I believe most of us were generally fine with the progress over the first three years. The results or number of wins had incremented upwards to 8-5 in 2019. 2020 was the season I felt we would finally have a winning conference record, and with that at least a nine win season...

However, the pandemic season was terrible for Cal. I'm not extending a pass, but I'm understanding of its impact, to this day. We all know the importance of getting a bowl invite, the extra practices afforded and of course the extra game also. Just four games last year, compared to others in the conference with five, six or even seven is noteworthy. Nevada played nine last year, TCU ten...

Game snaps matter a ton and Cal players have had far fewer than most this past year.

Not excusing the two losses to start the season, but I find this context valuable in trying to better understand. We lost to what might be two pretty solid teams by a combined seven points. Our D looked rather mediocre to poor. But Nevada and TCU both have top 40 offenses at this point (yards per play)...

UW also played just four games last year, so there is no such delta on Saturday. I think Cal comes home from Seattle with a win, three straight against UW. Not sure when that last happened...

calumnus said:

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Golden One said:

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Strykur said:

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Golden One said:

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Cal_79 said:

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In today's environment, with the impatience of fans and athletic departments, what would be the reputation of John Wooden? Would he have survived for a full decade before winning? Would any of us even know who he is?

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Some programs are impatient, but not Cal. Cal retains a mediocre head coach for 5 years (probably more) and thinks nothing of it. Cal is too content maintaining mediocrity as the norm in its major sports programs.

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That is quite amusing since SC hung on to Clay Helton despite losing records and basically threw away 5 seasons with his leadership taking them nowhere.

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Uh, Helton's record in 6+ years as head coach at SC was 46-24. That's hardly a losing record. Helton also took SC to a Rose Bowl and to a Pac-12 championship. By contrast, Wilcox's record in 5+ seasons as Cal's head coach is 22-23, which IS a losing record. We an only dream of a Cal head coach with a record of 46-24.

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A coach that went 46-24 and took us to a Rose Bowl would get a lifetime contract at Cal. Imagine Tedford in 2007 if we had gone to the Rose Bowl in 2004. He'd have a statue on campus. He still might.

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Don't kid yourself. Going to the Rose Bowl once would not be enough to stay at Cal forever
If rumors are true Pappy Waldorf was fired (pushed out) even though he took Cal to the Rose Bowl 3 times.

GivemTheAxe said:

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calumnus said:

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Golden One said:

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Strykur said:

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Golden One said:

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Cal_79 said:

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In today's environment, with the impatience of fans and athletic departments, what would be the reputation of John Wooden? Would he have survived for a full decade before winning? Would any of us even know who he is?

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Some programs are impatient, but not Cal. Cal retains a mediocre head coach for 5 years (probably more) and thinks nothing of it. Cal is too content maintaining mediocrity as the norm in its major sports programs.

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That is quite amusing since SC hung on to Clay Helton despite losing records and basically threw away 5 seasons with his leadership taking them nowhere.

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Uh, Helton's record in 6+ years as head coach at SC was 46-24. That's hardly a losing record. Helton also took SC to a Rose Bowl and to a Pac-12 championship. By contrast, Wilcox's record in 5+ seasons as Cal's head coach is 22-23, which IS a losing record. We an only dream of a Cal head coach with a record of 46-24.

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A coach that went 46-24 and took us to a Rose Bowl would get a lifetime contract at Cal. Imagine Tedford in 2007 if we had gone to the Rose Bowl in 2004. He'd have a statue on campus. He still might.

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Don't kid yourself. Going to the Rose Bowl once would not be enough to stay at Cal forever
If rumors are true Pappy Waldorf was fired (pushed out) even though he took Cal to the Rose Bowl 3 times.

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Completely different era. We were spoiled back then. We were like USC fans. Just look at people here extolling Wilcox's 2019 season, losing conference record and wins over teams with losing records (even our bowl win) all with the worst offense in the PAC-12 and one of the very worst in the entire country. Shoot, didn't Wilcox get a big raise and extension the previous year after the embarrassing Cheezit Bowl loss?

How is Wilcox "building" . . . even if it is slow?

Cal Strong no see any building at all. He see 2 bad losses after a losing season, followed by a game in which we give up 30 to Sac State.

Where the building in this picture? Is he building a basement?

Cal Strong! said:

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How is Wilcox "building" . . . even if it is slow?

Cal Strong no see any building at all. He see 2 bad losses after a losing season, followed by a game in which we give up 30 to Sac State.

Where the building in this picture? Is he building a basement?

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When a giant, strong building is being built, much of it is invisible at first, as it is the foundation being laid.

I typed this with a straight face.

Big C said:

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Cal Strong! said:

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How is Wilcox "building" . . . even if it is slow?

Cal Strong no see any building at all. He see 2 bad losses after a losing season, followed by a game in which we give up 30 to Sac State.

Where the building in this picture? Is he building a basement?

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When a giant, strong building is being built, much of it is invisible at first, as it is the foundation being laid.

I typed this with a straight face.

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Yep, in order to build up, you first have to dig a hole.

GivemTheAxe said:

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Don't kid yourself. Going to the Rose Bowl once would not be enough to stay at Cal forever
If rumors are true Pappy Waldorf was fired (pushed out) even though he took Cal to the Rose Bowl 3 times.

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That was in a very different era, when Cal had a successful football program on the heels of Andy Smith. We would love to have such a successful program in 2021.

calumnus said:

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Big C said:

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Cal Strong! said:

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How is Wilcox "building" . . . even if it is slow?

Cal Strong no see any building at all. He see 2 bad losses after a losing season, followed by a game in which we give up 30 to Sac State.

Where the building in this picture? Is he building a basement?

---

When a giant, strong building is being built, much of it is invisible at first, as it is the foundation being laid.

I typed this with a straight face.

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Yep, in order to build up, you first have to dig a hole.

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The initial hole was his first losing season in 2017.

This is trying to add a basement after the structure has already been built. But not like a contracter would do. More like a 13 year old boy with a pickaxe would do.

Cal Strong! said:

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calumnus said:

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Big C said:

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Cal Strong! said:

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How is Wilcox "building" . . . even if it is slow?

Cal Strong no see any building at all. He see 2 bad losses after a losing season, followed by a game in which we give up 30 to Sac State.

Where the building in this picture? Is he building a basement?

---

When a giant, strong building is being built, much of it is invisible at first, as it is the foundation being laid.

I typed this with a straight face.

---

Yep, in order to build up, you first have to dig a hole.

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The initial hole was his first losing season in 2017.

This is trying to add a basement after the structure has already been built. But not like a contracter would do. More like a 13 year old boy with a pickaxe would do.

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Sagarin
2015 #26
2016 #62 (Dykes fired)
2017 #50
2018 #56
2019 #50
2020 #93
2021 #68

The "progress" from 2017 to 2019 was due to an easier schedule. Sagarin had us exactly the same. Our 2019 wins were over an FCS school and teams with losing records.

2021 still has a lot of football to be played, so hopefully we end up much better and bring in a good recruiting class next year. I agree that Wilcox's record iso far does not show the gradual progress the OP asserts, but the offense IS improved and improving and if Wilcox can demonstrate that he is the defensive genius most on this board claim he is, then we will be on the upward trajectory many claim we are already on.