Man some of you guys sound like it's the end of the world.We haven't even played a down in the new stadium. Be happy. And as far as SC recruits, Rogers looks like he's one cheeseburger away from a heart attack. GO BEARS!

1BigTroyFan;841908402 said:

---

We're doing a lot of damage in the South. General Sherman was the last one to do this much damage in the South. I think one more big name DL from the South comes our way. It might be Adams or Gilmore. GarryP keeps dropping hints, i'm not sure who it is but something is afoot.

---

Actually, I believe Aaron Rodgers was the last one to do that much damage. In 2011, he led the Green Packers into The Georgia Dome and dissected the Falcons with one of the best performances in NFL history.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=310115001

ManBear;841908397 said:

---

pretty much this. SC is rolling right now, gotta tip the hat to them.

---

Perhaps, they are "rolling" because the available talent want those last available scholarships....

:gobears:

Sanctions or no USC is still going to have the best class, year in and year out. Step up our recruiting? Cal can do all it can, new facilities or not, and USC will still pick up the top recruits. And that includes Northern California players. If we feel we have some sort entitlement to NorCal players then we are delusional. USC gets who they want from Southern Cal, from Northern Cal, and from other areas. I've been going to Cal games for nearly 50 years and there have been very few years, if any, in that time when this has not been so. It's sickening for Cal, and for the rest of the league for that matter, but there it is. I am an extremely loyal Cal graduate and fan and long-time season ticket holder so it really pains me to say that.

...fall under the spell of that svengali to the north of us!

:newnana:

Larno;841908491 said:

---

Sanctions or no USC is still going to have the best class, year in and year out. Step up our recruiting? Cal can do all it can, new facilities or not, and USC will still pick up the top recruits. And that includes Northern California players. If we feel we have some sort entitlement to NorCal players then we are delusional. USC gets who they want from Southern Cal, from Northern Cal, and from other areas. I've been going to Cal games for nearly 50 years and there have been very few years, if any, in that time when this has not been so. It's sickening for Cal, and for the rest of the league for that matter, but there it is. I am an extremely loyal Cal graduate and fan and long-time season ticket holder so it really pains me to say that.

---

Every year, whether they're playing well or not, whether they are getting good coaching or not, whether they have sanctions or not, the following teams [U]ALWAYS[/U] are in the Top 10 in recruiting:

$C, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma (OK not so much this year but traditionally), Alabama, tOSU, LSU, Florida.

Cal = Oakland A's of college football.

Can't win without a full commitment. Stadium was massive step in the right direction but the coaching is still Ben Braun in a different wrapping.

Cal legacy ....

RaphaelAglietti;841908568 said:

---

Cal = Oakland A's of college football.

Can't win without a full commitment. Stadium was massive step in the right direction but the coaching is still Ben Braun in a different wrapping.

Cal legacy ....

---

Not sure I understand the analogy.

Despite recent history, the A's have a championship history dating back many years. I wish that were also true in Cal's case, but unfortunately not.

Also, Cal was successful in building (remodeling) a new state-of-the-art stadium. So far, the A's have not.

Facing very limited economic realities, Cal has devoted a great deal of resources to Cal football and their coaching staff (e.g. high-performance center, stadium upgrades, paying competitive coaches salaries, etc.). Whereas the A's, for years now, have not invested in either the stadium nor the team.

Again, I don't see the comparison. Perhaps Cal more closely resembles the Giants. Built a beautiful new stadium but have only won one championship over the past 100 years.

Yet, we will have sufficient talent and depth (finally) to beat Southern Cal. Stanford and other teams in our conference, with less star power compared to us have beat the Trojans, multiple times even in recent years...

The increased depth, and fitness (Blasquez) will be paying dividends for us. These were an Achilles heal before...

Throw-in solid QB play, and we'll be very competitive. If there is a great signal caller, all will be just fine...

UCBerkGrad;841908617 said:

---

Not sure I understand the analogy.

Despite recent history, the A's have a championship history dating back many years. I wish that were also true in Cal's case, but unfortunately not.

Also, Cal was successful in building (remodeling) a new state-of-the-art stadium. So far, the A's have not.

Facing very limited economic realities, Cal has devoted a great deal of resources to Cal football and their coaching staff (e.g. high-performance center, stadium upgrades, paying competitive coaches salaries, etc.). Whereas the A's, for years now, have not invested in either the stadium nor the team.

Again, I don't see the comparison. Perhaps Cal more closely resembles the Giants. Built a beautiful new stadium but have only won one championship over the past 100 years.

---

Cal = The Cleveland Indians

Indians' last WS win was in 1948
Cal's last Rose Bowl win was in 1938

Indians' fans had a lot of hope in the early 90's after the construction of Jacobs field, yet they still have yet to reach their ultimate goal, and don't really look to be in contention any time too soon.

Cal_Fan2;841908375 said:

---

LOL....good one...and these guys say hi back at ya big guy. By the way, you guys do have a ridiculous class this year...*sigh*

The highly ranked "busts" of the mighty Trojans....

QB
Todd Marinovich
Mark Sanchez
John David Booty
Matt Leinart

WR
R. Jay Soward
Dwayne Jarrett
Mike Williams
Keary Colbert

RB
Reggie Bush
LenDale White

OL and DL
Shaun Cody
Winston Justice

Safety
Taylor Mays

---

Nice deflection from the previous point that USC turns five stars into nobodies. Perhaps next time you'll stick to just listing five star players to add to your non sequitur.

I forgot to add Troy Polamalu to the mix, BTW.

However, one thing all of the above named players have in common is they parlayed their college experience into NFL paychecks.

Call that a bust if you will, but NFL management/Scouts/coaches obviously believed they were 'somebodies' by drafting them and paying them for their services.

BeggarEd;841908633 said:

---

Cal = The Cleveland Indians

Indians' last WS win was in 1948
Cal's last Rose Bowl win was in 1938

Indians' fans had a lot of hope in the early 90's after the construction of Jacobs field, yet they still have yet to reach their ultimate goal, and don't really look to be in contention any time too soon.

---

That comparison is [U]horribly[/U] [U]unfair[/U]!!!

Within the last 20 years, the Indians have won 7 division titles and 2 pennants. Bears last made it to the RB after the '59 season and have never played in an official national title game. Indians' last trip to the WS was in '97 and they came as close as it gets to winning it all (2-1 lead in the bottom of the 9th of the 7th game).

Recruits aren't dumb. The sunshine pumpers might be able to sit through another 7-6 season but these kids won't stand for that.

This is the year Tedford either reels them back in with a monster season to restore confidence that this is truly a perennial Top 25 program, or the one that solidifies his status as having "lost it" for good.

After a three-year trend of 8-5, 5-7, and 7-6, anything less than 9-4 when the roster is filled with 22% former U.S. Army or Under Armour All-Americans (more than 1 out of 5 players, something that has NEVER been seen at Cal) sends these recruits a message that Tedford is not maximizing his talent...so why would YOU go there?

And by the way, other coaches are killing us with that argument when it comes to recruiting.

CGB2813;841908814 said:

---

Recruits aren't dumb. The sunshine pumpers might be able to sit through another 7-6 season but these kids won't stand for that.

This is the year Tedford either reels them back in with a monster season to restore confidence that this is truly a perennial Top 25 program, or the one that solidifies his status as having "lost it" for good.

After a three-year trend of 8-5, 5-7, and 7-6, anything less than 9-4 when the roster is filled with 22% former U.S. Army or Under Armour All-Americans (more than 1 out of 5 players, something that has NEVER been seen at Cal) sends these recruits a message that Tedford is not maximizing his talent...so why would YOU go there?

And by the way, other coaches are killing us with that argument when it comes to recruiting.

---

I have been a huge supporter of JT but I couldn't agree more with everything.

Larno;841908491 said:

---

Sanctions or no USC is still going to have the best class, year in and year out. Step up our recruiting? Cal can do all it can, new facilities or not, and USC will still pick up the top recruits. And that includes Northern California players. If we feel we have some sort entitlement to NorCal players then we are delusional.

---

That's the truth, no matter how much it hurts. Only elite programs can say "we're first in line for our home region's talent" - and that may apply to USC more than any team except Texas (and a few SEC schools, but TN, AL and LA don't spawn as much talent, so nobody cares)

The non-elite programs just have to live with the embarrassing routine of hoping their local talent isn't raided by the top dogs. Cal is in this boat, like it or not.

At least furd and even UCLA are in the same boat, so we can point and laugh at them.

1BigTroyFan;841909019 said:

---

If Cal can get to a BCS bowl then most of the locals will stay home. Winning your bowl games would also help. You guys could have beat Texas with a better offense.

---

we could have beat texas without 5 turnovers

1BigTroyFan;841909019 said:

---

If Cal can get to a BCS bowl then most of the locals will stay home. Winning your bowl games would also help.

---

I think it'd take more than winning our bowl games (nobody remembers the outcome of the Hyundai Pimp-Slap Bowl). Even getting to one BCS bowl wouldn't change things much. How'd that work out for Kansas and Illinois?

As for USC, don't count your chickens until signing day. A lot can happen. We kinda know that from experience.

Despite USC's annual plethora of highest rated recruits (and let's throw in Notre Dame, Michigan and to a lesser extent Texas A&M and even UCLA) their records and actual games don't show the dominance over certain teams that they should have with so-called "cream of the crop" recruits.

Examples: Oregon State almost never has a highly rated class, but has beaten USC and played some close games. I know closeness is only good in horseshoes, but, really, USC should be mopping the floor with teams they play in conference and elsewhere. Michigan and Notre Dame under-achieve with their classes. We all know UCLA under-achieved in recent years albeit they MAY be coming back to prominence.

I think that what we have to do is three-fold:

(1) Recruit harder in below 5 and 4 stars. Hard working- ethic players.
(2) Recruit more out-of-state (which we actually are doing to an extent).
(3) As mentioned often here, find a dynamite recruiting coach.

I would also (don't gag) consider look at community colleges for just a few players who fell under the radar but who developed since high school.

Otherwise, the only way Cal and other schools who don't get top 20 recruiting classes can win against the SC's of the world is to hope they play down and we play up.

FrankBear21;841909023 said:

---

we could have beat texas without 5 turnovers

---

yeah, but a "better offense" doesn't turn it over 5 times, so isn't that kind of the same thing?

also, a "worse defense" doesn't generate as many turnovers either

USC has stepped up their recruiting this year so far (hard to believe considering they were always pulling in mostly bigtime recruits).

Even for them, this year's haul is just incredible.

And we are struggling more than usual so far. Tosh taking a couple of our local high-profile recruits certainly didn't help.

1BigTroyFan;841908415 said:

---

Willis and Goodman may get dropped. They both have USC offers, but if Redfield commits then I can't see either at Troy.

---

Willis is not getting dropped. His spot is secure...as is Redfields. Willis is taking his OV's and announcing for USC at the Under Armour game. Goodman is off the board right now...he and Willis are not a package deal.

SC's class will more than likely close out with Ramsey, Willis, Redfield, and Hatcher. The wildcard out there is VH III id the deck gets reshuffled.

Trojan Warrior;841909195 said:

---

Willis is not getting dropped. His spot is secure...as is Redfields. Willis is taking his OV's and announcing for USC at the Under Armour game. Goodman is off the board right now...he and Willis are not a package deal.

SC's class will more than likely close out with Ramsey, Willis, Redfield, and Hatcher. The wildcard out there is VH III id the deck gets reshuffled.

---

Who are you? According to both Goodman and Willis they are a package deal, they even admit they hear all the time about package deals not working out but they are true best friends and want to ball together. So when it becomes to recruiting info I'd rather believe the players and their parents than some hack on a message board...

Captain Obvious;841909213 said:

---

Who are you? According to both Goodman and Willis they are a package deal, they even admit they hear all the time about package deals not working out but they are true best friends and want to ball together. So when it becomes to recruiting info I'd rather believe the players and their parents than some hack on a message board...

---

Didn't Tee Shepard and Deontay Greenberry say the same thing? There are rumors and/or messages about this every year and they fall through almost every time.

Just because there are rumors or talk about it on twitter or some forum, doesn't make it true.

Zeitgeist;841909371 said:

---

Didn't Tee Shepard and Deontay Greenberry say the same thing? There are rumors and/or messages about this every year and they fall through almost every time.

Just because there are rumors or talk about it on twitter or some forum, doesn't make it true.

---

This isn't Twitter rumors or some football forum talk, this is coming straight from the recruits mouths via Rivals, Scout, ESPN, etc check the last VIDEO interview both Goodman and Willis did together at the B2G camp 2 weeks ago on Scout...:buttkick:

Darby;841908363 said:

---

What is more unusual is a coach with 10 years tenure and and brand new facilities fumbling his recruiting class so badly.

---

I think THAT is the bigger issue here. $C will continue to get their haul, as will the 'bama's, TX, FL, LSU of the world. In this case, we have one of the senior coaches in the entire West, 10-years in, and the top players in the region continue to get siphoned off. You would've thought, at some point, JT would've done a 'Schnellenberger' and declared all players North of Fresno as being in Bear Territory.

Its early, nothings been signed but...

A thread comparing our recruiting to SC? Why? It is disappointing and a waste of time. Cal has beaten SC once in 10 years. I am not a nega bear. I have seen as many Cal-SC games as any 50 year old on this board. My dad went to SC, and we went to the games. After 2010, I will not be in LA this time. Punting on fourth and a foot from midfield--down 21 or 28-0, that ended my season ticket years. White flags dont go well with blue and gold.

What about some recruits are just turned off by JT? That could be a reason.

dupdadee;841909153 said:

---

USC has stepped up their recruiting this year so far (hard to believe considering they were always pulling in mostly bigtime recruits).

Even for them, this year's haul is just incredible.

And we are struggling more than usual so far. Tosh taking a couple of our local high-profile recruits certainly didn't help.

---

It's not so hard to explain. Here's USC's recruiting pitch in a nutshell when going against us head-to-head:

1. Sanctions will be over after next season, when you will probably be a redshirt freshman or sophomore.

2. Because there is no TV or poll ban (the former I can see being nearly impossible to apply in today's climate but the latter is something that should have been added as well), you can still play on TV for a top 5 team.

3. Despite the sanctions, USC STILL beat Tedford, who is 1-9 against them and winless in his last 8.

4. Tosh is gone.

--

We can talk about how he's had success in the past against USC head-to-head, e.g., DeSean, Best, Whiteside, but the facts above are indisputable, and that 1-9 record is very hard to explain, much less spin. Tedford has to beat USC this year if he wants to recover any type of recruiting capital with these kids. No excuses.

CGB2813;841909597 said:

---

We can talk about how he's had success in the past against USC head-to-head, e.g., DeSean, Best, Whiteside, but the facts above are indisputable, and that 1-9 record is very hard to explain, much less spin. Tedford has to beat USC this year if he wants to recover any type of recruiting capital with these kids. No excuses.

---

You pretty much nailed it. Also, I suspect that UW uses a similiar argument regarding Sarkisian's record versus Tedford.

"Blueblood's last b-day cake....."

Reality is sometimes hard to face but Cal must start to face it....as an aside, this is at the base of the problems today in this country.....

Blueblood;841909609 said:

---

"Blueblood's last b-day cake....."

Reality is sometimes hard to face but Cal must start to face it....as an aside, this is at the base of the problems today in this country.....

---

^^^ This
Actually, I agree with you 100%. Realization though is only the first step. Many times the realization phase is such a revelation that people never get beyond it. Actualization is the really hard and necessary second step to correct a problem. How to fix it will remain a point of contention in Cal football and in life however.

WHOA, dude!....How'd you know that I have a small nuu nuuu?