HearstMining said:

---

mbBear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

mbBear said:

---

Rushinbear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

Regarding the schedule: As always, in November-December, we're going to look back and see that some of the "tough" teams weren't so tough after all. Hopefully, we didn't lose to them.

Let's win a minimum of six games this season. We can do it!

---

How many PAC-12 road games has Wilcox won in 6 years?

Hopefully this year we will be able to look back and see that WE are the tough team,

---

Hopefully, Spav will ignore JW and run his offense as he sees fit. JW will be in no position to object.

7-5

---

to me, this is a, or maybe the, fundamental question...okay, maybe not "ignore," but is there true independence....

---

The key is who will make in game decisions like whether to kick or go for it on 4th. Typically that is the HC decision, but the OC needs to know on 3rd if he has 1 or 2 downs to work with, and needs to know what play he would call if he does go for it. If the HC retains that decision for himself, it will change the OC's play calling.

---

When I have had a chance to talk to coaches at a higher level, they always used to laugh that fans want to go for it on 4th down more than coaches do. But that was a number of years back, and, across the board, football coaches go for it more now. So, to your point, is part of the "evolution" of the Wilcox thinking, does he, along with Spav become more aggressive...

---

On those 4th down decisions that involved a field goal, I'm not convinced that Wilcox ever completely trusted his FG kickers - and frankly with good reason. Dario improved, but at best was so-so. I think there were times Wilcox wished he could trust his kicker to make a long FG, but instead elected to either go for a 1st down or punt. I'm optimistic that Wilcox views Luckhurst as a real weapon.

---

Appreciate that insight... and hopefully you are right...

MrGPAC said:

---

If you are going to go for it on 4th down, you absolutely need to know that BEFORE calling the 3rd down play. Knowing it before you call the 1st down play makes it even more valuable information. A sign of bad coaching is deciding whether or not to go for it on 4th down on 4th down.

This was one of my biggest peeves on our defense last year. On 3rd and long we were happy giving up anything short of a first down. This left opponents in a lot of 4th and short situations where they were able to capitalize. At least it certainly felt that way. On defense you can no longer assume 3rd down stops are wins.

---

Absolutely. For a very young coach (especially when we hired him), Wilcox seems very old fashioned in his thinking.

The fact you really need to know whether you will go for it on 4th or not to be effective on your prior three play calls means it is best to either have a head coach who is firmly in control of the offense (like Tedford, with his humungous play card and the OC just radioing to him play "suggestions") or the head coach needs to really abdicate that decision to the OC.

I have not been inspired by Wilcox's clock management nor situational play calling, on either side of the ball. You would think this comes from experience, and is instinctive, but after all these years in football, it still feels like a struggle. Relinquishing OC responsibilities entirely could solve half of it, maybe?

mbBear said:

---

HearstMining said:

---

mbBear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

mbBear said:

---

Rushinbear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

Regarding the schedule: As always, in November-December, we're going to look back and see that some of the "tough" teams weren't so tough after all. Hopefully, we didn't lose to them.

Let's win a minimum of six games this season. We can do it!

---

How many PAC-12 road games has Wilcox won in 6 years?

Hopefully this year we will be able to look back and see that WE are the tough team,

---

Hopefully, Spav will ignore JW and run his offense as he sees fit. JW will be in no position to object.

7-5

---

to me, this is a, or maybe the, fundamental question...okay, maybe not "ignore," but is there true independence....

---

The key is who will make in game decisions like whether to kick or go for it on 4th. Typically that is the HC decision, but the OC needs to know on 3rd if he has 1 or 2 downs to work with, and needs to know what play he would call if he does go for it. If the HC retains that decision for himself, it will change the OC's play calling.

---

When I have had a chance to talk to coaches at a higher level, they always used to laugh that fans want to go for it on 4th down more than coaches do. But that was a number of years back, and, across the board, football coaches go for it more now. So, to your point, is part of the "evolution" of the Wilcox thinking, does he, along with Spav become more aggressive...

---

On those 4th down decisions that involved a field goal, I'm not convinced that Wilcox ever completely trusted his FG kickers - and frankly with good reason. Dario improved, but at best was so-so. I think there were times Wilcox wished he could trust his kicker to make a long FG, but instead elected to either go for a 1st down or punt. I'm optimistic that Wilcox views Luckhurst as a real weapon.

---

Appreciate that insight... and hopefully you are right...

---

Ha! I wouldn't call it insight as I have no back-channel into Wilcox's thoughts. It's just my opinion from observing his behavior. I just noticed that, particularly if his kicker missed a field goal early in a game, he was more likely to either punt or go for it on subsequent 4th downs where a long field goal might have worked.

HearstMining said:

---

mbBear said:

---

HearstMining said:

---

mbBear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

mbBear said:

---

Rushinbear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

Regarding the schedule: As always, in November-December, we're going to look back and see that some of the "tough" teams weren't so tough after all. Hopefully, we didn't lose to them.

Let's win a minimum of six games this season. We can do it!

---

How many PAC-12 road games has Wilcox won in 6 years?

Hopefully this year we will be able to look back and see that WE are the tough team,

---

Hopefully, Spav will ignore JW and run his offense as he sees fit. JW will be in no position to object.

7-5

---

to me, this is a, or maybe the, fundamental question...okay, maybe not "ignore," but is there true independence....

---

The key is who will make in game decisions like whether to kick or go for it on 4th. Typically that is the HC decision, but the OC needs to know on 3rd if he has 1 or 2 downs to work with, and needs to know what play he would call if he does go for it. If the HC retains that decision for himself, it will change the OC's play calling.

---

When I have had a chance to talk to coaches at a higher level, they always used to laugh that fans want to go for it on 4th down more than coaches do. But that was a number of years back, and, across the board, football coaches go for it more now. So, to your point, is part of the "evolution" of the Wilcox thinking, does he, along with Spav become more aggressive...

---

On those 4th down decisions that involved a field goal, I'm not convinced that Wilcox ever completely trusted his FG kickers - and frankly with good reason. Dario improved, but at best was so-so. I think there were times Wilcox wished he could trust his kicker to make a long FG, but instead elected to either go for a 1st down or punt. I'm optimistic that Wilcox views Luckhurst as a real weapon.

---

Appreciate that insight... and hopefully you are right...

---

Ha! I wouldn't call it insight as I have no back-channel into Wilcox's thoughts. It's just my opinion from observing his behavior. I just noticed that, particularly if his kicker missed a field goal early in a game, he was more likely to either punt or go for it on subsequent 4th downs where a long field goal might have worked.

---

I think given the way we play going for manageable 4th downs make a lot more sense than kicking field goals. If you assume the prior that the 4th down conversion will succeed more than it'll fail, then it gives the offense more time on the field, gives the defense space to stay fresh.

Big C said:

---

Regarding the schedule: As always, in November-December, we're going to look back and see that some of the "tough" teams weren't so tough after all. Hopefully, we didn't lose to them.

Let's win a minimum of six games this season. We can do it!

---

The things with the schedule is that you win some you least expected to and you lose some similarly. The biggest downfall at Cal is that we can take down some of the big boys, but then flat tire with what is supposed to be a sure thing.