Wilcox has some tough decisions to make before Oregon

8,782 Views | 44 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by GivemTheAxe
ducky23
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Yes very small sample size, but right now laird, Hudson and Wharton are not getting it done. I don't know if it's rust, injury or whatever, but right now their backups are outplaying them.

So what do you do if you're Wilcox? Do you stick with your seniors who have a fairly good track record up to this season. Or do you try to jumpstart the offense by inserting some fresh blood?
calumnus
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ducky23 said:

Yes very small sample size, but right now laird, Hudson and Wharton are not getting it done. I don't know if it's rust, injury or whatever, but right now their backups are outplaying them.

So what do you do if you're Wilcox? Do you stick with your seniors who have a fairly good track record up to this season. Or do you try to jumpstart the offense by inserting some fresh blood?


I would "start" Laird and Wharton, but quickly bring the backups for series too, and if they produce, leave them in (but would replace Wharton with Remigio at PR). I think Bunting earned the start (or Hudson earned the bench). He only has one more year of eligibility too, no reason to favor Hudson over him, especially when
FloriDreaming
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I see no harm whatsoever in utilizing other talent, especially at RB. Cal desperately needs other RBs to step up, no way Laird can be an every down back.

The coaches own nothing to any player. It's up to the players to fight to keep their jobs. If the players lose their jobs for whatever reason it's next man up. Wilcox's loyalty needs to be to the program and only the program - not individual players or coaches, no matter how much he likes them personally. He owes that to all the players, coaches and fans who support the program. We before me.
Yogi58
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ducky23 said:

Yes very small sample size, but right now laird, Hudson and Wharton are not getting it done. I don't know if it's rust, injury or whatever, but right now their backups are outplaying them.

So what do you do if you're Wilcox? Do you stick with your seniors who have a fairly good track record up to this season. Or do you try to jumpstart the offense by inserting some fresh blood?
Laird's stats would look a lot better if that TD run hadn't been called back. I don't think there's anything physically wrong with him, as other have speculated due to his knee scope. I do think Dancy has earned more carries versus a P5 opponent though.
GivemTheAxe
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Yogi Bear said:

ducky23 said:

Yes very small sample size, but right now laird, Hudson and Wharton are not getting it done. I don't know if it's rust, injury or whatever, but right now their backups are outplaying them.

So what do you do if you're Wilcox? Do you stick with your seniors who have a fairly good track record up to this season. Or do you try to jumpstart the offense by inserting some fresh blood?
Laird's stats would look a lot better if that TD run hadn't been called back. I don't think there's anything physically wrong with him, as other have speculated due to his knee scope. I do think Dancy has earned more carries versus a P5 opponent though.

To me it is obvious that
1. The Oline can't make any holes for RB's when there is a handoff. Unfortunately the coaches have been calling way too many handoffs to Laird.
2. Because of poor play by the Oline Laird does better with pitchouts or passes when he has time to get up speed. Luckily the coaches are figuring this out and have begun calling more of these plays for Laird.
3. The opposing teams understand that Laird is Cal's most effective runner and have targeted him more than any other player except maybe Noa.
4. If Cal can get its passing game going things should open up for Laird.
wifeisafurd
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Another decision is how and when you use the two QBs. That probably depends on how Oregon defense schemes out.
heartofthebear
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Relax everyone and let DeRuyter continue to coach this team to victory.
txwharfrat
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I'd like to see more Bunting, more Duncan, and more Dancy...
59bear
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txwharfrat said:

I'd like to see more Bunting, more Duncan, and more Dancy...
And I suspect you will. Both Hudson and Wharton have had problems with drops/fumbles and we have so little margin for error that I expect this coaching staff to take that into account when determining who gets on the field. Laird's production (lack, really) is probably because he's a marked man that opposing defenses key on. If we can show other credible threats, it'll loosen things up for him. So far, I think both Garbers and McIlwain have shown improvement game over game and that is encouraging.
tequila4kapp
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Simple. You play the people that give you the best chance to win.
BerlinerBaer
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Laird's a great guy and a good runner but I'm sure we have RBs with bigger upside. He used to be a walk-on, after all.
JSC 76
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It is a weird thing about this offense that our best running back is the QB and our best receiver is a RB (until yesterday, Laird led the team in TD receptions.)
Another Bear
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I have a feeling we'll see more McIlwain against Oregon. Garbers will start but Mac will get more reps given his playmaking ability.
Boot
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Laird blocks well he does look slower hitting the holes.
HoopDreams
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we need 2-3 RBs. Laird and Darcy are different style players and should both play extensively. Also, Laird is a very good receiver and blocker. We don't know about Darcy as a receiver yet (at least in games). I was super impressed with Darcy, and disappointed in Laird, but we should know a lot more after the Oregon game.

regardless, we couldn't continue to play Laird so much. He would not have probably finished the season at that rate.
Econ141
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I am still perplexed - we know nothing of Dancy going into the Oregon game other than her outperformed laird against an FCS opponent.

Why did he get zero touches in the previous games?
Another Bear
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The lack of depth at RB is why we might see more McIlwain, he's a better runner than Garbers, creates a bigger running threat.
sycasey
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Dancy looks like the better runner right now. Laird still clearly the better blocker and receiver (plus his best run was wiped out by penalty). Seems like a clear timeshare to me.

Not sure why Dancy didn't get reps earlier in the season. Maybe the coaches just didn't trust him yet?

Hudson seems useless. Gets himself open, but can't catch the ball. If a TE can't hold onto the ball in traffic that's a problem.
Another Bear
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My theory is Idaho St. was the first chance to give Darcy real game reps, in a relatively safe game. UNC and BYU were must win, and were tight games.

I stayed for the whole game and Wilcox got the 2's some decent time at the end. That can be valuable later in the season as live bodies will be needed.
Cal88
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Given what we've seen at the QB position this season, Baldwin and co will have no problem relying on young talent to get the job done.
ducky23
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This whole narrative that teams are keying on laird...I mean...fine.

All I know is that there weren't huge holes for dancy either.

What I'd suggest is to re-watch the game and count how many times laird broke a tackle or made someone miss and then count how many times dancy did the same.

I think laird is a fine running back if he had a Wisconsin or furd o-line. He's a patient runner who can find holes. But when you have an average o-line, you need someone who is a little quicker and more elusive. And who is able to make something out of nothing.
Big C
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wifeisafurd said:

Another decision is how and when you use the two QBs. That probably depends on how Oregon defense schemes out.
Based on how they used the QBs yesterday, it seems clear that the current plan (Garbers #1, with McIlwain in spots) is to continue indefinitely. (I had been expecting them to try McIlwain more as a passer, just to see how that would go.)
KenBurnski
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Which rb had the spin and fumble against BYU?
RighteousGoldenBear
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That would be D. Clark
OdontoBear66
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sycasey said:

Dancy looks like the better runner right now. Laird still clearly the better blocker and receiver (plus his best run was wiped out by penalty). Seems like a clear timeshare to me.

Not sure why Dancy didn't get reps earlier in the season. Maybe the coaches just didn't trust him yet?

Hudson seems useless. Gets himself open, but can't catch the ball. If a TE can't hold onto the ball in traffic that's a problem.
And it was just yesterday that we had our fingers crossed that Hudson would get an additional year. Too bad it is not panning out, but maybe too early to give up. I would imagine he has tons of incentive right now, but don't know if that translates to catches.
oskidunker
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Clark dnp yesterday
Go Bears!
BearGoggles
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We know Laird was held out of practice for health/injury reasons. He doesn't look right and I can't help but believe its due t health reasons. Hope he recovers - in the meantime his load needs to be reduced and others, particularly dancy, need tto be given a chance.
Big C
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BearGoggles said:

We know Laird was held out of practice for health/injury reasons. He doesn't look right and I can't help but believe its due t health reasons. Hope he recovers - in the meantime his load needs to be reduced and others, particularly dancy, need tto be given a chance.
If Laird isn't right, they shouldn't have run him into the middle of UNC's defense 29 times.
calumnus
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BerlinerBaer said:

Laird's a great guy and a good runner but I'm sure we have RBs with bigger upside. He used to be a walk-on, after all.


The likely successor, Dancy, is currently a walk-on.
calumnus
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Big C said:

BearGoggles said:

We know Laird was held out of practice for health/injury reasons. He doesn't look right and I can't help but believe its due t health reasons. Hope he recovers - in the meantime his load needs to be reduced and others, particularly dancy, need tto be given a chance.
If Laird isn't right, they shouldn't have run him into the middle of UNC's defense 29 times.


+1 and if defenses "are keying on him" we should take advantage by faking to him to open up other options.
sycasey
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calumnus said:

Big C said:

BearGoggles said:

We know Laird was held out of practice for health/injury reasons. He doesn't look right and I can't help but believe its due t health reasons. Hope he recovers - in the meantime his load needs to be reduced and others, particularly dancy, need tto be given a chance.
If Laird isn't right, they shouldn't have run him into the middle of UNC's defense 29 times.


+1 and if defenses "are keying on him" we should take advantage by faking to him to open up other options.


I think we did in this game, and also some against BYU. But you can't stop giving him the ball entirely.
PtownBear1
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Laird is an awesome player but he's not Le'veon Bell. He should ditch the Bell hesitation move and just hit the hole or cut and run like Lasco in his senior season. I think he would be more effective that way.
bearsandgiants
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KenBurnski said:

Which rb had the spin and fumble against BYU?
This is my concern, too. Haven't seen the practices, but if the reason the backups aren't getting more PT is because they're not holding on to the ball in practice, i'm fine with not seeing what they can do.
Fyght4Cal
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bearsandgiants said:

KenBurnski said:

Which rb had the spin and fumble against BYU?
This is my concern, too. Haven't seen the practices, but if the reason the backups aren't getting more PT is because they're not holding on to the ball in practice, i'm fine with not seeing what they can do.
That was a solid stick on DClark. The coaches have to do their thing, emphasizing ball security. But frankly, I would have been more surprised if DC held on to the ball.
Patience is a virtue, but I’m not into virtue signaling these days.
OdontoBear66
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Fyght4Cal said:

bearsandgiants said:

KenBurnski said:

Which rb had the spin and fumble against BYU?
This is my concern, too. Haven't seen the practices, but if the reason the backups aren't getting more PT is because they're not holding on to the ball in practice, i'm fine with not seeing what they can do.
That was a solid stick on DClark. The coaches have to do their thing, emphasizing ball security. But frankly, I would have been more surprised if DC held on to the ball.
The solid stick was made possible by the spin move he put on to get away from the previous tackler. I imagine he thought better of that when watching the film. Totally exposed to be nailed.
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