I'm old enough to remember Lupoi as both a Cal player & coach. I remember the brouhaha around his suspension which smelled bad, like he was being made the fall guy (see what I did there) and his departure/recruit poaching (seemed mercenary but I assumed there was more to it than what was publicly alleged).
Fast forward a couple decades and everything has changed. We all know Cal football is facing an existential crisis, having narrowly avoided - through no merit of our own - relegation into irrelevance last time. That lucky rescue won't be repeated. And what's interesting to me is that virtually all the Cal voices who actually know football, Lupoi, or both are saying he's the guy. I trust them to know more than I do in this case, and if Lupoi really wants this job amd there's no one better in the candidate pool, then I'm 100% for it, and will 100% support him as HC.
Admin has (gasp) changed, a GM is in place, and Cal is for once fighting to succeed in what is now a rapidly changing college football world. But the clock is ticking. We have one real shot at success. Let's do it smart. And let's swing big. Go freaking Bears
After hearing from all the biggest voices I trust related to Cal Football, it is clear that Tosh should be the next guy. He has clearly sold a lot of people that matter on his abilities and the prospects for the future. I’m not saying the naysayers don’t matter, but we have a lot of big names pushing for him openly now. Let’s announce it so we can start getting excited.
“Tosh Lupoi has been on the shortlist for Cal position jobs in the past, particularly when the man who hired him away in 2013 became Cal’s head coach.” Is AI being used to write this article?
Why is a HC even needed? Save the money to spend on an amazing OC and DC. The GM can and should do a lot of the HC duties (alum/fan interaction). The college football landscape has changed so much that Cal can and should be a disruptor: eliminate the HC position. Cal has a long history of the HC not being a positive factor (only three 10 win seasons in 50 years!!).
Lupoi: not sure Tosh "can" do anything Avi suggests. He "might" do them, sure. If Saban didn't want Tosh than that is a major red flag given Saban is known for his generosity while rehabilitating coaches. How about Cal offers Lupoi the DC role, pays him $200k more than what oregun is paying and see how interested Tosh is in "really" coming back??
My course change is do away with the HC position and go full port on an OC & DC. Hell offer Wilcox the DC if Tosh doesn't want it.
There is one clear choice to be Cal's next Head Coach, and we don't have to look to Eugene to find him. Ron Rivera is that man and the Chancellor, ADs, and Big Donors should push to do what it takes to make it happen soon, so we have salvage the high school recruiting season and hit the portal period running. Ron is a young 63 and by all reports was actively seeking a pro HC position before coming to Cal. I wouldn't expect him to remain long in the GM role, in either case. Let's Do It.
Guys, here’s how I think about it: if Tosh didn’t do what he did, Cal could have been in the national conversation yearly and would have been perennial contender in the PAC 12 and might even find ourselves in the Big Ten at full share today.
That’s the gravity of what we are talking about.
So when we talk about letting bygones be bygones, just keep that in your mind.
Cal had a really good recruiting class in 2010 too thanks to Tosh. Many of these players did not work out due to injuries and character issues. Many were not fit academically either. Tedford was already not able to win since 2009. I don't think Cal would have been a national contender even if Tosh stayed.
But this is where we need to consider the toll being taken on Jeff Teford's health. It was only roughly over a year and a half later, after being fired at Cal, that the man had heart surgery. In a game of "what if" there has to be some way to factor those circumstances into any equation.
Absolutely, you can’t change one variable and project as if that variable exists in a vacuum. In addition to Tedford health was his loss of control over the program and tanking APR scores.
But also, In projecting forward Tedford--and the health issue--with the "what if", Pete Newell comes to mind.
Newell's doctor advised him to leave coaching (to become Cal's AD) after the Bears lost the NCAA final in 1960 because of stress. If Newell stays as coach, we can only imagine how the trajectory of college hoop changes with Newell openly challenging John Wooden for dominance in the Pac-8 through the 1960s.
Heck, going back over the Athletic Department and "what ifs", starting with Andy Smith dying in a plane crash, as a Cal fan, it makes you scream about "why can't we have nice things?"...
Not disagreeing that I undertook the “what if” thought experiment. But it’s relatively close in time and we know just how impactful the recruits that he took with him became in college and in the NFL to at least project the next two years after his departure to have been rather successful.
Did anyone notice that Nick Saban picked Cal to cover on Game Day this morning and no Ted that Cal had a new coach and needed some support. Was he referring to the interim coach, or was that a slip about Tosh?
You are asking the right questions—nice reexamination of the past, too. I agree with the candidates we know of; he seems like the most exciting. He has a ton of passion, energy, can recruit, knows CAL, and has a solid defensive background. As others have mentioned, he will need help, especially with finding a top-notch OC, NIL $$$$, and retaining JKS. In Ron we Trust.
For some reason I keep reading going back to the past is the best solution. This is a whole new trial of college football in front of us and seems like the administration is on board for now, unlike the past decades. I trust, given Ron life and football experiences, at all levels except (ownership) were in good hands. The light bulb hit me when he named Rolo interim coach for two games and kept Harsin as OC. Great move. Lets see how kids and coaches react to this change. Its a whole new world of college football and its anybody game if you have the right coaches, money and players!
A few weeks ago I was doing this thought experiment to myself: 'I have a head coach candidate. Up and coming coordinator, good recruiter, understands what it's like to play and coach at Cal. But here's the catch: it's Tosh Lupoi.' Then I learned he's on top of the list.
I wanted him sent to North Korea after he jumped ship, but I'm ambivalent about him at this point. After I read the short-list article a few days ago I wanted either him or Lewis from San Diego.
LFG! Bring Tosh home! Go Bears forever!!!
I'm old enough to remember Lupoi as both a Cal player & coach. I remember the brouhaha around his suspension which smelled bad, like he was being made the fall guy (see what I did there) and his departure/recruit poaching (seemed mercenary but I assumed there was more to it than what was publicly alleged).
Fast forward a couple decades and everything has changed. We all know Cal football is facing an existential crisis, having narrowly avoided - through no merit of our own - relegation into irrelevance last time. That lucky rescue won't be repeated. And what's interesting to me is that virtually all the Cal voices who actually know football, Lupoi, or both are saying he's the guy. I trust them to know more than I do in this case, and if Lupoi really wants this job amd there's no one better in the candidate pool, then I'm 100% for it, and will 100% support him as HC.
Admin has (gasp) changed, a GM is in place, and Cal is for once fighting to succeed in what is now a rapidly changing college football world. But the clock is ticking. We have one real shot at success. Let's do it smart. And let's swing big. Go freaking Bears
After hearing from all the biggest voices I trust related to Cal Football, it is clear that Tosh should be the next guy. He has clearly sold a lot of people that matter on his abilities and the prospects for the future. I’m not saying the naysayers don’t matter, but we have a lot of big names pushing for him openly now. Let’s announce it so we can start getting excited.
What the …..!
“Tosh Lupoi has been on the shortlist for Cal position jobs in the past, particularly when the man who hired him away in 2013 became Cal’s head coach.” Is AI being used to write this article?
Is Akina… I mean Tosh here yet?
How about reaching out to Chris Petersen and see if he wants to do some more coaching before he's actually old.
Why is a HC even needed? Save the money to spend on an amazing OC and DC. The GM can and should do a lot of the HC duties (alum/fan interaction). The college football landscape has changed so much that Cal can and should be a disruptor: eliminate the HC position. Cal has a long history of the HC not being a positive factor (only three 10 win seasons in 50 years!!).
Lupoi: not sure Tosh "can" do anything Avi suggests. He "might" do them, sure. If Saban didn't want Tosh than that is a major red flag given Saban is known for his generosity while rehabilitating coaches. How about Cal offers Lupoi the DC role, pays him $200k more than what oregun is paying and see how interested Tosh is in "really" coming back??
My course change is do away with the HC position and go full port on an OC & DC. Hell offer Wilcox the DC if Tosh doesn't want it.
There is one clear choice to be Cal's next Head Coach, and we don't have to look to Eugene to find him. Ron Rivera is that man and the Chancellor, ADs, and Big Donors should push to do what it takes to make it happen soon, so we have salvage the high school recruiting season and hit the portal period running. Ron is a young 63 and by all reports was actively seeking a pro HC position before coming to Cal. I wouldn't expect him to remain long in the GM role, in either case. Let's Do It.
Sorry. I do not trust Tosh. I will not donate if he is the head coach.
The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.
— Proverbs 18:17
My thoughts in a nutshell of all the Tosh and Transfer Portal drama. There’s a lot more that we don’t understand than what we do.
If Tosh is the guy, the folks with the details of what happened are willing to proceed, and that’s enough for me.
Guys, here’s how I think about it: if Tosh didn’t do what he did, Cal could have been in the national conversation yearly and would have been perennial contender in the PAC 12 and might even find ourselves in the Big Ten at full share today.
That’s the gravity of what we are talking about.
So when we talk about letting bygones be bygones, just keep that in your mind.
Cal had a really good recruiting class in 2010 too thanks to Tosh. Many of these players did not work out due to injuries and character issues. Many were not fit academically either. Tedford was already not able to win since 2009. I don't think Cal would have been a national contender even if Tosh stayed.
But this is where we need to consider the toll being taken on Jeff Teford's health. It was only roughly over a year and a half later, after being fired at Cal, that the man had heart surgery. In a game of "what if" there has to be some way to factor those circumstances into any equation.
Absolutely, you can’t change one variable and project as if that variable exists in a vacuum. In addition to Tedford health was his loss of control over the program and tanking APR scores.
Agreed. At some point, the APR becomes an issue.
But also, In projecting forward Tedford--and the health issue--with the "what if", Pete Newell comes to mind.
Newell's doctor advised him to leave coaching (to become Cal's AD) after the Bears lost the NCAA final in 1960 because of stress. If Newell stays as coach, we can only imagine how the trajectory of college hoop changes with Newell openly challenging John Wooden for dominance in the Pac-8 through the 1960s.
Heck, going back over the Athletic Department and "what ifs", starting with Andy Smith dying in a plane crash, as a Cal fan, it makes you scream about "why can't we have nice things?"...
Andy Smith did not die in a plane crash. He died of pneumonia.
D’oh!
I guess that means we didn’t win one for The Gipper either, right?
Not disagreeing that I undertook the “what if” thought experiment. But it’s relatively close in time and we know just how impactful the recruits that he took with him became in college and in the NFL to at least project the next two years after his departure to have been rather successful.
Did anyone notice that Nick Saban picked Cal to cover on Game Day this morning and no Ted that Cal had a new coach and needed some support. Was he referring to the interim coach, or was that a slip about Tosh?
You are asking the right questions—nice reexamination of the past, too. I agree with the candidates we know of; he seems like the most exciting. He has a ton of passion, energy, can recruit, knows CAL, and has a solid defensive background. As others have mentioned, he will need help, especially with finding a top-notch OC, NIL $$$$, and retaining JKS. In Ron we Trust.
For some reason I keep reading going back to the past is the best solution. This is a whole new trial of college football in front of us and seems like the administration is on board for now, unlike the past decades. I trust, given Ron life and football experiences, at all levels except (ownership) were in good hands. The light bulb hit me when he named Rolo interim coach for two games and kept Harsin as OC. Great move. Lets see how kids and coaches react to this change. Its a whole new world of college football and its anybody game if you have the right coaches, money and players!
sure would like to see Brent Brennan HC'ing Cal
A few weeks ago I was doing this thought experiment to myself: 'I have a head coach candidate. Up and coming coordinator, good recruiter, understands what it's like to play and coach at Cal. But here's the catch: it's Tosh Lupoi.' Then I learned he's on top of the list.
I wanted him sent to North Korea after he jumped ship, but I'm ambivalent about him at this point. After I read the short-list article a few days ago I wanted either him or Lewis from San Diego.
Lewis feels like smoke and mirrors...