I like to simplify things. When we boil things down, what is Cal football really lacking? In my opinion, an offensive identity and true offensive system.
This is an anti-Bloesch post, at all. In fact, I think he's done a pretty great job of drawing up some nifty plays. Miami was…one of the most painful defeats in an ocean of painful Cal defeats. However, one can argue that they only had that lead because of the inventive plays he called and they executed. They were outmatched on the day, however, and when they needed to run the ball and beat their opponent on a play to play basis, they couldn't. They have nothing to lean on.
And therein lies the problem. I know I've said these things many times before, but in this sport you either need to be better or you need to be different. Cal has some nice talent and I know people are working their butts off in the NIL era, but we would be kidding ourselves if we really think Cal is going to put out true blue blood talent on a year over year basis.
Right now, Cal does what 95% of everyone else does. Generic spread. However everyone wants to label it, it's essentially the same. So why would Cal win big by doing the same things as everyone else?
My plea is to finally implement a true offensive system. An order of playcalling. Baldwin was a grab bag of spread plays. Musgrave a more pro style grab bag. These last two may err more on the side of a system, but it's still generic spread no different than anyone else.
Where to look?
For years I said Coastal Carolina. It was a true old school option game but from the gun. Lots of motion and misdirection but a true execution based option system. They moved on to Liberty with great success last year. This is still in play.
The academies. Don't laugh. If anyone else has noticed, they are both doing amazingly well. With offense. BIG offense. They focus on smart, disciplined, tough players. Cal can thrive this way. While these are more on the side of under center flexbone option systems (which I know turn some people off) they are more diverse these days. The system wins everywhere. It won at Georgia Tech with Paul Johnson. Does Cal want to win??
One other scheme to keep an eye on is the go go offense at UNLV. Is it revolutionary? No. Does it have to be? No - like many innovations, it is more that the OC is doing a nice job of incorporating old concepts into new looks. I think it's a nice mesh for the modern game. It's a lot of 80s and 90s west coast two back stuff incorporated into the more modern gun game, with (again) a heavy dose of option. More importantly, the guy seems to operate with a real order of plays and a true system. The passing game is still there, and it's up tempo, so it may work better for people who can't stomach a "traditional" option offense. UNLV is one of the worst programs of all time historically, and the offense has them winning now.
Yes, option football is my answer. Cal has always produced linemen (as do many top academic schools). The Bay Area always produces running backs. While Bay Area high schools run the spread more now, they have always been more hard nosed at their core (the flagship program De La Salle of course running the veer).
Wilcox is a tremendous defensive coach. They play with great fundamentals. The defense is fine.
Another angle (the moneyball angle) - having a unique and well defined system is more important in the NIL age. Cal does not have unlimited resources. If Cal does not have to compete in the same way for resources as other teams do, Cal can better concentrate resources on defense and for the players who fit a more unique scheme (with less competition).
There is my plea. Run the option. Gain an identity. Win. Or keep getting the same results for another half century.
This is an anti-Bloesch post, at all. In fact, I think he's done a pretty great job of drawing up some nifty plays. Miami was…one of the most painful defeats in an ocean of painful Cal defeats. However, one can argue that they only had that lead because of the inventive plays he called and they executed. They were outmatched on the day, however, and when they needed to run the ball and beat their opponent on a play to play basis, they couldn't. They have nothing to lean on.
And therein lies the problem. I know I've said these things many times before, but in this sport you either need to be better or you need to be different. Cal has some nice talent and I know people are working their butts off in the NIL era, but we would be kidding ourselves if we really think Cal is going to put out true blue blood talent on a year over year basis.
Right now, Cal does what 95% of everyone else does. Generic spread. However everyone wants to label it, it's essentially the same. So why would Cal win big by doing the same things as everyone else?
My plea is to finally implement a true offensive system. An order of playcalling. Baldwin was a grab bag of spread plays. Musgrave a more pro style grab bag. These last two may err more on the side of a system, but it's still generic spread no different than anyone else.
Where to look?
For years I said Coastal Carolina. It was a true old school option game but from the gun. Lots of motion and misdirection but a true execution based option system. They moved on to Liberty with great success last year. This is still in play.
The academies. Don't laugh. If anyone else has noticed, they are both doing amazingly well. With offense. BIG offense. They focus on smart, disciplined, tough players. Cal can thrive this way. While these are more on the side of under center flexbone option systems (which I know turn some people off) they are more diverse these days. The system wins everywhere. It won at Georgia Tech with Paul Johnson. Does Cal want to win??
One other scheme to keep an eye on is the go go offense at UNLV. Is it revolutionary? No. Does it have to be? No - like many innovations, it is more that the OC is doing a nice job of incorporating old concepts into new looks. I think it's a nice mesh for the modern game. It's a lot of 80s and 90s west coast two back stuff incorporated into the more modern gun game, with (again) a heavy dose of option. More importantly, the guy seems to operate with a real order of plays and a true system. The passing game is still there, and it's up tempo, so it may work better for people who can't stomach a "traditional" option offense. UNLV is one of the worst programs of all time historically, and the offense has them winning now.
Yes, option football is my answer. Cal has always produced linemen (as do many top academic schools). The Bay Area always produces running backs. While Bay Area high schools run the spread more now, they have always been more hard nosed at their core (the flagship program De La Salle of course running the veer).
Wilcox is a tremendous defensive coach. They play with great fundamentals. The defense is fine.
Another angle (the moneyball angle) - having a unique and well defined system is more important in the NIL age. Cal does not have unlimited resources. If Cal does not have to compete in the same way for resources as other teams do, Cal can better concentrate resources on defense and for the players who fit a more unique scheme (with less competition).
There is my plea. Run the option. Gain an identity. Win. Or keep getting the same results for another half century.
