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Cal Football

Bears Look to Portal to Build Out Roster

March 28, 2022
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Collegiate football is well into a new era of previously uncharted territory with the advent in recent years of the transfer portal, making it far easier for players to transfer and make an early impact with new programs.

In 2021, the Bears dipped their toe in the transfer portal market, bringing in Texas OLB Marqez Bimage, DE Luc Bequette, who returned after a one year stint at BC for a record 7th season, Florida State safety Raymond Woodie and former Penn and Western Carolina QB Ryan Glover.

Bimage was a revelation, going from a 4-year backup at UT to starting several games for the Bears, adding 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two sacks, while bringing a physical presence to the field that helped set the tone for the defense.

Bequette returned as a starter, also adding 40 tackles, along with 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and four passes broken up. Glover struggled mightily in his one start in Cal's loss to Arizona when filling in for starter Chase Garbers while out on covid protocol but at least provided a veteran presence in the locker room and on the practice field. And Woodie provided quality depth at safety and special teams, adding 7 tackles on the season and will look to compete to start this spring.

However after a frustrating and disappointing 5-7 2021season likely not indicative of their overall talent level, the Bears recognize the need to not stand pat in 2022 and do what they need to do to get the program on track and in a bowl game, not to mention compete for a conference championship.

The Bears got off to a strong start in the portal so far this season, adding potential starters Jack Plummer, DE Xavier Carlton and MLB Jackson Sirmon. Plummer, who was a part-time starter for Purdue, will compete with redshirt frosh QB Kai Millner this spring to earn a starting role. Carlton, a former 4 star Bear recruit transfers over from Utah and could slot into departed portal transfer JH Tevis’s slot. Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears’ young inside backers to the outside.

As solid as the spring arrivals are, the Bears’ work with the portal is far from done, with several needs still to be addressed. Look for the Bears to add as many as four additional portal transfers for the summer/fall after the inevitable roster shuffling throughout the country as a new wave of players will look to find new homes and better opportunities after seeing how things shake out in their respective spring practices, and the Bears are no exception.

Four of the biggest needs the Bears will look to cover are adding an offensive tackle to compete to start, a “juice” player to add dynamic big play potential at running back or receiver, a pass rush specialist at DE, OLB or a hybrid of the two to add much-needed sack and pass pressure production and an experienced corner to add to the Bears exceedingly young CB corps.

What do the Bears have to offer these potential transfers? An opportunity to be a difference-maker on an offense playing for a 20-year veteran offensive coordinator in third year Cal OC Bill Musgrave that’s looking to break out. And on defense, the Bears potentially have the ingredients to be one of the best defenses in the Pac-12 and potentially the country. Having the opportunity to play for a head coach with significant DC success along with a DC with significant NFL playing experience and collegiate defensive coordinator success and earn a prestigious Cal degree in just one to three years of study could create tempting opportunites for several players the Bears will look to add.

With spring ball slated to start in a little over a week at Cal and some others underway throughout the country, look for the process to get rolling in the coming weeks.

Other stories:

Spring Football Preview - The Quarterbacks

Cal Football Introduces Four New Staff Additions

Discussion from...

Bears Look to Portal to Build Out Roster

11,214 Views | 33 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by WalterSobchak
Econ141
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In all the articles I've read there is no mention of Zach Johnson as being part of the QB competition despite him appearing to be the #2 after last spring (if my memory serves me right).

Is Kai really that much better than Zach now?
MoragaBear
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fat_slice said:

In all the articles I've read there is no mention of Zach Johnson as being part of the QB competition despite him appearing to be the #2 after last spring (if my memory serves me right).

Is Kai really that much better than Zach now?
Yes
Bobodeluxe
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Go Beas!
WalterSobchak
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Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
MoragaBear
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WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
WalterSobchak
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MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.
Econ141
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WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
Cal_79
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fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
If the kid can play, the kid can play. Why should it matter if there's a familial relationship? Why should a qualified kid be DISqualified because of a familial relationship?
calumnus
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Cal_79 said:

fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
If the kid can play, the kid can play. Why should it matter if there's a familial relationship? Why should a qualified kid be DISqualified because of a familial relationship?


We would be dumb to NOT take a great player just because of a familial relationship. Wilcox is ultimately responsible and since the player in question is a LB he should be able to evaluate his talent.

Thus the player should be evaluated in his merits, like any other. I do think Wilcox, reflecting his biases, has tended to use more roster spots for LBs relative to other positions than is optimal. And Sirmon is not just "a coach" but is Wilcox's buddy. So I do think it is reasonable to question the use of the slot and whether his PT will be deserved. I'd feel a lot better if we brought in another QB to compete with Plummer and Millner, for example, just to increase our chances of one of them being good.
Rushinbear
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fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
There's no issue of ethics here. This isn't the City Council. Every coach knows that he is judged by results and that he would be out if he didn't get them.

Your post is just pot stirring.
89Bear
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fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
Completely disagree with this.
Econ141
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Rushinbear said:

fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
There's no issue of ethics here. This isn't the City Council. Every coach knows that he is judged by results and that he would be out if he didn't get them.

Your post is just pot stirring.


Not trying to stir the pot at all. In this particular instance it might be fine and dandy. But as a general rule you want to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. Some asset management firms forbid employees to buy individual stocks precisely for this reason. Sure in some cases there might not be any ill intent but if something goes awry, you don't want it to come biting you back in the butt.

That said, the consequences in the financial world are much more serious than in the football world so I think the valid argument here might be, "this is football who cares." If you can navigate the potential issues that other posters mentioned above (not just in this scenario but also in future ones) I guess go for it.
parentswerebears
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In college basketball, it happens all the time. McDermott, Boeheim, Calipari, come to mind immediately. No one blinks an eye. Only time I would question- the kid sucks, but starts. I've coached my daughter for years and it is really easy to not appear as if I'm favoring her in any way.
Big C
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WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.


I agree with everything you wrote, but in this program, if Peter Sirmon wants something, he seems to get it... and I guess he wanted his son (who seems to be a pretty good ILB) on the team.

If they end up moving somebody to the outside, we have to trust that it is the best person, selected by our expert defensive staff who sees the players every day and thus should be able to make the informed decision.
MoragaBear
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Big C said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.


I agree with everything you wrote, but in this program, if Peter Sirmon wants something, he seems to get it... and I guess he wanted his son (who seems to be a pretty good ILB) on the team.

If they end up moving somebody to the outside, we have to trust that it is the best person, selected by our expert defensive staff who sees the players every day and thus should be able to make the informed decision.
Seriously, this is not simply a case of Sirmon wanting something and getting it. He doesn't have the kind of clout. The whole staff wanted it, as would most teams in the league.

Standing pat is not working for them. They need to do everything they can to improve the program.
WalterSobchak
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I'm not saying we should never take a coach's kid, just that this is a particularly unique situation we've got in this instance. I would've felt much different about it if Sirmon had come on board before last season when we were much more thin at the position and Deng wanted or at least welcomed the move outside. But in hindsight I think it's clear that was a mistake both for him but particularly for the team, except to the extent that it provided a path for the emergence of the "Core 4." Based on the early play of the ILB group it's frankly mind-boggling that they made that move and tends to erode some of the confidence I previously had in defensive personnel decision making. Still, probably the best thing Wilcox and Co. have going is team morale and cohesiveness so they get the benefit of the doubt. I have nothing personal against Sirmon (except his mutt background of course) and although it might not seem like it I am very happy to have him on the team. I just think being welcomed to the team vs. anointed starter before camp even starts when there are already 4 very capable players at the position who played a huge role in salvaging what could be salvaged of the 2021 tinkering mistake are two very different things. I'd take notice of any newcomer being talked about that way. Add to it the problems we had last year after moving our best ILB outside and him being the DC's kid and that's what throws up red flags for me. This is definitely something that's a risk and I will be curious to see how it plays out. A huge caveat is that I'm assuming his starter status is something that has been directly or indirectly communicated to MB and is not editorializing on his part. I have no insight into the inner workings of the team so this could all be needless concern. There's a big difference imo between Oladejo (or someone else) wanting to move and Sirmon coming in to fill his spot in the 4 man rotation vs. Sirmon displacing someone out of the group who doesn't really want to go and/or disrupting the rotation by playing a disproportionate amount of snaps.
Marty
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Coaches kids are on rosters in all sports at all levels. It generally produces a smart player, because of the "in-house" guidance their parents provide, even away from the practice field. Look at the success the Drew brothers and their subsequent success as D-1 coaches. Both sons of coach Homer Drew. Athletes shouldn't be discriminated against simply because their parents are coaches. I have enough faith in Wilcox and Sirmon, and their integrity, that they'll handle this without creating any dissension. And Sirmon Jr. is clearly talented, so it appears that he has the talent and experience to earn his spot, starter or not, and be a contributor. It would be irresponsible to the program not to take advantage of his willingness to come to Berkeley, given his demonstrated on field success in the PAC-12. Nobody at Clemson complained when Dabo Swinney and Brent Venables (now HC at Oklahoma) had sons on the Clemson team the last few years. At least at this point, there appears to be no reason for this to be a concern. Cal landed an experienced transfer that can step in and help immediately. I count that as a positive development.
WalterSobchak
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MoragaBear said:

Big C said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.


I agree with everything you wrote, but in this program, if Peter Sirmon wants something, he seems to get it... and I guess he wanted his son (who seems to be a pretty good ILB) on the team.

If they end up moving somebody to the outside, we have to trust that it is the best person, selected by our expert defensive staff who sees the players every day and thus should be able to make the informed decision.
Seriously, this is not simply a case of Sirmon wanting something and getting it. He doesn't have the kind of clout. The whole staff wanted it, as would most teams in the league.

Standing pat is not working for them. They need to do everything they can to improve the program.
MB, pre-camp how do you see the defensive front 7 depth chart? The last public chart I know of has some interesting entries imo. Particularly Calhoun who seems to be listed at WILL and SDE, which is odd to me.

Here's my stab:

WDE Johnson | Calhoun | Wilkins
NG Roberts/McKenzie | Correia | Long
SDE Carlton/Johnson | Saunders | Long

WILL Oladejo | KEO/Hisatake/???
ILB Sirmon | Paster
ILB Iosefa | Rutchena
SAM Croteau/Patu/Ieremia
ducky23
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Who is this "core four" I keep hearing about?
Are follett, bishop, felder and Williams back on the team?
Oh, they aren't?
Oh we're talking about a bunch of unproven (albeit "possibly" talented) inside linebackers?

And we shouldn't bring in a guy who is more proven then any other ILB we have cause apparently we want to avoid any appearance of nepotism?

I honestly don't know why this keeps coming up. It's beyond stupid.
MoragaBear
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Staff
WalterSobchak said:

I'm not saying we should never take a coach's kid, just that this is a particularly unique situation we've got in this instance. I would've felt much different about it if Sirmon had come on board before last season when we were much more thin at the position and Deng wanted or at least welcomed the move outside. But in hindsight I think it's clear that was a mistake both for him but particularly for the team, except to the extent that it provided a path for the emergence of the "Core 4." Based on the early play of the ILB group it's frankly mind-boggling that they made that move and tends to erode some of the confidence I previously had in defensive personnel decision making. Still, probably the best thing Wilcox and Co. have going is team morale and cohesiveness so they get the benefit of the doubt. I have nothing personal against Sirmon (except his mutt background of course) and although it might not seem like it I am very happy to have him on the team. I just think being welcomed to the team vs. anointed starter before camp even starts when there are already 4 very capable players at the position who played a huge role in salvaging what could be salvaged of the 2021 tinkering mistake are two very different things. I'd take notice of any newcomer being talked about that way. Add to it the problems we had last year after moving our best ILB outside and him being the DC's kid and that's what throws up red flags for me. This is definitely something that's a risk and I will be curious to see how it plays out. A huge caveat is that I'm assuming his starter status is something that has been directly or indirectly communicated to MB and is not editorializing on his part. I have no insight into the inner workings of the team so this could all be needless concern. There's a big difference imo between Oladejo (or someone else) wanting to move and Sirmon coming in to fill his spot in the 4 man rotation vs. Sirmon displacing someone out of the group who doesn't really want to go and/or disrupting the rotation by playing a disproportionate amount of snaps.


Deng wanted to move back outside to his natural position he played prior to coming to Cal and Cal needed edge pressure. That's why Deng was moved, not because of tinkering or forcing it on him.

Saying Sirmon looks to start is saying he's coming here with the mentality that he'll start, not that he's guaranteed to start.
WalterSobchak
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Thanks for the clarification. I certainly wouldn't expect him to come in with any other attitude.

As for edge pressure, we need it now more than last year imo.
UrsineMaximus
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MoragaBear said:

Big C said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.


I agree with everything you wrote, but in this program, if Peter Sirmon wants something, he seems to get it... and I guess he wanted his son (who seems to be a pretty good ILB) on the team.

If they end up moving somebody to the outside, we have to trust that it is the best person, selected by our expert defensive staff who sees the players every day and thus should be able to make the informed decision.
Seriously, this is not simply a case of Sirmon wanting something and getting it. He doesn't have the kind of clout. The whole staff wanted it, as would most teams in the league.

Standing pat is not working for them. They need to do everything they can to improve the program.
By all means improve the program. That said, there are other position groups that require a lot more improvement in terms of talent and production than ILB. Perhaps Cal still has enough schollies to fill those holes. Bringing in one OT would be good, bringing in 2 would be better. And a better use of any schollies we have remaining.
UrsineMaximus
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I trust the staff hasn't inked in Sirmon as the starter (although they've been loathe to get new bodies onto the OL). Of the games I watched Sirmon, he was OK against the run but had issues shedding blockers (I think this was the game against the Ducks). And he wasn't particularly good in space on pass defense. Rutchena and Paster are much better and have a higher ceiling. And both improved as the season went on. Oladejo is getting better against the run but needs improvement in space. Iosefa has to improve his tackling but his potential upside could be YUGE, tbd. It will be a competitive situation for all of the ILB and I don't feel Sirmon is going to come in and simply displace one of these aforementioned players. He isn't measurably better but will be good for depth on an otherwise young unit.

I could envision players like Smith, Puskas, and Antzoulatos deciding to transfer depending on how Spring and Summer camp play out for them. Their reps will likely drop and they may read the writing on the wall and bail.
UrsineMaximus
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MoragaBear said:

fat_slice said:

In all the articles I've read there is no mention of Zach Johnson as being part of the QB competition despite him appearing to be the #2 after last spring (if my memory serves me right).

Is Kai really that much better than Zach now?
Yes
Agreed, Kai is better than Zach. Best case for the Bears is that it is a heated battle for the #1 QB spot during Spring and Summer camp. And unlike previous years, perhaps Cal has learned that they need to get some PT for the #2 QB early during the season and preferably throughout the season. Musgrave has been given a lot of passes and doesn't have any left. The offense will go as far as the OL takes them and for 5+ years that hasn't been very far. It does appear that we have more beef and athleticism on OL than recent years and perhaps Angus will mandate that it is open competition for all spots on the OL and that there are no presumptive starters.
Big C
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MoragaBear said:

Big C said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.


I agree with everything you wrote, but in this program, if Peter Sirmon wants something, he seems to get it... and I guess he wanted his son (who seems to be a pretty good ILB) on the team.

If they end up moving somebody to the outside, we have to trust that it is the best person, selected by our expert defensive staff who sees the players every day and thus should be able to make the informed decision.
Seriously, this is not simply a case of Sirmon wanting something and getting it. He doesn't have the kind of clout. The whole staff wanted it, as would most teams in the league.

Standing pat is not working for them. They need to do everything they can to improve the program.

I didn't mean to imply that the primary reason Sirmon-the-younger is on the team is his dad is DC. He might be really good for us this fall and I hope he is.
heartofthebear
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fat_slice said:

Rushinbear said:

fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
There's no issue of ethics here. This isn't the City Council. Every coach knows that he is judged by results and that he would be out if he didn't get them.

Your post is just pot stirring.


Not trying to stir the pot at all. In this particular instance it might be fine and dandy. But as a general rule you want to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. Some asset management firms forbid employees to buy individual stocks precisely for this reason. Sure in some cases there might not be any ill intent but if something goes awry, you don't want it to come biting you back in the butt.

That said, the consequences in the financial world are much more serious than in the football world so I think the valid argument here might be, "this is football who cares." If you can navigate the potential issues that other posters mentioned above (not just in this scenario but also in future ones) I guess go for it.

Have you heard whispers of any ILBs wanting to transfer? I hope not. I agree that we don't want to lose Ruchena, Pastor or Oladejo. But there is good opportunity at OLB and LBs move around all of the time, usually to their benefit. I think Cal does it every year, more or less so nobody should be surprised that it is happening this year.
heartofthebear
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If Cal is looking to bolster their roster through the portal, I would prefer they get 2 or even 3 OTs and an edge. I think we are pretty good at CB and WR/RB. But upgrades are always welcome, especially at QB.
GivemTheAxe
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Rushinbear said:

fat_slice said:

WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.



I think it should be policy to not take family members in - avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. If we want to be that ethical program, this is the route to go. Obviously not the route we are taking and I hope he is truly additive to the team though!
There's no issue of ethics here. This isn't the City Council. Every coach knows that he is judged by results and that he would be out if he didn't get them.

Your post is just pot stirring.

Agree. In many non-sport situations it is difficult to tell who is performing and who is not. But in football if some ILB is weak (or injured) the other teams will spot it and you will see that ILB being tested time and
again.
How many times have we seen a starting ILB or OLB or other DB go down and be replaced by the backup.
The coach on the other team immediately calls plays that will test that backup. There is no place for a poor player to hide on a football field.
Soon the fans will figure that out as well.
WalterSobchak
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ducky23 said:

Who is this "core four" I keep hearing about?
Are follett, bishop, felder and Williams back on the team?
Oh, they aren't?
Oh we're talking about a bunch of unproven (albeit "possibly" talented) inside linebackers?

And we shouldn't bring in a guy who is more proven then any other ILB we have cause apparently we want to avoid any appearance of nepotism?

I honestly don't know why this keeps coming up. It's beyond stupid.
Anthony Felder 2005: 12 games, 25 solo, 14 assisted, 39 total
Worrell Williams 2005: 10 games, 10 solo, 16 assisted, 26 total

Femi Oladejo 2021: 9 games, 21 solo, 17 assisted, 38 total
Nate Rutchena 2021: 8 games, 22 solo, 13 assisted, 35 total
WalterSobchak
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WalterSobchak said:

MoragaBear said:

WalterSobchak said:

Quote:

Sirmon, the fifth leading tackler in the Pac-12 in 2021 for Washington looks to start for the Bears, potentially causing a shift for one of the Bears' young inside backers to the outside.
Or to the portal. This mildly concerns me in terms of chemistry and development, particularly after what happened last season. I just can't wrap my head around messing with something so critical that you just got fixed with young guys stepping up. Slotting in the coach's kid automatically is dangerous, regardless of past performance. Hopefully he performs immediately to the point that there are no questions he's a clear upgrade and whoever gets moved is truly down for it or we may have problems. Add to it that he's got 2 years left and it really has the potential to become an issue imho. Losing even 1 of our "Core 4" over this wouldn't be a good trade given the "years of service" remaining unless he's truly a game changer. Hopefully my concerns will be proven out to be silly. Go Bears!
Sirmon's the 2nd leading returning tackler in the Pac-12, coach's son or not. When you have the opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it. Several of Cal's ILB's are well-suited to play outside, too, and a lot of players welcome the opportunity to prove themselves at two positions to increase their draft stock.
I hope that's true (not saying it isn't, just don't know). I think Oladejo has shown tools that would make him a very intriguing edge rusher. If he wants that opportunity then that would be ideal. I understand the concept of bringing in the best talent you can get. I also have been on teams with coaches' kids. Sometimes it's no problem. Sometimes it is. But nobody ever goes to the coach to complain about their own kid so you can get a whole new dynamic trust wise that can be bad for the team. I think pretending that isn't possible is silly. They're not going to say anything to you if they're upset either. 91 tackles last season is great, I get that. But Oladejo and Ruchena each had 35 or more as true frosh who didn't even begin the season in the rotation or get many starts. Sirmon didn't get to 35 tackles until he was in his third season. So who knows what the upside is for our young guys as they develop and mature. I think best case is Oladejo wants to move outside and excels there, with Sirmon stepping in to elevate the core 4 man ILB rotation seamlessly. I just worry that they'll tinker too much and we'll see a repeat of early 2021 again in 2022.

Oh hey, look who had 91 tackles this season as a true soph and is now in the portal playing for Ucla

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/femi-oladejo-1.html
WalterSobchak
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79 Bear
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Wow, sounds like you're happy about this.
WalterSobchak
How long do you want to ignore this user?
79 Bear said:

Wow, sounds like you're happy about this.
I'm just hoping I don't have to bump this thread again.
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