If one looks at the statistics for the 2010 Oregon Ducks, it's better for Cal fans with game tickets to go for a half, then make way for The Bears Lair, or Henry's for a session of cocktailing and socializing. Just make sure not to drive.
In other words, it looks like it's going to be that kind of day.
It's rare to see an opponent that has an average game score of 54.7 points, versus just 17 points allowed. Oregon is first in not just the Pac-10, but the nation in total offense, with 567.2 yards per game. That's totally insane.
However, there are some notable statistical openings for Cal.
First, Oregon allows a total 329 yards of total offense per game, which can be divided into 229 yards passing and 100 yards rushing. That's enough to be effective, and means that Oregon's pinball scoring machine forces opponents to try and play their game. Few teams can beat Oregon in a track meet, and none in the Pac-10 so far.
What's the weakness? Frankly, giving up 3.38 yards per rush is one. As long as Cal's willing to be patient and play a grind it out ground game of misdirection running, Cal can win. (Yep, you read that correctly.)
If Cal can get 3 yards per carry on the first two downs, then throw short on 3rd down just to move the chains, the Golden Bears can mount long drives and keep the ball from Oregon.
But the runs must be of misdirection design: not just reverses, but counter-action, and draws. The Ducks defense is aggressive to the point-of-attack, and can down runs for a loss if they can be tracked. Misdirection must be the plan of the day.
If Cal comes out with a plan of smash-mouth football in the first quarter, call Henry's or The Bears Lair and reserve a table - you're going to need it after all the pale ale you're going to consume.
Me? I prefer a screw-driver.
GO BEARS!
| SF Prop H | NFL News
Saturday, November 13, 2010
0
Monday, September 13, 2010
0
Boise State Football: Virginia Tech Preparation Reveals Broncos Approach
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To give the Clift Notes version of what Coach Kuchar wrote before the link to it, Virginia Tech broke down Boise State Offense on film in detail and a full five months before their September 6th opener. Coach Kuchar was given the opportunity to be a part of the analysis process.
What was learned was that, first, Head Coach Chris Peterson's approach is to have not an offensive system, but a collection of plays for given situations. Second, Boise State uses leverage, numbers, and grass to "gash the opposition." That is, "leverage" is using shifts and motion to gain a "numbers" advantage at the point of attack, to run a running play that gashes the defense, at times for big gains. What the Broncos do is use a tight-end plus a wingback to add an extra hole for the defense to worry about.
If the defense overloads and overruns this set, their running backs are coached to cut back to the weakside.
(If you paid attention to the Colts vs. Texans game, this is almost exactly how the Texans ran against the Colts. The Colts answer would have been to adjust by putting "eight in the box," then blitz the weakside linebacker to force the running back to make a quick decision before he's ready, or be downed for a loss, or both.)
In the passing game, Boise State also uses the overload concept, employing a 3 x 1 formation, but then motioning the back to the strongside so we have a 4 x 1 set: if the safeties go to the "4" side, Boise throws to the Split End, or the "1," on the weakside.
Finally, Boise State's not afraid to take bold offensive actions, like the famous hook-and-ladder play against Oklahoma, the Wildcat pass, or the fake wide receiver screen draw play, all used in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl:
There's a lot more in Coach Kuchar's account, which you can read with a click here. But Virginia Tech's preparation was the reason they almost beat Boise State and arguably the reason they lost to James Madision, thus contributing to Boise State's drop in the polls this week. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
0
USC AD Pat Haden Thinks Reggie Bush Should Give Back Heisman
This just in: on The Dan Patrick Show this morning, USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said that if he were New Orleans Saints and former USC Running Back Reggie Bush, with Pat Haden's soul, he would return the Heisman Trophy he won in 2005.
This is USC officially throwing Reggie Bush under the bus. Now, it's all over the place with ESPNs Erin Andrews blasting the news out on radio.
To recap, Reggie Bush won the Heisman in 2005, but with USC suffering from severe NCAA sanctions including a 2-year postseason ban, loss of football scholarships, and the vacating of wins in the 2004-05 championship season, in the wake of alleged improper gifts to Bush, much has changed. Mike Garrett was fired as athletic director at Southern Cal, and replaced by USC Football Quarterback and NFL Analyst Pat Haden.
Pat Haden has waisted no time in trying to disassociate USC from Reggie Bush, a totally impossible task.
More on this today. | SF Prop H | NFL News
"If I were Reggie Bush with Pat Haden's soul, I would say yes. Reggie Bush was a great player, an exciting player. But the NCAA report says that we must disassociate ourselves from Reggie."
This is USC officially throwing Reggie Bush under the bus. Now, it's all over the place with ESPNs Erin Andrews blasting the news out on radio.
To recap, Reggie Bush won the Heisman in 2005, but with USC suffering from severe NCAA sanctions including a 2-year postseason ban, loss of football scholarships, and the vacating of wins in the 2004-05 championship season, in the wake of alleged improper gifts to Bush, much has changed. Mike Garrett was fired as athletic director at Southern Cal, and replaced by USC Football Quarterback and NFL Analyst Pat Haden.
Pat Haden has waisted no time in trying to disassociate USC from Reggie Bush, a totally impossible task.
More on this today. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
0
College Football: Cal Football's Jeremy Ross shows us his crib
Cal Athletics on YouTube' has really improved in videos and creativity over the past year.
One example is this video by Francesca Weems featuring California Wide Receiver Jeremy Ross, #3.
It's part of a segment called "Cal Cribs" that's not only fun, but I wonder if they're going to show it at the Cal Football games this 2010 season.
One thing Ross needs is a real television set. But on second thought, he's got to hit the books, so a new TV set just may be a bad idea.
GO BEARS! | SF Prop H | NFL News
One example is this video by Francesca Weems featuring California Wide Receiver Jeremy Ross, #3.
It's part of a segment called "Cal Cribs" that's not only fun, but I wonder if they're going to show it at the Cal Football games this 2010 season.
One thing Ross needs is a real television set. But on second thought, he's got to hit the books, so a new TV set just may be a bad idea.
GO BEARS! | SF Prop H | NFL News
Monday, June 14, 2010
1
USC Football sanctions: some donors point to Mike Garrett and Pete Carroll
In the wake of the NCAA's sanctions against USC for alleged violations in its football and basketball programs, and as USC's athletic administration led by USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett, digs in, circles the wagons, and prepares for an appeal, some USC donors who talked to this blogger are not pleased at all with the situation, and are using it to speak their displeasure with not just USC's Garrett, but former USC Football Coach Pete Carroll.
One donor who's met Carroll several times, has had a major role in giving to the USC program, and has been a visitor to the USC Football practices on several occasions said on Sunday "I could just walk into the practices and no one asked who I was. I could have had a $1,000 cash and no one would know."
The USC donor says that while Pete Carroll claimed disappointment with the NCAA action, and lack of knowledge of how the actions that were the focus of the punishment could have happened, on some level it was hard to see how he could not know or have some idea that something was going on with Reggie Bush. After all, he was the head coach. "This puts a cloud over everything that's happened in the past," my USC donor friend said.
Another USC Donor friend, in a conversation Saturday in San Francisco's Marina District, said "I think Mike Garrett should go" but focused more on their dislike for Garrett's style rather than any substantive argument. Still, it's clear the NCAA sanctions against USC have given Mike Carrett's enemies reason to strike, and they're doing so.
Mike Garrett, for his part, is fighting back, according to ESPN's Diamond Leung. In a blog, Diamond Leung noted that Garrett "had this to say when I approached him before the start of the event: “No comment. Don’t bother me. The world is great.” Then Leung noted "While walking away with associates, he (Garrett) said, 'Don’t talk to that guy. He’s the press.'"
Garrett's best action is openness - with his friends, his enemies, and the press. It's not fair that Garrett's left to fight the USC battle alone while Pete Carroll escapes scot free. The word that's coming in here is that Mike Ornstein (currently working with 49ers Legend Joe Montana), may have been asked by Pete Carroll to work with his football program.
The possible smoking gun rests in the USC Public Infractions Report that you can download here and which reads in part:
The "sports marketer" referred to is Mike Ornstein, as revealed in a 2007 SPORTS by BROOKS blog post. Mike told this blogger he was working on behalf of Joe Montana on the Red Carpet of The 2010 NFL Draft in this video at the 26 second mark:
In retrospect, it did not occur to me to ask Mike about the USC issue at the time and until three hour later after the NFL Draft started when it fully dawned on me that Mike Ornstein was the Mike Ornstein. But then, there were a number of "seasoned sports journalists" there, who didn't ask him any questions at all; I asked about sports marketing in this economic climate.
I digress. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll should come out and say what he knows, because its clear he knows something and time will reveal what that is. By not saying anything, Pete Carroll places Mike Ornstein in the position of being able to "out" Carroll if he wants to. If Ornstein denies that Carroll asked him to participate in the football program, the question is "If not Pete, then who did?"
This story gets more complicated with every turn. | SF Prop H | NFL News
One donor who's met Carroll several times, has had a major role in giving to the USC program, and has been a visitor to the USC Football practices on several occasions said on Sunday "I could just walk into the practices and no one asked who I was. I could have had a $1,000 cash and no one would know."
The USC donor says that while Pete Carroll claimed disappointment with the NCAA action, and lack of knowledge of how the actions that were the focus of the punishment could have happened, on some level it was hard to see how he could not know or have some idea that something was going on with Reggie Bush. After all, he was the head coach. "This puts a cloud over everything that's happened in the past," my USC donor friend said.
Another USC Donor friend, in a conversation Saturday in San Francisco's Marina District, said "I think Mike Garrett should go" but focused more on their dislike for Garrett's style rather than any substantive argument. Still, it's clear the NCAA sanctions against USC have given Mike Carrett's enemies reason to strike, and they're doing so.
Mike Garrett, for his part, is fighting back, according to ESPN's Diamond Leung. In a blog, Diamond Leung noted that Garrett "had this to say when I approached him before the start of the event: “No comment. Don’t bother me. The world is great.” Then Leung noted "While walking away with associates, he (Garrett) said, 'Don’t talk to that guy. He’s the press.'"
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| Mike Ornstein |
The possible smoking gun rests in the USC Public Infractions Report that you can download here and which reads in part:
There was information in the record that the former head football coach encouraged sports marketer A to hire student-athletes as interns. A current NFLPA certified agent ("sports agent B") is the chairman of a sports agency and a colleague of sports marketer A. He reported that the former head football coach asked sports marketer A to consider hiring football student-athletes as interns in his agency. Sports agent B reported:
(Sports marketer A) was like, „yeah, here's (the former head football coach) and the year before, he, he's tryin' to get me to hire, you know, three players, you know.‟
...How many players, I don't even know, maybe he tried to get him to hire ten....but it was totally agreed upon between (the former head football coach) and (sports marketer A) that there was an internship program for that summer. That's all I do know.
At the hearing, the former head coach denied that he asked sports marketer A to hire football student-athletes as interns, although he acknowledged that he knew sports marketer A and that he (sports marketer A) had "something about his past the years before that had gone wrong . . . (and) it was related to the NFL.”
[Note: At the hearing the institution's general counsel reported that, in 1995, sports marketer A had "pleaded guilty to mail fraud for defrauding the NFL."]
The "sports marketer" referred to is Mike Ornstein, as revealed in a 2007 SPORTS by BROOKS blog post. Mike told this blogger he was working on behalf of Joe Montana on the Red Carpet of The 2010 NFL Draft in this video at the 26 second mark:
In retrospect, it did not occur to me to ask Mike about the USC issue at the time and until three hour later after the NFL Draft started when it fully dawned on me that Mike Ornstein was the Mike Ornstein. But then, there were a number of "seasoned sports journalists" there, who didn't ask him any questions at all; I asked about sports marketing in this economic climate.
I digress. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll should come out and say what he knows, because its clear he knows something and time will reveal what that is. By not saying anything, Pete Carroll places Mike Ornstein in the position of being able to "out" Carroll if he wants to. If Ornstein denies that Carroll asked him to participate in the football program, the question is "If not Pete, then who did?"
This story gets more complicated with every turn. | SF Prop H | NFL News
USC Football sanctions: some donors point to Mike Garrett and Pete Carroll
In the wake of the NCAA's sanctions against USC for alleged violations in its football and basketball programs, and as USC's athletic administration led by USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett, digs in, circles the wagons, and prepares for an appeal, some USC donors who talked to this blogger are not pleased at all with the situation, and are using it to speak their displeasure with not just USC's Garrett, but former USC Football Coach Pete Carroll.
One donor who's met Carroll several times, has had a major role in giving to the USC program, and has been a visitor to the USC Football practices on several occasions said on Sunday "I could just walk into the practices and no one asked who I was. I could have had a $1,000 cash and no one would know."
The USC donor says that while Pete Carroll claimed disappointment with the NCAA action, and lack of knowledge of how the actions that were the focus of the punishment could have happened, on some level it was hard to see how he could not know or have some idea that something was going on with Reggie Bush. After all, he was the head coach. "This puts a cloud over everything that's happened in the past," my USC donor friend said.
Another USC Donor friend, in a conversation Saturday in San Francisco's Marina District, said "I think Mike Garrett should go" but focused more on their dislike for Garrett's style rather than any substantive argument. Still, it's clear the NCAA sanctions against USC have given Mike Carrett's enemies reason to strike, and they're doing so.
Mike Garrett, for his part, is fighting back, according to ESPN's Diamond Leung. In a blog, Diamond Leung noted that Garrett "had this to say when I approached him before the start of the event: “No comment. Don’t bother me. The world is great.” Then Leung noted "While walking away with associates, he (Garrett) said, 'Don’t talk to that guy. He’s the press.'"
Garrett's best action is openness - with his friends, his enemies, and the press. It's not fair that Garrett's left to fight the USC battle alone while Pete Carroll escapes scot free. The word that's coming in here is that Mike Ornstein (currently working with 49ers Legend Joe Montana), may have been asked by Pete Carroll to work with his football program.
The possible smoking gun rests in the USC Public Infractions Report that you can download here and which reads in part:
The "sports marketer" referred to is Mike Ornstein, as revealed in a 2007 SPORTS by BROOKS blog post. Mike told this blogger he was working on behalf of Joe Montana on the Red Carpet of The 2010 NFL Draft in this video at the 26 second mark:
In retrospect, it did not occur to me to ask Mike about the USC issue at the time and until three hour later after the NFL Draft started when it fully dawned on me that Mike Ornstein was the Mike Ornstein. But then, there were a number of "seasoned sports journalists" there, who didn't ask him any questions at all; I asked about sports marketing in this economic climate.
I digress. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll should come out and say what he knows, because its clear he knows something and time will reveal what that is. By not saying anything, Pete Carroll places Mike Ornstein in the position of being able to "out" Carroll if he wants to. If Ornstein denies that Carroll asked him to participate in the football program, the question is "If not Pete, then who did?"
This story gets more complicated with every turn. | SF Prop H | NFL News
One donor who's met Carroll several times, has had a major role in giving to the USC program, and has been a visitor to the USC Football practices on several occasions said on Sunday "I could just walk into the practices and no one asked who I was. I could have had a $1,000 cash and no one would know."
The USC donor says that while Pete Carroll claimed disappointment with the NCAA action, and lack of knowledge of how the actions that were the focus of the punishment could have happened, on some level it was hard to see how he could not know or have some idea that something was going on with Reggie Bush. After all, he was the head coach. "This puts a cloud over everything that's happened in the past," my USC donor friend said.
Another USC Donor friend, in a conversation Saturday in San Francisco's Marina District, said "I think Mike Garrett should go" but focused more on their dislike for Garrett's style rather than any substantive argument. Still, it's clear the NCAA sanctions against USC have given Mike Carrett's enemies reason to strike, and they're doing so.
Mike Garrett, for his part, is fighting back, according to ESPN's Diamond Leung. In a blog, Diamond Leung noted that Garrett "had this to say when I approached him before the start of the event: “No comment. Don’t bother me. The world is great.” Then Leung noted "While walking away with associates, he (Garrett) said, 'Don’t talk to that guy. He’s the press.'"
![]() |
| Mike Ornstein |
The possible smoking gun rests in the USC Public Infractions Report that you can download here and which reads in part:
There was information in the record that the former head football coach encouraged sports marketer A to hire student-athletes as interns. A current NFLPA certified agent ("sports agent B") is the chairman of a sports agency and a colleague of sports marketer A. He reported that the former head football coach asked sports marketer A to consider hiring football student-athletes as interns in his agency. Sports agent B reported:
(Sports marketer A) was like, „yeah, here's (the former head football coach) and the year before, he, he's tryin' to get me to hire, you know, three players, you know.‟
...How many players, I don't even know, maybe he tried to get him to hire ten....but it was totally agreed upon between (the former head football coach) and (sports marketer A) that there was an internship program for that summer. That's all I do know.
At the hearing, the former head coach denied that he asked sports marketer A to hire football student-athletes as interns, although he acknowledged that he knew sports marketer A and that he (sports marketer A) had "something about his past the years before that had gone wrong . . . (and) it was related to the NFL.”
[Note: At the hearing the institution's general counsel reported that, in 1995, sports marketer A had "pleaded guilty to mail fraud for defrauding the NFL."]
The "sports marketer" referred to is Mike Ornstein, as revealed in a 2007 SPORTS by BROOKS blog post. Mike told this blogger he was working on behalf of Joe Montana on the Red Carpet of The 2010 NFL Draft in this video at the 26 second mark:
In retrospect, it did not occur to me to ask Mike about the USC issue at the time and until three hour later after the NFL Draft started when it fully dawned on me that Mike Ornstein was the Mike Ornstein. But then, there were a number of "seasoned sports journalists" there, who didn't ask him any questions at all; I asked about sports marketing in this economic climate.
I digress. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll should come out and say what he knows, because its clear he knows something and time will reveal what that is. By not saying anything, Pete Carroll places Mike Ornstein in the position of being able to "out" Carroll if he wants to. If Ornstein denies that Carroll asked him to participate in the football program, the question is "If not Pete, then who did?"
This story gets more complicated with every turn. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Thursday, June 10, 2010
0
NCAA USC punishment calls Pete Carroll move to Seahawks to question
The National Collegiate Athletic Association, via a source to ESPN, is set to announce that it is going to strip the University of Southern California or "USC" of the ability to play in a bowl game for two years, a forfeiture of wins at least from the 2004 season and possibility the loss of the 2004 National Championship. All of this after an investigation of activities in football and basketball, and related to former students Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo, was completed.
The death blow to future USC success calls former USC Coach Pete Carroll's move to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks into question, and casts a giant black cloud over all that Carroll did while he was at USC. At first, this blogger believed Carroll's departure was just because a 6 and 6 season and the criticism was too much to stomach...
But in light of the NCAA investigation and its decision to essentially destroy USC Football as we've known it, now it seems that Pete Carroll knew this was coming, even as he told Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show that he "would be surprised" if the NCAA took any action.
Well, Pete Carroll has to express surprise now, but really also has a lot of explaining to do. This level of punishment is too great for Pete Carroll to avoid. He should talk about it, and soon. Indeed, he will have to at some point.
And one has to wonder what former Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis thinks of this news. Weis famously implied that Pete Carroll gets a pass from the media, and dropped an allegation about Pete Carroll that he later retracted. But it's clear Pete Carroll has not been one of Charlie Weis favorite people because he thinks Weis got special treatment from the media.
Also, how does the NCAA action impact the 2010 Pac-10 race, which was already wide open? Does Cal or Stanford have an open shot at the Pac-10 title? Will the Cal Stanford Big Game finally have real meaning for the first time in years?
Stay tuned for updates. | SF Prop H | NFL News
The death blow to future USC success calls former USC Coach Pete Carroll's move to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks into question, and casts a giant black cloud over all that Carroll did while he was at USC. At first, this blogger believed Carroll's departure was just because a 6 and 6 season and the criticism was too much to stomach...
But in light of the NCAA investigation and its decision to essentially destroy USC Football as we've known it, now it seems that Pete Carroll knew this was coming, even as he told Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show that he "would be surprised" if the NCAA took any action.
Well, Pete Carroll has to express surprise now, but really also has a lot of explaining to do. This level of punishment is too great for Pete Carroll to avoid. He should talk about it, and soon. Indeed, he will have to at some point.
Pete Carroll and Charlie Weis (ESPN)
And one has to wonder what former Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis thinks of this news. Weis famously implied that Pete Carroll gets a pass from the media, and dropped an allegation about Pete Carroll that he later retracted. But it's clear Pete Carroll has not been one of Charlie Weis favorite people because he thinks Weis got special treatment from the media.
Also, how does the NCAA action impact the 2010 Pac-10 race, which was already wide open? Does Cal or Stanford have an open shot at the Pac-10 title? Will the Cal Stanford Big Game finally have real meaning for the first time in years?
Stay tuned for updates. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Sunday, October 18, 2009
0
Cal beats UCLA 45 to 26; Cal not in BCS Standings?
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The Cal Golden Bears got the win they (we) needed Saturday with a 45 to 26 win over the hated UCLA Bruins, marking the first time Cal Football Head
Coach Jeff Tedford has won at the Rose Bowl in his time with Cal.
Congrats Coach Tedford!
The win gives us a 4 and 2 overall record, and it was all heart, frankly. Some things in the scheme department to rave about but plenty in the execution area to be happy with. But what vexes me is the BCS standings just released today: Cal's not in them.
But before I get to that, let's go back to that matter of running plays. Hats off to Heisman Trophy Candidate Javhid Best, who ran for 102 yards, discovered cutback running. Not that he's failed to do it before, but the 93 yard run was the best one I've seen him do. Plain and simple. See for yourself:
Cal's other star running back on Saturday was Shane Vereen, who gained 154 yards, most of it replacing the ill Best. But he did it out of a very well-designed set of running plays, one a draw play that was so smoothly executed by Cal QB Kevin Riley, it looked as if he had the ball even after he gave it to Vereen.
Another surprise was Riley himself running the ball out of a spread formation. Cal's done it before but had it tucked away for a few games until UCLA.
Offensively it wasn't Cal using a trick play but plays smartly designed to get the ball to their best players. Take the 2nd quarter play action pass to Best running out of the I Formation.
It's a play that requires the offensive line to hold their blocks after the play fake a bit longer than I'd like, because Best comes out of the tailback position to run a fly pattern. In this game it worked - Best caught the ball and scored 52-yards downfield - but I can see a defensive coordinator calling a six-rusher blitz in the future; UCLA only sent four people.
At any rate, it was a great and much needed win. Offensively Cal needs to install more true rollout passes and I'd like to see more of the system I've called for before, but a win's a win.
Now about that BCS thing.
The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) rankings were released today, and Cal was no where to be seen.
Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State, and Cincinnati are ranked 1 through 5. USC, TCU, LSU, Miami, Fla, and Oregon are 6 through 10. Here's the list:
First 2009 BCS Poll
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Boise State
5. Cincinnati
6. Iowa
7. USC
8. TCU
9. LSU
10. Miami (FL)
11. Oregon
12. Georgia Tech
13. Penn State
14. Virginia Tech
15. Oklahoma State
16. Brigham Young
17. Houston
18. Utah
19. Ohio State
20. Pittsburgh
21. Wisconsin
22. Arizona
23. West Virginia
24. South Carolina
25. Kansas
It's a crowded field, with a whole bunch of one-loss teams, and four two-loss teams, including (huh?) Arizona (4 and 2) is there. We're (Cal) 1-2 in the conference, whereas Arizona is 2-1.
So we've really got to turn on the jets to get into BCS land and UCLA was a great start. Washington State, at 0-4, is the next home game and every bit as important as this one. Arizona now faces a desperate UCLA team: a loss could be just the tonic we need to enter the BCS picture.
Of course the BCS system is more complicated than that, but let's put it this way: for now we want to root for UCLA to beat Arizona Saturday.
GO BEARS! | SF Prop H | NFL News
The Cal Golden Bears got the win they (we) needed Saturday with a 45 to 26 win over the hated UCLA Bruins, marking the first time Cal Football Head
Coach Jeff Tedford has won at the Rose Bowl in his time with Cal.
Congrats Coach Tedford!
The win gives us a 4 and 2 overall record, and it was all heart, frankly. Some things in the scheme department to rave about but plenty in the execution area to be happy with. But what vexes me is the BCS standings just released today: Cal's not in them.
But before I get to that, let's go back to that matter of running plays. Hats off to Heisman Trophy Candidate Javhid Best, who ran for 102 yards, discovered cutback running. Not that he's failed to do it before, but the 93 yard run was the best one I've seen him do. Plain and simple. See for yourself:
Cal's other star running back on Saturday was Shane Vereen, who gained 154 yards, most of it replacing the ill Best. But he did it out of a very well-designed set of running plays, one a draw play that was so smoothly executed by Cal QB Kevin Riley, it looked as if he had the ball even after he gave it to Vereen.
Another surprise was Riley himself running the ball out of a spread formation. Cal's done it before but had it tucked away for a few games until UCLA.
Offensively it wasn't Cal using a trick play but plays smartly designed to get the ball to their best players. Take the 2nd quarter play action pass to Best running out of the I Formation.
It's a play that requires the offensive line to hold their blocks after the play fake a bit longer than I'd like, because Best comes out of the tailback position to run a fly pattern. In this game it worked - Best caught the ball and scored 52-yards downfield - but I can see a defensive coordinator calling a six-rusher blitz in the future; UCLA only sent four people.
At any rate, it was a great and much needed win. Offensively Cal needs to install more true rollout passes and I'd like to see more of the system I've called for before, but a win's a win.
Now about that BCS thing.
The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) rankings were released today, and Cal was no where to be seen.
Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State, and Cincinnati are ranked 1 through 5. USC, TCU, LSU, Miami, Fla, and Oregon are 6 through 10. Here's the list:
First 2009 BCS Poll
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Boise State
5. Cincinnati
6. Iowa
7. USC
8. TCU
9. LSU
10. Miami (FL)
11. Oregon
12. Georgia Tech
13. Penn State
14. Virginia Tech
15. Oklahoma State
16. Brigham Young
17. Houston
18. Utah
19. Ohio State
20. Pittsburgh
21. Wisconsin
22. Arizona
23. West Virginia
24. South Carolina
25. Kansas
It's a crowded field, with a whole bunch of one-loss teams, and four two-loss teams, including (huh?) Arizona (4 and 2) is there. We're (Cal) 1-2 in the conference, whereas Arizona is 2-1.
So we've really got to turn on the jets to get into BCS land and UCLA was a great start. Washington State, at 0-4, is the next home game and every bit as important as this one. Arizona now faces a desperate UCLA team: a loss could be just the tonic we need to enter the BCS picture.
Of course the BCS system is more complicated than that, but let's put it this way: for now we want to root for UCLA to beat Arizona Saturday.
GO BEARS! | SF Prop H | NFL News
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
0
Cal v. USC Tickets on sale from $73 for Saturday's game
Catch the game at Cal against USC. You can get tickets here: Cal v. USC
GO BEARS!! | SF Prop H | NFL News
GO BEARS!! | SF Prop H | NFL News
Labels:
cal v. usc
Saturday, September 19, 2009
0
Cal's Jahvid Best's for Heisman! Five td's v. Minnesota
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GO BEARS!
Jahvid Best, Cal's star running back, placed himself at the top of the season's Heisman Trophy conversation with a 26-carry, 131 yard, five touchdown performance. Cal beat Minnesota in a tough game, 35-21, and is now 3 and 0.
Best, who set a school record with the final touchdown in the fourth quarter, scored his first three in the first half. He seemed to slow down in the third quarter, picking up only four yards. I'm not sure if he was slightly injured and the ESPN announcers didn't say anything about his condition, but it seemed as if he was a step slower in the last two quarters.
While Best was making Cal Football history, Kevin Riley put in a solid but not great performance with 16 for 25 and 252 yards; I would have preferred 22 of 28 for 300 yards, but I don't blame him for this. It's the offensive play design and game plan I question.
What bothers me as I watch the Golden Bears' offense is the almost total lack of a three-step passing attack. Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig needs to take a page from 2009 Notre Dame passing attack and install a five-wide-receiver formation, three-step passing play series to counter some of the blitzes from the defense's outside linebackers that Cal gets from time to time.
(In the "five-wide" formation I envision for Cal, Jahvid Best would be in the weak side slot position.)
Right now, Riley's asked to take deeper drops and read the coverage, then receiver progression, on almost every drop back pass. It's only in the play-action passes that Riley is able to make the immediate throw.
Installing just four new plays from the system I advocate would help Cal beat USC October 3rd. Cal must force USC's defense to chase the ball all over the field, from sideline to sideline in an effort to simply exhaust and frustrate the Trojans. A good three-step passing game is the perfect tool to accomplish that objective. | SF Prop H | NFL News
GO BEARS!
Jahvid Best, Cal's star running back, placed himself at the top of the season's Heisman Trophy conversation with a 26-carry, 131 yard, five touchdown performance. Cal beat Minnesota in a tough game, 35-21, and is now 3 and 0.
Best, who set a school record with the final touchdown in the fourth quarter, scored his first three in the first half. He seemed to slow down in the third quarter, picking up only four yards. I'm not sure if he was slightly injured and the ESPN announcers didn't say anything about his condition, but it seemed as if he was a step slower in the last two quarters.
Cal needs to install three-step passes
While Best was making Cal Football history, Kevin Riley put in a solid but not great performance with 16 for 25 and 252 yards; I would have preferred 22 of 28 for 300 yards, but I don't blame him for this. It's the offensive play design and game plan I question.
What bothers me as I watch the Golden Bears' offense is the almost total lack of a three-step passing attack. Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig needs to take a page from 2009 Notre Dame passing attack and install a five-wide-receiver formation, three-step passing play series to counter some of the blitzes from the defense's outside linebackers that Cal gets from time to time.
(In the "five-wide" formation I envision for Cal, Jahvid Best would be in the weak side slot position.)
Right now, Riley's asked to take deeper drops and read the coverage, then receiver progression, on almost every drop back pass. It's only in the play-action passes that Riley is able to make the immediate throw.
Cal needs a three-step system to beat USC
Installing just four new plays from the system I advocate would help Cal beat USC October 3rd. Cal must force USC's defense to chase the ball all over the field, from sideline to sideline in an effort to simply exhaust and frustrate the Trojans. A good three-step passing game is the perfect tool to accomplish that objective. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Labels:
cal bears,
Jahvid Best
Monday, September 14, 2009
0
NCAA College Football week 2 - wrap up
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NCAA week two was marked by two marque games: Notre Dame v. Michigan and USC v. Ohio State. In the first game, Notre Dame, which was 18th ranked and is now dropped from the rankings, looked to the contest as the "must-win" if The Fighting Irish were to prove to themselves and to America that they were indeed BCS-bound.
They failed.
The reason for their failure could be directly attributed to the fact that they don't have enough talent to beat or even compete with teams that commonly play at the BCS level. As I stated before, Notre Dame's academic requirements prevent it from consistently getting those players and Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis has not demonsrated an ability to "scheme" his way out of that problem.
I still believe it wise to place the game in the hands of the superbly talented sopohmore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who's an amazing passer and a capable leader. But what he's asked to do from a perspective of play design is my concern.
I contend that if Notre Dame believes it can reach the BCS it has to "scheme' its way there. It doesn't have a defense strong enough to stop, for example, the Michigan running game and that "belly series" from the Spread, which Michigan ran to perfection under freshman quarterback Tate Forceir.
That game's not the last time Notre Dame will see this play.
Rather than focus just on defensing it, Notre Dame needs to move toward a better short passing and roll-out passing game. Weis spent so much time trying to bomb the Wolverines into submission - and racking up over 400 yards in the process - he left time on the clock for Michigan's offense - its easier to run when the clock's working in your favor.
The ability to run was what lifted the then-third ranked USC Trojans over the Ohio State Buckeyes. And in that game we saw the coming of age of another freshman quaterback, Matt Barkley.
Barkley, who took over for the man who-would-be-the-senior quarterback Mark Sanchez (who won his first game as a rookie quarterback with the New York Jets), came in with a lot of questions because of his youth. But he answered them all in the Trojans' final drive to win the game, which even though it was driven by a suddenly powerful running attack, saw Matt hit open receivers on time.
While running back Joe McKnight did much of the heaving lifting in the drive, along with the SC offensive line, Barley did his part in completing the passes when they neeeded them the most. That was something Ohio State could not do.
What that game demonstrated was that Ohio State has an undisciplined passing attack. Many of the plays are out of play action and the patterns are some of the most ineffectively unusual I've ever seen. What I mean is that they call for the receiver to be out of proper position just by their design.
Plus, the passing game lacks the timing necessary to complete passes even with close coverage. And forget the idea of Ohio State mounting a pass-oriented comeback because they don't seem to practice the two-minute drill. Quarterback Terrell Pryor is an obviously talented athlete, but he's a raw passer who needs a lot of drilling in basic timed throwing; he's not getting it at Ohio State.
With all this, my Cal Golden Bears dropped 50 points on its last two "challengers", Maryland and Eastern Washington. Look out for the 7th ranked Golden Bears. | SF Prop H | NFL News
NCAA week two was marked by two marque games: Notre Dame v. Michigan and USC v. Ohio State. In the first game, Notre Dame, which was 18th ranked and is now dropped from the rankings, looked to the contest as the "must-win" if The Fighting Irish were to prove to themselves and to America that they were indeed BCS-bound.
They failed.
The reason for their failure could be directly attributed to the fact that they don't have enough talent to beat or even compete with teams that commonly play at the BCS level. As I stated before, Notre Dame's academic requirements prevent it from consistently getting those players and Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis has not demonsrated an ability to "scheme" his way out of that problem.
I still believe it wise to place the game in the hands of the superbly talented sopohmore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who's an amazing passer and a capable leader. But what he's asked to do from a perspective of play design is my concern.
I contend that if Notre Dame believes it can reach the BCS it has to "scheme' its way there. It doesn't have a defense strong enough to stop, for example, the Michigan running game and that "belly series" from the Spread, which Michigan ran to perfection under freshman quarterback Tate Forceir.
Spread "Belly" Triple Option
That game's not the last time Notre Dame will see this play.
Rather than focus just on defensing it, Notre Dame needs to move toward a better short passing and roll-out passing game. Weis spent so much time trying to bomb the Wolverines into submission - and racking up over 400 yards in the process - he left time on the clock for Michigan's offense - its easier to run when the clock's working in your favor.
USC beat Ohio State. Guess how?
The ability to run was what lifted the then-third ranked USC Trojans over the Ohio State Buckeyes. And in that game we saw the coming of age of another freshman quaterback, Matt Barkley.
Barkley, who took over for the man who-would-be-the-senior quarterback Mark Sanchez (who won his first game as a rookie quarterback with the New York Jets), came in with a lot of questions because of his youth. But he answered them all in the Trojans' final drive to win the game, which even though it was driven by a suddenly powerful running attack, saw Matt hit open receivers on time.
While running back Joe McKnight did much of the heaving lifting in the drive, along with the SC offensive line, Barley did his part in completing the passes when they neeeded them the most. That was something Ohio State could not do.
What that game demonstrated was that Ohio State has an undisciplined passing attack. Many of the plays are out of play action and the patterns are some of the most ineffectively unusual I've ever seen. What I mean is that they call for the receiver to be out of proper position just by their design.
Plus, the passing game lacks the timing necessary to complete passes even with close coverage. And forget the idea of Ohio State mounting a pass-oriented comeback because they don't seem to practice the two-minute drill. Quarterback Terrell Pryor is an obviously talented athlete, but he's a raw passer who needs a lot of drilling in basic timed throwing; he's not getting it at Ohio State.
Cal steamrolls opponents
With all this, my Cal Golden Bears dropped 50 points on its last two "challengers", Maryland and Eastern Washington. Look out for the 7th ranked Golden Bears. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Labels:
college football
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
0
Twitter tweets claim Boise State's Hout did use N-word to Oregon's Blount
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Twitter was the source of the latest information torpedo in the (unfortunately) still unfolding story behind the "punch seen round the sports World" by Oregon Running Back LeGarrett Blount to Boise State Defensive End Byron Hout.
Track athlete E.J. Prince used Twitter to blast this:
Jamere Holland is Oregon's wide receiver.
Prince also tweeted this:
@jemelehill is ESPN Columnist and Analyst Jemele Hill.
There's no indication that she responded to Prince's Twitter feed. He also sent a tweet to Skip Bayless; no tweet back to Prince from Bayless. Basically it seems that Prince's story is being ignored by certain mainstream media people. I can't confirm that, but it seems that way.
The main problem has been that none of the main actors in this play are talking. LeGarrette Blount's not moving his lips. Byron Hout's lost his voice. Both schools are silent on the question.
(And on that note, my first blog post speculated on the use of the N-word, not claimed that Hout used it as one blogger inaccurately wrote; this is different.)
E. J. Prince's value in this story rests on his tweet that he talked to (not tweeted) a friend of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland who plays for Oregon and who I will not name here.
E.J. Prince's value is that he's part of a larger "grapevine" network of multi-racial athletes, some connected via the fraternity system and athletics, some not. I contacted Prince on Twitter, and after following each other, exchanged private messages.
From that series of contacts, I made several calls to confirm what Prince was tweeting and I got more information than I bargained for.
Friends of Oregon wide receiver Holland had no idea that Prince put his name on Twitter because there's some kind of "gag order" placed on Oregon players regarding this matter, and they feared Oregon coaches would punish Holland.
This was told to me by an unnamed source over the phone, who said "Young people don't care (about explaining who said the N-word); it's the older people in suits, all of those, who care."
There seems to be an idea that if Blount keeps quiet about what was said then the Oregon would take care of him. What I explained is that Oregon would present a better picture for minority players if it stepped up to defend a player who was the target of a racially-charged statement.
But I think what stopped Oregon from doing that was Blount's punch and his subsequent tirade. Blount's from Mississippi and there's an old school view of the use of the N-word down there: no one uses it, period.
Again, no one is excusing Blount's actions; but there's a view within the grapevine I tapped that the media is unfairly piling on Blount but not punishing Hout. Moreover, every black man I've talked to regarding this story said they knew something racial was said to set Blount off.
It's that nasty experience with being on the receiving end of the N-word that bonds African Americans. There's an idea in some quarters in America that because the word is used in rap music, it's common and accepted to use it in American culture. It's not and its not even desired in the music.
What this proves is New Media is the new grapevine of our country and the World. I hope Boise State fills in the blanks in this picture, but if they come out and say Hout didn't use the N-word, they've got a whole lot of people in Oregon and part of a grapevine on the West Coast willing to tell another story, even if its through Twitter. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Twitter was the source of the latest information torpedo in the (unfortunately) still unfolding story behind the "punch seen round the sports World" by Oregon Running Back LeGarrett Blount to Boise State Defensive End Byron Hout.
Track athlete E.J. Prince used Twitter to blast this:
@realskipbayless Just talked to Jamere Holland (from Oregon WR) said that L. Blount socked dude from Boise State cuz he called him a n_____
Jamere Holland is Oregon's wide receiver.
Prince also tweeted this:
@q17 yeah I just hope the news about LaGarett Blount being censored gets out to people like @jemelehill
@jemelehill is ESPN Columnist and Analyst Jemele Hill.
There's no indication that she responded to Prince's Twitter feed. He also sent a tweet to Skip Bayless; no tweet back to Prince from Bayless. Basically it seems that Prince's story is being ignored by certain mainstream media people. I can't confirm that, but it seems that way.
The main problem has been that none of the main actors in this play are talking. LeGarrette Blount's not moving his lips. Byron Hout's lost his voice. Both schools are silent on the question.
(And on that note, my first blog post speculated on the use of the N-word, not claimed that Hout used it as one blogger inaccurately wrote; this is different.)
E. J. Prince's value in this story rests on his tweet that he talked to (not tweeted) a friend of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland who plays for Oregon and who I will not name here.
E.J. Prince's value is that he's part of a larger "grapevine" network of multi-racial athletes, some connected via the fraternity system and athletics, some not. I contacted Prince on Twitter, and after following each other, exchanged private messages.
From that series of contacts, I made several calls to confirm what Prince was tweeting and I got more information than I bargained for.
Friends of Oregon wide receiver Holland had no idea that Prince put his name on Twitter because there's some kind of "gag order" placed on Oregon players regarding this matter, and they feared Oregon coaches would punish Holland.
This was told to me by an unnamed source over the phone, who said "Young people don't care (about explaining who said the N-word); it's the older people in suits, all of those, who care."
There seems to be an idea that if Blount keeps quiet about what was said then the Oregon would take care of him. What I explained is that Oregon would present a better picture for minority players if it stepped up to defend a player who was the target of a racially-charged statement.
But I think what stopped Oregon from doing that was Blount's punch and his subsequent tirade. Blount's from Mississippi and there's an old school view of the use of the N-word down there: no one uses it, period.
Again, no one is excusing Blount's actions; but there's a view within the grapevine I tapped that the media is unfairly piling on Blount but not punishing Hout. Moreover, every black man I've talked to regarding this story said they knew something racial was said to set Blount off.
It's that nasty experience with being on the receiving end of the N-word that bonds African Americans. There's an idea in some quarters in America that because the word is used in rap music, it's common and accepted to use it in American culture. It's not and its not even desired in the music.
What this proves is New Media is the new grapevine of our country and the World. I hope Boise State fills in the blanks in this picture, but if they come out and say Hout didn't use the N-word, they've got a whole lot of people in Oregon and part of a grapevine on the West Coast willing to tell another story, even if its through Twitter. | SF Prop H | NFL News
Labels:
legarrett blount,
twiter








