legendary defensive coordinator & future nfl hall of famer marv lewis (currently the de facto defensive coordinator for asu) tole me during a conversation last winter at desert highlands (he lives off the tee to the right of the par 5 11th hole) with a smirk that cal was "the easiest team in the pac 12 to gameplan against" during the coach wilcox era because of his fear of passing into the middle third of the field...yeah even tho knowlton once tole me to my face that billy m wuz a "genius," nobody with any nfl pedigree shares that dumb azz opinion

marv stacks the box for stuffed running plays & cheats his linebackers & safeties to the perimeter for coverage assistance against the bears leaving only a spy who is tagging the qb for a potential run or slow developing drag routes over the middle

so the bears didn't attack the middle of the field during the 6'2" chase garbers & 6'5" jack plummer seasons, now we got a 5'10" (maybe) quarterback who is challenged to see over defensive linemen and opponents review passing scatter charts for tendencies & flat out know that our head coach is not gonna risk an interception over the middle of the field...this conservatism is also why the bears lead the nation in the most punt return fair catches, our staff's goal is not fumble the ball instead of strategizing for an electric return that scores points/hypes up the team/fans ala desean

and thus the bears throw only sideline routes & the almost always failed tight end blocking screens on the perimeter, nobody is fooled by our predictable tendencies...justin via spav is afraid of quick slants over the middle or passes to the tight ends in space (safer to have them as an extra blocker) while attacking the relatively wide open middle third of the field

and why is this the case?

coach wilcox plays the game not to win but not to lose, he's very conservative (which is probably why he's not married, no he's not gay)

the net result is a lotta one touchdown losses (on the plus side the bears are never blown out) with an elite defense & a schematically dysfunctional offense that don't utilize the entire field to its advantage

the irony in all of this is that the thing that justin is tryna avoid (critical turnovers that lose games) is exactly why the bears lose so many close games

i dunno maybe our coach should consult with matt bouza or somebody and loosen up a little bit, right?

the gutsy 4th & 2 call in bear territory early in the auburn game which my boy ashton stredick tenaciously converted into a 1st down is a step in the right direction

another 14-10 loss#

Shocky1 said:

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legendary defensive coordinator & future nfl hall of famer marv lewis (currently the de facto defensive coordinator for asu) tole me during a conversation last winter at desert highlands (he lives off the tee to the right of the par 5 11th hole) with a smirk that cal was "the easiest team in the pac 12 to gameplan against" during the coach wilcox era because of his fear of passing into the middle third of the field...yeah even tho knowlton once tole me to my face that billy m wuz a "genius," nobody with any nfl pedigree shares that dumb azz opinion

marv stacks the box for stuffed running plays & cheats his linebackers & safeties to the perimeter for coverage assistance against the bears leaving only a spy who is tagging the qb for a potential run or slow developing drag routes over the middle

so the bears didn't attack the middle of the field during the 6'2" chase garbers & 6'5" jack plummer seasons, now we got a 5'10" (maybe) quarterback who is challenged to see over defensive linemen and opponents review passing scatter charts for tendencies & flat out know that our head coach is not gonna risk an interception over the middle of the field...this conservatism is also why the bears lead the nation in the most punt return fair catches, our staff's goal is not fumble the ball instead of strategizing for an electric return that scores points/hypes up the team/fans ala desean

and thus the bears throw only sideline routes & the almost always failed tight end blocking screens on the perimeter, nobody is fooled by our predictable tendencies...justin via spav is afraid of quick slants over the middle or passes to the tight ends in space (safer to have them as an extra blocker) while attacking the relatively wide open middle third of the field

and why is this the case?

coach wilcox plays the game not to win but not to lose, he's very conservative (which is probably why he's not married, no he's not gay)

the net result is a lotta one touchdown losses (on the plus side the bears are never blown out) with an elite defense & a schematically dysfunctional offense that don't utilize the entire field to its advantage

the irony in all of this is that the thing that justin is tryna avoid (critical turnovers that lose games) is exactly why the bears lose so many close games

i dunno maybe our coach should consult with matt bouza or somebody and loosen up a little bit, right?

the gutsy 4th & 2 call in bear territory early in the auburn game which my boy ashton stredick tenaciously converted into a 1st down is a step in the right direction

another 14-10 loss#

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What does Wilcox do to have fun???
He really needs to lighten up with yoga or something. Madsen took his group to paintball and was talking trash with them there. Coach Wilcox needs to bring some fun into the program!

Shocky1 said:

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Pac 12 QBR in Week 2

98.3: Caleb Williams, USC

90.4: Michael Penix, Jr., Washington

81.0: Dante More, UCLA

78.0: Bo Nix, Oregon

75.1: Nate Johnson, Utah

68.2: Cameron Ward, Washington State

68.0: Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

60.8: Jayden de Laura, Arizona

50.5: Sam Jackson, Cal

30.1: Jaden Rashada, Arizona State

18.1: Justin Lamson, Stanford

8.9: Bryson Barnes, Utah

big week of prep work for cal's monster offensive line (gotta keep the qb safe from harm's way)#

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I'd like to see what Sam' QBR would have been without the two interceptions. Both were heaves into the end zone, the first from a mile out on the last play of the half following the holding call on the made field goal, the second on a last chance fourth down and a mile to go following the holding call rolling right near the sideline with nobody open hoping for a miracle. Not saying he was good. Just that those interceptions evidence of mistakes and likely tanked his rating.

CHILLS.

Aaron Rodgers ran out with the flag ahead of Bills-Jets 🇺🇸 #MNF pic.twitter.com/y4JjWHd4D1

— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2023

berkeley#

Shocky1 said:

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that's awesome 82, enjoy ur son tonite & the magic of golf

the biggest thing i learned in caddying at san francisco golf club during my stinson beach high school & berkeley days wuz that almost all golfers would have way more fun if they didn't bother with a scorecard & a pencil

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Had a great time at the range last night. My daughter showed up too. 38 year old twins. I even hit the ball pretty darn well for not playing in a year, living through full conscious losing seizures, taking all sorts of drugs for that, torn retina...blah. blah, blah. Even went back to the house where my wife had spaghetti dinner waiting for us all. This night and the night before, yelling and caring about Cal football, has me believing that my life is getting some of its normalcy back. And I'm going to try the no scorecard idea out at Lincoln

so the bears didn't attack the middle of the field during the 6'2" chase garbers & 6'5" jack plummer seasons, now we got a 5'10" (maybe) quarterback who is challenged to see over defensive linemen and opponents review passing scatter charts for tendencies & flat out know that our head coach is not gonna risk an interception over the middle of the field...this conservatism is also why the bears lead the nation in the most punt return fair catches, our staff's goal is not fumble the ball instead of strategizing for an electric return that scores points/hypes up the team/fans ala desean

and thus the bears throw only sideline routes & the almost always failed tight end blocking screens on the perimeter, nobody is fooled by our predictable tendencies...justin via spav is afraid of quick slants over the middle or passes to the tight ends in space (safer to have them as an extra blocker) while attacking the relatively wide open middle third of the field


Shocky, one of my biggest frustrations on Saturday was that so many of our passes were sideline routes. By the second half I was calling for more quick slants into the middle of the field, but we attempted very few. Do you think that Sam's short stature severely inhibits using the middle of the field? If so, that's a big deal, in my opinion. Hopefully Spav can scheme to open up passing lanes and lines of sight for Sam, cuz otherwise we're too predictable.

I also would have liked to see Sam take off and run more often than he did Saturday. If opponents overplay the sidelines in recognition of Cal's tendencies, wouldn't that open up the middle for Sam to gobble up yardage on delayed scrambles up the middle? I would look for that to happen more in the coming games....let's get opposing defenses nervous about the different weapons we have and the different ways we can attack. Did not really see that on Saturday.

^^ zony, ur 100% on the money & the staff reads this monster thread

coach spav has coached up 2 non nfl prototypical qbs in kylar murray & johnny manziel, the dumb azz predicable play calling that don't attack/target the middle 3rd of the field is 100% on the head coach...moving the pocket is always an option as is quarterback draw plays which can be countered by pitchouts to our running backs in open space

if justin can't adjust his uber conservative mindset & his irrational fear of turnovers (tipped passes over the middle of the field into interceptions) we're ******

this saturday's game at 1:00 pm is gonna be very interesting from an offensive schematic perspective

yeah me & marv lewis got all eyes on the playcalling

Shocky1 said:

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^^ zony, ur 100% on the money & the staff reads this monster thread

coach spav has coached up 2 non nfl prototypical qbs in kylar murray & johnny manziel, the dumb azz predicable play calling that don't attack/target the middle 3rd of the field is 100% on the head coach...moving the pocket is always an option as is quarterback draw plays which can be countered by pitchouts to our running backs in open space

if justin can't adjust his uber conservative mindset & his irrational fear of turnovers (tipped passes over the middle of the field into interceptions) we're ******

this saturday's game at 1:00 pm is gonna be very interesting from an offensive schematic perspective

yeah me & marv lewis got all eyes on the playcalling

---

If you are suggesting that Wilcox is meddling in the offense, I either don't believe that is true, or it's the dumbest move ever. Why hire Spav because our offense sucks, pay him fairly big bucks and then put a straightjacket on him?

If it is happening, exactly how is it happening? Providing "direction" during the practice week as to the offensive game plan? Actually changing certain plays that are being called?

I would guess that this would drive Spav ballistic and create a division within the staff that could/would wreck the team. Also, I figure Spav was told he had the green light to control the offense... before he accepted the job.

OTOH, I don't have a better explanation regarding the inexplicable playcalling last Saturday.

Big C said:

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Shocky1 said:

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^^ zony, ur 100% on the money & the staff reads this monster thread

coach spav has coached up 2 non nfl prototypical qbs in kylar murray & johnny manziel, the dumb azz predicable play calling that don't attack/target the middle 3rd of the field is 100% on the head coach...moving the pocket is always an option as is quarterback draw plays which can be countered by pitchouts to our running backs in open space

if justin can't adjust his uber conservative mindset & his irrational fear of turnovers (tipped passes over the middle of the field into interceptions) we're ******

this saturday's game at 1:00 pm is gonna be very interesting from an offensive schematic perspective

yeah me & marv lewis got all eyes on the playcalling

---

If you are suggesting that Wilcox is meddling in the offense, I either don't believe that is true, or it's the dumbest move ever. Why hire Spav because our offense sucks, pay him fairly big bucks and then put a straightjacket on him?

If it is happening, exactly how is it happening? Providing "direction" during the practice week as to the offensive game plan? Actually changing certain plays that are being called?

I would guess that this would drive Spav ballistic and create a division within the staff that could/would wreck the team. Also, I figure Spav was told he had the green light to control the offense... before he accepted the job.

OTOH, I don't have a better explanation regarding the inexplicable playcalling last Saturday.

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Big C, I was thinking of posting something very similar. It defies belief (to me) that Wilcox went to Spav and said:

"Spav, I hired you to fix our offense that has been extremely subpar for several years. So run your offense, but I want you to avoid throwing over the middle cuz Sam is pretty short and can't see properly. So focus repeatedly on the sidelines, except for when you run the ball up the middle, which should be frequently. Also, let's not have Sam scramble much, even if defenses are clearing out the middle cuz we never throw there.
Otherwise, Spav, do your thing, man."

Obviously Wilcox isn't saying that, but, like you, I struggle to imagine how Wilcox would be influencing the offense in that direction.

Also, it's not like throwing to the sidelines is inherently safer than quick strikes up the middle....sometimes it's the opposite.