Bear Insider Ultimate Insider Podcast E140: Virginia Tech Film Review

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There's a reason the classics are the classics. And after watching the film from Cal's victory over Virginia Tech, I was encouraged by what I saw from the Bears' offense.

Not because everything was perfect. It wasn't. There were missed reads, late throws, execution mistakes, and opportunities left on the field. But for the first time in a while, I felt like we were watching an offense where the different pieces were actually working together.

The play calling helped the quarterback. The quarterback's reads helped the offensive line. The offensive line created more time. And the receivers understood how to take advantage of the space the offense was creating.

That's good offensive football. And at times, it was poetry.

Here's what stood out to me as I went back through the film.

Offensive Coordinator: Pat McCann and the Return of the Classics

The biggest difference I noticed was the change in play calling. Pat McCann took over those responsibilities against Virginia Tech, with Jordan Somerville still contributing to the offensive planning. And the philosophical difference was immediately apparent.

Previously, Cal had relied heavily on horizontal passing concepts. Bubble screens. Now screens. Smoke screens. Get the football outside, stretch the defense horizontally, and ask your playmakers to create yardage in space.
Then look for opportunities to attack vertically.

That approach has its place, but I've been talking all season about getting back to the classics. The concepts that have made West Coast offenses successful for generations. Drive. Sail. Smash. Snag. Mesh. Y-Stick

There's a reason Bill Walsh built an offense around these kinds of passing concepts.

They work. More importantly, they allow a quarterback to operate with clear reads, defined progressions, and rhythm.

Drive: Put the linebackers in conflict

I counted Cal running the Drive concept at least five or six times against Virginia Tech. It's a classic West Coast concept. You bring one receiver across the formation on a shallow crossing route. Another receiver comes behind him on a dig, or what we used to call a basic cross.

Now you've created a two-level stretch in the middle of the field.

Why does that work? Because you're attacking linebackers, who are generally much more comfortable defending the run than covering receivers in space.

If they come up to take away the shallow, you throw the dig behind them.
If they gain depth to take away the dig, the shallow opens underneath.
And when the linebackers start anticipating one route, you can exploit the other.

The beauty of Drive is that it works against man coverage and zone coverage when executed properly. But the other thing I love is how it simplifies the quarterback's job.

His eyes start on the safety to identify rotation. Then they can drop directly down into the middle of the field. He's not trying to process everything happening across the formation. He has a defined read. His feet follow his eyes. And the football comes out on time.

That's exactly what I want to see from this offense, or any offense.
Sail: Stretch the coverage vertically

Jordan King's big catch along the west sideline came on a Sail concept.
That's another classic. You have a go route outside to take the top off, a corner route at the second level, and a flat route, or what is called flare control, underneath.

Three receiving threats attacking different levels of coverage.

Often you're creating a three-on-two situation against the defenders responsible for that area. The quarterback can identify which level opens and deliver the football.

Brousseau made the correct read on Jordan King's catch. But the ball came out late. Jordan caught it as he was going out of bounds.

Get that ball out earlier and he may have another six or seven yards to turn upfield before reaching the sideline. Maybe he adds another 20 yards after the catch. That's the difference between completing a pass and creating an explosive play.

Smash, Snag and Mesh

We also saw Smash, Snag and Mesh. Again, classic concepts.

Smash creates a two-level stretch and can put pressure on the safety. Snag creates a three-receiver combination that gives the quarterback a clear defensive key. Mesh is especially effective against man coverage because of the crossing routes and traffic it creates.

All of these concepts give the quarterback answers. And when the quarterback understands what he's reading, the offense becomes much more efficient.

I loved seeing them back in the game plan.

Quarterback: Jackson Brousseau — My Grade Is B-Minus Let me start by saying this. I thought Jackson Brousseau did an outstanding job stepping into a difficult situation and helping Cal win. He deserves a tremendous amount of credit. He's a veteran quarterback with starting experience from Colorado State, but he hasn't been getting the same volume of first-team reps as the JKS. Then suddenly he's being asked to lead an offense that's also experiencing a change in play-calling philosophy.

That's not easy.

His poise? His toughness? His ability to take over the offense and help lead the Bears to a victory? That's an A. But when I evaluate him strictly from a quarterback's perspective—mechanics, timing, reads, progressions, and ball placement—I'd give him a B-minus. And that's not a bad grade.

I remember my first start against Wisconsin. I was probably a B-minus or C-plus myself.

There's a lot that goes into operating an offense when you haven't had the repetitions you need.

What Jackson did well

After a slow first couple of drives, Jackson started finding his rhythm.
He was making better reads. Working through progressions. Getting the football out. And most importantly, he was tying his feet and eyes together.
That's a huge part of playing quarterback in a West Coast offense.

Your eyes identify the coverage. Your feet put you in position to make the throw. Those two things have to work together.

Jackson showed veteran savvy in how he operated the system.

There was a great throw on third-and-long where he hit Jordan King on a dig route for a big first down. That's the Drive concept working exactly as it's designed to work.

Where he can improve: Throwing with anticipation

This is the biggest area I identified. There's a difference between a quarterback who throws with anticipation and one who needs to see the receiver open before throwing. Joe Montana and Steve Young were anticipation passers. They trusted their reads. They trusted their receivers.
And they threw the football before the receiver was visibly open. The ball arrived as the receiver came out of his break.

That's the ideal.

Jackson was a little more of a see-it-and-throw-it quarterback in this game.
He wanted to recognize that the receiver had won before releasing the ball.

I understand why.

He hasn't had the same repetitions with these receivers. Timing and trust are developed through practice. But at this level, that extra beat matters.
It allows defensive backs to close. It increases the opportunity for pass breakups or interceptions. And even when you complete the pass, it can limit the receiver's opportunity to gain yards afterward.

There were a couple of throws against Virginia Tech that could have been interceptions. And there were others where better timing and placement could have produced considerably more yardage.

You don't have to see it to throw it. You have to predict it to throw it.
That's where I'd like to see Jackson continue improving. But overall, he did what he needed to do.

He helped Cal win. And he showed that he can operate this offense effectively.

Wide Receivers: Better Coverage Recognition and Execution

I thought Cal's receivers played well. What stood out wasn't simply their ability to catch the football. It was their understanding of the coverage they were facing. And their ability to adjust their routes accordingly.

Chase Hendricks: Understanding defensive leverage

Chase did an excellent job recognizing where the open space was against zone coverage. Instead of simply running a route to a spot on the field, he understood when to settle. That's important.

A receiver has to know when to keep moving and when to stop in a window. And the quarterback has to be on the same page. Chase and Jackson were.

One play in particular stood out.

Chase caught a slant, stopped on a dime, and turned back up the sideline for additional yardage. I joked during my breakdown that I practically blew my ACL watching him make that cut. But there was something else I liked. He caught the football before trying to make the next move.
After a couple of drops against UNLV, it was good to see him fully focused on securing the catch. Then he went and made the extra play. That's how it's supposed to work.

Ian Strong: A mismatch I'd like to see used even more

Ian Strong is a difficult matchup for just about any corner in college football. He's long. He's physical. He's right around 6-foot-5. And he's faster than he looks.

His long stride makes it seem like he's gliding down the field. But suddenly he's on top of a corner, and that defensive back has to turn and run.
I thought Ian did a great job pushing vertically and then working back toward the football. That created opportunities for back-shoulder catches.
It also helped him draw pass-interference penalties because of the way he attacked the ball.

He made catches underneath. He worked the hitch game. And he used his size to create separation and compete for difficult throws. That's exactly what you want from him. But I'd go further.

I'd like to see Cal throw more footballs over the top to Ian. Not just back-shoulder balls. Let him run. Give him opportunities to win vertically. With his size and ability to compete for the football, he's a threat even when a corner appears to have good coverage. And once defensive backs start worrying about getting beaten deep, those back-shoulder throws become much harder to defend.

Ian is also a guy I really like personally. I've had conversations with him about mindset away from football. I think he brings leadership and stability to the offense. He's somebody I'd continue looking for opportunities to involve.

Jordan King: Timing is everything

Jordan made an important catch on the Sail concept. But that play illustrates exactly what I was talking about with quarterback anticipation.
The receiver got into position. The quarterback made the completion. But the ball came late enough that Jordan was forced out of bounds. A throw delivered a beat earlier could have given him room to turn upfield.
That's why quarterback timing affects the entire offense.

A completion isn't always the end of the opportunity. Sometimes it's where the opportunity really begins.

Tight Ends: Mason Mini and Taimani Purcell

I thought the tight ends played a really solid game. Mason Mini was particularly effective as a blocker. Taimani Purcell also contributed physicality. I love seeing that. These are talented receivers who can create problems in the passing game. But they're also taking pride in blocking for their teammates.

That matters.

Mason Mini: More variety on option routes

Mason also showed a good understanding of coverage. Cal used him on several option routes, and he generally made good decisions. But I think there's another level he can reach.

I'd like to see him vary the tempo of his route breaks. Sometimes make a speed cut. Get in and out of the break without slowing down. Other times show the defender that same speed-cut look, then shake him and break in the opposite direction.

Why? Because linebackers and nickel defenders have to protect against a two-way go. When a tight end adds different breaks and tempos, he becomes much harder to cover. Mason has the ability to develop that part of his game. And when you combine it with the physical blocking we saw against Virginia Tech, the tight-end position can become a major strength for Cal.

Running Backs: Ashten Emory and Carson Perry-Smith

Ashten Emory: One cut, get vertical, finish the run I loved the way Ashten Emory ran the football. He's a one-cut-and-go running back. He gets vertical. He runs downhill. And he finishes physically.

Against Virginia Tech, he wasn't just taking what the blocking gave him.
He was delivering blows. I particularly loved his late touchdown toward the north end zone. The corner came up and went low. He didn't want to absorb the full collision. Ashten ran right over and through him. That's physical running. And that's the kind of mentality that creates valuable short-yardage opportunities.

Third-and-short. Fourth-and-one. Goal line. You need a back who's willing to finish the run. Ashten did that.

Were there mistakes? Sure. There were small things to clean up, including losing his footing on an opportunity near the goal line. But his overall performance was impressive.

He ran hard. He was decisive. And he made defenders deal with his physicality.

Carson Perry-Smith: Making plays wherever he's needed

Carson Perry-Smith is another great story. A former walk-on receiver who's now contributing at running back. And he's finding ways to help the offense. His touchdown catch was outstanding.

Jackson Brousseau was under pressure near the goal line. He had to get the football out. He gave Carson an opportunity in the end zone. And Carson made a phenomenal catch. That was a big play.

I also enjoyed watching Pat Laird interview Carson after the game. If you remember the kind of player Pat was at Cal, there's something pretty cool about seeing him recognize another Bear who's making the most of his opportunity.

Carson has become a valuable part of this offense.

Offensive Line: The Biggest Technical Improvement

Now let's talk about the group that may have made the biggest difference.
The offensive line. As a former quarterback, I love offensive linemen.
I want those guys to succeed. And I understand how difficult their job is.
But Cal's offensive line has struggled at times this season.

I've watched defenders get free. I've seen the pocket collapse. And I've seen quarterbacks forced to operate without the time they need.

Against Virginia Tech, something changed. And it was a significant technical improvement.

The problem: Continuing to retreat

Earlier this season, Cal's linemen were giving up too much ground in pass protection. They'd get into their kick-slide. Then continue kicking and sliding backward. And continue retreating.

That's a problem.

Playing offensive line is physics. You have two big men trying to establish leverage and control. When the offensive lineman continues retreating, he's allowing the defensive lineman to build forward momentum. Eventually the defender can turn him or drive him toward the quarterback.

The pocket gets compressed. The quarterback runs out of room. And even if the defender doesn't record a sack, he can disrupt the throw. We've seen too much of that.

The solution: Post, anchor and fight

Against Virginia Tech, Cal's linemen did a much better job of establishing their position. They got into their kick-slide. Used their post step. Then planted and anchored.

Instead of continuing to retreat, they made the defensive lineman fight to get past them. That's a huge difference. Now the offensive lineman has a solid base. He can use leverage. He can generate power from the ground.
And he can impede the pass rusher's path.

The result is a shallower pocket. What coaches call a shallow dish. A pocket that gives the quarterback room to step up and deliver the football.
That's what I liked seeing against Virginia Tech.

Why a half-second matters

Virginia Tech came into this game with 19 sacks and a defensive front that had been extremely productive creating tackles for loss. This was not an easy group to protect against. But Cal created resistance. And sometimes all the quarterback needs is another half-second.

One more beat to complete the progression. One more beat for the receiver to clear the defender. One more beat to throw the football.
That's what this technique helped provide.

Handling defensive-line games

There was another improvement I noticed.

Earlier this season, some of Cal's interior offensive linemen had become so focused on anticipating stunts and line games that they were losing track of the defender immediately in front of them.

You can't do that. You have to communicate. You have to pass off games.
But you also have to engage the defender who's threatening your gap.

You can't let a defensive lineman slap your hands away and run free while you're looking for somebody else.

Against Virginia Tech, I saw more willingness to anchor, establish contact, and make defenders work. That's important.

Offensive line and quarterback timing work together

Here's where the entire offense comes together. If the quarterback is holding the football waiting for a vertical route to develop, the defensive line knows it has time to rush. But when you're running Drive, Sail, Smash, Snag and Mesh, Y-Stick the football can come out quickly.
Now the pass rush has less time.

If you mix in screens, defenders have to respect the possibility of the football being thrown behind them. That changes the rush. And when the offensive line anchors instead of constantly retreating, the quarterback gets a little more room.

Now he can step up. Work the progression. Deliver the football on time.
The play calling helps the offensive line. The offensive line helps the quarterback. And the quarterback helps himself by understanding his reads and getting the ball out. That's how good offense is supposed to work.

Looking Ahead: What This Means for Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

Now the challenge is carrying these improvements forward. And I'm particularly interested in what they can mean for Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

Jaron is incredibly talented. He has the physical ability to make just about every throw you could want from a college quarterback. But he's young.
And playing quarterback is not intuitive. It has to be taught.

A young quarterback needs to understand where his eyes belong before the snap. What safety rotation tells him. Who his defensive key is. How that determines his progression. When his feet need to move. And when the football has to come out. That's the responsibility of the coaching staff.
And it's where I believe this approach can really help him.

Keep it simple

You don't need a huge passing-game package to move the football effectively. Sometimes you need fewer concepts executed at a much higher level.

Drive. Sail. Smash. Snag. Mesh.

Give Jaron clear reads. Teach him where to put his eyes. Tie his feet to his progressions. And get the football out on time. Don't let him get stuck staring at one receiver. Let the structure of the offense make his decisions easier. Then let his incredible physical talent take over.

If Cal can combine these concepts with the improved offensive-line technique we saw against the Hokies, I think this offense has an opportunity to become much more efficient.

Jaron has weapons. He has receivers who can win matchups. And if the offensive line continues creating a better pocket, he'll have more time to operate. That's an encouraging combination.

Final Thoughts: Everything Works Together

That's what stood out most when I watched this game on film. The improvement wasn't isolated to one position. It was connected.

Pat McCann's play calling gave the quarterback clearer answers.

Jackson Brousseau operated the offense with poise and improving rhythm.

The receivers understood coverage and created opportunities.

The tight ends blocked physically and contributed to the passing game.

The running backs finished runs and made plays.

And the offensive line established a firmer pocket that gave the quarterback more time.

None of those things operate independently.

When you coordinate an offense properly, the different parts make one another better. That's what we finally saw against Virginia Tech.

It wasn't perfect, but at times it was poetry out there. Now the challenge is doing it consistently.

Go Bears.