The defense has been pretty solid for most of the season, but having a substandard offensive line really limits what you can do with the ball. We're basically stuck with using quick passes as the base play and everything else as an occasional constraint.
Either hire an OL coach or hire an OC and move Bloesch back to OL. I don't think it's coincidence that the line has been so ineffective when we have one coach doing double duty as OL and OC.
So happy for the team...we can sit here and opine endlessly, but as Fernando said, they have been the ones doing walk throughs and practicing for almost a year to get to this point...his interview says it all. Tears of victory for us all! GO BEARS! Upset SMU!
What today proves: The Bear will not quit, the bear will not die. An absolutely stunning comeback, we were writing the team's obituary after the fumbled kick off but they held and then couldn't be stopped. Fernando is a Big Game legend. His second win over the Furdies and he has the chance to have three wins over them -- something no Cal quarterback of the last 65 or more years can claim. Also, while I still think Wilcox needs to go, he is now tied with Stub Allison for third most Big Game wins by a California head coach with five.
For me, it ALL comes down to the OL. Been to 6 games live this year and have paid close attention to the trenches. Watching that unit struggle is the embodiment of Wilcox’s issues as a Head Coach.
Eschewing an OL coach and allowing your inexperienced play caller to try and pull double duty while you employ TWO DB coaches despite being a former defensive back yourself is puzzling. Who thought that was a good idea, especially when you factor in how crucial that position is to play the kind of football you want to play?
The bad poor line play is not coaching fault. It all comes down to who has enough NIL money to pay good offensive recruits or portal players. As coach s
Saban said, "If you don't have enough money to pay then you don't have Shit". Cal and Furd don't have near as much money as the Oregons or USC's. That's why we have two redshirts freshmen, one who has never played O line, starting almost the entire season.
We have some solid players on the o-line, good enough that we should be at 9 wins instead of 6. While more program money and more NIL money is great, we have had some solid portal classes and the OL's we've brought in have decent talent with experience. They are just very raw, which to me is a result of poor coaching. As a former o-lineman and o-line coach, our guys are good enough that they should not be playing as poorly as they have been playing. I watch 'tape' of the games and I am appalled at the poor fundamentals, lack of technique, and really poor blocking schemes. A good O-Line coach could take this group over Spring and Fall and make them into a solid serviceable unit (certainly not the best, but good enough that they don't get blown up on every run play, and good enough that with good coaching they would not have given up the ridiculous number of sacks. They need a full time coach for their unit, not an OC who has to spend more time on the offense as a whole rather than on his unit. Spav certainly is a better OC than Bloesch and we miss him. JW needs to get real this off season and get a cutting edge OC and I think he needs a new OL coach as well. I like Bloesch, but the results tell the story. He's an o-line coach who's o-line is failing miserably. He's an OC with 6 wins and too many narrow losses because we could not run the ball in critical situations. Whether its o-line problems, execution by the offense or poor play design, or any and all of the above, the fact is our offense is a bust and we have talent. A good head coach is a CEO and sometimes has to make tough decisions. The only good decision JW has made on the offensive side of the ball was hiring Spav and we only had him for a year. Incremental improvement on that side of the ball changes our W/L record. We need change.
Nah, it's a failure to recruit, develop, and scheme. Wilcox hasn't had a good oline but this year has been the worst under his tenure. Teams with less NIL money than us have better lines.
I hear ya, Coach, and if you wanna be a contender for the CFP, you need to throw big $$$ at it.
My pushback would be that after watching a lot of football this year, plenty of schools out there with literally zero NIL money as well as injuries still manage to field a functional OL due to better scheme, discipline and technique.
Agree. We need to run a modified spread with air raid elements. I love the system Urban Meyer ran while he was at the Ohio State University. Utilizing TE's changes the game and if you can integrate them into a spread system, its hard to beat.
Agreed. Newellbany and I were talking at dinner last night about how effective they were 1H @ Wake when they threw like 40 times. Go RB + Endries, and 3-wide…spread things out and throw 50 times a game. That will open up running lanes for RBs and Mendoza keepers.
We still need to be able to run the ball though, to keep opposing defenses on their toes and to keep our pass game effective. A one dimensional offense won't win champioships.
Yes, and it was super depressing to see how many ex-Bears they had on their roster. Sturdivant, Oladejo and Bhagtani. While I am as happy as any Old Blue out there right now, I couldn't help but think of how different our season might be if we had Bhagtani. He gets us at least two more wins. O-line and kickers have to be a priority moving forward.
Bhagtani leaving was completely avoidable and all on Wilcox for not offering him a scholarship. The other two, I do not blame Wilcox as they left for the NIL bag.
Bowlesman: Yes, we don't seem to be hurting for production at wide receiver and Nyzeiah Hunter is an absolute stud (along with Grizzell and Brady). We also seem pretty loaded at the tight end position.
The dream scenario was the extension campus winning today, then both they and $c lose next weekend to finish 5-7 and miss bowl eligibility. Alas, that would be two nice things in one day, and we can’t have that.
Had Jim Breech not missed a field goal at the end of the '74 game, Cal and USC would have been 3-3 in the 70s come that game, but I never knew McKay hated Cal. It started as a bright day but I recall it being night by the end.
Absolutely no credit to the coaching staff for this one, but the players gutted it out. Nando rightfully established himself as a big game legend with that 98 yard drive. Guy is the definition of glue.
I find it interesting that when the trees were dominating, it was all the Cal coaching staff's fault, but when Cal finishes strong and comes back from a 14 point deficit to win, the coaching staff gets "absolutely no credit."
I thought the team came out very flat. I put that on the coaching staff. I don’t know whether it’s preparation, focus or something else, but it’s been a repeated problem.
Additionally, I thought Troy Taylor’s playcalling was far more creative and put them in a position to win with what I think is an obvious talent deficiency. In the fourth quarter, we looked like a different team and our talent won out. Nando was making throws with guys in his face. An absolute legend and he deserves every ounce of glory he’s gonna get for this win.
Lastly, the run game is putrid. Like absolutely non-existent. Forces us to be one dimensional with pretty iffy pass protection. If you’d like to put that on anyone other than the coaching staff, I’m all ears.
We have recurring problems that are not being fixed. Unless Wilcox pulls a rabbit out of his hat next weekend, this is a 6-6 season with 2 conference wins. That’s not good enough. In the world of conference realignment, we need improvement; trying to exist in college football purgatory is gonna lead to death. Today it took hero ball by Fernando Mendoza to beat a 3 win team at home.
Speaking of Hero Ball. Fernando did by necessity, what Cam Ward, IMHO, does by scheme- comeback from a deficit. Nando is a true hero, as he did not purposely create the conditions for him to save the day.
From his first post-game interview last year I thought (and posted) and still believe that Fernando Mendoza has major network announcer written all over him. I realize I may be skipping over his post-Cal, possibly NFL career here. That said, he is a dynamic speaker willing to eschew clichés and speak from his heart and his experience, letting us glimpse into the process, both his and his team’s. Clearly a student of the game, he has a gift for explaining it. He will do just fine in life.
1. PAC 12 refs > ACC refs (ACC corruption/incompetence > that of PAC 12)
2. Troy Taylor calls a tough offense and/or Peter Sirmon can easily be worked around (forgiving Sirmon for the field position granted by the fumble and praising him for the defensive stop). BOB R is chuckling somewhere with a sense of vindication.
3. Our recruits got a mirror opposite of the Miami game. Where instead of the Bear quitting and dying in the second half, it did not quit or die. This is good.
4. It was fantastic to think that 90, including Jackson, Rodgers, and Lynch, of the 2004 team and Tedford, himself, were here to be honored.
5. It was fantastic that recruits got to see #4, a sold-out CMS, and that CMS did not clear out when it did not look good for us.
6. We won in an ugly, painful, Cal way. Mixed feelings. But, glad that Stanford Steve who tooks us with the 14.5 points, lost his bet.
Because there were about 20 thousand who arrived just before kickoff and expected to get in right away. That's why we arrive at least 2 hours early. At the end of the first quarter Memorial was FULL. And, they all stayed til the end!!
I think that's a combination of the rain and the way security was having fans go through the scanners. The rain stopped a little after 11. For previous games people would just walk through the scanners. For this game, security was making people walk through one by one with like 2-3 seconds spacing. It really slowed it down. I'd say by middle or end of the first Q, it was packed. And the students took a while to file in.
I got to the west side entrance above the I house at 10:30 only to find a waiting line because the scanners were not working. After waiting 15 min. everyone walked thru single file. It was clear sailing thru the tix scanners.
Funny thing was that, in a way, Stanfurd functionally turtled for the last 20 mins of the game. Helped of course by our defense that had just come out of hibernation
Coe’s made FG felt inconsequential at the time…even frustrating given how that drive stalled with another longish FG attempt…but his FG became the margin of victory in the game!
The reason two of our drives stalled was because our rs freshman O tackle held on good plays and instead of first downs we had long 3rd downs. didn't notice Furd had any holding drive stopping calls.
Should've been up by 3 more (margin of victory = 6) if Nando continued running with a open field in front of him, instead he threw a incomplete pass. Coe missed the long FG attempt.
But if the attempt was closer, this would have netted 3 before half time.
A win in the Big Game. It was not pretty. It was gritty. It was a tough day. These Cardiac Kids won the Big Game. Hurrah!!! Furd fans left with the smirks off their faces.
Saw several furdies after the game. Any who made eye contact mostly just smiled sheepishly… they know we know their pain, these awkward brothers of ours
At a conference in Dallas since Thursday. Slipped out of it and hoofed it back to ABnB. Fired up IPad, caught the kickoff and witnessed the first cardinal drive,TD and subsequent Cal “drive”. Made some sarcastic comments aloud to myself and headed back to conference, resigned and disgusted.
Opened phone to check final scores early evening during a dreary banquet.
I was gonna do that and in fact got the air tickets and ABnB closer to SMU in early September. A few days later I realized it meant I was flying down there the day before T-Giving. Forget it, so I cancelled that before getting a game ticket, which was next.
Then the conference I went to came on the radar in mid Oct.
Shame on me for bailing at half to take advantage of a concert ticket I had. Props to me for taking my jinx mojo away. Very pleased, and truthfully surprised, when I checked the score after the show.
It really is amazing that this team went down 14-0 and somehow found a way to claw their way back into this game and then do all of the things that they have struggled with all season long. Every time we lose I have complained quite pointedly that the team has a total lack of situational awareness and does not execute what they need to do in the moments that they need to do them.
Here are the complaints I have given:
1) cannot run the ball toward the end of the game
2) defense wilts at the end of the game
3) goes for 2 when they shouldn’t and can’t get 2 when they should
4) Fernando loses the ability to get a first down late in the game
5) penalties on first down kill the drive
6) can’t kick a field goal when their life depends on it
Today, starting on that 98 yard drive which started with just under 8 minutes left in the game…. We:
1) did not commit dumb penalties
2) got wide receivers open despite the defense knowing a pass was coming
3) protected Mendoza just enough that his being sacked did not kill the drive entirely
4) Went for 2 and got it when we needed it (and therefore did not need to kick the ball)
5) Our defense created havoc when all Stanfurd wanted to do was drive down the field.
6) We wanted this win more than Stanfurd did, starting with this drive.
Let’s be honest. This 2024 Cal team is flawed. They are talented, but not talented enough in enough positions to have any business winning more games than we have won. We have been exposed by enough teams that it is clear we still need more talent and discipline. We need better line play. We need to be able to run the ball 6-7 ypc at will. But we do just enough things each game to eke out a win half of the time, and in a way that is both dissatisfactory and impressive at the same time.
The only thing I would have changed at the end of the game, is that we should have tried to score a touchdown against Furd. They don’t deserve any mercy!
For most of the game, it looked the opposite that Furd wanted the game more. Williams body language on the KO return after halftime was awful. He didn’t even make it to the 20 yard line and got piled on. His teammates could be seen trying to talk him up.
Then something flipped the switch on for the Bears. Everything started going their way and the very large Cal turnout could sense the Mo turning. I could feel it from where I sat in the stands. The 98-yard drive will be Cal’s version of The Drive that will be talked about for years. Go Bears!!!!!
Your stats are right and they point out one thing in football that most don't appreciate. It's that the Offensive Line is the most important part of any offense. I coached football for 42 years and can attest to that.
I should have added the fact that Cal and Furd don't have the NIL money to recruit GOOD O linemen. What we get are O linemen who were reserves at there previous college or 2 star high school players.
Ok that I agree with. I should also add that while most of us understand OL is the most important part of offense, Wilcox doesn't seem to prioritize OL. He should have kept OL and OC coaching separate.
Beating Furd in athletic competition never gets old, ever.
Go Bears!
And being there in person to witness it was the best feeling ever!!!!
The fact Mendoza got this team to 6 wins with an offensive line that literally could not run or pass block is a minor miracle.
The defense has been pretty solid for most of the season, but having a substandard offensive line really limits what you can do with the ball. We're basically stuck with using quick passes as the base play and everything else as an occasional constraint.
Yes, my god, can we just spend 100% of our NIL money on O line this year???
Great win though!
Maybe even get an OL coach…heard they can be helpful.
Either hire an OL coach or hire an OC and move Bloesch back to OL. I don't think it's coincidence that the line has been so ineffective when we have one coach doing double duty as OL and OC.
On the winning TD pass, he hung in and got shellacked but it didn’t matter…the pass was perfect…
That’s fair.
So happy for the team...we can sit here and opine endlessly, but as Fernando said, they have been the ones doing walk throughs and practicing for almost a year to get to this point...his interview says it all. Tears of victory for us all! GO BEARS! Upset SMU!
His tears made me start stealth bawling.
ditto
Go Bears!
What today proves: The Bear will not quit, the bear will not die. An absolutely stunning comeback, we were writing the team's obituary after the fumbled kick off but they held and then couldn't be stopped. Fernando is a Big Game legend. His second win over the Furdies and he has the chance to have three wins over them -- something no Cal quarterback of the last 65 or more years can claim. Also, while I still think Wilcox needs to go, he is now tied with Stub Allison for third most Big Game wins by a California head coach with five.
I just realized Nate Longshore has only one Big Game win and that's hard to believe.
Only 1 as a starter. He would have gotten one in 05 as the starter if he didn’t break his ankle against Sac State in the opener.
Yeah. And in 2008 Riley was the starter.
It used to be that 4 straight victories over an opponent meant that one class of that opponent never tasted victory over your team.
Is that measure now 5 years?
He has a chance at 4 wins over Furd. He has 2 more years of eligibility.
Jonathan Brady.
That's the comment.
Just watched the highlights again.
Nails.
Say good bye to this RPO nonsense and bring back the Bear Raid.
Losing Spav really hurt. With him running the offense and Bloesch at OL, this team might have won 9 regular season games with ease.
For me, it ALL comes down to the OL. Been to 6 games live this year and have paid close attention to the trenches. Watching that unit struggle is the embodiment of Wilcox’s issues as a Head Coach.
Eschewing an OL coach and allowing your inexperienced play caller to try and pull double duty while you employ TWO DB coaches despite being a former defensive back yourself is puzzling. Who thought that was a good idea, especially when you factor in how crucial that position is to play the kind of football you want to play?
The bad poor line play is not coaching fault. It all comes down to who has enough NIL money to pay good offensive recruits or portal players. As coach s
Saban said, "If you don't have enough money to pay then you don't have Shit". Cal and Furd don't have near as much money as the Oregons or USC's. That's why we have two redshirts freshmen, one who has never played O line, starting almost the entire season.
We have some solid players on the o-line, good enough that we should be at 9 wins instead of 6. While more program money and more NIL money is great, we have had some solid portal classes and the OL's we've brought in have decent talent with experience. They are just very raw, which to me is a result of poor coaching. As a former o-lineman and o-line coach, our guys are good enough that they should not be playing as poorly as they have been playing. I watch 'tape' of the games and I am appalled at the poor fundamentals, lack of technique, and really poor blocking schemes. A good O-Line coach could take this group over Spring and Fall and make them into a solid serviceable unit (certainly not the best, but good enough that they don't get blown up on every run play, and good enough that with good coaching they would not have given up the ridiculous number of sacks. They need a full time coach for their unit, not an OC who has to spend more time on the offense as a whole rather than on his unit. Spav certainly is a better OC than Bloesch and we miss him. JW needs to get real this off season and get a cutting edge OC and I think he needs a new OL coach as well. I like Bloesch, but the results tell the story. He's an o-line coach who's o-line is failing miserably. He's an OC with 6 wins and too many narrow losses because we could not run the ball in critical situations. Whether its o-line problems, execution by the offense or poor play design, or any and all of the above, the fact is our offense is a bust and we have talent. A good head coach is a CEO and sometimes has to make tough decisions. The only good decision JW has made on the offensive side of the ball was hiring Spav and we only had him for a year. Incremental improvement on that side of the ball changes our W/L record. We need change.
I agree with all of this and the OL has been a problem for Wilcox before NIL was a thing. Hiring Angus McClure was a huge mistake.
I agree - they have size it is just they are 18-22 year old dudes that need to be coached
Nah, it's a failure to recruit, develop, and scheme. Wilcox hasn't had a good oline but this year has been the worst under his tenure. Teams with less NIL money than us have better lines.
I hear ya, Coach, and if you wanna be a contender for the CFP, you need to throw big $$$ at it.
My pushback would be that after watching a lot of football this year, plenty of schools out there with literally zero NIL money as well as injuries still manage to field a functional OL due to better scheme, discipline and technique.
Right, how much money are Indiana, Boise State, UNLV etc are paying out in NIL to their OL? It can’t be as much as Cal.
Losing Spav and Bhagtani.
Losing Mateen was a microcosm of my issues with Justin Wilcox as the leader of this program.
I was just thinking based on how accurate Mendoza is on short and medium passes we should run a spread or Air Raid next year.
Agree. We need to run a modified spread with air raid elements. I love the system Urban Meyer ran while he was at the Ohio State University. Utilizing TE's changes the game and if you can integrate them into a spread system, its hard to beat.
Agreed. Newellbany and I were talking at dinner last night about how effective they were 1H @ Wake when they threw like 40 times. Go RB + Endries, and 3-wide…spread things out and throw 50 times a game. That will open up running lanes for RBs and Mendoza keepers.
We still need to be able to run the ball though, to keep opposing defenses on their toes and to keep our pass game effective. A one dimensional offense won't win champioships.
No but a philosophical change in the offense, might make it easier.
100% agree.
Agreed and we can still certainly call and execute the 2nd down run up the middle for 1-2 yards each series.
And UCLA drops to 4-7 and will not be able to secure bowl eligibility
Yes, and it was super depressing to see how many ex-Bears they had on their roster. Sturdivant, Oladejo and Bhagtani. While I am as happy as any Old Blue out there right now, I couldn't help but think of how different our season might be if we had Bhagtani. He gets us at least two more wins. O-line and kickers have to be a priority moving forward.
Bhagtani leaving was completely avoidable and all on Wilcox for not offering him a scholarship. The other two, I do not blame Wilcox as they left for the NIL bag.
IMHO- Hunter > J Mike
Bowlesman: Yes, we don't seem to be hurting for production at wide receiver and Nyzeiah Hunter is an absolute stud (along with Grizzell and Brady). We also seem pretty loaded at the tight end position.
I must say, for the most part, Wilcox has come out ahead on the overall Portal exchange.
The dream scenario was the extension campus winning today, then both they and $c lose next weekend to finish 5-7 and miss bowl eligibility. Alas, that would be two nice things in one day, and we can’t have that.
It feels like the exact opposite of 1975 when, if USC had defeated UCLA, Cal would have gone to the Rose Bowl.
Notably, John McKay hated Cal and so, declined to defeat UCLA that bright November day in LA.
Had Jim Breech not missed a field goal at the end of the '74 game, Cal and USC would have been 3-3 in the 70s come that game, but I never knew McKay hated Cal. It started as a bright day but I recall it being night by the end.
Pac-8 co-champs and no bowl game for us.
Didn’t know that about McKay.
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
That’s huge
Absolutely no credit to the coaching staff for this one, but the players gutted it out. Nando rightfully established himself as a big game legend with that 98 yard drive. Guy is the definition of glue.
I find it interesting that when the trees were dominating, it was all the Cal coaching staff's fault, but when Cal finishes strong and comes back from a 14 point deficit to win, the coaching staff gets "absolutely no credit."
I thought the team came out very flat. I put that on the coaching staff. I don’t know whether it’s preparation, focus or something else, but it’s been a repeated problem.
Additionally, I thought Troy Taylor’s playcalling was far more creative and put them in a position to win with what I think is an obvious talent deficiency. In the fourth quarter, we looked like a different team and our talent won out. Nando was making throws with guys in his face. An absolute legend and he deserves every ounce of glory he’s gonna get for this win.
Lastly, the run game is putrid. Like absolutely non-existent. Forces us to be one dimensional with pretty iffy pass protection. If you’d like to put that on anyone other than the coaching staff, I’m all ears.
We have recurring problems that are not being fixed. Unless Wilcox pulls a rabbit out of his hat next weekend, this is a 6-6 season with 2 conference wins. That’s not good enough. In the world of conference realignment, we need improvement; trying to exist in college football purgatory is gonna lead to death. Today it took hero ball by Fernando Mendoza to beat a 3 win team at home.
Speaking of Hero Ball. Fernando did by necessity, what Cam Ward, IMHO, does by scheme- comeback from a deficit. Nando is a true hero, as he did not purposely create the conditions for him to save the day.
He just does it and the team rallies.
Love the guy.
Didn't think I could love Nando more, but today that respect went up even more! Go Bears Forever!!!
His post game interview on the field nailed it for me. A true Golden Bear.
From his first post-game interview last year I thought (and posted) and still believe that Fernando Mendoza has major network announcer written all over him. I realize I may be skipping over his post-Cal, possibly NFL career here. That said, he is a dynamic speaker willing to eschew clichés and speak from his heart and his experience, letting us glimpse into the process, both his and his team’s. Clearly a student of the game, he has a gift for explaining it. He will do just fine in life.
Arrgghhh....Cardiac Cal
Take aways:
1. PAC 12 refs > ACC refs (ACC corruption/incompetence > that of PAC 12)
2. Troy Taylor calls a tough offense and/or Peter Sirmon can easily be worked around (forgiving Sirmon for the field position granted by the fumble and praising him for the defensive stop). BOB R is chuckling somewhere with a sense of vindication.
3. Our recruits got a mirror opposite of the Miami game. Where instead of the Bear quitting and dying in the second half, it did not quit or die. This is good.
4. It was fantastic to think that 90, including Jackson, Rodgers, and Lynch, of the 2004 team and Tedford, himself, were here to be honored.
5. It was fantastic that recruits got to see #4, a sold-out CMS, and that CMS did not clear out when it did not look good for us.
6. We won in an ugly, painful, Cal way. Mixed feelings. But, glad that Stanford Steve who tooks us with the 14.5 points, lost his bet.
I wonder how many p12 refs got hired by the ACC and BiG as they expanded teams?
My guess is that the BiG hired teh few good ones, and left Larry Scott's dregs to go to the ACC.
I saw the Sonny Dykes look-alike ref in Big 12.
But yeah, most found employment in the poaching conferences and a very few stayed in the Pac 2.
Especially like point #6
Stanfurd Steve likes to troll us, but, if I understand rightly, his wife is a Cal alum.
I wonder how many of the 2004 class stayed til the end to enjoy the victory.
I sit right above the tunnel and there were several of them there the entire 2nd half.
How was the stadium? Was it packed?
It was packed. It also felt like it took an abnormally long time to get in today so it probably looked more sparse at kick off.
We walked up the road on the north side of the stadium and there was no line to get in. It was packed at the other entrances.
Yeah, why was it so slow getting in. The Miami game had a similar turnout but I don’t remember it taking that long to get in.
That's amazing
Looked pretty packed in some of the later TV angles.
looked half full at kickoff.
Because there were about 20 thousand who arrived just before kickoff and expected to get in right away. That's why we arrive at least 2 hours early. At the end of the first quarter Memorial was FULL. And, they all stayed til the end!!
Because we were stuck outside.
I think that's a combination of the rain and the way security was having fans go through the scanners. The rain stopped a little after 11. For previous games people would just walk through the scanners. For this game, security was making people walk through one by one with like 2-3 seconds spacing. It really slowed it down. I'd say by middle or end of the first Q, it was packed. And the students took a while to file in.
When we went through scanners, there was no one at a time but there weren’t enough ticket scanners where we were.
I got to the west side entrance above the I house at 10:30 only to find a waiting line because the scanners were not working. After waiting 15 min. everyone walked thru single file. It was clear sailing thru the tix scanners.
2 of my friends were stuck trying to get in right before kickoff. So this is why the stadium wasn’t full at kickoff. Not sure what the problem was…
I watched from home, but it seemed quite crowded.
Flipped the 2024 script! The Bear did not turtle. The Bear did not die.
Funny thing was that, in a way, Stanfurd functionally turtled for the last 20 mins of the game. Helped of course by our defense that had just come out of hibernation
Coe’s made FG felt inconsequential at the time…even frustrating given how that drive stalled with another longish FG attempt…but his FG became the margin of victory in the game!
The reason two of our drives stalled was because our rs freshman O tackle held on good plays and instead of first downs we had long 3rd downs. didn't notice Furd had any holding drive stopping calls.
Are you saying we should not convert a TE to start at Online?
Nailed it.
Should've been up by 3 more (margin of victory = 6) if Nando continued running with a open field in front of him, instead he threw a incomplete pass. Coe missed the long FG attempt.
But if the attempt was closer, this would have netted 3 before half time.
A W. A W. A W.
A win in the Big Game. It was not pretty. It was gritty. It was a tough day. These Cardiac Kids won the Big Game. Hurrah!!! Furd fans left with the smirks off their faces.
TV shots of furd fans toward the end—their expressions sort of looked like they’d been through that scenario before. More than once.
Been there.
Yes, they just got the Miami treatment, without the high of College Game Day.
Saw several furdies after the game. Any who made eye contact mostly just smiled sheepishly… they know we know their pain, these awkward brothers of ours
Really ...? a "Karen"???
and what do you call Black people or Chinese or anyone else you're willing to denegrate with an all encompassing piece of bull carp?
calm down, Karen
Nailed it/them
Gimme a break…you’re joking, right? I mean, you didn't hear the rest of the conversation soooo…
Regardless, I edited the comment, as it was not intended to be triggering or offensive to the @CamHand ‘s out there.
...there/that
My preferred conjunctions.
Just sayin.'
Now, I am simultaneously a victim, an unbidden savior, and a center of attention.
Go Bears!
E Pluribus Ursi Aurei
It takes all kinds, but we're all Golden Bears.
I keep reminding myself. ;)
I do not purposely try to offend people, unless they are offensive in the first place…
I do not view that term as an offensive one, but if others do, fine. I think it’s a slight overreaction but whatever.
My favorite example of, uh, Cougars, are camp hosts.
It's a recurring incidence of fellow campers, unaccustomed to judicious use of authority, becoming Draconian dictators about THE RULES.
"THE RULES MUST BE OBEYED"...and by implication, "I MUST BE OBEYED."
Very Orwellian.
And, yes, I, too, make every effort to avoid offense, but not as much as JW does. ;)
I’ll never tire of this feeling.
At a conference in Dallas since Thursday. Slipped out of it and hoofed it back to ABnB. Fired up IPad, caught the kickoff and witnessed the first cardinal drive,TD and subsequent Cal “drive”. Made some sarcastic comments aloud to myself and headed back to conference, resigned and disgusted.
Opened phone to check final scores early evening during a dreary banquet.
Whoa!
weekend conferences are bullshit
Friday conferences are bullshit as well. Some people have no life.
Shoulda stayed for the SMU game next weekend.
I was gonna do that and in fact got the air tickets and ABnB closer to SMU in early September. A few days later I realized it meant I was flying down there the day before T-Giving. Forget it, so I cancelled that before getting a game ticket, which was next.
Then the conference I went to came on the radar in mid Oct.
Shame on me for bailing at half to take advantage of a concert ticket I had. Props to me for taking my jinx mojo away. Very pleased, and truthfully surprised, when I checked the score after the show.
It really is amazing that this team went down 14-0 and somehow found a way to claw their way back into this game and then do all of the things that they have struggled with all season long. Every time we lose I have complained quite pointedly that the team has a total lack of situational awareness and does not execute what they need to do in the moments that they need to do them.
Here are the complaints I have given:
1) cannot run the ball toward the end of the game
2) defense wilts at the end of the game
3) goes for 2 when they shouldn’t and can’t get 2 when they should
4) Fernando loses the ability to get a first down late in the game
5) penalties on first down kill the drive
6) can’t kick a field goal when their life depends on it
Today, starting on that 98 yard drive which started with just under 8 minutes left in the game…. We:
1) did not commit dumb penalties
2) got wide receivers open despite the defense knowing a pass was coming
3) protected Mendoza just enough that his being sacked did not kill the drive entirely
4) Went for 2 and got it when we needed it (and therefore did not need to kick the ball)
5) Our defense created havoc when all Stanfurd wanted to do was drive down the field.
6) We wanted this win more than Stanfurd did, starting with this drive.
Let’s be honest. This 2024 Cal team is flawed. They are talented, but not talented enough in enough positions to have any business winning more games than we have won. We have been exposed by enough teams that it is clear we still need more talent and discipline. We need better line play. We need to be able to run the ball 6-7 ypc at will. But we do just enough things each game to eke out a win half of the time, and in a way that is both dissatisfactory and impressive at the same time.
The only thing I would have changed at the end of the game, is that we should have tried to score a touchdown against Furd. They don’t deserve any mercy!
Go Bears!
For most of the game, it looked the opposite that Furd wanted the game more. Williams body language on the KO return after halftime was awful. He didn’t even make it to the 20 yard line and got piled on. His teammates could be seen trying to talk him up.
Then something flipped the switch on for the Bears. Everything started going their way and the very large Cal turnout could sense the Mo turning. I could feel it from where I sat in the stands. The 98-yard drive will be Cal’s version of The Drive that will be talked about for years. Go Bears!!!!!
"We need to be able to run the ball 6-7 ypc at will."
Amen.
Second down needs to be "second and short."
What teams run the ball for 6-7 yards per carry?
Joe Igber ran 26 for 226 yards, 8.7 ypc in Big Game 2002.
JJ Arrington ran 27 for 172 yards, 6.3 ypc in Big Game 2004.
Marshawn Lynch ran 9 for 127 yards, 13.6 ypc in Big Game 2004.
Justin Forsett ran 7 for 59 yards, 7.7 ypc in Big Game 2005.
Justin Forsett ran 11 for 75 yards, 6.8 ypc in Big Game 2006.
Jahvid Best ran 19 for 201 yards, 10.6 ypc in Big Game 2008.
Khalfani Muhammad ran 5 for 45 yards, 9.0 ypc in Big Game 2013.
Tre Watson ran 14 for 87 yards, 6.2 ypc in Big Game 2015.
Patrick Laird ran 20 for 153 yards, 7.7 ypc in Big Game 2017.
Patrick Laird ran 19 for 116 yards, 6.1 ypc in Big Game 2018.
Damien Moore ran 10 for 121 yards, 12.1 ypc in Big Game 2020.
Marcel Dancy ran 7 for 42 yards, 6.0 ypc in Big Game 2020.
Chris Brooks ran 4 for 26 yards, 6.5 ypc in Big Game 2020.
Chris Brooks ran 13 for 131 yards, 10.1 ypc in Big Game 2021.
Marcel Dancy ran 4 for 92 yards, 23.0 ypc in Big Game 2021.
Chase Garbers ran 7 for 59 yards, 8.4 ypc in Big Game 2021.
Chris Street ran 4 for 24 yards, 6.0 ypc in Big Game 2021.
Your stats are right and they point out one thing in football that most don't appreciate. It's that the Offensive Line is the most important part of any offense. I coached football for 42 years and can attest to that.
What do you mean most don't appreciate? We have been talking about OL every week. We all recognize it is the most important part of the offense.
I should have added the fact that Cal and Furd don't have the NIL money to recruit GOOD O linemen. What we get are O linemen who were reserves at there previous college or 2 star high school players.
Ok that I agree with. I should also add that while most of us understand OL is the most important part of offense, Wilcox doesn't seem to prioritize OL. He should have kept OL and OC coaching separate.
John Madden alwasy said he built his teams from the line up, elite O lIneman can make average "skill" position players great.
That's a fair point. Very few consistently. But... one can hope!