I really like Baldwin a lot (great coach, great person) and hope he stays as well. Per my note below I believe he did a very good job with what he had to work with on Offense this year and should have a great chance to build on that next year with the players returning from injury.


He tweeted out last week how much he loved being at Cal and was thankful for the great people he worked with. That would be an odd thing to say if you were about to leave in my opinion....

In the four decades that I've followed the conference, there's been basically one HC who could lift up the Beavers' program, though many have tried. Coincidentally, that man is suddenly available again.

(I hope Baldwin stays, too. The whole staff, for that matter.)

If Baldwin leaves, it's an administrative obstacle to find new staff, but he has had past success, this year we had few options at QB. Baldwin's problem is that he has coached in the FBS for only a season, and running a program in the PAC-12 is a different beast than FCS football.

Big C said:

---

In the four decades that I've followed the conference, there's been basically one HC who could lift up the Beavers' program, though many have tried. Coincidentally, that man is suddenly available again.

(I hope Baldwin stays, too. The whole staff, for that matter.)

---

I don't know about that. Dennis Erickson isn't really "suddenly" available. He's been out of coaching for several years. He's also pretty old.

Well played, OTB. He was obviously referring to Riley but your post is accurate, IMO, in that Erickson had the greatest (albeit in a short stint) success in Corvallis.

OaktownBear said:

---

Big C said:

---

In the four decades that I've followed the conference, there's been basically one HC who could lift up the Beavers' program, though many have tried. Coincidentally, that man is suddenly available again.

(I hope Baldwin stays, too. The whole staff, for that matter.)

---

I don't know about that. Dennis Erickson isn't really "suddenly" available. He's been out of coaching for several years. He's also pretty old.

---

Being old doesn't disqualify him from being a coordinator, his experience would be valuable.

Conflicting reports now saying that Lance Andersen is not a candidate as Feldman reports

I too want Baldwin to stay at Cal and the fact that Baldwin wasn't immediately announced at OSU is a positive sign. I wonder if there is a buyout or $$ issue of some sort or, possibly, Baldwin is holding out to see what happens at WSU (rumors Mike Leach could be on the move).

BearGoggles said:

---

I too want Baldwin to stay at Cal and the fact that Baldwin wasn't immediately announced at OSU is a positive sign. I wonder if there is a buyout or $$ issue of some sort or, possibly, Baldwin is holding out to see what happens at WSU (rumors Mike Leach could be on the move).

---

Washington State would probably promote Alex Grinch to lock him in for his defensive prowess and then hire a spread OC to keep that show going.

Hopefully we learned something from our efforts to try to hire Lake. UW had him locked up 9 ways from Sunday. We should have just copied their contracts. Anyway, would like everyone to stay. Continuity will definitely help.

OaktownBear said:

---

Big C said:

---

In the four decades that I've followed the conference, there's been basically one HC who could lift up the Beavers' program, though many have tried. Coincidentally, that man is suddenly available again.

(I hope Baldwin stays, too. The whole staff, for that matter.)

---

I don't know about that. Dennis Erickson isn't really "suddenly" available. He's been out of coaching for several years. He's also pretty old.

---

Good one!

IIRC, Riley lifted the program up, then Erickson (quite a good coach at one time) added a few "student athletes" (lol) and took them, briefly, even higher.

Later, Riley lifted them up a second time. Countless others have tried and failed. If I were Baldwin, I'd think twice about going to Corvallis.

"what he had to work with" was superior to what he had to work with at EW. The guy presents well but I was hoping for a more dynamic offense. Regardless the program needs continuity and holding on to the OC and DC for at least another year is important. We have a lot of returning starters, many key injuries that will heal, and a good nucleus for a recruiting class. Lets keep it together and see what they can do next year.

MilleniaBear said:

---

"what he had to work with" was superior to what he had to work with at EW. The guy presents well but I was hoping for a more dynamic offense. Regardless the program needs continuity and holding on to the OC and DC for at least another year is important. We have a lot of returning starters, many key injuries that will heal, and a good nucleus for a recruiting class. Lets keep it together and see what they can do next year.

---

Relative to what? What he had to work with in the Big Sky or whatever its called was probably a the top of their talent scale. Like.... Cooper Kupp. Or Vernon Adams. Relative to our conference, we didn't have much. Yet he turned our walk-on into one of the top RBs in the Pac!

MilleniaBear said:

---

"what he had to work with" was superior to what he had to work with at EW.

---

This shouldn't have to be said, but "what he had to work with" this season was not superior to most FBS teams. Sure it's superior to an FCS team, but Cal doesn't play in the FCS.

I'd be amazed if OSU doesn't take a serious shot for Todd Graham. He'd be head and shoulders above any of the other mentioned candidates. Although maybe Graham isn't interested, which is why we're not hearing his name.

Lance Anderson would be a much more attractive hire than Baldwin IMO.

All that being said, I'm in the small camp rooting for OSU to hire Baldwin. Addition by subtraction.

socaliganbear said:

---

MilleniaBear said:

---

"what he had to work with" was superior to what he had to work with at EW. The guy presents well but I was hoping for a more dynamic offense. Regardless the program needs continuity and holding on to the OC and DC for at least another year is important. We have a lot of returning starters, many key injuries that will heal, and a good nucleus for a recruiting class. Lets keep it together and see what they can do next year.

---

Relative to what? What he had to work with in the Big Sky or whatever its called was probably a the top of their talent scale. Like.... Cooper Kupp. Or Vernon Adams. Relative to our conference, we didn't have much. Yet he turned our walk-on into one of the top RBs in the Pac!

---

That walk-on RB started the season as #3 and burst out after #1 went down and #2 wasn't doing anything against measly Weber State. It wasn't like Baldwin discovered him in Spring Practice. Apart from Laird, no RB has been able to do anything all year. That feels more like luck than coaching genius. I think Cal will do more than fine if Baldwin leaves.

The fact other names are being leaked / floated after OSU's season has ended tells me Baldwin isn't the guy.

Big C said:

---

OaktownBear said:

---

Big C said:

---

In the four decades that I've followed the conference, there's been basically one HC who could lift up the Beavers' program, though many have tried. Coincidentally, that man is suddenly available again.

(I hope Baldwin stays, too. The whole staff, for that matter.)

---

I don't know about that. Dennis Erickson isn't really "suddenly" available. He's been out of coaching for several years. He's also pretty old.

---

Good one!

IIRC, Riley lifted the program up, then Erickson (quite a good coach at one time) added a few "student athletes" (lol) and took them, briefly, even higher.

Later, Riley lifted them up a second time. Countless others have tried and failed. If I were Baldwin, I'd think twice about going to Corvallis.

---

Riley went 0-8 in conference and then 2-6 his first stint at OSU. Somehow winning 2 games at OSU was so awesome he got an NFL job. I'd say Erickson built that program. Now, I was kidding because Riley did a good job following Erickson, but I have to give Erickson the nod.

My understanding was Riley was getting fired if Nebraska didn't bail OSU out. He had reached his Tedford 2012 point in his coaching trajectory. I don't think they want him back.

If the average FBS OC is a 5 out of 10, then Baldwin is maybe a 6.5. Good but not excellent. Cal could easily regress if Wilcox were to have to replace him, but I was in the small group of fans who was excited at the possibility of getting a 8, 9, or 10. I trust Wilcox's judgment and networking ability to find an equal or better OC. The injuries and RB's limitations don't explain the strange and often ineffective play calling from BB (particularly in the red zone).

Didn't expect to hear the name Dennis Erickson (age 70) in the potential mix for OSU, but...

"The former Beavers coach is pitching himself to OSU, along with a line of assistant coaches who have deep ties to the university. Jonathan Smith, his former quarterback, now at Washington as co-offensive coordinator. Former Beavers lineman Kyle DeVan, Ball State's offensive line coach, as a possible staff member. Some other former OSU players who are invested in seeing the Beavers rise from a dismal season into something more."

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2017/11/canzano_oregon_states_coaching.html

Looks like part of Erickson's potential appeal is that he would bring a coach-in-waiting with him

OSU really has botched this. They had a head start of several weeks getting a coach and have botched their advantage.
I want to keep Baldwin. He's a good offensive mind and would like to see what he can do with a more experienced OL and healthy RB and WR and better QB play but if we are going to lose him hope it's quickly so we can get new OC in place.

Rumors. I've been assuming Baldwin was gone since it was first reported via tweet during our ucla game. I hope he stays.

Calcoholic said:

---

If the average FBS OC is a 5 out of 10, then Baldwin is maybe a 6.5. Good but not excellent. Cal could easily regress if Wilcox were to have to replace him, but I was in the small group of fans who was excited at the possibility of getting a 8, 9, or 10. I trust Wilcox's judgment and networking ability to find an equal or better OC. The injuries and RB's limitations don't explain the strange and often ineffective play calling from BB (particularly in the red zone).

---

Just curious, on that same rating scale, what would you have given Tony Franklin? Spav?

Who is an example of a "9"?

Chip Kelly as OC was 10, I'd give JT as OC at Oregon a 9. I'd give Steve Hagen a 1, Cosbie 1.5.

That's an awesome pull BA.

B.A. Bearacus said:

---

---

I'm always amazed to see clips of TV from the 70s. I mean, this stuff wasn't just regular dumb. It was like Arizona State dumb. Of course I never missed a minute of it back in the day.

You are an absolute gift to this board. Thank you for all of your work.