I'd love to hear an explanation for why our program/facilities made it impossible for Wilcox to field a consistent offense for five years, but didn't prevent him from fielding elite defenses over that time, while the same program/facilities allowed Dykes to field an elite offense for four years, but somehow prevented him from ever fielding a competent defense.
"...structural issues at CAL are keeping him from unlocking his full potential". "...smart folks believe that with the right program/facilities he could be an elite coach. He's very smart." What a slam on the CAL program. The question that Knowlton and CAL has to ask themselves is: "Are we going to do what it takes to be competitive or are we going to pretend and continue to be posers?" The fans are turning off to the all talk and no action and the decline in interest will continue as long as the Big U does not step up to facilitate the environment needed to create a successful program. Perhaps the best example of this is the City of Berkeley completely fucking over the team before the AZ game, and the University response was limp. If CAL doesn't want to to what it takes to field a competitive team they need to stop fucking pretending. Then they can figure out how to pay off that $400m stadium makeover.
If Wilcox stays, it will be very interesting to see how he transitions back home and recruits and hires. I don't want him to be lame duck. He's been middling even when fully invested. And why aren't there deep pocket Cal alums who pony up for great assistants? It's a perpetual mystery to me that Cal graduates such successful business people and yet we don't have many deep pocket donors to the athletic programs. I don't buy the whole academics focus argument. People love sports.
Listened to this on my walk today. About recruiting with interesting insights both past and contemporary regarding coaches, schools, etc. If link does not come through intact, it's the Andy Staple Show & Friends - posted today on Apple Podcasts.
1. I have a feeling Urban Meyer is not that interested in coaching football as he was before. Certainly not pro football but his comments don't reflect the drive that a very good coach has. Wilcox has that drive.
2. Should not do this, as it shows my age, but I went to Cal when Ray Willsey was our coach. We never had close to a star quarterback when I was there, I think before, or afterwards, but Cal played, tough, hard nosed football on both sides of the ball, perhaps because Willsey had a tough football/rugby background. Check the Wikipedia link below. He coached for eight seasons at Cal plus a few as head a head coach in the pro's and only had two losing seasons at Cal (with one at .500). His overall record was only two below .500 though he was seven losses under wins in conference. He would be my fourth best record since the mid-fifties after the three you mention. He played football at Cal during the late Pappy Waldorf years and was an assistant coach for two years for the Super Bowl winning Raiders and played three seasons of Canadian football, in two of them being on the winning Edmonton Grey Cup team.
BTW, Mike White also played football at Cal. As a successful Coach at Cal and later for Illinois (where he led them to a Rose Bowl berth), he had a number of great QB's, ihcluding Roth, Bartkowski, and Ferragamo (who I feel beat our Bartkowski) and a few good ones at Illinois.
Nothing wrong with Cal's program or facilities except for, apparently a likely higher level of Covid supervision than the rest of the country. Still have read NOTHING as to why Cal got hit with a Covid suspension of one-third of their squad BUT NO OTHER TEAM IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK FOR THE WHOLE FOOTBALL SEASON, HAS HAD ANY COVID SCARE CLOSE TO WHAT CAL SUFFERED IN THE WEEK BEFORE THE ARIZONA GAME. SEEMS THIS WOULD BE A GOOD SUBJECT, THOUGH A BIT OFF TARGET THAN REGULAR FOOTBAL NEWS, THAT W4C MIGHT WANT TO INVESTIGATE.
So now that we know Wilcox is actively looking for a new HC job (can’t blame him), is he just a lame duck Coach now, especially in the eyes of new recruits and even existing players? Would this prompt the Cal Admin to hire a new Coach right now? Or does everyone pretend that this didn’t happen?
Thanks Avi, really enjoying your updates..if Lanning is not the guy, it would be another PR blow for the Ducks. Urban Meyer should be available within 6 weeks, and speculation is that he is Phil’s #1 guy...should be interesting.
Oregon Ducks coaching search zooms in on Dan Lanning, with positive reviews of Justin Wilcox
I'd love to hear an explanation for why our program/facilities made it impossible for Wilcox to field a consistent offense for five years, but didn't prevent him from fielding elite defenses over that time, while the same program/facilities allowed Dykes to field an elite offense for four years, but somehow prevented him from ever fielding a competent defense.
"...structural issues at CAL are keeping him from unlocking his full potential". "...smart folks believe that with the right program/facilities he could be an elite coach. He's very smart." What a slam on the CAL program. The question that Knowlton and CAL has to ask themselves is: "Are we going to do what it takes to be competitive or are we going to pretend and continue to be posers?" The fans are turning off to the all talk and no action and the decline in interest will continue as long as the Big U does not step up to facilitate the environment needed to create a successful program. Perhaps the best example of this is the City of Berkeley completely fucking over the team before the AZ game, and the University response was limp. If CAL doesn't want to to what it takes to field a competitive team they need to stop fucking pretending. Then they can figure out how to pay off that $400m stadium makeover.
So now it seems that it is, in fact, Lanning. Not impressed w/ this hire. I'll be interested to see who he brings in as his OC.
If Wilcox stays, it will be very interesting to see how he transitions back home and recruits and hires. I don't want him to be lame duck. He's been middling even when fully invested. And why aren't there deep pocket Cal alums who pony up for great assistants? It's a perpetual mystery to me that Cal graduates such successful business people and yet we don't have many deep pocket donors to the athletic programs. I don't buy the whole academics focus argument. People love sports.
Listened to this on my walk today. About recruiting with interesting insights both past and contemporary regarding coaches, schools, etc. If link does not come through intact, it's the Andy Staple Show & Friends - posted today on Apple Podcasts.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stars-matter-michigans-recruiting-philosophy-college/id1477536795?i=1000544639116
(Gobears49)
A couple of more comments.
1. I have a feeling Urban Meyer is not that interested in coaching football as he was before. Certainly not pro football but his comments don't reflect the drive that a very good coach has. Wilcox has that drive.
2. Should not do this, as it shows my age, but I went to Cal when Ray Willsey was our coach. We never had close to a star quarterback when I was there, I think before, or afterwards, but Cal played, tough, hard nosed football on both sides of the ball, perhaps because Willsey had a tough football/rugby background. Check the Wikipedia link below. He coached for eight seasons at Cal plus a few as head a head coach in the pro's and only had two losing seasons at Cal (with one at .500). His overall record was only two below .500 though he was seven losses under wins in conference. He would be my fourth best record since the mid-fifties after the three you mention. He played football at Cal during the late Pappy Waldorf years and was an assistant coach for two years for the Super Bowl winning Raiders and played three seasons of Canadian football, in two of them being on the winning Edmonton Grey Cup team.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Willsey
BTW, Mike White also played football at Cal. As a successful Coach at Cal and later for Illinois (where he led them to a Rose Bowl berth), he had a number of great QB's, ihcluding Roth, Bartkowski, and Ferragamo (who I feel beat our Bartkowski) and a few good ones at Illinois.
UO should call Pete Carroll after the season the 'Hawks had....
(Gobears49)
Nothing wrong with Cal's program or facilities except for, apparently a likely higher level of Covid supervision than the rest of the country. Still have read NOTHING as to why Cal got hit with a Covid suspension of one-third of their squad BUT NO OTHER TEAM IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK FOR THE WHOLE FOOTBALL SEASON, HAS HAD ANY COVID SCARE CLOSE TO WHAT CAL SUFFERED IN THE WEEK BEFORE THE ARIZONA GAME. SEEMS THIS WOULD BE A GOOD SUBJECT, THOUGH A BIT OFF TARGET THAN REGULAR FOOTBAL NEWS, THAT W4C MIGHT WANT TO INVESTIGATE.
So now that we know Wilcox is actively looking for a new HC job (can’t blame him), is he just a lame duck Coach now, especially in the eyes of new recruits and even existing players? Would this prompt the Cal Admin to hire a new Coach right now? Or does everyone pretend that this didn’t happen?
Thanks Avi, really enjoying your updates..if Lanning is not the guy, it would be another PR blow for the Ducks. Urban Meyer should be available within 6 weeks, and speculation is that he is Phil’s #1 guy...should be interesting.