There's not a Garbers/McIlwain v. Bowers rivalry going on is there? I only see those two together, never with Bowers.

KoreAmBear said:

---

There's not a Garbers/McIlwain v. Bowers rivalry going on is there? I only see those two together, never with Bowers.

---

Not exactly. There are posters who are concerned about McIlwain's accuracy. To be fair, many of them base their assessments on observations of practice.

Has any reporter actually asked any of our coaches about Bowers? I'm not questioning their decision to go with Garbers/McIlwain. However, I find it odd that multiple articles have mentioned the surprise of Bowers dropping to 3rd string, but no one (that I could find) has actually tried to dig further on the topic with the coaches or players.

85Bear said:

---

Has any reporter actually asked any of our coaches about Bowers? I'm not questioning their decision to go with Garbers/McIlwain. However, I find it odd that multiple articles have mentioned the surprise of Bowers dropping to 3rd string, but no one (that I could find) has actually tried to dig further on the topic with the coaches or players.

---

IMO Bowers doesn't have a chance until the Oline can protect the pocket.
The current Oline gives up Too many sacks, hurries and passes batted down.
If the Cal QB is not rolling out then the Cal Offense goes 3-and-out.

85Bear said:

---

Has any reporter actually asked any of our coaches about Bowers? I'm not questioning their decision to go with Garbers/McIlwain. However, I find it odd that multiple articles have mentioned the surprise of Bowers dropping to 3rd string, but no one (that I could find) has actually tried to dig further on the topic with the coaches or players.

---

Wilcox: "It's nothing Ross has done."

Leading me to believe that it's the things Bowers has not done - moving in the pocket, identifying coverages, working through progressions, finding the open man, making correct RPO reads etc.

I'm also concerned about Garber's accuracy on the mid range-deep pass. Since the UNC game,most of his passes were way overthrown.

Of course they can both throw; the question most of us here have is: How well? I hope this game turns out to be enough of a laugher that both, but McIlwain in particular, can air it out some without the game being on the line. I'd also like to get a look at some of the young WRs/RBs.

The Cal Roster lists McIlwain as 180 lbs. I say no way, the dude is ripped and much more than that...

They'll never tell, but I wonder at what point in the UNC game, they decided to sit Bowers. I imagine they had certainly talked about it in advance. What if Bowers had been performing a bit better? A fair amount better?

Fyght4Cal said:

---

Wilcox: "It's nothing Ross has done."

Leading me to believe that it's the things Bowers has not done - moving in the pocket, identifying coverages, working through progressions, finding the open man, making correct RPO reads etc.

---

Thanks. I had not seen that Wilcox statement before, and while it's not much, it's something.

Big C said:

---

They'll never tell, but I wonder at what point in the UNC game, they decided to sit Bowers. I imagine they had certainly talked about it in advance. What if Bowers had been performing a bit better? A fair amount better?

---

The weird part is you recall there were a few drops that hit the receivers right in the hands (Hudson for sure had one). Had those actually been caught, would any of this have happened? Would have been the same guy back there with the same capabilities, but I just can't see them pulling a guy who had gone 5-6 or something in the first quarter.

I watched the replay on youtube of the UNC game, and at the end of the first half Bowers' 2 minute drill decision making was not good, and exhibited the worst of his tendencies last year (running backwards, throwing into triple coverage where his receiver needs to absorb a HUGE hit, and panicking to throw the ball away). That combined with bad accuracy down the field (Garbers over/under throws someone by a yard, Bowers is off by two yards in the north/south direction and another two yards in the east/west), plus the fact Garbers and Mac are both far more effective running the ball, made the decision easy.

oskirules said:

---

I'm also concerned about Garber's accuracy on the mid range-deep pass. Since the UNC game,most of his passes were way overthrown.

---

Disagree. Last week his TD passes to Laird and Noa were both dimes.