Developing NFL talent > Earning a BCS berth?

by BearsNecessity on Sep 22, 2008 9:35 AM PDT

Wrote about this today on my site, thought I'd share:

One thing I've noticed about Tedford players in the NFL is how fundamentally sound the best of them are. Lynch, Rodgers, Jackson, Mebane--for the most part all of them work hard and play smart, minimizing their mistakes and playing within the system. Marshawn is a much better run blocker than I remember him to be at Cal, Rodgers is more precise and makes few mistakes in a close game, Jackson has been otherworldly when given the right chances. Hell, even Boller and Carr looked decent in the time they were given before they were screwed over by their coaches and offensive linemen.

Contrast that with talent from other big schools, where players like Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush were unstoppable in college but now struggle to even get on the field in the NFL. Much of the credit has to go to Tedford for developing talent and instilling the basic fundamentals to succeed in the NFL.

But you have to wonder if the same smarts that makes these college players NFL pros in the long run will keep Tedford teams from earning BCS bids?

It takes a lot of growing pains for players to get smart--look at how long it took Syd'Quan to develop into the type of player he is now. Last year's collapse hinged on talented players making ill-advised decisions--missing routes, improper blocks, bad throwing. And we've seen similar failings at Maryland, where the team seemed to be on the wrong page and not adjusting properly to the complexities of the Tedford offense.

You have to figure there will be growing pains like this with most Tedford teams as they struggle to grasp its complexities, and we'll have plenty of anxious seasons where we come tantalizingly close to a BCS Bowl but fall short. Do you guys think the waiting is worth it?

For the record, I'm fairly pleased with winning seasons and developing solid NFL talent. That's what a good college coach that's not at a football factory is supposed to do. But I wonder how many people would beg to differ.

Poll

What would you prefer to see Jeff Tedford do as a head coach at Cal?

Getting the team to a BCS bowl at all costs

24 votes

Developing smart players that will succeed in the pros

12 votes

36 votes | Poll has closed

The opinions expressed in a FanPost are, in every way, reflective of the opinions of every California Golden Blogs Marshawnthusiast. Moreover, they are reflective of every employee of SBNation, including Tyler "Blez" Bleszinski.

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Comments

I don’t particularily see why these two options are mutually exclusive.

I'm no The Maharg! But I try. Oh, how I try!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Sep 22, 2008 9:44 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I agree.

NFL-caliber talent usually leads to BCS bowls. It’s nice to see Tedford producing players who excel at the next level, but I am anxious to see him finally take us to a BCS bowl.

If forced to choose one, I would have to choose that he take us to BCS bowls. Doing this would most likely improve his recruiting which would allow him to build even more players into NFL talent.

by Berkelium97 on Sep 22, 2008 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions

They're not mutually exclusive

It’s just which do you prefer more; seeing Marshawn decapacitate NFL corner backs, or seeing Jahvid Best stick a rose between his teeth.

Pick a side. Be a man. Do the right thing.

by BearsNecessity on Sep 22, 2008 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions

But I’m not yet 40. How can I be a man?

I'm no The Maharg! But I try. Oh, how I try!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Sep 22, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Then who should I come after?

It’s times like this I wish they’d never discovered CougCenterium.

by Maharg on Sep 22, 2008 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

You’ve stumped me.

I'm no The Maharg! But I try. Oh, how I try!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Sep 22, 2008 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions

It wasn’t hard.

It’s times like this I wish they’d never discovered CougCenterium.

by Maharg on Sep 22, 2008 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

That is what she said.

by GoldBlooded on Sep 22, 2008 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I like this option best

Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Kotsay...in his prime...like 3 years ago.

by carp on Nov 9, 2008 7:48 PM PST up reply actions

As much as I enjoy cheering for former Cal players in the NFL, I would rather see Cal make a BCS bowl over anything else.

It’s incredible to see how there is this much potential NFL talent on our rosters, yet it doesn’t add up…

by Rishi on Sep 22, 2008 9:59 AM PDT reply actions

I voted for the BCS option

assuming that “at all costs” doesn’t include the type of illegal stuff that goes on at USCheat, or does not include having a bunch of low class thugs with talent, that constantly get arrested and charge for criminal conduct.

"It's not my fault your team's so shitty" - every AL Manager to Bob Geren

by oaktownmario on Sep 22, 2008 10:47 AM PDT reply actions

I dunno

I’d imagine if they won one and you found out we had some rotten apples, you wouldn’t mind.

by BearsNecessity on Sep 22, 2008 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions

It depends on how roitten the apple was

As much as I’d like to see Cal win a BCS championship, I would mind if one or more of our stars was involved in Reggie Bush type cheating. I’d like to think Cal is still a little more concerned with integrity than that (and I believe Tedford is).

"It's not my fault your team's so shitty" - every AL Manager to Bob Geren

by oaktownmario on Sep 22, 2008 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions

false dichotomy

that said, I think one of the reasons that we do generate as much nfl talent as anyone is that both our offense and defense run esentially pro configurations. These take longer to learn the whole system and one can’t really be a super succesful player until one understands the whole picture.

Take Best for example, last year they only ran a few plays with him, and did not audible out of them unless it was to one of the other plays he knew. This year he’s got to know the entire offense, and how to read the defense well enough for his position’s variations.

This is Riley’s third year in the offense, and he just now has enough global understanding of it to really run it.

The defense is the same way. especially linebacker not only do you have to read the offensive play, but prior to the snap you need to know what the tendencies are going to be as well.

BCS games for Cal will be a product of long term program development that fits a perfect storm situation. Unless we decide to go $c, which is unlikely as those making the decisions about that arn’t necessarily sports fanatics.

by Rocksanddirt on Sep 22, 2008 12:27 PM PDT reply actions

YOu missed two Tedford coached players!

Joey Harrington and Akili Smith!

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Sep 22, 2008 1:53 PM PDT reply actions

I think there are pretty convincing arguments – more convincing than ones on why Harrington and Smith sucked – as to why Harrington and Smith might have been decent (not necessarily great) QBs had they been drafted by better teams and rode the pine for a year.

www.californiagoldenblogs.com

by HydroTech on Sep 22, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions

They were in the height of Tedford-mania, as they were being drafted and asked to shoulder the load immediately rather than being grown and developed. Tedford=NFL ROOKIE STARTER BABY!

(Let’s not forget Trent Dilfer was also Tedford-coached, who was thrown in the fire too early.)

by BearsNecessity on Sep 22, 2008 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Are you implying that Detroit and Cincinnati...

…aren’t the best places tor young quarterbacks to start their careers? I’m am shocked.

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Sep 22, 2008 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Every young QB dreams of playing for Detroit and Cincinnati

It’s where top draft pick dreams live and careers die.

www.californiagoldenblogs.com

by HydroTech on Sep 22, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions

nfl teams are full of bad decision makers.

I’m always surprized at how unaware some of them seem to be.

Poor Alex Smith, should not have been the #1 pic. Likely not even really a first rounder, due to the type of system he was in and style of learning he needs to be successful.

by Rocksanddirt on Sep 22, 2008 11:39 PM PDT reply actions

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