Further evidence that Wilcox sees that the defense sucks, he actually says "Hell, there's not a lot new out there" when trying to explain that it's not rocket science. They just have to execute better. Again, time will tell. Knowing there is a problem is the first step...
Yet another great write-up! Kudos. Pretty much conveys my feelings. I like seeing Garbers complete more passes downfield, but then you get to see why he drives me crazy on the 4th and 8 where he skips the ball off the turf to an open man. Ugh. I sincerely don't understand how our DB crew could be this poor after 5 years under Wilcox - a DB specialist. I will say, Wilcox's post-game attitude was refreshingly honest and heated.
Yes, Torchio won a Big Game...and it's interesting to note how Troy Taylor and Mike Pawlawski did not.
But I was specifically referring to 1981, when Torchio had to replace Gilbert after Gale was hurt and put out for the year during the season opener against Texas A&M. That was the year of the Run & Shoot offense, or Coach Theder's last, desperate attempt to save his job by using his new offensive coordinator, Mouse Davis, to do it. The problem was that Torchio just didn't have Gilbert's arm strength to run the offense effectively, and he became known that year, for how a lot of his passes wound up being skipped along the new astroturf at CMS that season.
It's not to take away his Big Game triumph in any way. But unlike someone like Kevin Brown, whose last game at Cal was the 1986 Big Game win, Torchio had the bad luck to have to come back and try to build on that notoriety. If Garbers isn't able to turn it around, he and Torchio will share that as well.
Great writing and points of view, Nam. Thank you. I too noted that Wilcox was by far the most off message in this post-game interview. No smiles. Less jargon. Less gloss. For a W, he was clearly pissed. I'm not enough of a football analyst to know how much of this is player talent and how much is coaching, but both are on Wilcox. How much do we miss GA? As fraught as we all are about our Bears, the reality is that we are not out of anything in conference yet. I'll be going up to Seattle to see how we do against the Fuskies. That game will say a whole lot, and a whole lot more than any so far. If after 3 games we can't get our defense to play decent ball, then the season is doomed to Holmoecaust like proportions.
It was worse than you imagined, final score 42 - 30, not 42 - 23. IMO Cal did fine, even on defense where true freshmen played a lot of snaps and veterans in the defensive backfield have yet to show up this year: Hicks & Anusiem I'm looking at you. Miles Williams has EARNED more PT than Hicks. Anusiem may have been over billed but I think there is still time for him. Hearns (LMH) has been a good find and is competitive even if undersized ~ he likely starts from here on out ~ as a true freshmen! Fact is even when GA was around, Cal has not recruited well in the defensive backfield since Wilcox's arrival.
Sirmon will have to roll the dice. Go man coverage and blitz or zone and give up the middle. ILBs aren't producing but again we have a find here in Oladejo another true freshmen who is getting good reps at game speed. Sirmon does not have 5 future League players atm, that is just a fact ~ TDR did and it showed on the field. He has to find more production at OLB (btw, reading between the lines on coach speak it would not surprise me if Deng is out for the year) by mixing them up into coverage and allowing blitzes from the corner or ILB. So defense is a work in progress, which is often the case in college ball (i.e. teams with less talent have cycles of being good to mediocre, not everyone is 4 deep like 'bama).
Going into the season I thought the defensive backfield would be solid but not great. Then when I saw the 2-deep for the first game against Nevada I had that "oh-oh" moment. DL has been solid but not spectacular, need to find more production there as well. More reps for Saunders & perhaps Roberts.
I agree with your sentiments. Defense will probably be a mixed bag this season but I predict the Bears will have a better performance in Seattle. All in all it was good to get game snaps in with the frosh and sophomores. O will be fine and should keep us in the game on Saturday. Should be a contest that goes right down to the wire in the usual Wilcox' uncomfortably close style.
Deng can get medical redshirt. He's never had a medical redshirt season before so it's pretty straight forward I think. I'm not sure who you are arguing against, but did anyone say otherwise?
It needs NCAA's approval and more complicated than a regular redshirt, but there should not be any reason he can't if he ends up missing the rest of season.
Based on the press conference, I think Wilcox is going to give Watson a lot of “experience “ in the coming week. How he and the players respond may well define the season.
42-23?????
I’m thinking 2-7 in conference. 3-6 would be a pleasant surprise and 4-5 or better would shock me.
holy cow Wilcox was not happy in the post game presser woof
Further evidence that Wilcox sees that the defense sucks, he actually says "Hell, there's not a lot new out there" when trying to explain that it's not rocket science. They just have to execute better. Again, time will tell. Knowing there is a problem is the first step...
Silver lining: Teams likely won't be gunning for us in conference. Harsh reality: They probably won't need to.
Yet another great write-up! Kudos. Pretty much conveys my feelings. I like seeing Garbers complete more passes downfield, but then you get to see why he drives me crazy on the 4th and 8 where he skips the ball off the turf to an open man. Ugh. I sincerely don't understand how our DB crew could be this poor after 5 years under Wilcox - a DB specialist. I will say, Wilcox's post-game attitude was refreshingly honest and heated.
I'm used to it from my undergrad days. Skipping balls to open receivers was pretty much J Torchio's entire game back in 1981.
Yes, Torchio won a Big Game...and it's interesting to note how Troy Taylor and Mike Pawlawski did not.
But I was specifically referring to 1981, when Torchio had to replace Gilbert after Gale was hurt and put out for the year during the season opener against Texas A&M. That was the year of the Run & Shoot offense, or Coach Theder's last, desperate attempt to save his job by using his new offensive coordinator, Mouse Davis, to do it. The problem was that Torchio just didn't have Gilbert's arm strength to run the offense effectively, and he became known that year, for how a lot of his passes wound up being skipped along the new astroturf at CMS that season.
It's not to take away his Big Game triumph in any way. But unlike someone like Kevin Brown, whose last game at Cal was the 1986 Big Game win, Torchio had the bad luck to have to come back and try to build on that notoriety. If Garbers isn't able to turn it around, he and Torchio will share that as well.
Was Elway, in his final game at Stanford. Plunkett was their quarterback from '68-70.
Great writing and points of view, Nam. Thank you. I too noted that Wilcox was by far the most off message in this post-game interview. No smiles. Less jargon. Less gloss. For a W, he was clearly pissed. I'm not enough of a football analyst to know how much of this is player talent and how much is coaching, but both are on Wilcox. How much do we miss GA? As fraught as we all are about our Bears, the reality is that we are not out of anything in conference yet. I'll be going up to Seattle to see how we do against the Fuskies. That game will say a whole lot, and a whole lot more than any so far. If after 3 games we can't get our defense to play decent ball, then the season is doomed to Holmoecaust like proportions.
First time. Long time. What’s the Havoc rate of Wilcox’s crutches in disrupting the Line Judge in getting better spots?
It was worse than you imagined, final score 42 - 30, not 42 - 23. IMO Cal did fine, even on defense where true freshmen played a lot of snaps and veterans in the defensive backfield have yet to show up this year: Hicks & Anusiem I'm looking at you. Miles Williams has EARNED more PT than Hicks. Anusiem may have been over billed but I think there is still time for him. Hearns (LMH) has been a good find and is competitive even if undersized ~ he likely starts from here on out ~ as a true freshmen! Fact is even when GA was around, Cal has not recruited well in the defensive backfield since Wilcox's arrival.
Sirmon will have to roll the dice. Go man coverage and blitz or zone and give up the middle. ILBs aren't producing but again we have a find here in Oladejo another true freshmen who is getting good reps at game speed. Sirmon does not have 5 future League players atm, that is just a fact ~ TDR did and it showed on the field. He has to find more production at OLB (btw, reading between the lines on coach speak it would not surprise me if Deng is out for the year) by mixing them up into coverage and allowing blitzes from the corner or ILB. So defense is a work in progress, which is often the case in college ball (i.e. teams with less talent have cycles of being good to mediocre, not everyone is 4 deep like 'bama).
Going into the season I thought the defensive backfield would be solid but not great. Then when I saw the 2-deep for the first game against Nevada I had that "oh-oh" moment. DL has been solid but not spectacular, need to find more production there as well. More reps for Saunders & perhaps Roberts.
I agree with your sentiments. Defense will probably be a mixed bag this season but I predict the Bears will have a better performance in Seattle. All in all it was good to get game snaps in with the frosh and sophomores. O will be fine and should keep us in the game on Saturday. Should be a contest that goes right down to the wire in the usual Wilcox' uncomfortably close style.
Good catch, thanks.
Deng can get medical redshirt. He's never had a medical redshirt season before so it's pretty straight forward I think. I'm not sure who you are arguing against, but did anyone say otherwise?
Okay I see.
It needs NCAA's approval and more complicated than a regular redshirt, but there should not be any reason he can't if he ends up missing the rest of season.
But I rather see him return this year and play.
Based on the press conference, I think Wilcox is going to give Watson a lot of “experience “ in the coming week. How he and the players respond may well define the season.