I read previously that Bigelow would probably be blueshirting. Is this for certain, or is there a chance he might play this year?

Hope he gets a chance to play this year. I think his upside is huge and have great expectations for him whether he plays this year or next. :bear:

I think whether Bigelow plays is entirely up to whether Ron Gould and JT think he is ready to play. That may or may not happen and I could see it happening even later in the year. I just can't see burning a blue-shirt that probably won't ever be used anyway as that big of a deal.<br /><br />Hopefully they are willing to consider playing him even if in a limited role, assuming he can contribute and no health/safety concerns.

elpbear;561780 said:

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I think whether Bigelow plays is entirely up to whether Ron Gould and JT think he is ready to play. That may or may not happen and I could see it happening even later in the year. I just can't see burning a blue-shirt that probably won't ever be used anyway as that big of a deal.

Hopefully they are willing to consider playing him even if in a limited role, assuming he can contribute and no health/safety concerns.

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agree....if GOULD thinks he's ready, he'll play.

1990GoldenBear;561771 said:

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I read previously that Bigelow would probably be blueshirting. Is this for certain, or is there a chance he might play this year?

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No advantage to committing to that decision at this point. Keep options open.

there are several guys ahead of him on the depth chart at this point. Unless we see a rash of injuries to the position, it looks as though Bigs will see a blue-shirt. Not the worse idea in the world anyway. Let him take it at a slower pace and get his knee gameday ready.

I wouldn't be surprised if "the bullet" played around week 6 or 7.

It's doubtful b/c he's with the scout team right now.

I heard Bigelow tell a few people at picture day that he was blue-shirting fwiw. Obviously that could change if injuries occur and the need arises

All the talent in the world won't necessarily help you win games if he's not ready to go with respect to blocking and ball security. Just as Oregon fans how they felt about Deanthony Thomas' multiple fumbles last week - may have been a different game against LSU if he doesn't cough it up.

Unit2Sucks;561872 said:

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All the talent in the world won't necessarily help you win games if he's not ready to go with respect to blocking and ball security.

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That may well be part of it, but if you go back and look at JT's comments from camp, it doesn't sound like he is running with confidence yet. Two years, two knee surgeries, 5'10" and only 180 lbs. All of a sudden he's running against D1 competition and you guys think the light should just go on and presto, he's a superstar. Give him a year to get bigger, stronger, faster (maybe) and used to the game.

Yeah I agree. I'd like to see him get some use out of our AWESOME strength and conditioning coach for a year. He'll be a superstar in due time.

I think we'll see BB's electrifying debut in our first game in 2012, hosting Nevada (paybacks a b*tch), opening the season and the brand new memorial stadium.

Will be much nicer watching him run through holes next year as opposed to running into a wall this year.

pnaidu;561816 said:

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I wouldn't be surprised if "the bullet" played around week 6 or 7.

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if we're sitting him out for 6-7 weeks or half the season, then we might as well not burn his blueshirt. i mean, unless our RB play is just terrible. and i have faith that between isi, debo, cja, and perhaps manuel (once recovered), we'll work something out. no need to waste a year...

Unit2Sucks;561872 said:

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All the talent in the world won't necessarily help you win games if he's not ready to go with respect to blocking and ball security. Just as Oregon fans how they felt about Deanthony Thomas' multiple fumbles last week - may have been a different game against LSU if he doesn't cough it up.

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Exactly. While Thomas looked excellent in space, those fumbles got him yanked in a hurry. Was it three or only two? I know he had two back to back, one resulting a TD and then another on the ensuing kick-off, but I thought he fumbled earlier in the game also.

beeasyed;562058 said:

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if we're sitting him out for 6-7 weeks or half the season, then we might as well not burn his blueshirt. i mean, unless our RB play is just terrible. and i have faith that between isi, debo, cja, and perhaps manuel (once recovered), we'll work something out. no need to waste a year...

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Why not?
He is most likely going to leave after his 3rd year. I would rather get 2.5 years of PT from him than 2 years.

I have an update for you guys on this.

He is not with the scout team right now, and he looks good enough to play with the 2nd team. However, don't get your hopes up too much because Tedford still hasn't officially said anything of whether he will play this season or not.

thanks for the update shawnxt but remember to make "is" into "are".

pnaidu;562097 said:

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thanks for the update shawnxt but remember to make "is" into "are".

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thanks. duly noted.

drunkoski;562104 said:

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Sounds to me like he'll play.

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I think the coaching staff is just concerned because Mike Manuel is out with a concussion and they just want to make sure that BB knows a few plays just in case Isi, CDJ, or CJA gets injured. I'm pretty certain that the coaches want to keep BB redshirted.

beeasyed;562058 said:

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if we're sitting him out for 6-7 weeks or half the season, then we might as well not burn his blueshirt. i mean, unless our RB play is just terrible. and i have faith that between isi, debo, cja, and perhaps manuel (once recovered), we'll work something out. no need to waste a year...

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Do you really think he'll be here for 5 years? Ironically, the only way he would be here for 5 is if he doesn't ever get all the way back or become a star.

IMHO if he can help us win the last 3 games or a bowl gane, he should play this year.

drunkoski;562159 said:

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if he's healthy enough to play at all i don't understand why he'd only play 4th string. hell at least have him returning kickoffs. either he's ready or he isn't. if he isn't should he be playing now no matter who gets injured?

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perhaps this is like the Gabe King situation last year - he redshirted but practiced with the team, to learn the playbook & prepare to play in case he was needed (or ready), rather than being put on the scout team

edit: King was also in the process of recovering from a knee injury (dating back to his last year in HS) last year

with the OL situation (Don cheadle at RG and an undersized center), they better make sure he is 100% healthy...

GoBears58;562312 said:

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with the OL situation (Don cheadle at RG and an undersized center), they better make sure he is 100% healthy...

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Don Cheadle is seriously undersized, we are in big trouble with him on the offensive line - not to mention the fact that I think his NCAA eligibility has to have expired by now and I think we could face serious sanctions in the future for using him.

Also, he's slow to react in tense situations, not the kind of mentality we need...

#Winning!

Maybe WR if you can't keep him off the field. Then, after a year in S&C program, he'll have more physical development to play TB. At 5'10", 180 and 18 years old, he's not that robust, speed/great moves or no.

Best of all worlds - blueshirt and hope he's good with it.

i think its a good idea for him to blueshirt learn the system ala pass protection and get bigger for the pounding he will take at this level of play. besides it aint like we dont have a good core of runnin backs that have picked up the things cal rbs need to learn to play.

Yes, a double "ummmmm" to go along with friend drunkoski .....it is hard to know whether Cal does have a good core of runnin' backs when they don't get to play in games......it's hard for anyone to know for sure......

Blueblood;563232 said:

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Yes, a double "ummmmm" to go along with friend drunkoski .....it is hard to know whether Cal does have a good core of runnin' backs when they don't get to play in games......it's hard for anyone to know for sure......

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i didnt say we had the best rbs in the pac12 just that if gould is comfortable with what we have to put them out their then we should trust his judgement since he has been doing it for so long and has turned out some very good talent and has had some unkowns churn out thousand yard seasons. have faith in gould he knows what he has to work with and their talents what they can and cant do whos ready and who aint. go bears

Yes, one would reasonably think such...as Coach Tedford mentioned in his exoneration statement Coach Gould does make the determinations with respect to RB game time....I was still wondering why the back up RBs didn't get more time....given the hits Isi was taking and his fumbling....I'm therefore guessing playbook familiarity and possibly injury recuperation issues were reasons to hold back on using the other RBs.....if so, I expect more use of the other RBs albeit somewhat limited......I therefore feel it won't be until the UDub game that Gould will unlesh his RBs to level that we'll probably see for the rest of the season.....???

hopefully in the near future he will get better about about splitting reps to those that have proven they are ready.