes receiving ability which is not there. Chubb and Haskins are great at what they do, but what they do is only so much of the sum of the parts (i.e a receiving/scat back on 3rd down). In an ideal world I want someone like Deebo Samuel, Christian Mccaffery, and even Khalfani Muhammad.

*also notice how Chubb and Haskins get replaced for Hunt and Corum, that's what I mean when they are "one dimensional", they aren't great at everything (which isn't a disparagement, just how it happens to be).

For example if we have 3rd&6 from midfield I would not want Ott in there. Hope this clears up my definition and examples of things.

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Off Topic: U of Oregon has three WBB players enter the transfer portal...... Hope Charmin can land one or more.

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We thought Moore would be the answer but TBH he lacks speed and became a fumbler. I hope someone breaks out as a 1000 yard guy.

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Whatever happened to players sleeping with a football after a bad fumble game?

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Should be a good corps of running backs. Stredick needs to get some snaps. You can't teach speed and the kid is an absolute burner. Not sure why most Cal sites and fans have penciled in Plummer as the presumptive starter at QB, the competition is open albeit likely between Plummer and Millner.

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What is with the obsession with stedrick? I get his speed but why isn’t he higher on the depth chart of what his stans say is true?

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Experience. I'd be fine if they split between Milner and Plummer against Davis and UNLV to see how Milner is in games, but having the "time in the pocket" seems like a huge asset for Plummer.

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Milner’s inability to see the field at U of A remains a puzzler. Not expecting much - hope to be wrong.

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First thing Jaydn Ott brings to the RB room? Consonants, and lots of 'em

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Cal hasn't had a 1,000 yard rusher since Patrick Laird in 2017. That needs to change if the Bears have any chance of breaking out of the doldrums on offense. I keep thinking back to that break-through Cal team in 1990 when Bruce Snyder told the media in fall camp that his team would be physical with a nasty running game. That team ended up with not one, but two 1,000 rushers. It didn't hurt that three O-lineman from that team went on to play in the NFL.

I don't see any of that in the current makeup of this team and its coaching staff. Hope I am wrong.

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I don't think it's that black and white. Offensive philosophies now involve utilizing a variety of styles out of the backfield. Yes, you'd like a 3-down back, but the game is going more spread and you aren't having high school programs develop in-the-trenches runners at such a rate. If you're getting 200+ yards a game on the ground from all contributors, you're doing quite well.

Utah was the best P12 rushing team last year, 217 yards/game. They had Tavion Thomas at 1100 yards, and had 3 other players between 500 and 700 yards. Most teams are adopting the platoon approach.

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Good points, but Cal's top three rushers last year were Brooks with 605 yards, Moore with 517 yards and Garbers with 456 yards. We can throw out those QB rushing yards next season because Plummer is a pocket passer and not known as a runner. Very simply not good enough. I still think it's going to take at least one guy from the Cal roster hitting or pushing 1,000 yards to define success in that pro style offense. Not sure if they have the mules up front to make that happen.

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2005: Marshawn Lynch 1246, Justin Forsett 999

2004: JJ Arrington 2018 yards

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Arrington should have been invited to the Heisman ceremony that year.

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2008: Jahvid Best - 1580 yards, Shane Vereen - 715 yards

2009: Shane Vereen - 952 yards, Jahvid Best - 867 yards

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