In case anyone isn't depressed enough, don't forget that 2025 was the weakest schedule that any of us will have experienced in our lifetimes (provided we stay in a power conference),
When it was announced 2+ years ago, it was primed for our 10 win breakout.
In 2+ years to prepare for this special season, the outcome was 6-6 with a 3-5 conference record.
There's not much to lose. Yes JKS might leave, it's true. But the Fernando Mendoza experience has already taught us that you can give Wilcox the best QB in the country and he still won't accomplish anything so if that's the prereq for keeping him we'll never be good with him anyway.
Jks is the only player that we should care about. Everyone else is replaceable. If we are going to see player deflection, this is the year to do it. We might lose JKS but a hope for a better team is worth more than two years of mediocrity and wasting talent with JKS.
I should cap this all off by saying I'm the most true blue Bear fan ever. I love every Saturday I get to watch them play and I love my fellow Cal alums. Don't let my pessimism about the team make you think I'm a pessimist in general.
That’s great to know and in pessimistic as well but the apathy that Wilcox has created over the last 9 seasons is far worse. A new coach probably won’t fix Cal football but it is worth a chance because Wilcox has proven he isn’t going to get fans excited for next season
You know what? Sure. I'll try my best to be an optimist about it though every fiber in my being is saying complete disaster. I don't see why we couldn't somehow be better. Go Bears.
If you let the coaching staff just slide on this one, I feel like it sends a message to the players that says "as a program, we just don't really believe you're any better than this"
As a coach you can blame the players for penalties etc but the complete disaster this game was (even punting was terrible) points to coaches. Wilcox a good guy, not a head coach. Gave up 150 yards rushing to Ford when you knew stanfurd was going to run all day. Bad schemes everywhere. Give the job to Rolovich. Players like him. He wins.
Our team doesn't know how to win. Our team only know how to not lose, by following a script that works only on certain opponents. When the opposing team cares more about winning and physicality, our team wilts. And nothing we have in the playbook can fix it. We are going to continue to watch this charade as long as Wilcox is the head coach.
I'm not saying I want Wilcox to be shamed or disgraced or fired for cause. I think in his mind he is doing what is best for the team and the school. But the game itself has changed and he isn't playing that game the right way.
We have 2 problems
1) his buyout is not trivial and whoever we hire to replace him is going to want to be well paid. That's sort of like paying rent for an expensive apartment and the house you're renovating at the same time.
2) the academic senate refuses to structure a different tier of academic qualifications for the football team. Anyone who wants to play at cal has to also meet the requirements for admission and for graduation, which is already not easy to do for people who don't play division 1 football. Until the school is willing to make football a priority, we will be at the table begging for scraps when it comes to football talent.
you don't even have to replace him with an expensive HC yet, just plug in a stopgap that you can easily move on from when a better option becomes available. You can't just let him trudge on through this, you HAVE to establish a precedent that this is unacceptable.
That link is my personal Google gemini subscription. I promise you it is not malware or spam. It is my question to Gemini to answer your question most fully.
I just looked it up on my own too thx. the academic senate has stated that Cal varsity athletes are students first, athletes second. .25% of our offers in a recruiting cycle can be to kids who don't meet UC admission requirements...
I am seriously considering not going to the SMU game. My expectations were already low for that game. Now I feel like Devin Brown will play and the transfer exodus will begin.
Sorry for being a nega-bear. Maybe I'll be slightly more rational tomorrow
I was going to go to the game today but had to change plans. Feel like I dodged a bullet! Nice to be able to regain your positive attitude by simply turning the game off!
Wilcox doesn't coach fundamentals or discipline, doesn't hire competent assistants, doesn't win bowl games, doesn't win conference games, doesn't consistently beat bad teams, doesn't recruit exceptionally and now you can add gets completely fucking humiliated in rivalry games to the list... I can't think of a single positive thing he brings to the table, not one.
Worst preparation I have ever=ver seen. And we had two weeks to prepay against a 3 win team that couldn’t run or pass the ball against any other team. Worst offensive scheme I have ever seen. Poorest o-line play I have seen all season. Three turnovers inside our 30. Penalties galore, a number because we have 31 personnel groupings because of o-line mix and match. We way over complicated this game and fucked ourselves in the process. Meanwhile, Stanfurd looks well coached. They run the ball better and throw the ball better than us, and not by a little.Their o-line dominates the LOS.
Immediately leaves, we lose a lot of defense, and have trouble keeping opponents under 35. We have a bad QB and end up running the ball ineffectively all game. We start losing most games like 30-3 but the upside is we beat a few inferior opponents to get to 4 wins. The next year the bleeding gets worse and we're back to 1-10 or 2-9. We fire the new coach and start all over again. Repeat.
Again, I never said keep Wilcox. I just know from many many years how bad it can get despite everyone meaning well. I mean heck Tom Holmoe got me a smoothie once.
You made the strawman argument that people are starry eyed and optimistic about a mythical new coach in particular.
No one is.
This is addition by subtraction, and is about ushering in a new era, with new energy, piloted by Ron Rivera as the GM (who is directly in charge of trying to retain JKS, for that matter).
it's the only possible thing to be optimistic about. Ron + donor supported NIL + a new head coach that might bring some new energy.
What is the point of wanting 5-6 undisciplined wins per season with shit OL and DL play, which you are guaranteed with Wilcox? Unless that's your standard, why even follow it anymore?
then you don't believe the fact that Cal is "a sleeping giant" that practically everyone else has acknowledged to be the truth and that with the right coach, leadership, and resources, we can make happen.
Every college team can say what you said. No I don't believe. I believe around 6 years from now we might luck into an 8 win season like every mediocre team does, but that is our ceiling.
In case anyone isn't depressed enough, don't forget that 2025 was the weakest schedule that any of us will have experienced in our lifetimes (provided we stay in a power conference),
When it was announced 2+ years ago, it was primed for our 10 win breakout.
In 2+ years to prepare for this special season, the outcome was 6-6 with a 3-5 conference record.
Fire Wilcox now. Today. Before tomorrow.
Before next game.
There's not much to lose. Yes JKS might leave, it's true. But the Fernando Mendoza experience has already taught us that you can give Wilcox the best QB in the country and he still won't accomplish anything so if that's the prereq for keeping him we'll never be good with him anyway.
don't forget that Nando was 3rd on the depth chart according to JW and his staff...
Jks is the only player that we should care about. Everyone else is replaceable. If we are going to see player deflection, this is the year to do it. We might lose JKS but a hope for a better team is worth more than two years of mediocrity and wasting talent with JKS.
Louisville was a dead cat bounce.
Or Louisville wasn't that good. I know they were without Miller Moss today but they looked bad for the past couple of weeks
Yeah it turns out they are actually kind of mid too.
Said he should have been fired after SDSU. Or after Duke. Better to have fired mid season. No lesson learned.
all the good replacement options are already gone now
Rolovich. On staff. Players like him.
I have too many complaints to really list about this program but the one that is most confusing is how does this team look worse coming off byes?
the longer this coaching staff has to prepare, the worse the result.
tells you something
Wilcox special
On TV, even when the game was close, Rivera was losing the optics / PR game to Luck.
Early in the season that is
I should cap this all off by saying I'm the most true blue Bear fan ever. I love every Saturday I get to watch them play and I love my fellow Cal alums. Don't let my pessimism about the team make you think I'm a pessimist in general.
That’s great to know and in pessimistic as well but the apathy that Wilcox has created over the last 9 seasons is far worse. A new coach probably won’t fix Cal football but it is worth a chance because Wilcox has proven he isn’t going to get fans excited for next season
You know what? Sure. I'll try my best to be an optimist about it though every fiber in my being is saying complete disaster. I don't see why we couldn't somehow be better. Go Bears.
We threw the ball down the field with reasonable success including a lot of jump balls to Trond…then completely stopped…why
Absolutely no team development throughout the season. JKS showed no progress from the beginning. Classic wilcox
Who are we kidding ourselves though. This is what Cal football is. It was this way before Wilcox, it’ll be this way after him
I dunno, the early Tedford era was pretty damn fun. I'd at least like to see them strive to get back to that rather than just giving up.
Yeah we had such good defense and special teams we could hope to win like 10-7.
If you let the coaching staff just slide on this one, I feel like it sends a message to the players that says "as a program, we just don't really believe you're any better than this"
That was basically a replay of the San Diego St game, except that Furd is even lamer than San Diego St.
Said perfectly
We will always have Louisville. A bittersweet memory. But the game showed what could have been.
As a coach you can blame the players for penalties etc but the complete disaster this game was (even punting was terrible) points to coaches. Wilcox a good guy, not a head coach. Gave up 150 yards rushing to Ford when you knew stanfurd was going to run all day. Bad schemes everywhere. Give the job to Rolovich. Players like him. He wins.
That was so fucking humiliating
11 hits on JKS, 5 sacks
A fitting end.
The last time I felt this bad in person at a Big Game was at Memorial when Sean Cattouse got trucked by Luck when he ran down the field.
I think this is worse. At least we expected to lose that game
And Stanford was actually very good that season
Yep
Why would leave JKS in this game?
Grayes only comes in garbage time
Can’t catch the ball.
FIRE
WILCOX
Our team doesn't know how to win. Our team only know how to not lose, by following a script that works only on certain opponents. When the opposing team cares more about winning and physicality, our team wilts. And nothing we have in the playbook can fix it. We are going to continue to watch this charade as long as Wilcox is the head coach.
I'm not saying I want Wilcox to be shamed or disgraced or fired for cause. I think in his mind he is doing what is best for the team and the school. But the game itself has changed and he isn't playing that game the right way.
We have 2 problems
1) his buyout is not trivial and whoever we hire to replace him is going to want to be well paid. That's sort of like paying rent for an expensive apartment and the house you're renovating at the same time.
2) the academic senate refuses to structure a different tier of academic qualifications for the football team. Anyone who wants to play at cal has to also meet the requirements for admission and for graduation, which is already not easy to do for people who don't play division 1 football. Until the school is willing to make football a priority, we will be at the table begging for scraps when it comes to football talent.
you don't even have to replace him with an expensive HC yet, just plug in a stopgap that you can easily move on from when a better option becomes available. You can't just let him trudge on through this, you HAVE to establish a precedent that this is unacceptable.
That is a fair point and I was just writing off the top of my head as a reaction, not a final draft. Keep these counterpoints coming.
who makes up the academic senate?
https://g.co/gemini/share/bdc48e60c366
That link is my personal Google gemini subscription. I promise you it is not malware or spam. It is my question to Gemini to answer your question most fully.
I just looked it up on my own too thx. the academic senate has stated that Cal varsity athletes are students first, athletes second. .25% of our offers in a recruiting cycle can be to kids who don't meet UC admission requirements...
I am seriously considering not going to the SMU game. My expectations were already low for that game. Now I feel like Devin Brown will play and the transfer exodus will begin.
Sorry for being a nega-bear. Maybe I'll be slightly more rational tomorrow
I was going to go to the game today but had to change plans. Feel like I dodged a bullet! Nice to be able to regain your positive attitude by simply turning the game off!
Me too
Dude just come up to tightwad hill and watch the game for free: there’s no reason to pay for this garbage. But the view is great!
Really sad to see the program devolve into this.
Wilcox doesn't coach fundamentals or discipline, doesn't hire competent assistants, doesn't win bowl games, doesn't win conference games, doesn't consistently beat bad teams, doesn't recruit exceptionally and now you can add gets completely fucking humiliated in rivalry games to the list... I can't think of a single positive thing he brings to the table, not one.
One: He runs a clean program.
Honestly what does that even mean?
nobody getting cold-cocked in the locker room by another player
No off-field issues.
He means he cleans the bathrooms and locker rooms
Two: players like him
These last 2 games are a perfect microcosm.
1. The players got up to beat Louisville, for their coach, after hearing all the Fire Wilcox calls. They even chanted his name after.
2. After said emotional win, and a bye week, the players don't feel the need to get themselves up now.
Since we don't have a coach who can get his players up and be prepared and disciplined in games, naturally we lose the next one.
As a person, I like him a lot. I know he cares. He’s just not good as a head coach
I don't think that's a positive. It's not his job to get them to like him, it's his job to get them to respect him.
Not looking good. :)
I gave Wilcox a two week extension after Louisville game but now I'm going to resume Fire Wilcox chant
Fired, rehired, then fired again
We're making this scrub Ford look like an All-American.
I don't know how you don't throw it to the end zone to Tron and let him go up and get it.
Will Memorial be empty for the SMU game?
No, it will be full … of seagulls
rivalry weak
The Pony Depress
Not looking forward to next week. Limping into a bowl, not a good look.
Ron, please right the ship. I'm not sure how many more seasons of this my heart can take
We shouldn't even accept the bowl invite. This season doesn't deserve any reward.
No. At least some of the players will be on the team next year, and they can use the extra weeks of practice.
I used to believe in this idea, but in the portal era I think I just don't care.
Does the Poulan Weed Eater Bowl still exist?
throwing it away on 4th and goal on a play run short of the goal line from the 4 is peak fucking Wilcox Cal football
Good night Cal fans. Truly pathetic and awful showing. Undisciplined, horrible oline play, didn’t adapt on offense…time to reboot.
Worst preparation I have ever=ver seen. And we had two weeks to prepay against a 3 win team that couldn’t run or pass the ball against any other team. Worst offensive scheme I have ever seen. Poorest o-line play I have seen all season. Three turnovers inside our 30. Penalties galore, a number because we have 31 personnel groupings because of o-line mix and match. We way over complicated this game and fucked ourselves in the process. Meanwhile, Stanfurd looks well coached. They run the ball better and throw the ball better than us, and not by a little.Their o-line dominates the LOS.
Wonder how Ron Rivera is gonna respond to this.
What I see with a new coach is JKS
Immediately leaves, we lose a lot of defense, and have trouble keeping opponents under 35. We have a bad QB and end up running the ball ineffectively all game. We start losing most games like 30-3 but the upside is we beat a few inferior opponents to get to 4 wins. The next year the bleeding gets worse and we're back to 1-10 or 2-9. We fire the new coach and start all over again. Repeat.
Disagree. We can do better than Wilcox. Sounds like fear of being worse drives your decision making. Glad you’re not our GM.
Again, I never said keep Wilcox. I just know from many many years how bad it can get despite everyone meaning well. I mean heck Tom Holmoe got me a smoothie once.
You made the strawman argument that people are starry eyed and optimistic about a mythical new coach in particular.
No one is.
This is addition by subtraction, and is about ushering in a new era, with new energy, piloted by Ron Rivera as the GM (who is directly in charge of trying to retain JKS, for that matter).
Way too optimistic. You're putting way too much faith in people who aren't players. I will revisit this after the transfer portal ends.
it's the only possible thing to be optimistic about. Ron + donor supported NIL + a new head coach that might bring some new energy.
What is the point of wanting 5-6 undisciplined wins per season with shit OL and DL play, which you are guaranteed with Wilcox? Unless that's your standard, why even follow it anymore?
then you don't believe the fact that Cal is "a sleeping giant" that practically everyone else has acknowledged to be the truth and that with the right coach, leadership, and resources, we can make happen.
Every college team can say what you said. No I don't believe. I believe around 6 years from now we might luck into an 8 win season like every mediocre team does, but that is our ceiling.
Lane Kiffin announced he is taking the Head Coaching job at CAL!
Truth
I will take the chances of that just to shake off the guaranteed mediocrity of Wilcox.
For all the people saying it can't get worse, you haven't been through a 1-10 season where we were rooting for good punts.
Fire Wilcox
What’s your fucking solution then? All you’re doing is saying this is the best we can be! Losing 31-10 to your 3-7 rival is not ok!
I don't think there is a good solution. Again, I'm more pessimistic than you guys. Get ready for the real losing next year
Could it worse? Yes. Could it better? Yes. Does this solve anything by stating the obvious ? No
It's better than being completely unrealistic.
Better than extending some loser for a decade because he goes 6-7 once
You'll see how good 6-7 looks very soon.
Are you Wilcox’s agent? Or just related to him?
That was the belief when we hired Oregon’s OC who had been a QB coach at Fresno. Then we had the best run of Cal Football since the 1920’s.
maybe they can run the clock out on this drive
Oh weird throwing to somebody other than de Jesus works…
Zero chance Wilcox is back. He may just move on of his own doing
he's got 10 million reasons not to do that
exactly
Finally a first down, far too little, far too late.
This is so sad. I don’t blame any player who decides to transfer
Can we leave Wilcox on the Moffett Field tarmac?
Good let’s run down 21
Google somehow won't update the score, so as far as I am concerned, it's still 10-7 Cal. Good night.
A sad game.
Very sad
I would fire Wilcox tomorrow
I'd fire him tonight.
You have to.
It sends a message to recruits, donors, etc.
Why not try blitzing the QB, like Stanford has done all game? Getting blown out by a bad team
I'm not one for calling for a firing, but I would say that this is the end of the line for Wilcox. Kinda bummed about that.
We're getting blown out by an objectively terrible team.
it's awful
Like Hans Gruber once said, hit em again. Run Wilcox’s face in this and make it so bad that Ron can’t look away and has to fire Wilcox
Glass? Who gives a shit about glass?
Going to bed Live on east coast. If I miss a record come back, you are all welcome!
Good. It needed to be made blindingly obvious that Wilcox needs togo.
this is a disaster
Hear about the lady who backed into a fan? Dis-assed-her!