Should we get our hopes up now?

2,158 Views | 8 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by chalcidbear
510 Bear
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We're not yet a bowl team, but now we have a path to becoming a bowl team, which seemed much less likely after last week.

We beat a decent team in a crazy environment. Joke all you will about BYU's "white-out" croud, it was still loud and hostile and a bigger test than Chapel Hill last year. Winning there will be good for confidence.

Chase Garbers has upside. Sure, there were mistakes - he's a RS freshman. I know I've been saying that about every Cal QB since AR, but those mistakes will go away as he improves.

We have a path towards having a decent O. It's called "Everyone Who Was Part of the Scoring Against BYU, Just Keep Doing That."

It's awesome to see Cal strong on D again. I had no idea how much I missed that during the lost years under Dykes. Even better to see us play well on D without Goode. "Next man up".

Wilcox knows what he's doing.

Is it time to pump sunshine again?
75bear
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Be careful - as soon as we become hopeful as fans is precisely when we have our hearts ripped out!

With that said, I'm approaching the hopeful phase :-)
upsetof86
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I am much more hopeful on O with the qb strategy. An all or nothing bet on Bowers this year felt like a serious concern, limitation. Not bad but a ceiling.

I think we are gonna look a little sloppy against Idaho State with Oregon ahead. I sure hope not.
Every week is a different type of test.

This next one, how do you handle your business when your supposed to. No doubt we are better than the opponent. But think Weber State. This Bengal team though 4-7 and 9th last yr brings back 15 starters, their best offensive players at all skill position (45-10 recent game against patsy), and weaker on defense. Beat FBS Nevada 30-28.
calbear80
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After the win last night over a soild BYU team in the hostile Provo, I see a realist path to 6 wins and a bowl game this season. Yes, we all would like 7, 8 or even more wins, but, I'll be ok with 6 wins and going to a bowl game, any bowl game.

Now to get to 6 wins means beating Idaho State next Saturday (it is a sure thing) and then beating three Pac-12 teams (easier said than done).

Winning three Pac-12 games is doable (although never easy) with the upcoming schedule of:

. Three winnable games: @OSU, Fucla (@Cal) and @ fast-falling U of A.

. Two possible competative games: @ inconsistent WSU and CU (@Cal)

. And, then there are four wishful thinking games: OU (@Cal which gives us hope), UW (@Cal, but, forget it), @U$C and LSJU (@Cal, and, how I wish). In the unlikely event that we beat even one of these four, then we are on our way up.

Go Bears! Beat Idaho State!

P.S. Has anyone else been to Pocatello, Idaho? I have been there at least 30 times and you haven't missed much! (Just in case you may ask, I have been to Provo once and attended their CLOSED practice right before their game against U$C around a dozen years ago).
heartofthebear
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This reminds me a bit of the 2011 season, when the pac-12 was weak and every team beatable, except Oregon.
Cal had a D that dominated at times and kept Cal in games. The LBs were deep and fierce. They forced turnovers
Cal had definite questions on O, particularly at QB but had some talent and a finally serviceable OL.
Cal went to a bowl game after a 7-5 and lost a close bowl game to Texas in San Diego, ending 7-6.

Reasons for hope:
  • This QB group doesn't make turnovers quite like the 2011 guy.
  • Our coaching staff is the best in recent memory
  • Our current QB has upside
  • We seemed to be able to offset the loss of Goode at OLB
  • UCLA is not a Chip grade team yet
  • Weaver is an overachiever in a Goode way
  • Tevin Paul coming out of the woodwork. Him and Becket. ***, who knew?

Reasons for concern:
  • Letting teams hang around and get back in the game by making mistakes or playing poorly, below even our standards.
  • Colorado is good
  • WSU might be
  • We need to win one of those 2 games or beat Arizona on the road, something we rarely do to get to at least 6 wins
  • Tate and Sumlin are bound to get it together by the time we play them
  • BYU may not be all that good, despite beating Arizona
  • We can't afford more injuries like the Goode one, and it is a long season still
I still think this is a 6 win team
RJABear
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Yes We should always be hopeful. also proud to have this group of players represent the University.

The fun thing about a game like Cal/BYU is that we really did not know which team would win.

There are terrible teams like Cal in 2013 where there is no suspense. We had no D and the Bears had little chance to win most games. Then there is Alabama beating up on Arkansas State 57-7. Again, no drama in that Bama bully beating.

Great to see Cal play serious D. With this defense, the Bears will have a chance in any game this year.
wifeisafurd
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heartofthebear said:

This reminds me a bit of the 2011 season, when the pac-12 was weak and every team beatable, except Oregon.
Cal had a D that dominated at times and kept Cal in games. The LBs were deep and fierce. They forced turnovers
Cal had definite questions on O, particularly at QB but had some talent and a finally serviceable OL.
Cal went to a bowl game after a 7-5 and lost a close bowl game to Texas in San Diego, ending 7-6.

Reasons for hope:
  • This QB group doesn't make turnovers quite like the 2011 guy.
  • Our coaching staff is the best in recent memory
  • Our current QB has upside
  • We seemed to be able to offset the loss of Goode at OLB
  • UCLA is not a Chip grade team yet
  • Weaver is an overachiever in a Goode way
  • Tevin Paul coming out of the woodwork. Him and Becket. ***, who knew?

Reasons for concern:
  • Letting teams hang around and get back in the game by making mistakes or playing poorly, below even our standards.
  • Colorado is good
  • WSU might be
  • We need to win one of those 2 games or beat Arizona on the road, something we rarely do to get to at least 6 wins
  • Tate and Sumlin are bound to get it together by the time we play them
  • BYU may not be all that good, despite beating Arizona
  • We can't afford more injuries like the Goode one, and it is a long season still
I still think this is a 6 win team
IMO, the Pac is different this year in that there are a fair number of really good defensive teams starting with Udub, Furd, SC, Utah, ASU, Colorado, Utah, and very much Cal in that category, and no very good offensive teams (we will see, maybe Oregon). Expect a lot more low scoring games than usual. Cal is an incomplete team right now, but probably ends-up (assuming healthy) in lower upper tier just because the defense is that good. I don't think Auburn, Sparty, or other power 5 teams think the Pac is down (other than maybe UCLA).
sycasey
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I expected a bowl coming into this season, if Wilcox is at all worth his salt. Based on results so far, I still do.
510 Bear
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RJABear said:

Yes We should always be hopeful. also proud to have this group of players represent the University.

The fun thing about a game like Cal/BYU is that we really did not know which team would win.

There are terrible teams like Cal in 2013 where there is no suspense. We had no D and the Bears had little chance to win most games. Then there is Alabama beating up on Arkansas State 57-7. Again, no drama in that Bama bully beating.

Great to see Cal play serious D. With this defense, the Bears will have a chance in any game this year.
Cal playing D is the #2 reason I have hope now. The #1 reason is that we're led by Wilcox, who seems to have a good plan and won't ignore O the way Dykes ignored D.

I can't believe we were suckered by Dykes. It'll always remind me of this clip from "The Simpsons". He did some good here, in all fairness, but the approach was all wrong.
chalcidbear
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I'm with Calbearo80: I have great hope we'll win 4 more games (Idaho State, OSU, UCLA, Arizona), and thus qualify for a bowl game. Beyond that, it gets really iffy - WSU's strength (pass offense) goes against our strength (pass defense), may be our only chance for a 7th win.
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