Nick, re: recruiting. Given that Cal did not have much to show this year on the field and what it did show was rather poor, I suspect it may be difficult to get a recruiting class in 2022 that can match this year's class. Recruits have basically nothing to go on. Given that many recruits commit prior to the Fall season even starting that could really hurt Cal this cycle.
That said, who can argue with this staff's ability to recruit. Opening up on-campus visits will be a critical factor to success methinks. Immediate need on the recruiting trail are OLineman. Wilcox wants to own both sides of the trenches and that hasn't happened, yet, albeit this year's MVP unit was far and away the DLine. So, that side of the ball is improving in talent (this year's recruiting class) and coaching (Browning).
Also, competition has to be opened up at QB. Cal's QB play is subpar to other teams in the conference.
Nick, thanks for another great season of journalism, your articles (as well as all the other WFC) are a pleasure to read.
I cannot figure out why five teams from the SEC with losing records would want to extend their season and play in a meaningless bowl game while under COVID lockdown during the holidays. Just about every eligible PAC 12 team opted out. It speaks one thing to me: football just means more to those folks. Please tell me what I am missing.....
There really is something wrong with a 3-7 Mississippi St team going to a bowl, and Army not, just because Army had a bowl they were qualified into cancelled out from under them.
I would suggest watching the Liberty-Coastal Carolina game, which is a rescheduling of what was going to be the game of the week before Covid interfered. These are 2 very competent teams a lot of name brand programs in the southeast and on the east coast obviously want nothing to do with.
I'm also genuinely interested in Ball St & San Jose St. Another chance to see teams that put together very good seasons despite challenging times.
Nick, re: recruiting. Given that Cal did not have much to show this year on the field and what it did show was rather poor, I suspect it may be difficult to get a recruiting class in 2022 that can match this year's class. Recruits have basically nothing to go on. Given that many recruits commit prior to the Fall season even starting that could really hurt Cal this cycle.
That said, who can argue with this staff's ability to recruit. Opening up on-campus visits will be a critical factor to success methinks. Immediate need on the recruiting trail are OLineman. Wilcox wants to own both sides of the trenches and that hasn't happened, yet, albeit this year's MVP unit was far and away the DLine. So, that side of the ball is improving in talent (this year's recruiting class) and coaching (Browning).
Also, competition has to be opened up at QB. Cal's QB play is subpar to other teams in the conference.
Nick, thanks for another great season of journalism, your articles (as well as all the other WFC) are a pleasure to read.
Go Bears!!
I cannot figure out why five teams from the SEC with losing records would want to extend their season and play in a meaningless bowl game while under COVID lockdown during the holidays. Just about every eligible PAC 12 team opted out. It speaks one thing to me: football just means more to those folks. Please tell me what I am missing.....
There really is something wrong with a 3-7 Mississippi St team going to a bowl, and Army not, just because Army had a bowl they were qualified into cancelled out from under them.
I would suggest watching the Liberty-Coastal Carolina game, which is a rescheduling of what was going to be the game of the week before Covid interfered. These are 2 very competent teams a lot of name brand programs in the southeast and on the east coast obviously want nothing to do with.
I'm also genuinely interested in Ball St & San Jose St. Another chance to see teams that put together very good seasons despite challenging times.
Nick, nice inclusion of a signature line from Frozen: "for the first time in forever..."