Obviously Spavital has not had, does not have, and will never have any interest in coaching at Cal. He uses Cal as place from where he can get paid while he job hunts in Texas.
Wilcox should have never brought this texas vagabond to Cal this time in the first place. That's on Wilcox. Perhaps Wilcox can make sure whoever he hires next actually wants to be at Cal.
I just happened to scroll over to the old CGB site out of curiosity, and to my astonishment there was an article about Spav leaving Cal on the front page. Clicked though and then realized the article was from last year, after he had agreed to join Cal, linking him to an opening at Houston. Apparently that fell through though.
I don't recall reading about that at the time. But it seems like his interest in moving to B12/Texas may have been in the works before this year. So that is somewhat comforting as it implies that there wasn't something particular to his experience at Cal this past year that caused him to flee. Still sucks though as it finally felt like we might have had more answers then questions than we have had in a long time in regards to our offense this off season. Hopefully the players stick together and we get someone they are stoked on.
He should be replaced by his assistant, if he had one, or the RB or receiver coach because they know the offense. You can't keep changing offenses every year because offense is very complicated and each coach has different terminology and the players know it. If an outside guy comes in then the players go back to step one.
They may know the offense but they don't have the experience with scheming for a game and play calling during an actual game. X's and O's are easy. Calling the right plays at the right time is what separates the great ones from everyone else. Spav was really good at play calling. We need an OC who runs the Air Raid with a running attack and has a system similar to Spav''s. The good news, is it's not a wholesale system change to go from one Air Raid system to another. The concepts are basically the same.
Plough is the candidate for Davis, not Bloesch. Plough was once a QB at Davis so he is a favored son of the school (Like Chris Petersen) and others. Bloesch does have OC experience, but as a former OL and knowing Bloesch is an OL coach, he is highly qualified to be a run game coordinator, but I seriously doubt he has the pass game knowledge that Spav has. Who has Bloesch coached up as a QB and how successful have they been in college and post college. Spav has one of the best QB whisperer resumes in the college game, It's going to be hard to replace that. Would not be surprise if Bloesch put his name in the hat for OC candidates and won't be surprised if he doesn't get the job if he moves on. It happens with coaching changes like this.
Hopefully we pick someone young and exciting and don’t end up with some one like Eric Kiesau or Paul Chryst because Wilcox worked with them a decade ago.
I can’t blame spav for wanting more money elsewhere and coaching in the big 12. His roots are in Texas, but this definitely stings. Just as the offense was humming the last few weeks too. I thought he would stick around for 2-3 years and then wait for a head coaching job to open and then bounce. One and done like in 2016 but that’s coaching life in college football.
If I’m Wilcox I’d strongly consider promoting bloesch. Dude worked magic on the O-line this year. OR, go get David Webb as your QB/offensive coordinator. Yes, he’s young and inexperienced but there’s a lot of that in college football right now. He knows cal and I think would take the job if offered.
Webb has a grating personality IMO. Personally, he rubs me the wrong way. Best way to describe it, he "acts" like a team player but is a bit self centered. While a decent college QB, I was not surprised his League career was short.
That said, I'm happy to be wrong. He may be an excellent coach, a role that I have no observation is critiquing him. Is he ready for OC? Dunno, his hire as QB coach in the League was a surprise to me and those folks know better than I.
For now, I'll take a pass on Webb as Cal's next OC.
Also re: 5) Even if untrue, Spav's peeps in the Texas/Oklahoma area might create pressure to "escape while you can." This is a matter of perception of California, not necessarily fact.
So I read comments thinking Spav really turned the offense around. I am not so willing to give him a good grade on what he did at cal. Here are my reasons:
1. For an offense-minded coach with all these supposed QBs he coached, why was Mendoza 3rd string?
2. Why was Jackson #1 when it looked to me like he had never learned to protect the football every time he scrambled. Even I, never played football and I’m ’just a girl’, know you don’t run with the ball down your side with 1 hand so easily stripped of it? Wouldn’t this be a top change for the QB whisperer to correct? But he kept doing it.
3. It looked to me that all the games up to Mendoza playing and being discovered as our ‘spark’, where looking like practice scrimmages to figure out who all should start and getting the teams to gel as units. Why is that?
4. Seeing Mendoza and his play, his passion, his leadership, his knowledge, his appetite to play, learn and win, his teammanship (the Driscoll shirt in the post game presser, etc, I was baffled why he wasn’t starting so getting all the practice reps, but if not #1 yet, at least backup to Jackson.
5. More on Mendoza beyond is QB skills. He is the spark for the team, but man also got us fans and the press fired up and hopeful. He is a very unique QB to me and why were we not latching onto him and running with him from the beginning?
6. Also, Wilcox may not be getting us the wins we so desperately want for our team and fans, but I believe he is loved by the team and he is the one that got the team as a whole mentally prepared, to believe that they could do it and to not just pack it up and run to the portal. He got the team believing and I do like that part of his coaching. Maybe Spav didn’t like the amount of coaching respectability that he was given and wanted to be provided more from Wilcox
I could go on, but…
Am I missing the ‘greatness’ of Slav and molding QBs.
Did he not like that his 2 transfer portal QB picks failed under his leadership?
Did he not like Mendoza getting the starting job late in the season? Did Wilcox force Spav’s hand on that?
Was Spav upset that Mendoza would be the starter next year? I know it can’t be Mendoza not gelling with Spav as I can’t imagine that little bundle of energy having enemies - maybe Ben and Sam, but I didn’t hear any rumblings of that.
So I’m not quick to say Spav was the reason for the turnaround.
I’ll end it here. So so saddened by this kick-in-the-gut news. It really really sucks.
Some people are just game-time players. All media reports (and the coaches) made it clear that it was a tight battle in practice and nobody really stood out.
I think your points 1-4 are sport on. I’ve asked similar questions, “How can coaches who are paid boatloads of money to be good at this bury Mendoza as #3 behind Jackson and Finley?” Took them half a season of meh qb production to give Mendoza a start.
Your observations are pretty astute (for a girl). ; )
Why thank you Old Bear 71! I am a Cal grad, after all! Plus I am originally from SC where football is church. My grandmother took me to USC (East Coast) games and taught me all about football. My parents moved to CA when I was in high school, so I went to Cal and remained here since. Love my University and proud to be an alum. Cal football has been the one thing that has provided joy in what has been a pretty difficult year personally. So I follow the team and WFC articles to be a part of a community I love. Go Bears!
Spav and Bloesch were the two major coaching changes on offense, and our offense jumped from three 30-point games to seven 30-point games. You can quibble with his QB management all you want but it's pretty darn clear he contributed to a big jump in the performance of our offense
Its hard to know how much improved we wouldve been under *any* new OC who has a modern college offense, considering the talent we have at the skill positions, and also upgrading the Offensive Line coach, but yeah I def think some credit is warranted/due.
As far as the transfer QBs: Jax n Fin. Their commits were very early in Spav coming aboard, so I wouldnt doubt he favored them, subconsciously or not, as a way of rewarding their commitments at a time when our QB room appeared to be in dire straights.
2. SJV: Super mobile, promising high ceiling; also some experience.
3. FM: Super eager; engaging; built like a QB; and follows directions.
If I were the OC at the start of the year, of course I would lead with one of the two experienced QBs. 1 and 2 both showed promise until they didn't. FM got a start on, I believe, a "let's give him a shot, it's a ranked team, so what do we have to lose" basis.
I hope that he at least stays through our bowl game. Overall, thanks to Spav for reinvigorating our offense and helping us get to bowl eligibility. Just a reminder that this is going to be the new norm from now on. At the end of every season, even on the best teams, players and coaches will head for what they think are greener pastures. However, careful what you wish for. Dante Moore just announced he is leaving FUCLA and I'll bet that traitor J. Michael Sturdivant is having second thoughts about leaving Cal for FUCLA. As many of you at WFC have pointed out, the grass isn't always greener somewhere else.
When I watched Dante Moore Saturday night, I did not see the same building blocks that eventually led his predecessor - DTR - to have a great career at UCLA and probably a long NFL stay. Good luck to the young man, but don[t be surprised if we don't hear from him again.
Steve: He looked completely dejected and overwhelmed during the game. When he was sacked by David Reese and laying on the turf after his helmet was knocked off, the camera captured him pulling his balaclava over his eyes and practically curling up in a ball right on the spot. That should have told everyone something.
To be fair, that was a pretty big hit and likely a missed Targeting call. (if that same hit was on Mendoza, I for one wouldve been screaming for targeting). Wasnt an easy one to pop back up from.
Exactly!!! He looked more concerned about adjusting his hood than protecting the ball he just fumbled. Usually, a QB will instinctively look around for the ball after a fumble. The kid didn’t seem to care.
Obviously Spavital has not had, does not have, and will never have any interest in coaching at Cal. He uses Cal as place from where he can get paid while he job hunts in Texas.
Wilcox should have never brought this texas vagabond to Cal this time in the first place. That's on Wilcox. Perhaps Wilcox can make sure whoever he hires next actually wants to be at Cal.
Well if they are successful, I don't mind if coaches move on. We have to accept that Cal is not a coaching destination.
ASU is getting Marcus Arroyo as their new OC.
Everyone's just getting all the familiar names in the conference.
I just happened to scroll over to the old CGB site out of curiosity, and to my astonishment there was an article about Spav leaving Cal on the front page. Clicked though and then realized the article was from last year, after he had agreed to join Cal, linking him to an opening at Houston. Apparently that fell through though.
I don't recall reading about that at the time. But it seems like his interest in moving to B12/Texas may have been in the works before this year. So that is somewhat comforting as it implies that there wasn't something particular to his experience at Cal this past year that caused him to flee. Still sucks though as it finally felt like we might have had more answers then questions than we have had in a long time in regards to our offense this off season. Hopefully the players stick together and we get someone they are stoked on.
So he is just another Sonny?
He should be replaced by his assistant, if he had one, or the RB or receiver coach because they know the offense. You can't keep changing offenses every year because offense is very complicated and each coach has different terminology and the players know it. If an outside guy comes in then the players go back to step one.
No, I do not think Toler would be a gud option atm. Nor AT for that matter. Happy to be wrong. Neither do I think it should be the OL coach.
Wilcox should look far and wide and then if nothing materializes, luk internally.
They may know the offense but they don't have the experience with scheming for a game and play calling during an actual game. X's and O's are easy. Calling the right plays at the right time is what separates the great ones from everyone else. Spav was really good at play calling. We need an OC who runs the Air Raid with a running attack and has a system similar to Spav''s. The good news, is it's not a wholesale system change to go from one Air Raid system to another. The concepts are basically the same.
Bloesch and Plough both have OC experience. My money is on Bloesch getting the promotion and him turning down Davis to stay at Cal
Plough is the candidate for Davis, not Bloesch. Plough was once a QB at Davis so he is a favored son of the school (Like Chris Petersen) and others. Bloesch does have OC experience, but as a former OL and knowing Bloesch is an OL coach, he is highly qualified to be a run game coordinator, but I seriously doubt he has the pass game knowledge that Spav has. Who has Bloesch coached up as a QB and how successful have they been in college and post college. Spav has one of the best QB whisperer resumes in the college game, It's going to be hard to replace that. Would not be surprise if Bloesch put his name in the hat for OC candidates and won't be surprised if he doesn't get the job if he moves on. It happens with coaching changes like this.
If Bloesch gets OC, he'll almost certainly keep OL duties and we'd bring in a QB coach.
alright time to get modern and run a triple option with tons of t formations
Modern? Triple option and tons of T formation is offense out of the 60's, to 70's. Even the service academy's have dropped most of it.
i was being sarcastic dont worry
Hire Tedford! 😀
he's stepping down from Fresno State, health concerns again. Hope he's able to retire and relax, but with his personality, he may be unable to
So QB coach?
Hopefully we pick someone young and exciting and don’t end up with some one like Eric Kiesau or Paul Chryst because Wilcox worked with them a decade ago.
Troy Taylor for OC!
😂 (where’s that’s wiki link...)
tank gawd
I can’t blame spav for wanting more money elsewhere and coaching in the big 12. His roots are in Texas, but this definitely stings. Just as the offense was humming the last few weeks too. I thought he would stick around for 2-3 years and then wait for a head coaching job to open and then bounce. One and done like in 2016 but that’s coaching life in college football.
If I’m Wilcox I’d strongly consider promoting bloesch. Dude worked magic on the O-line this year. OR, go get David Webb as your QB/offensive coordinator. Yes, he’s young and inexperienced but there’s a lot of that in college football right now. He knows cal and I think would take the job if offered.
Webb has a grating personality IMO. Personally, he rubs me the wrong way. Best way to describe it, he "acts" like a team player but is a bit self centered. While a decent college QB, I was not surprised his League career was short.
That said, I'm happy to be wrong. He may be an excellent coach, a role that I have no observation is critiquing him. Is he ready for OC? Dunno, his hire as QB coach in the League was a surprise to me and those folks know better than I.
For now, I'll take a pass on Webb as Cal's next OC.
As $$ filter down from TV, to head coaches, and now the assistants and players, it’s free agency galore. Good for him to go back home.
One of the posts is spot on, we need an OC who can bring some recruits with him
Ayoob in reverse is Booya. Just sayin.
I don’t even know how to respond.
1) I’m happy for him if this is what he wants, and if he’s getting paid even more, then it makes sense.
2) I’m a selfish Cal fan and I wanted him to stay until he retires.
3) Baylor OC isn’t really an upgrade. Is it?
4) Can Cal continue its upward trajectory without him?
5) Is Cal really that undesirable?
All good questions and the answers remain to be seen.
re: 5) The amount of vitriol spewed about our move to the ACC makes me wonder
Also re: 5) Even if untrue, Spav's peeps in the Texas/Oklahoma area might create pressure to "escape while you can." This is a matter of perception of California, not necessarily fact.
Crap......I wonder how this affects guys on the offense......crap.
So I read comments thinking Spav really turned the offense around. I am not so willing to give him a good grade on what he did at cal. Here are my reasons:
1. For an offense-minded coach with all these supposed QBs he coached, why was Mendoza 3rd string?
2. Why was Jackson #1 when it looked to me like he had never learned to protect the football every time he scrambled. Even I, never played football and I’m ’just a girl’, know you don’t run with the ball down your side with 1 hand so easily stripped of it? Wouldn’t this be a top change for the QB whisperer to correct? But he kept doing it.
3. It looked to me that all the games up to Mendoza playing and being discovered as our ‘spark’, where looking like practice scrimmages to figure out who all should start and getting the teams to gel as units. Why is that?
4. Seeing Mendoza and his play, his passion, his leadership, his knowledge, his appetite to play, learn and win, his teammanship (the Driscoll shirt in the post game presser, etc, I was baffled why he wasn’t starting so getting all the practice reps, but if not #1 yet, at least backup to Jackson.
5. More on Mendoza beyond is QB skills. He is the spark for the team, but man also got us fans and the press fired up and hopeful. He is a very unique QB to me and why were we not latching onto him and running with him from the beginning?
6. Also, Wilcox may not be getting us the wins we so desperately want for our team and fans, but I believe he is loved by the team and he is the one that got the team as a whole mentally prepared, to believe that they could do it and to not just pack it up and run to the portal. He got the team believing and I do like that part of his coaching. Maybe Spav didn’t like the amount of coaching respectability that he was given and wanted to be provided more from Wilcox
I could go on, but…
Am I missing the ‘greatness’ of Slav and molding QBs.
Did he not like that his 2 transfer portal QB picks failed under his leadership?
Did he not like Mendoza getting the starting job late in the season? Did Wilcox force Spav’s hand on that?
Was Spav upset that Mendoza would be the starter next year? I know it can’t be Mendoza not gelling with Spav as I can’t imagine that little bundle of energy having enemies - maybe Ben and Sam, but I didn’t hear any rumblings of that.
So I’m not quick to say Spav was the reason for the turnaround.
I’ll end it here. So so saddened by this kick-in-the-gut news. It really really sucks.
Some people are just game-time players. All media reports (and the coaches) made it clear that it was a tight battle in practice and nobody really stood out.
I think your points 1-4 are sport on. I’ve asked similar questions, “How can coaches who are paid boatloads of money to be good at this bury Mendoza as #3 behind Jackson and Finley?” Took them half a season of meh qb production to give Mendoza a start.
Your observations are pretty astute (for a girl). ; )
Why thank you Old Bear 71! I am a Cal grad, after all! Plus I am originally from SC where football is church. My grandmother took me to USC (East Coast) games and taught me all about football. My parents moved to CA when I was in high school, so I went to Cal and remained here since. Love my University and proud to be an alum. Cal football has been the one thing that has provided joy in what has been a pretty difficult year personally. So I follow the team and WFC articles to be a part of a community I love. Go Bears!
Go Bears!
Amen.
On behalf of Write, welcome to the community! I live in NC now and know what you mean by church. LOL.
I’m only 15 minutes away from Wake Forest.
I hope your year improves!
Yeah,
My neighbors are UNC alums. Hear about it a lot.
But in ‘24 the Bears are coming to Winston-Salem to play Wake F. I’ll be there with all my Cal gear!
Represent.
Spav and Bloesch were the two major coaching changes on offense, and our offense jumped from three 30-point games to seven 30-point games. You can quibble with his QB management all you want but it's pretty darn clear he contributed to a big jump in the performance of our offense
Its hard to know how much improved we wouldve been under *any* new OC who has a modern college offense, considering the talent we have at the skill positions, and also upgrading the Offensive Line coach, but yeah I def think some credit is warranted/due.
As far as the transfer QBs: Jax n Fin. Their commits were very early in Spav coming aboard, so I wouldnt doubt he favored them, subconsciously or not, as a way of rewarding their commitments at a time when our QB room appeared to be in dire straights.
1. Fin: Experience; decent pocket passer.
2. SJV: Super mobile, promising high ceiling; also some experience.
3. FM: Super eager; engaging; built like a QB; and follows directions.
If I were the OC at the start of the year, of course I would lead with one of the two experienced QBs. 1 and 2 both showed promise until they didn't. FM got a start on, I believe, a "let's give him a shot, it's a ranked team, so what do we have to lose" basis.
Damn. Really can’t get excited about anything as a cal fan
This year's Independence Bowl is going to be the greatest football game to ever be played! Get excited for that!
I hope that he at least stays through our bowl game. Overall, thanks to Spav for reinvigorating our offense and helping us get to bowl eligibility. Just a reminder that this is going to be the new norm from now on. At the end of every season, even on the best teams, players and coaches will head for what they think are greener pastures. However, careful what you wish for. Dante Moore just announced he is leaving FUCLA and I'll bet that traitor J. Michael Sturdivant is having second thoughts about leaving Cal for FUCLA. As many of you at WFC have pointed out, the grass isn't always greener somewhere else.
When I watched Dante Moore Saturday night, I did not see the same building blocks that eventually led his predecessor - DTR - to have a great career at UCLA and probably a long NFL stay. Good luck to the young man, but don[t be surprised if we don't hear from him again.
I wonder if Justyn Martin gets his chance now with Garbers and Moore out of the picture. I guess that’s not our problem any more.
Steve: He looked completely dejected and overwhelmed during the game. When he was sacked by David Reese and laying on the turf after his helmet was knocked off, the camera captured him pulling his balaclava over his eyes and practically curling up in a ball right on the spot. That should have told everyone something.
To be fair, that was a pretty big hit and likely a missed Targeting call. (if that same hit was on Mendoza, I for one wouldve been screaming for targeting). Wasnt an easy one to pop back up from.
Follow up: Dante Moore hit the Portal.
Exactly!!! He looked more concerned about adjusting his hood than protecting the ball he just fumbled. Usually, a QB will instinctively look around for the ball after a fumble. The kid didn’t seem to care.
For four brief days I could forget we can't have nice things