Golden One;842304912 said:

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Of course you wouldn't be, given your history!

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Pray tell, what would that history be?

hanky1;842304771 said:

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I don't understand where people are getting that Colorado is a sure win or even a probable win. They blew us out last year. They return tons of players. They actually showed sings of improvement as the year went on (unlike ours) And their coach owns our coach.

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Because Colorado is at home... Because they really aren't that good... because our defense and offense should hopefully have improved (at least the defense should be better based on returning starters Scarlett, McClure, Sebastian as well as new DC, it better not get worse...) and because it is early in the schedule with only two, hopefully, competitive games before Colorado in NU on 8/30 and UA on 7/20 with Sac St. and a bye in between those two in early September, so you are much less likely to have any big injury losses at that time.

Also, see 2010 (W 52-7 at Berkeley) vs. 2011 (W 36-33 OT in Boulder) so there are likely to be a decent swing playing at home vs. in Boulder at altitude.

moonpod;842304907 said:

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Mainline probability. 3 or fewer wins. We were BAD on defense and don't have obvious/proven solutions to fix our holes on D. That being said, this IS what Kaufman does. Takes putrid D and makes them respectable quickly

The stars align Scarlett is healthy and turns into an unholy terror for opposing teams, Kelly clogs the middle leniu steps in as the next great cal MLB Sebastian and Mcclure stabilize the secondary ceiling of 7 with a toss up bowl game

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I think this season is really going to come down to the DL play. If we can get a couple of guys doing a halfway decent job in the middle (J. Hunter and... Jalil? Trevor Kelly?) and B. Scarlett/S. Sina/Kragen ? can actually get some kind of pass rush then the secondary should look much better, even with no improvement. The youth experience should also help the secondary to be much improved and hopefully McClure and Sebastian are back and stay healthy for the full season this year. I think the LB core will be fine as I liked Jalen Jefferson last year and think he will hopefully improve a little with the experience/maturation of another year. You get all that coming together and you start making more stops on 3rd and 5 and this team starts to look a heck of a lot better on both D and O (better field position, facing a more fatigued opposing D, etc.). A year under Goff's belt should hopefully give him some more confidence and see a slight improvement there as well. WRs are all solid. OL is potentially very weak, but most of returning projected starters played a ton last year so at least you hope for some additional improvement there as well. Last year was definitely a dumpster fire, but with all the experience the young players were forced to get, this year should reap at least some benefits.

Sonny Dykes vs. Mike MacIntyre:

2013: MM - 41 SD - 24
2012: MM - 52, SD - 43
2011: SD - 38, MM - 28
2010: SD - 45, MM - 38

[U]2013 Records:[/U]

Sonny Dykes : Inherited a 3-9 team, went 1-11. Worst season in school history. No wins vs. D-1 teams.

Mike MacIntyre : Inherited a 1-11 team, went 4-8. Crushed us. They also beat a team that won its bowl game against WSU (who beat us by 22).

Bottom line: If I were a Colorado fan, I would like my team's chances vs. Cal.

Unless and until I read that the OL is making substantial progress, there is no point in predicting anything -- the results will surely be disappointing.

SouthBayPhenom;842304620 said:

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My early thoughts for next season:

@ NW: L; would love to be wrong here, but I think I have to predict the L here

Sac State: W; layup

@ AZ: L; same as above, but just don't see this one happening

CU: W; almost a layup

@WSU: W; almost a layup

UW: W; not at all sold on UW; new head coach; I don't think their D will be able to keep up with our O

UCLA: L; this one could be close at home, but gotta pick UCLA in this one

Oregon: L; if MM had left I would have picked a W here, but not with him

@OSU: W; Beavs have not impressed of late

@USC: W; lots of turnover in that program overall (players, coaches)

furd: L (sadly)

BYU: W

so that puts us at a likely 7-5 - while not great, much better than what we saw last season; I think an 8 win season isn't out of the question, but I just can't see my way to thinking anything better than that; but, with improved QB play that could change things

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Going from 1-11 to 7-4 with the same head coach and a lot of good players leaving the program?

What are you smoking these day?

calbear80;842305020 said:

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Going from 1-11 to 7-4 with the same head coach and a lot of good players leaving the program?

What are you smoking these day?

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If you would, please enumerate the "good players" lost [SIZE="4"]vs[/SIZE] the "good players" added, coming back from injury as well as those who are more experienced?


A couple of players who would have contributed moved on, as well as academic and athletic deadwood.
The OL, as an example, has new bodies competing and doing okay, and it's only half-way in spring practice.

calbear80;842305020 said:

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Going from 1-11 to 7-4 with the same head coach and a lot of good players leaving the program?

What are you smoking these day?

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"I can't believe it's not butter"

SonOfCalVa;842305027 said:

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The OL, as an example, has new bodies competing and doing okay, and it's only half-way in spring practice.

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No way to know if they're "doing okay" until they actually perform in a game.

and the players and coaches have not giving up ... its a totally different team new faces in as well as the new coaches .... ( for some reason randy and barry were vets but the did not connect with their players )

when the freshmen get here things will be turned up another notch imo


everyone that is has commented .... have you been able to make it out to make practice ?

going4roses;842305376 said:

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and the players and coaches have not giving up ... its a totally different team new faces in as well as the new coaches .... ( for some reason randy and barry were vets but the did not connect with their players )

when the freshmen get here things will be turned up another notch imo


everyone that is has commented .... have you been about to make practice ?

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Orange slices for everyone. The proof will be in the pudding so to speak. I'd love to be wrong, but the end of last year looked vile and toxic.

Deutsch;842304992 said:

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Unless and until I read that the OL is making substantial progress, there is no point in predicting anything -- the results will surely be disappointing.

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Eh, we definitely scored enough last year where a huge improvement in D could really make the games competitive without much change in the OL play. Granted, a marked improvement in OL play would help out a ton.

RaphaelAglietti;842305400 said:

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Orange slices for everyone. The proof will be in the pudding so to speak. I'd love to be wrong, but the end of last year looked vile and toxic.

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Beware of Greeks bearing gifts and glowing reports from spring practice, particularly if the team is coming off a 1-11 year.

Yes, nothing is a layup for us after last season. I'd love to see us make great strides and have a much better won/loss record, but predications for next year are worthless. Let's just wait and see what happens......

RaphaelAglietti;842305400 said:

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Orange slices for everyone. The proof will be in the pudding so to speak. I'd love to be wrong, but the end of last year looked vile and toxic.

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I feel the same way. Really hope I'm wrong.

taxbear;842304781 said:

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I don't see more than one win in the pick 'ems. I think we're looking at 2-10 or 3-9 (at best).

Who is "TT" in the Probable losses?

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It stands for "Typo" since I failed to proof read the post. :headbang

going4roses;842305376 said:

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and the players and coaches have not giving up ... its a totally different team new faces in as well as the new coaches .... ( for some reason randy and barry were vets but the did not connect with their players )

when the freshmen get here things will be turned up another notch imo


everyone that is has commented .... have you been able to make it out to make practice ?

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I actually appreciate your attitude, reports, and your ability to discuss challenges as well as positives. But I have been through this for decades. We hear the same thing every Spring and in fact heard it all last Spring. And then someone says "have you been to practice!?". You just can't tell anything from Spring practice.

briloker;842304976 said:

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I think this season is really going to come down to the DL play. If we can get a couple of guys doing a halfway decent job in the middle (J. Hunter and... Jalil? Trevor Kelly?) and B. Scarlett/S. Sina/Kragen ? can actually get some kind of pass rush then the secondary should look much better, even with no improvement. The youth experience should also help the secondary to be much improved and hopefully McClure and Sebastian are back and stay healthy for the full season this year. I think the LB core will be fine as I liked Jalen Jefferson last year and think he will hopefully improve a little with the experience/maturation of another year. You get all that coming together and you start making more stops on 3rd and 5 and this team starts to look a heck of a lot better on both D and O (better field position, facing a more fatigued opposing D, etc.). A year under Goff's belt should hopefully give him some more confidence and see a slight improvement there as well. WRs are all solid. OL is potentially very weak, but most of returning projected starters played a ton last year so at least you hope for some additional improvement there as well. Last year was definitely a dumpster fire, but with all the experience the young players were forced to get, this year should reap at least some benefits.

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I disagree. IMO the OLine is the key. Without a good OLine our offense will repeat last year's results: Lots of yards outside of the Redzone(Bluezone); few scores once we reach the Redzone(Bluezone); terrible running game; terrible time-of-possession stats.
Under these circumstances it would not matter much even if the Cal D gets better. Cal would still lose (but not get blown out as much).

OaktownBear;842305614 said:

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I actually appreciate your attitude, reports, and your ability to discuss challenges as well as positives. But I have been through this for decades. We hear the same thing every Spring and in fact heard it all last Spring. And then someone says "have you been to practice!?". You just can't tell anything from Spring practice.

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Cal fan = understanding Sisyphus


2007 was the perfect year ... #1 ranking so tantalizingly close ...
then ...
aw sh*t (again)

:gobears:

He does wear Blue and Gold!

Bobodeluxe;842305721 said:

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He does wear Blue and Gold!

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Russian speaking Ukrainian wearing the colors of the Ukraine flag?

SonOfCalVa;842305737 said:

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Russian speaking Ukrainian wearing the colors of the Ukraine flag?

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See? BFF!

:bravo

davidson;842304884 said:

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if everything goes our way, 2-12

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lol!

Okay, I'll play along. Here's my Spring enthusiasm, sunshine pumping, blue and gold koolaid drinking, man that's some good sh!t inhaling predictions:

@ NW: W - Mildcat's troubles spill over to opening of season, we eke one out.

Sac State: W - Letdown after NW win, but we win a sloppy game.

@ AZ: L - Close game, but something weird always happens to us in Tucson

CU: W - Ralphie's boys not the pushover they once were, but we come up with the win.

@WSU: W - Wazzoo cougs it

UW: L - While hoping Peterson continues Boise tradition of coaches who tank in Pac 12, this won't be the year

UCLA: W - Breakthrough upset, at least for a week.

Oregon: L - This will be entertaining for at least a half, then gets hideous.

@OSU: L - Doesn't happen for us in Corvallis,

@USC: L - Sark has a year's reprieve before leading Toejams to mediocrity.

furd: W - Epic game and upset

BYU: L - Epic letdown after Big Game.

6-6 and minor bowl game

Realistically... more likely 4-8

Well, why not.

2-4 still, if everything goes well.