What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

Seems like it happens to us every year.

We need our playmakers next week or we will be in big trouble. Particularly on offense

Maybe some pre-existing injury dudes hobbled into the portal.

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

Welcome to Cal football.

oregoncalbear said:

---

We need our playmakers next week or we will be in big trouble. Particularly on offense

---

Either we held them all out for next week, or Wilcox will be looking for another OC after Saturday

Maybe they were sitting guys who could have played so that they could be healthier for next week

oregoncalbear said:

---

We need our playmakers next week or we will be in big trouble. Particularly on offense

---

Honestly I'm more concerned about the OL injuries, we have deep RB and WR rooms, we don't have 7/8 legitimate OL starters

Who is the starting lineman, other than sioape, that was injured?

At this point all we can do is hope they are both back next Saturday including merriweather and Ott so that our offense is not as anemic as we saw yesterday.

McDonald, our starting center.

We have WRs that can make something happen with the ball in their hands, even with the injuries there's Brady, Hunter, Anderson, Matthews, etc. We have RBs who can make plays as long as they're not told to run straight up the middle with no open holes. We can't survive with no pass protection or space in the run blocking. The playcalling was anemic if anything, we need some stretch runs and quick hit spread passing concepts

Hoping some of these players were slightly dinged and held out for next week. As for Ott, we can only pray its minor.

On Twitter someone mentioned that Merriweather was in a cast? Anyone confirm? That would basically mean he is out for the most important part of our schedule (the highest profile, national interest perspective).

The few that were injured during camp and were not able to start had me baffled. It's happened before with the Bears and even though there is plenty of live play in camp, you might think injury prevention would be a priority!?

Econ141 said:

---

On Twitter someone mentioned that Merriweather was in a cast? Anyone confirm? That would basically mean he is out for the most important part of our schedule (the highest profile, national interest perspective).

---

I saw him on the sideline with his foot in a cast, using one of those scooter things people with leg/knee injuries use to get around. Sure doesn't look like he'll be back anytime soon.

Ok that is basically the out for the season surprise we get every year for 2-3 of our star players. Wonder who the other two will be.

Econ141 said:

---

Ok that is basically the out for the season surprise we get every year for 2-3 of our star players. Wonder who the other two will be.

---

I've never understood why Wilcox does not want to reveal information on injuries. It's very odd to me. I guess he wants to keep things secretive but it's ridiculous.

TBear56 said:

---

Econ141 said:

---

Ok that is basically the out for the season surprise we get every year for 2-3 of our star players. Wonder who the other two will be.

---

I've never understood why Wilcox does not want to reveal information on injuries. It's very odd to me. I guess he wants to keep things secretive but it's ridiculous.

---

SEC made injury reports mandatory, once the other conferences do the same he can't squirrel his way out of that

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

I watched the Ott replay 4 times and couldn't see anything. There was a pile; everyone got up; Ott limped off. Maybe someone twisted his ankle under there, but didn't look like it.

Rushinbear said:

---

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

I watched the Ott replay 4 times and couldn't see anything. There was a pile; everyone got up; Ott limped off. Maybe someone twisted his ankle under there, but didn't look like it.

---

So is it (along with all the other guys who were "out") an attempt to get Auburn hoodwinked come this Saturday or what?

Rushinbear said:

---

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

I watched the Ott replay 4 times and couldn't see anything. There was a pile; everyone got up; Ott limped off. Maybe someone twisted his ankle under there, but didn't look like it.

---

It looked to me that on the way down defender landed on him knee first on his calf. My guess is deep bruise on calf with some potential ankle ligament strain from being hyperextended (lucky the tibia seems to be okay). All speculation but that's what I saw.

blungld said:

---

Rushinbear said:

---

Grrrrah76 said:

---

What is going on with all the injuries to key players before the first game. It seems like we were down of our two best receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Is this common in college ball or has more to do with either or strength and conditioning or our practice regiment? Not to mention Ott getting banged up. It seems like Cal starts in a hole before the first snap of the season.

---

I watched the Ott replay 4 times and couldn't see anything. There was a pile; everyone got up; Ott limped off. Maybe someone twisted his ankle under there, but didn't look like it.

---

It looked to me that on the way down defender landed on him knee first on his calf. My guess is deep bruise on calf with some potential ankle ligament strain from being hyperextended (lucky the tibia seems to be okay). All speculation but that's what I saw.

---

I'm hoping it's just a bruise and he was held out of the rest of the game as a precaution. I mean, Cal was up a by two scores by that point and while it was conceivable that Davis could've come back, their play was trending in the other direction.

Ott didn't look *that* bad after the hit. He was walking it off etc. Hopefully he can play, we supposedly have a deep RB room if not...

bencgilmore said:

---

Ott didn't look *that* bad after the hit. He was walking it off etc. Hopefully he can play, we supposedly have a deep RB room if not...

---

rb room now = 1. Jet. We have gimpy, oopsy and limpy to back him up, at least vs Auburn.

Sheesh. Touting how deep and capable the WR and RB squads are during summer and fall camps and 1 week in after an FCS game and here we are.

I think Matthew Wykoff has done a helluva job filling in on the OL. He played center the 1st game and switched to guard the last game. Having that kind of versatility and depth is a win.