"I still don’t quite understand why Cal couldn’t/didn’t pass downfield against Nevada, and that refusal and/or inability cost them a winnable game."
I haven't gone back and rewatched the game or anything, but my recollection from watching it live was that Garbers was pretty often looking downfield first, but then checking down to a receiver in the flat for a minimal gain. I'd have to rewatch tape (and you can't always see it on TV) to understand what Garbers was or wasn't seeing, so I couldn't say whether Nevada simply played/schemed better in coverage, or whether we've done something since schematically to free up receivers downfield, but I don't think not throwing downfield vs. Nevada was a choice we made so much as a result what was available to the offense.
I still want to believe that Wilcox can fix the defense. I understand we don't have TDR, GA, Weaver, Bynum, Hawkins, etc. anymore and our defense likely won't be elite like previous years. But it should still have potential to be at least average to good defense, and Wilcox wants to win more than anyone in the fan base. So let's see how we play against UW and see if I have to say "fire Sirmon" again.
I was astounded by a comment that Wilcox made in the past game presser, something to the effect of "it's difficult to beat any team in college football." C,mon coach, you might think that, but why would you admit that thought to the whole world? Most Power 5 schools schedule an FCS team with the thought it's an automatic W, and realistically, a chance to put that team away by halftime and give the subs a well deserved chance to play.
Sac State has a wonderful coach in former Cal alum Troy Taylor, but this was not the same team that gave Arizona State fits in 2019 in a 19-7 decision that was not decided until late into the fourth quarter. Sac State was one of those Big Sky teams that decided not to play in 2020, and they showed plenty of rust in their first two games. The first was a squeaker win against Dixie State (Dixie who?) and the second was a thumping at home against Northern Iowa in which the Hornets turned the ball over five times and scored 7 points in the second half. Sac State entered the season with a JC guy at QB whose previous experience was a grand total of under 700 yards throwing against FCS competition. He came out looking like YA Tittle against the Bears and almost by himself prevented a lot of those young Cal subs from getting into the game.
Bruce Snyder is my all-time favorite coach at Cal because for the most part he had his teams fired up to play to their maximum ability in every game. Despite inheriting an empty cubboard from Joe Kapp (the only Cal player taken in 11 rounds of the 1988 draft was their punter) and posting three losing seasons, Cal beat the teams they were supposed to beat in resounding fashion. Cal opened the 1987 season with a 41-0 beatdown of UOP. The next year, they destroyed Kansas 55-21. And then when that team got really good with Snyder players, they destroyed UOP again 88-24. I am guessing the subs got to play a lot in all of those games.
So now we have Wilcox at a coaching crossroads and by all accounts royally pissed at the results so far. I am hoping he is not trying to be friends with anybody on his staff or his players this week. In fact, I am hoping the players are running steps in Memorial as we speak. Washington coach Jimmy Lake faced a similar crossroads after game one in which his Huskies were flat out embarrassed by Montana. Something he said or did got through to the team. They started to show signs of life against Michigan in the second half of a loss on the road, and last week just crushed Arkansas State 52-3. Arkansas State is no FCS team, and in fact, scored 50 points on undefeated Memphis in their second game.
If Wilcox can get through to his players and start demanding they play up to their ability level, they have a chance of competing against Washington Saturday night. If not, Washington is going to crush them John Ross style.
Some guy I was standing next to the last time I saw the Bears live (oh wait, it was Nick) said "Good things happen when we throw downfield" - and it's not just limited to passes and catches. PI penalties and also a loosening of the underneath coverage are other things that can happen even with attempts downfield.
One thing I don't understand is the lack of pressure on QB. Is it scheme issue? We are only rushing 3 or 4 (yet receivers are wide open!?? but that's a different issue). No blitz. Is any of our DL getting double teamed? Who called plays last year? Sirmon or TDR?
Good-god-cover-your-eyes...I like that. Nice article that actually pumps a bit of sunshine. Again, I'm not good enough to dissect player vs. coaching issues, but Wilcox acts like it is heavily on players to execute, as he pounded that he is looking for "competitiveness" at the position.
"I still don’t quite understand why Cal couldn’t/didn’t pass downfield against Nevada, and that refusal and/or inability cost them a winnable game."
I haven't gone back and rewatched the game or anything, but my recollection from watching it live was that Garbers was pretty often looking downfield first, but then checking down to a receiver in the flat for a minimal gain. I'd have to rewatch tape (and you can't always see it on TV) to understand what Garbers was or wasn't seeing, so I couldn't say whether Nevada simply played/schemed better in coverage, or whether we've done something since schematically to free up receivers downfield, but I don't think not throwing downfield vs. Nevada was a choice we made so much as a result what was available to the offense.
I still want to believe that Wilcox can fix the defense. I understand we don't have TDR, GA, Weaver, Bynum, Hawkins, etc. anymore and our defense likely won't be elite like previous years. But it should still have potential to be at least average to good defense, and Wilcox wants to win more than anyone in the fan base. So let's see how we play against UW and see if I have to say "fire Sirmon" again.
I was astounded by a comment that Wilcox made in the past game presser, something to the effect of "it's difficult to beat any team in college football." C,mon coach, you might think that, but why would you admit that thought to the whole world? Most Power 5 schools schedule an FCS team with the thought it's an automatic W, and realistically, a chance to put that team away by halftime and give the subs a well deserved chance to play.
Sac State has a wonderful coach in former Cal alum Troy Taylor, but this was not the same team that gave Arizona State fits in 2019 in a 19-7 decision that was not decided until late into the fourth quarter. Sac State was one of those Big Sky teams that decided not to play in 2020, and they showed plenty of rust in their first two games. The first was a squeaker win against Dixie State (Dixie who?) and the second was a thumping at home against Northern Iowa in which the Hornets turned the ball over five times and scored 7 points in the second half. Sac State entered the season with a JC guy at QB whose previous experience was a grand total of under 700 yards throwing against FCS competition. He came out looking like YA Tittle against the Bears and almost by himself prevented a lot of those young Cal subs from getting into the game.
Bruce Snyder is my all-time favorite coach at Cal because for the most part he had his teams fired up to play to their maximum ability in every game. Despite inheriting an empty cubboard from Joe Kapp (the only Cal player taken in 11 rounds of the 1988 draft was their punter) and posting three losing seasons, Cal beat the teams they were supposed to beat in resounding fashion. Cal opened the 1987 season with a 41-0 beatdown of UOP. The next year, they destroyed Kansas 55-21. And then when that team got really good with Snyder players, they destroyed UOP again 88-24. I am guessing the subs got to play a lot in all of those games.
So now we have Wilcox at a coaching crossroads and by all accounts royally pissed at the results so far. I am hoping he is not trying to be friends with anybody on his staff or his players this week. In fact, I am hoping the players are running steps in Memorial as we speak. Washington coach Jimmy Lake faced a similar crossroads after game one in which his Huskies were flat out embarrassed by Montana. Something he said or did got through to the team. They started to show signs of life against Michigan in the second half of a loss on the road, and last week just crushed Arkansas State 52-3. Arkansas State is no FCS team, and in fact, scored 50 points on undefeated Memphis in their second game.
If Wilcox can get through to his players and start demanding they play up to their ability level, they have a chance of competing against Washington Saturday night. If not, Washington is going to crush them John Ross style.
Am I the only one looking at Pac-12 results and thinking that Cal in the Rose Bowl this season is a realistic possibility?
The conference is so bad...but the question is if the Bears can run the table of the crappy teams if they get the LB/secondary issues fixed.
Some guy I was standing next to the last time I saw the Bears live (oh wait, it was Nick) said "Good things happen when we throw downfield" - and it's not just limited to passes and catches. PI penalties and also a loosening of the underneath coverage are other things that can happen even with attempts downfield.
One thing I don't understand is the lack of pressure on QB. Is it scheme issue? We are only rushing 3 or 4 (yet receivers are wide open!?? but that's a different issue). No blitz. Is any of our DL getting double teamed? Who called plays last year? Sirmon or TDR?
Good-god-cover-your-eyes...I like that. Nice article that actually pumps a bit of sunshine. Again, I'm not good enough to dissect player vs. coaching issues, but Wilcox acts like it is heavily on players to execute, as he pounded that he is looking for "competitiveness" at the position.