The offense played well. Kudos to all involved, and that includes BB.
If someone would have told us before the game that one team would have five TDs, the other just two (one in the first 59+ min), I imagine most, the vast majority even, would have guessed the Cougs got the five, and blew us out.
The Cougs don't have a good Pac-12 D, I believe 10th in the conference in yards/play allowed. Their pass D has been better than their run D, generally around 6th-8th in the conference in various metrics. We had a good passing game against them.
Pass completion rate = 67%
Yards/attempt = 9.6
TD/INT ratio = 3:1
Rating = 188
Damn good against an ok Pac-12 pass D.
To revisit CG's last two games against Ole Miss and ASU:
Pass completion rate = 68%
Yards/attempt = 10+
TD/INT = 5:1
Rating = 180+
Very similar. As I stated in earlier posts, very nice. It was clear, I think to all us, Chase and the passing game was on the upswing. It was evident in portions of earlier games too, as I had attempted to call-out...
Ross Bowers, his last three games of 2017:
Pass completion rate = 68%
Yards/attempt = 6.8
TD/INT = 3:1
Rating = 140 (approx)
This is a QB who had not previously thrown a pass in college prior to the 2017 season. This was our first year under JW and staff and we came into the season with our least experienced O line in many, many years. A 68% completion rate over three games, against Pac-12 teams? Not sure when Cal last experienced such passing competence, if ever. In Ross Bowers's last 8 eights he had 15:4 TD/INT ratio too.
Ross Bowers best game, stretch of games, was here at Cal, under BB.
Devon Modster's best game was not at UCLA, but yesterday, at Cal, with BB as the OC.
The point is.... IMO, when BB's offense has some continuity at QB, the passing game begins to show real healthy signs of being good, better than good even.
With Devon at QB the rest of the way, or should CG return, I would expect the passing game to continue as we just saw, and have seen in the past with BB, when he as continuity at the position. The run game will open-up, we get balance, move the ball, covert 3rd down (50% yesterday, BTW) and score more often. Life is good.
Should our passing game falter under these two QBs, our offense not produce sufficient points, there will be reason for concern. Based upon what I've seen, that won't happen.
Imagine if we have continuity at QB for a year, two, or longer? Heck, if BB had the same QB for three years now, I truly believe there would have been zero such threads about him, his incompetence. What if he had Goff for three years? Oh, what if he also had those six or so amazing receivers too? Getting back one really good one yesterday made a nice difference...
No damn reason we cannot beat Southern Cal again, this time at home. Stanford is looking to have their worst season in like an over a decade. It's time folks. Another monkey-off-the-back. Then it's time to get the LA sweep.
Sig test...