TheSouseFamily;842213259 said:
I assume you didn't watch the game yesterday. Goff throws a very wobbly ball, is an extremely limited as a runner and makes bad reads (like the last interception where he throws into triple coverage with a man wide open). After the first game, I was impressed with Goff but that first game appears to be an aberration. Dykes has shaken up every other position to see what he's got roster-wise except for QB and his stubborn loyalty to Goff is becoming increasingly bizarre, frankly.
If nothing else, even if he is THE guy, wouldn't Goff benefit for a series or two on the sidelines just to see the game from a different perspective and view how opponents are scheming us? And lastly, I don't understand the "Kline wouldn't do any better" argument. He hasn't had all the reps and game experience that Goff has ha and yet he still looks better. The whole situation just seems strange.
You conclude each paragraph with sentiment such as "bizarre" and "strange". Indeed. I'll add disappointing and disillusioning too...
I don't see the NU game as an aberration though as that would somehow indicate the our QB play was better. It really was not:
- 60% passes completed (where he's gravitated all season, his average)
- 121 QBR (a bit worse than his season average)
- 3 picks (2 not seemingly his fault, so let's say 1, which is his average)
I think some might have memories of a good performance as it was in the opener, our brand new offense, led by a brand new freshman QB, against supposedly a very solid, ranked opponent. And the biggie, he threw for 445 yards! Oh, the threads here went on for a few weeks... Uuh, he threw the dang ball 63 times. Throw it half that much like most QB'a, and it's a pedestrian 200+ yard performance.
As far as Goff taking the seat for a series or two, for the reasons you explained, it ain't gonna happen. A back-up will only come-in if / when there is an implosion, rescue mode as I call it. And in such instances, it's not about let's give the back-up QB some minutes, as it's about let's save our starter from himself (psyche protection). Kline otherwise got some meaningless minutes at the very end of the Wazzu game. Hinder likewise, at the end of UW. Two times this season the back-up QB's get garbage time. That's it. So long as there are no inexplicable QB TO's, the starter stays in to get as much experience as possible...
Also, we all know TF wants that freshman passing yards record so he can add another testimonial-like blurb to the TFS website. I'm sure he sold Cal on this too, how such a record can be used to springboard into next season. How it can be part of the 2014 ad campaign to stir-up interest in Cal football. Whatever... Goff needs about 300 yds a game, and that's what he's been doing, and got yesterday. Giving another QB a series or two, a start especially, is not contributory to this end.
While this team has shown signs of improving in several areas, we have not in the passing game, and have taken steps backward, the offense in general. More than half our drives do not get a single first down (3 and outs). We have a huge number of punts, like 9 in the first half against UW. TO's galore. I think with the exception of one game, we did not lose this "battle". This is on the offense. Given that the QB has been directly responsible for many of these TO's, and leads the offense on the field, he is very much accountable for the inept drives. Common sense would seemingly dictate that he either he needs to improve, or the leaders off the field need to seek other options for improvement. The fact that this has not happened, and seemingly will not, to be polite - is strange and bizarre, or disappointing and disillusioning.