Shocky1 said:Thank you @CalFootball & Coach Wilcox for having me out for Junior Day #gobears @CoachTreW @CoachTB02 @BenjiPalu_Cal @MWCherrington @mikeb_cal @CoachAT23 @CoachSirmon pic.twitter.com/7YscwgD9tO
— RJ Whitten (@Rjwhitten) March 5, 2023
strong showing at cal's 2024 junior day by priority lock down cornerback +1 athletic 5'11" 175 lbs rj whitten from the powerhouse folsom high school program
rj got a monster work ethic, some people call is work he calls it dancing with the starsThey call it work we call this fun #everyday #nodaysoff #gamefitcertified #folsomfootball #webuiltdifferent pic.twitter.com/aq2OMb5Grh
— RJ Whitten (@Rjwhitten) February 24, 2023
the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (and only 90 minutes away by car from folsom on gamedays in the fall)
Today's the Day!!! I'll be on IG Live at 7pm. rj_thegoat4 #whowillitbe pic.twitter.com/1bMkBddsFE
— RJ Whitten (@Rjwhitten) October 31, 2023
salesi enjoyed his official visit to berkeley (hosted by sioape) & particularly enjoyed meeting the coaches & also hearing about cal's life after football gameplanShocky1 said:Shocky1 said:🙏🙏🙏 @BrandonHuffman @BlairAngulo @MohrRecruiting pic.twitter.com/gBRqH2RpgB
— Salesi Manu (@LesiM775) October 27, 2023
checking into the claremont hotel for an official visit this weekend is 6'3" 240 lbs apex predator sack master salesi manu from reno's bishop manogue high school (the home of sioape vatikani) who plays with a poly bad azz relentless motor kinda like his dad charles who played for the wolfpack back in the day
and let's be real here, cal's outside linebackers have not consistently made plays behind the line of scrimmage during 2023, an infusion of quick twitch +1 athleticism is gonna be necessary for a better bears defense in the 2024 acc season
warning: do NOT watch the following video which got violent images if u got heart condition issues or something🚨Mid-Season Highlights‼️ Full clip in the link 🔥😤🔗 https://t.co/w1A50eadwK @ManogueFB @eehowren @KenCrawford36 pic.twitter.com/b0OaXvPXPx
— Salesi Manu (@LesiM775) October 1, 2023
washington state (which will be playing in a mid major conference along with oregon state next season with the nuclear destruction of the pac 12) is probably the leader right now for salesi who got around a dozen+ offers
the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (including those of the lds faith & a 3 hour drive to memorial stadium on gamedays for the fam)
https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/🙏 Thank you @CalFootball for the great Official Visit and hospitality! #GoBears🐻@Coach_Sooto @BenjiPalu_Cal @MWCherrington @ManogueFB @eehowren @KenCrawford36 @BrandonHuffman @BlairAngulo @MohrRecruiting pic.twitter.com/Uf02rMwaD2
— Salesi Manu (@LesiM775) October 30, 2023
𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗦! 🏆🏆
— Cal Men's Golf (@CalMensGolf) November 1, 2023
The Golden Bears (290-277-276) storm back to win their second straight tournament at the Cal Poly Invitational!#GoBears pic.twitter.com/wYgduUS8iq
Shocky1 said:
^ the number one area of necessary offseason changes other than so'oto is the failed s&c program which is not developing quick twitch +1 athleticism thru yoga ala my work with jaylen brown
yoga not only got physical benefits but it also helps the mind to become relaxed & focused (sorta quiets all the monkey voices in my head) & move with decisiveness & clarity of thought in an innate manner...the reality is that a lotta the bears mirror their head coach's personality, paralysis by analysis as evidenced by his inability to quickly cut ties with non performing coaches & not giving his longtime live in curvy brunette yoga girlfriend a ring
let's be very clear on this, jaylen would not have signed his recent $305,000,000+ nba super max contract with the boston celtics without the monster
https://instagr.am/p/BZRTvlagD9_
energy shifter (starts on a yoga mat)#
Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
https://instagr.am/p/Cko1I-aM0C9Shocky1 said:
https://instagr.am/p/Cs43nM5sz2u
cal's monster class acc introductions: part xvi
school: smu
mascot: peruna
stadium: gerald j ford stadium (32,000 capacity)
2023 forbes academic ranking: #169
https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/
fun fact: acc expansion would probably not have happened if not for george bush lobbying acc prezs on behalf of smu (and thus in an indirect way calford)
so back in the mike montgomery era as the director of recruiting ima sitting at the end of the cal bench next to jay john...across from us is george & barbara bush sitting next to the dallas cowboys starting quarterback & head coach
as halftime starts i tell jay ima gonna go say howdy to the hosts across the way, jj just gives mr crazy town a smirky smile telling me good luck with that ****
the monster gets almost half way across the court before he's surrounded by 5 service service guys in dark suits & earpieces asking me wut's up?...yeah shocky never got to do the hang with 43
best gameday golf: trinity forest
https://instagr.am/p/BGF3Gj_IO_K
shocky's favorite smu grad (honorary, actually got a diploma from yale): george bush
What an honor it's been to be a part of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team! Please vote for me as captain so we can keep serving this community! (Link in bio) Go Bears 🐻 @WeAreAFCA @Allstate #goodworksteam #ad #sponsored pic.twitter.com/vdkm2z7vLU
— Matthew Cindric (@matthew_cindric) October 31, 2023
https://instagr.am/p/CzBC5fZuCU8Shocky1 said:
monster top 10 in japan:
1) kawana (fuji): yeah the dumb azz is tryna rep a "c" in the above foto (which he's doing backwards) on the oceanside par 5 11th hole but this charles alison design is the best course in the land of rising sun with its fun playability, undulating coastal fairways & dramatic views of iconic mt fuji and perhaps most importantly a lotta shocky's beloved palm trees
2) hirono: the most private club in japan, this rugged yet walkable alison masterpiece recently underwent a successful & architecturally fateful restoration by gil hanse...the best par 3s in japan & the postgame lunch at the clubhouse got augusta national vibes
3) yokohama (west): a 2015 rebuild with new holes by my idols at coore & crenshaw (https://www.golfpass.com/travel-advisor/articles/coore-crenshaw-new-2023-golf-course-openings) coupled with the firm & fast turf conditions (which is not common in asia)...the 18th hole for the japan open is actually the 2nd hole of the east course & the magnificent uphill with forever memorable bunkering carved into the hillside is a brute par 4 for the pros but plays every day as a scoreable par 5 for the members, my favorite hole in japan
4) japanese a-5 waygu beef: my favorite cut of meat on planet earth followed by king island grassfed beef off the coast of australia & steaks from western nebraska's sandhills...dom arigato
5) toyko golf: the exclusive club got a gil hanse renovation that asks a lotta thoughtful questions but it's limited by the relatively flat topography that only pheobe bridgers could love on her day off under scorpio skies
6) kasumigaeski (east): tom fazio rebuilt this colt design with unfortunately an american 1980s style of architecture, the course hosted the 1st olympics golf competition & kinda reminds me of harding park but without the lake merced views
7) the bullet train: always on time & fast as ****, kinda like oakland's jet on the sweep to open space on the edge & an unlimited future
8) naruo: built into a caynon (that's perfect for late nite drag racing singing big boys don't cry) cove ala bel air, this scenic monster is easily the hardest golf course in japan
9) hakone: arguably the best course in the country built by a japanese architect, good but not great
10) the hedge hog cafe in toyko: my daughter shay's favorite memory (holding the feisty adorable creatures is not easily forgotten) of japan other than swimming with her dumb azz dad at the peninsula's top floor pool with dazzling nighttime views of toyko
lost in translation (talking is overrated, actions speak louder)#
6956bear said:Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
So my point regarding player talent relative to coaching is this. Find a player that can win. Because this style of defense is what I want. Rather than adjust philosophy to better use the available talent. Yesterday Sirmon acknowledged a deeper dive is needed this offseason to look at scheme etc. That is a day late and a dollar short. Proactivity is needed. Reactivity is what we get. I get that you cannot completely change everything in season, but he works with these players every day. He has to know the strengths and weaknesses. He said in preseason the defense would be more aggressive. Still waiting.
You always want the best players you can get. But you still have to play with what you have. I see a staff that is slow to respond. I see less urgency than what I believe is needed. On defense in particular.
In year 7 under Wilcox the team is not developing players well. Many of these players do not get materially better each year. There are several players that are playing below the levels they previously played. Mostly on defense. That troubles me as Wilcox is a defense first HC.
So is it the players or the staff? It is no doubt both. So now Cal needs 2 more seasons to finally get over the hump? I get the reality of the buyout. But I have very little confidence that this staff will be able to get the necessary talent to make a difference. Regardless of how much NIL $$ they may have.
College Football’s Fastest Players of the Week:
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) October 31, 2023
6. @CalFootball RB Jaydn Ott (@THEJAYDNOTT) 21.1 mph #ReelSpeed #GoBears @CoachAT23
🎥: @Pac12Network
🔗 https://t.co/eQpG3v2547 pic.twitter.com/SNjJ2oHy5v
That is amazing. Top NFL speed levels. Tyreek Hill has the fastest so far this year at 22.1 MPH. He would be in the top 15 or so runners in terms of speed so far this year. Tyreek, Mostert, Achane are all over the chart.Shocky1 said:College Football’s Fastest Players of the Week:
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) October 31, 2023
6. @CalFootball RB Jaydn Ott (@THEJAYDNOTT) 21.1 mph #ReelSpeed #GoBears @CoachAT23
🎥: @Pac12Network
🔗 https://t.co/eQpG3v2547 pic.twitter.com/SNjJ2oHy5v
off to the races (in cipriani's basement)#
All of the above. One interesting thing if you look at conference stats is that Cal is now last in time of possession. They play fast now. Similar to how they played under Dykes. That exposes the defense to more plays. The USC game showed USC having 18 possessions. That is an ungodly number of possessions.Big C said:6956bear said:Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
So my point regarding player talent relative to coaching is this. Find a player that can win. Because this style of defense is what I want. Rather than adjust philosophy to better use the available talent. Yesterday Sirmon acknowledged a deeper dive is needed this offseason to look at scheme etc. That is a day late and a dollar short. Proactivity is needed. Reactivity is what we get. I get that you cannot completely change everything in season, but he works with these players every day. He has to know the strengths and weaknesses. He said in preseason the defense would be more aggressive. Still waiting.
You always want the best players you can get. But you still have to play with what you have. I see a staff that is slow to respond. I see less urgency than what I believe is needed. On defense in particular.
In year 7 under Wilcox the team is not developing players well. Many of these players do not get materially better each year. There are several players that are playing below the levels they previously played. Mostly on defense. That troubles me as Wilcox is a defense first HC.
So is it the players or the staff? It is no doubt both. So now Cal needs 2 more seasons to finally get over the hump? I get the reality of the buyout. But I have very little confidence that this staff will be able to get the necessary talent to make a difference. Regardless of how much NIL $$ they may have.
Bottom line: Most fans who follow the Cal program closely thought we would have a "very good" defense this season... one great pass rusher from "elite". But we haven't been close to that, even before Jack Sirmon went down. The only player I can think of, off hand, who is "overperforming" is Elarms-Orr. Could make a decent-sized list of the underperformers (but why bother). Not sure if it's player development, scheme, or what, but bottom line is bottom line.
6956bear said:All of the above. One interesting thing if you look at conference stats is that Cal is now last in time of possession. They play fast now. Similar to how they played under Dykes. That exposes the defense to more plays. The USC game showed USC having 18 possessions. That is an ungodly number of possessions.Big C said:6956bear said:Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
So my point regarding player talent relative to coaching is this. Find a player that can win. Because this style of defense is what I want. Rather than adjust philosophy to better use the available talent. Yesterday Sirmon acknowledged a deeper dive is needed this offseason to look at scheme etc. That is a day late and a dollar short. Proactivity is needed. Reactivity is what we get. I get that you cannot completely change everything in season, but he works with these players every day. He has to know the strengths and weaknesses. He said in preseason the defense would be more aggressive. Still waiting.
You always want the best players you can get. But you still have to play with what you have. I see a staff that is slow to respond. I see less urgency than what I believe is needed. On defense in particular.
In year 7 under Wilcox the team is not developing players well. Many of these players do not get materially better each year. There are several players that are playing below the levels they previously played. Mostly on defense. That troubles me as Wilcox is a defense first HC.
So is it the players or the staff? It is no doubt both. So now Cal needs 2 more seasons to finally get over the hump? I get the reality of the buyout. But I have very little confidence that this staff will be able to get the necessary talent to make a difference. Regardless of how much NIL $$ they may have.
Bottom line: Most fans who follow the Cal program closely thought we would have a "very good" defense this season... one great pass rusher from "elite". But we haven't been close to that, even before Jack Sirmon went down. The only player I can think of, off hand, who is "overperforming" is Elarms-Orr. Could make a decent-sized list of the underperformers (but why bother). Not sure if it's player development, scheme, or what, but bottom line is bottom line.
They have gone from a deliberate offense to faster paced. It has helped the offense, but does likely hurt the defense. You need significant depth on defense to play this way. Cal does not have that. But the defense has played below expectations. The CBs opposite Nohl Williams have been picked on all season. The pass rush has been weak all season, not just in the 4th quarter when tired.
What may help? A scheme that is designed to get more negative plays. The bend but not break that has been present most of the season by design gives the offense more plays. The defense needs to get the opposition off the field. And they still break down. The opposing teams get a significant number of chunk plays nearly every game. The chunk plays allowed vs negative plays forced on defense is very lopsided in favor of the opposition. More risk on defense is needed IMO. They have to get the other team to play behind the chains a lot more than they do.
Shocky1 said:
the following is a reprint from cal's monster class back in the day:
flew into cabo san lucas sat nite, met my buddy tommy at the airport & we took a taxi downtown for a late nite dinner at gordos...gordos is a one room restaurant with maybe 12 chairs that serves the best shrimp & steak tacos on earth (and its inexpensive too)...the owner (gordo, yeah he's not skinny) takes your order, cooks the food, delivers the meal to your table & then sings too...gotta love gordos
so we hit some range balls to loosen up this morning & hustle over to the 1st tee with our caddies at diamante's el cardonal, tiger woods' 1st golf course design which recently opened
but there are already two groups of pompous looking guys (throwing grifters joe passov & steve lapper chunky monkey vibes) standing by their golf carts (some of them smoking cigars) near the 1st tee, they are all wearing stanford gear, red shirts & hats...clearly they are a stanford group of some type
so the director of golf assesses the situation & walks over and tells the leader of the group, "my apologies mr winchester but we have 2 golf magazine raters who have both played the world's top 100 courses that are invited guests of mr jowdy (the developer of diamante) and it's very important that they both tee of first this morning in order to walk 36 holes today, please stand aside"
mr winchester is ******* pissed and barely nods his head ok...the other guys are grumbling & shuffle off the tee box
so tommy & i step onto the 1st tee as does mr winchester whose got his arms crossed, he's gonna see how good we are, there's gonna be wwiii if we slow down his two groups
we both blast tight draws down the middle of the fairway & hand our drivers to our caddies jesus & javier who are ready to roll
mr winchester is puffing on a thick cigar & got smoke coming out of his ears & is looking at me & tommy with stink eyes
so i smile at mr stanford showing lots of crocodile teeth, lock eyes on him & tell him "go bears" with a wink as we briskly walk down the par 5 1st fairway never looking bac
shocky got un boca grande#
https://instagr.am/p/CPKDccctn5i
the pga tour is traveling this week to cabo to play tiger's el cardonel design at diamante
colin morikawa is traveling japan with kat, max homa is putting up shelves & **** or something with lacey in scottsdale's arcadia neighborhood & byeong hun an is finishing out his pga suspension for taking a banned south korea cough medicine that his moms recommended to him at home at lake nona in orlando
so michael kim (playing very well in recent tournaments) & james hahn will be repping the bears on the pga tour this week in sunny mexico...the fairways are wide at el cardonel with minimal rough & 4 fun scoreable par 5s, scoring is gonna be super low (monster prediction: the winner will be at least 20 under par)
cal is a golf & swimming pool skool#
I don't entirely buy into this whole deal about a fast-playing offense exposing the defense to more plays. Lousy defense exposes the defense to more plays. If Cal's defense could make some stops on third down, they'd be able to get off the field. Maybe this is the problem with "bend-don't-break" defense. You can't be satisfied giving up 4-5 yards/play and then suddenly stiffen up when it's 3rd and 3 or 4th and 2.6956bear said:All of the above. One interesting thing if you look at conference stats is that Cal is now last in time of possession. They play fast now. Similar to how they played under Dykes. That exposes the defense to more plays. The USC game showed USC having 18 possessions. That is an ungodly number of possessions.Big C said:6956bear said:Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
So my point regarding player talent relative to coaching is this. Find a player that can win. Because this style of defense is what I want. Rather than adjust philosophy to better use the available talent. Yesterday Sirmon acknowledged a deeper dive is needed this offseason to look at scheme etc. That is a day late and a dollar short. Proactivity is needed. Reactivity is what we get. I get that you cannot completely change everything in season, but he works with these players every day. He has to know the strengths and weaknesses. He said in preseason the defense would be more aggressive. Still waiting.
You always want the best players you can get. But you still have to play with what you have. I see a staff that is slow to respond. I see less urgency than what I believe is needed. On defense in particular.
In year 7 under Wilcox the team is not developing players well. Many of these players do not get materially better each year. There are several players that are playing below the levels they previously played. Mostly on defense. That troubles me as Wilcox is a defense first HC.
So is it the players or the staff? It is no doubt both. So now Cal needs 2 more seasons to finally get over the hump? I get the reality of the buyout. But I have very little confidence that this staff will be able to get the necessary talent to make a difference. Regardless of how much NIL $$ they may have.
Bottom line: Most fans who follow the Cal program closely thought we would have a "very good" defense this season... one great pass rusher from "elite". But we haven't been close to that, even before Jack Sirmon went down. The only player I can think of, off hand, who is "overperforming" is Elarms-Orr. Could make a decent-sized list of the underperformers (but why bother). Not sure if it's player development, scheme, or what, but bottom line is bottom line.
They have gone from a deliberate offense to faster paced. It has helped the offense, but does likely hurt the defense. You need significant depth on defense to play this way. Cal does not have that. But the defense has played below expectations. The CBs opposite Nohl Williams have been picked on all season. The pass rush has been weak all season, not just in the 4th quarter when tired.
What may help? A scheme that is designed to get more negative plays. The bend but not break that has been present most of the season by design gives the offense more plays. The defense needs to get the opposition off the field. And they still break down. The opposing teams get a significant number of chunk plays nearly every game. The chunk plays allowed vs negative plays forced on defense is very lopsided in favor of the opposition. More risk on defense is needed IMO. They have to get the other team to play behind the chains a lot more than they do.
Shocky1 said:
^ big c, can u even recall a single vontaze burfict bad azz big hit this season by the d?
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It is both. An offense that plays fast will allow for more plays to defend. But it is also true that the defense has to create some stops.HearstMining said:I don't entirely buy into this whole deal about a fast-playing offense exposing the defense to more plays. Lousy defense exposes the defense to more plays. If Cal's defense could make some stops on third down, they'd be able to get off the field. Maybe this is the problem with "bend-don't-break" defense. You can't be satisfied giving up 4-5 yards/play and then suddenly stiffen up when it's 3rd and 3 or 4th and 2.6956bear said:All of the above. One interesting thing if you look at conference stats is that Cal is now last in time of possession. They play fast now. Similar to how they played under Dykes. That exposes the defense to more plays. The USC game showed USC having 18 possessions. That is an ungodly number of possessions.Big C said:6956bear said:Good coaches find a way to get the most out of their players. The OLB group has routinely put little pressure on the QB. So what is the answer? Lets continue to just rush 4 and then tell these players they need to win their individual matchup. What Sirmon is doing with that group is expecting these players to play beyond what they have shown they can do.AZ Bear said:
6956,
I wasn't arguing that we have great players, or even players good enough to achieve our ST goals (whatever they are). I was looking at this an an exercise in allocating scarce resources.
Obviously we want the best players who are willing to come here, but the constraints are:
1) Available roster spots
2) Finite NIL dollars (and program credibility) to persuade great players to come here
3) Coaches' time for recruiting is finite
So my ranking was my view of the positions of greatest need that should get top priority in allocating limited resources.
I don't favor "standing pat"....I'm not saying we're already good enough at certain positions that we don't actively try to improve with superior players. As you said, if you can get an impact player to come and improve the roster, you do it....assuming you have the NIL to make it happen.
I don't really understand your comment about coaching and player talent. It seems like you're saying that because our coaching is subpar, we have to go out and get better players than we'd need if we had good coaching.
...But that's not how it works. The very best coaches don't say "We're excellent coaches, so we can still win with slightly lesser talent. So let's call it a day and go with the roster we have without going after incremental improvements in talent." I guarantee that every head coach tries to get the best players he can (given whatever character issues and other attributes he may choose to emphasize).
Overall though, I actually agree with you. We will need to upgrade talent to get a lot better on the field. But usually that doesn't happen with a winning record, a coach that people really want to play for, and, probably most importantly, a lot of NIL$.
In our case, the most realistic scenario is to hit on recruiting talent that other teams missed, develop players in house, then make a bowl game, then land a couple of big recruits and transfers and sell others on the idea that Cal is about to break out.
Best case that might happen in two years, because it doesn't look like we're going to build enough momentum with this season's results to accelerate that. That said, I'd love to win 2 more games this year to at least build a little momentum and retain more players that we want to retain.
So my point regarding player talent relative to coaching is this. Find a player that can win. Because this style of defense is what I want. Rather than adjust philosophy to better use the available talent. Yesterday Sirmon acknowledged a deeper dive is needed this offseason to look at scheme etc. That is a day late and a dollar short. Proactivity is needed. Reactivity is what we get. I get that you cannot completely change everything in season, but he works with these players every day. He has to know the strengths and weaknesses. He said in preseason the defense would be more aggressive. Still waiting.
You always want the best players you can get. But you still have to play with what you have. I see a staff that is slow to respond. I see less urgency than what I believe is needed. On defense in particular.
In year 7 under Wilcox the team is not developing players well. Many of these players do not get materially better each year. There are several players that are playing below the levels they previously played. Mostly on defense. That troubles me as Wilcox is a defense first HC.
So is it the players or the staff? It is no doubt both. So now Cal needs 2 more seasons to finally get over the hump? I get the reality of the buyout. But I have very little confidence that this staff will be able to get the necessary talent to make a difference. Regardless of how much NIL $$ they may have.
Bottom line: Most fans who follow the Cal program closely thought we would have a "very good" defense this season... one great pass rusher from "elite". But we haven't been close to that, even before Jack Sirmon went down. The only player I can think of, off hand, who is "overperforming" is Elarms-Orr. Could make a decent-sized list of the underperformers (but why bother). Not sure if it's player development, scheme, or what, but bottom line is bottom line.
They have gone from a deliberate offense to faster paced. It has helped the offense, but does likely hurt the defense. You need significant depth on defense to play this way. Cal does not have that. But the defense has played below expectations. The CBs opposite Nohl Williams have been picked on all season. The pass rush has been weak all season, not just in the 4th quarter when tired.
What may help? A scheme that is designed to get more negative plays. The bend but not break that has been present most of the season by design gives the offense more plays. The defense needs to get the opposition off the field. And they still break down. The opposing teams get a significant number of chunk plays nearly every game. The chunk plays allowed vs negative plays forced on defense is very lopsided in favor of the opposition. More risk on defense is needed IMO. They have to get the other team to play behind the chains a lot more than they do.