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Around SBN: Which Players Will Join The 3,000-Hit Club?

Oregon State 31 Cal 14: I'm Steve Marshall, And I'm Here To Make Your Offense Terrible

637020_medium Hi, I'm Steve Marshall. You might remember me as the guy who coached the O-line that got David Carr sacked 76 times or the dude that coached an O-line on a Browns team that had the fifth to last  rushing offense in the NFL last year. You might also remember me as the guy who's spent no more than one to two years at any one destination. You'd think that'd be a telling sign that teams might be happy to get rid of me.

I currently am the Cal offensive line coach. Instead of utilizing simple blocking concepts a former successful Cal offensive line coach used for seven years that worked to perfection, I'm going to give a bunch of 19-23 year old o-linemen a thousand different pro style concepts that they need to cram in their heads in a month of fall practice and a few hours each week. That way when they face good defenses they'll stumble, make mental and physical errors, turn one of the most potent college running offenses of the past decade into crap, and help reacquaint Cal fans with a Holmoe-level experience I feel they've lacked. Keeps them from feeling optimistic about anything.

Case in point, today's game. I'm going to show how I can make the worst Pac-10 pass rush in the conference look like the Chicago 46. As follows:

3433290_medium Gets pressured on the first snap, dumps it off to Best on a broken play. This is not going to be a one-time thing.

Star-divide

3433459_medium Gets hit for no gain.

3433459_medium Gets hit for 1 yard gain.

3429976_medium Gets schooled off the edge, lets his QB get sacked rolling left.

 3433290_medium  "Um some helllppumpppph..." Hit again.

3433375_medium Gets pounded on a 3rd and 1 for no gain.

 

3433459_medium Runs up middle for 1 yard. Ponders if this is what the rest of his Cal career will be like.

3433391_medium False starts.

 

3433290_medium After much trial and tribulation, picks up first down.

3433433_medium  False starts.

3433290_medium After much trial and tribulation, picks up first down.

 

3433386_medium Lets man blow by him to set record for fastest time to hit QB after snap.

3433459_medium Screws it, puts on the hero cape, scores a touchdown, scares the shit out of everyone.

 

3433386_medium3433391_medium 3429976_medium 3433433_medium 3429951_medium3433455_medium
Kneel down, pray, get back up, all ready to get back up and play in honor for #4...

637020_medium "No no, guys, this isn't part of the plan. Get back out there and do your absolute worst. Zone block pull someone left and man block fly sweep ruh-duh-duh-duh!"

3433290_medium Sacked.

3433290_medium Pressured.

3433290_medium Levelled.

3433290_medium (on the phone with Ludwig) "Please, give me a play that doesn't end in me eating turf. Get me anyone who knows how to block. Bloc Party. Lego block fort. Max Zhang. HELP ME!"

3433455_medium Reads existential poetry.

 

3429939_medium After Cattouse interception, nearly gets stuffed for safety.

2792173_medium Capitulates, calls quarterback sneak on our own goal-line.

3433290_medium Hit.

3429939_medium Two yard gain. Realizes that he might have to suffer through another year of this. Sobs quietly.

3429951_medium Ponders future blogging career.

3433290_medium Throws ball out of bounds as a lateral. Less painful than another sack.

3433290_medium Pocket collapses again and again, starting to feel like the captain of the U-Boat in Das Boot.

2792173_medium Out of desperation, starts throwing screen passes, dumpoffs, anything quick for fear that a linebacker might commit a level-one homicide on Riley. Beavers sniff every play out.

1208941_medium  Frantically looks up Coach M on his speed-dial.

3433290_medium Glumly wonders how Cal students will blame it all on him.

637020_medium That's me baby. Steve Marshall. I will make your offense blow.

Comment 149 comments  |  19 recs  | 

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harsh

But fun to read.

by totallyawesome on Nov 8, 2009 2:53 AM PST via mobile reply actions  

There's a problem here...

I can’t rec this more than once. This post is so full of truth and win that it deserves to be rec’d more than once.

"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3

by Swamphunter on Nov 8, 2009 2:59 AM PST reply actions  

CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 12:19 PM PST up reply actions  

Fun read.

Question, last year’s offensive line struggled mightily against the better teams. At the time, most Cal fans determined it was caused by the injury situation, those same players are now getting snaps and the line is again suffering. Could it be that we simply don’t have good O-lineman?

by chowder on Nov 8, 2009 3:09 AM PST reply actions  

In other words, Go Bears!

by royrules22 on Nov 8, 2009 3:22 AM PST reply actions  

can I ask what font/border/shading you use for this caption?

CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 12:20 PM PST up reply actions  

here

In other words, Go Bears!

by royrules22 on Nov 8, 2009 1:36 PM PST up reply actions  

heh thanks

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 4:08 PM PST up reply actions  

Typical font is Impact with a large amount of stroke (the bordering)

by BerkeleyChris on Nov 8, 2009 3:55 PM PST up reply actions  

Impact with a large amount of stroke

I mean, if that’s how she’s always done it, fine, but you really should teach her a new technique.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 4:03 PM PST up reply actions  

Rec’d. So true. The problem with the line upsets me so much. It really is this bad on every single play.

by nickle on Nov 8, 2009 4:34 AM PST reply actions  

I thought this O-Line was part of a special recruiting class that was supposedly packed with top O-Line talent. Is that right?

by KikiRevenge on Nov 8, 2009 6:54 AM PST reply actions  

Doesn't matter when there isn't an adequate coach there to teach them.

"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3

by Swamphunter on Nov 8, 2009 10:49 AM PST up reply actions  

winge & cringe

alaska A residing in northern Idaho.

by ak_A on Nov 8, 2009 7:00 AM PST reply actions  

I think you hit the nail right on the head :(

by joshpeng on Nov 8, 2009 7:29 AM PST reply actions  

I miss #51

One of youse called it back in April:

Ragnarok: Running up the middle is hard, especially when everyone in the stadium knows that that’s what you’re going to try and do.

My guess is that most of us won’t know how much we miss Mack until after the Oregon and USC games this September.

This Is Our House. 63000±9000 Strong.

by minesweeper on Nov 8, 2009 7:44 AM PST reply actions  

Wow, I totally forgot I said that. That makes me look way smarter than I am.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 8, 2009 9:28 AM PST up reply actions  

To be fair, my first thought after the Oregon and USC games was not “I miss Mack.”

…although maybe it should have been.

CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 12:21 PM PST up reply actions  

Bravo

Share this with all the Riley haters out there. The O-line is the foundation of the offense. Without a solid O-line, you can have the best of everything else and the offense will still be inconsistent.

"it's like an alarm clock, WOOT WOOT!" -Bubb Rubb

by secret ASian man on Nov 8, 2009 8:08 AM PST reply actions  

Well, that can be blamed somewhat on the D line—who are playing near the level of the O line. Ior perhaps the LBs, who have absolutely zero presence out there.

Face it guys, we just don’t have the players this year. We have two elite players, one will probably never wear a Cal jersey again, and the other is a punter. After that we have some good players (Syd, Vereen come to mind) and after that the list goes mediocre to bad. It pains me to write this because I know they are all out there trying their best, but facts are facts. It’s going to be a lean few years as we cycle through the level of players Cal currently has. 6 to 9 wins is about the best we can hope for in the near future. That isn’t the worst of fates, but we better get used to it, and be prepared to see the Oregons, ’zonas, ’furds, and OSUs pass us by.

The Bear Will Not Quit
The Bear Will Not Die

by joshiemac on Nov 8, 2009 8:36 AM PST up reply actions  

Agreed

And you know what? I’m OK with not coming in with a lot of hype. As has been pointed out many times, we seem to do better when nothing is expected of us. The result is a much more enjoyable season with pleasant suprises instead of routine gut punches.

One random thought, is Teford’s high salary a reason he tends to be cautious in big games? Does he feel the need to justify it?

by KikiRevenge on Nov 8, 2009 8:59 AM PST up reply actions  

Syd is part of that elite group.

And what is with all this ‘Jahvid is probably never going to play at Cal again’ stuff? Stop jumping to conclusions people.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Nov 8, 2009 9:02 AM PST up reply actions  

I don’t think Jahvid will play again this year (perhaps a bowl now that I think about it) and I think he’s going to declare for the NFL.

The Bear Will Not Quit
The Bear Will Not Die

by joshiemac on Nov 8, 2009 9:05 AM PST up reply actions  

The bowl game will be late december. If he hasn’t healed by then, is the NFL really that sure a thing?

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Nov 8, 2009 9:13 AM PST up reply actions  

I’m not saying he should leave, I just think he will. Who knows what’s going to happen now after yesterday’s injury.

The Bear Will Not Quit
The Bear Will Not Die

by joshiemac on Nov 8, 2009 9:34 AM PST up reply actions  

Assuming he recovers fully, I would actually WANT him to leave and get drafted. He’s paid his dues and it’s not worth suffering another injury next year.

by Mister Pie on Nov 8, 2009 9:44 AM PST up reply actions  

Yep. Nobody can blame him if he leaves.

The Bear Will Not Quit
The Bear Will Not Die

by joshiemac on Nov 8, 2009 10:29 AM PST up reply actions  

I’m not saying he should leave,

I am!

Football is a cruel sonofabitch and if you want to get money out of it as a running back you better get the earliest start you can. Get money, son, get money. (I mean, if that’s what you want.)

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 1:14 PM PST up reply actions  

This.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:24 PM PST up reply actions  

I don’t think it’s that he won’t be better. I just think that after 2 concussions in 2 weeks, they should shut him down for the year, period. Spend the offseason doing all the combines and all that stuff, then get drafted and prepare for his new career.

Just don’t put him back out there. And it’s not just him – I’d say that for any college football player, including Tebow (way to take care of your players, Urban).

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions  

I dunno if Meyer did anything wrong with Tebow. From what I read at the time Tebow was at a greater risk for another concussion because he suffered a concussion to begin with, but not because of the proximity to the concussion.

Here’s the article in question:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Tebow-Watch-Urban-Meyer-master-of-suspense?urn=ncaaf,194625

I don’t know how this applies to Best. I guess I’m not sure I have any scientific reasons for not wanting to see him play for pretty much the rest of the years, just that the whole situation is scary.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 2:46 PM PST up reply actions  

I just thought Tebow came back a little soon, that’s all. I don’t have any scientific basis for anything either, I just want them to be cautious and shut him down.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 3:30 PM PST up reply actions  

I don't think Best is entering

For a few reasons, NFL teams are going to look at him for being durable he’s obviously going to miss at least a game because of the concussion and if he develops post concussions syndrome he could be out for much longer.

Therefore his draft stock is immediately hurt. I think he’ll comeback for his senior year to prove that he can have big games against the upper echelon Pac-10 teams as well.

by Rocky63215 on Nov 8, 2009 10:25 AM PST up reply actions  

Seems like a bad idea. This is a weak class for RB’s as far as I’ve seen, this is probably the best time for him to declare, and not get beat up for another year behind our porous front line. Let him get paid to be beat up for a change.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:23 PM PST up reply actions  

Also: Sam Bradford.

I rest my case.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:26 PM PST up reply actions  

Most people don’t know this guy’s name though, so it is easier to yell Fire Gregory! or Fire Tedford!

But if anyone should be fired, it is most definitely him.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Nov 8, 2009 8:35 AM PST reply actions  

rollonu, good to see you back, btw. How’s the semester going?

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:25 PM PST up reply actions  

Good. Tiring, but good.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Nov 8, 2009 2:27 PM PST up reply actions  

Underachievement

The O-line returned enough experienced talent and should be better than they have shown this year. The D-backs and D-line are very experienced and were supposed to be among the best in the conference, but they are not showing it.

Somethings up. Attitude seems good, but execution is terrible. All signs point to coaching, but coaching doesn’t go from good to bad in a year, unless you change coaches (O-line). That doesn’t explain the defense.

I’m not a Riley hater, and I think he’s the best Cal has. He’s just in the bottom third of QB talent in the Pac-10.

by Fair Weather Cal Fan on Nov 8, 2009 8:54 AM PST reply actions  

I think I just saw Riley on the street

Great big bushy beard and all. I wanted to thank him for his efforts, but the dude looked super grumpy. He must be pissed off at Marshall.

by BleedinBlue on Nov 8, 2009 10:48 AM PST up reply actions  

agreed

How could the team of athletes that some were saying could go to the national championship crumble so entirely? O-line fail.

Last night was a nightmare—I thought Riley was going to be murdereded. The running game was like running into a brick wall. I’m not sure if it’s entirely on the new coach, or the loss of Mack, but something sure slipped in the transition to this year.

by slaphancock on Nov 8, 2009 8:57 AM PST reply actions  

Now, I don’t any real facts or examples to back this opinion up (and I usually am dismissive about opinions with no evidence), but I think the most telling thing is we really might finish the year without a 1,000 rusher. With Vereen and Best on the team, I think that says a lot. Go back just a few years and Marshawn and Forsett both rushed for 1,000 yards in the same season.

Rec’d. This is exactly what I was thinking when I was writing this post, and I’m glad you brought it up. There’s no stronger indicator about the quality of our o-line than those numbers.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 8, 2009 9:55 AM PST up reply actions  

I will say, though, I don’t know how much of it is on Marshall and how much is on the players themselves. Having Mack last year meant we had an interior guy who could take on the Brian Price’s and Stephen Paea’s (and impose his will on them fairly often) – maybe we’re really just missing his talent this year compared to last? Then again, maybe Marshall’s just been a bad coach, after all we have gotten talented oline recruits and it’s not unreasonable to think they should be coached up to be good players by this point.

by Missing Barry on Nov 8, 2009 10:44 AM PST up reply actions  

While I agree, I do think that both Best and Vereen’s rushing totals have suffered because we’ve been throwing to them in the backfield more than we have to previous backs, thus increasing their passing yards at the expense of rushing yardage.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 8, 2009 10:56 AM PST up reply actions  

I don’t agree with this. According to Cal’s website we have 317 rushes this season and 272 pass attempts. It looks to me like we’ve maintained a typical Tedford balanced attack, implying Vereen/Best aren’t lacking for opportunities. I think the fact that they’ve been more utilized in the passing game is actually a symptom of the failures in our passing game – namely, that our receivers are not as involved as they need to be for us to be successful. That’s what worried me even after a game like WSU where we won and our passing game looked good – our WR’s only had 6 catches….

by Missing Barry on Nov 8, 2009 11:57 AM PST up reply actions  

Mmmm, Best and Vereen have 35 catches this year, which is about on pace with last season (54 catches). Forsett and Best had 35 the year before, Lynch and Forsett 46 the year before. I guess it’s the most since 2005 (28 to Manderino and Lynch)?

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 8, 2009 12:04 PM PST up reply actions  

Is that all? It seems like it’s been more.

In any case, I do agree that the running game has suffered this year, passing game or no.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 8, 2009 12:20 PM PST up reply actions  

I think in the past, most of the backs receptions were screens. This year the running back receptions have been a 50/50 mix of screens, and downfield passes. Thus, leading to the impression of the running backs being more involved in the pass game.

by chowder on Nov 8, 2009 2:51 PM PST up reply actions  

I do think that both Best and Vereen’s rushing totals have suffered because we’ve been throwing to them in the backfield more than we have to previous backs, thus increasing their passing yards at the expense of rushing yardage.

That’s in part due to running game putting the offense into long 2nd/3rd down situations by not being able to effectively gain good yardage on 1st down.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 4:56 PM PST up reply actions  

Oh man this was a great read. Thank you Avinash for saying what we were all thinking very loudly

i'm here to clean your pool but i don't have a pool *bowchica bowow*

by ch0ster on Nov 8, 2009 10:12 AM PST reply actions  

Great Post

I was thinking if only O-line played average, we would not have had such bad games. Riley does not seem to be a QB who can overcome pressure, but can be quite reliable in the absence of it. Best and Vereen are great backs no doubt, who can make plays if holes exist. It’s all on O-line, and they are apparently poorly coached.

by coolingfan on Nov 8, 2009 10:24 AM PST reply actions  

Pretty much dead on. O-line play is the primary reason Cal has been blown out more often than any other season under Tedford.

by sycasey on Nov 8, 2009 10:34 AM PST reply actions  

This isn't making my postgame depression any better.

But we all have to face the truth of a crummy Oline eventually.

MCCLESKEY!!

by Paulie on Nov 8, 2009 10:35 AM PST reply actions  

Ugh…Stanford is ranked and we aren’t. And there is no room to argue it.

On a funnier note: USC is No. 10, Oregon is No. 16 in the coaches poll. They both have two losses. 47-20 last week. This is absurd.

by Tedfordisgod on Nov 8, 2009 10:55 AM PST reply actions  

Oregon has the better losses, but USC has the better wins.

by chowder on Nov 8, 2009 10:56 AM PST up reply actions  

That’s shocking that the same Oregon than manhandled USC is 6 spots below them. I guess no one saw USC struggle to put away an ASU team that, if it had a competent QB, would have easily won.

Whose domicile? OUR DOMICILE!

by Berkelium97 on Nov 8, 2009 11:01 AM PST up reply actions  

Right, I guess you can use the argument that Oregon doesn’t have a lot of quality wins, but they aren’t exactly Boise State either. And it isn’t like this is a game that happened 8 weeks ago and everyone has forgotten about – it was 7 days ago.

by Tedfordisgod on Nov 8, 2009 11:06 AM PST up reply actions  

even funnier, Ohio State is multiple slots above USC.

by racsan on Nov 8, 2009 11:44 AM PST up reply actions  

Oregon should be ranked above USC. No question.

by paleodan on Nov 8, 2009 12:44 PM PST up reply actions  

Absolutely none.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions  

I feel compelled to point out that Tedford, not Sandy, is in charge of hiring and firing assistants. Sandy can exert pressure on Tedford to make changes, but the final decisions rest with Tedford, unless Sandy is thinking of removing Tedford, and I guarantee that she hasn’t contemplated anything of the sort.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 8, 2009 12:55 PM PST up reply actions  

And I would just like to point out that Tedford doesn’t actually make the decisions regarding hiring and firing assistants. That responsibility goes to Tedford’s little friend, Nelson the Imp, who lives in Tedford’s headset and is rumored to make an appearance every fortnight that falls on a Friday the 13th in a pint of beer at Raleigh’s.

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 1:02 PM PST up reply actions  

And I would just like to point out that Nelson The Imp is so whipped by Mrs. The Imp. So, really we should look to Mrs. The Imp here on this one.

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2009 1:04 PM PST up reply actions  

I would also like to point out that Raleigh’s no longer exists.

I’m not happy about it either! I’m not! But dammit, I was in there last night and while it is still a fine place, a fun place with the same tasty food and beverages – it’s just not the same. I wanna see the rooster. I wanna see the light-bulb-laden crown. I wanna see pictures on the wall of people all over the world with Raleigh’s T-shirts on. I was gonna be one of those people, dammit!!

>>sigh<<

ok, i’m done.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:32 PM PST up reply actions  

Wait, what the hell happened to Raleigh’s???

by Mister Pie on Nov 8, 2009 3:31 PM PST up reply actions  

Same deal, now called “Manny’s Tap Room”

by turkey on Nov 8, 2009 4:10 PM PST up reply actions  

Its the same food just with a different name!

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2009 6:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Raleigh's is gone?

I got 3 shirts from there. 2 white around the world and 1 black drink dark shirt. They introduced me to the goat piss that is Old Foghorn Barley wine.

Someone please tell me I. B.s is still there.

by Lee Stevens' Potential on Nov 8, 2009 6:22 PM PST up reply actions  

It’s still there.

There’s a Tully’s inside the student union building now – just opened up this semester. It’s on the Sproul Plaza level, in the corner that faces Bancroft and Telegraph. Kinda threw me off at first, but it’s a decent use of the space, and actually doesn’t take up very much room. It doesn’t obscure the Axe display case at all, but the case no longer seems to be the focus of the area. ‘Course, the Axe isn’t in the case right anyway, so i guess it doesn’t matter at the moment.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 6:28 PM PST up reply actions  

Eh, I just pretend, and it feels the same.

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 4:11 PM PST up reply actions  

Thorough cleansing...

I think a case can be made for a LOT of coaches to be released from their duties. The only ones who should be safe are Tedford and Gould. And can we find the secret photos Alamar has on Tedford, so he can finally stop torturing us?

by BlackandOldGold on Nov 8, 2009 12:45 PM PST reply actions  

Tosh should stay as well, just because he is a great asset in recruiting.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Nov 8, 2009 1:53 PM PST up reply actions  

Yeah, Tosh needs to stay.

And Rope Guy. Still don’t know what the hell he does, but he needs to stay.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 2:32 PM PST up reply actions  

Rope Guy yields the rope, that’s what he does.

by chowder on Nov 8, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions  

Apparently he’s involved in recruiting activities.

i'm here to clean your pool but i don't have a pool *bowchica bowow*

by ch0ster on Nov 8, 2009 4:29 PM PST up reply actions  

My friend emailed him thanking him for his enthusiasm. He never emailed back. My friend was crushed.

by rjnarayen on Nov 8, 2009 10:32 PM PST up reply actions  

I’m kind of baffled by our secondary coach simmons. He showed so much promise last year developing Syd, Hagan, and the rest of the crew. Then, this year, with the same exact players, they all regressed (except Syd, he still tickles my fancy).

by chowder on Nov 8, 2009 2:55 PM PST up reply actions  

yeah…I, too, am baffled by this, however I’m not sure it’s fair to blame the DB’s or Simmons. The QB’s have ALL DAY to throw for the most part and they play uber soft zone. This 3-4/BBDB zone defense requires pressure up front (regardless of how many players are sent) forcing the QB to make a hurried throw that will either result in a nominal gain or end up in the arms of the defense.

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Nov 8, 2009 3:04 PM PST up reply actions  

Steve Marshall......... YOU SUCK

Hes gone next year and we need to get some new staff

by Tambo45 on Nov 8, 2009 1:07 PM PST reply actions  

Those are all true statements!

This is why you never see Steve wearing fashionable denim of any sort anymore.

i'm here to clean your pool but i don't have a pool *bowchica bowow*

by ch0ster on Nov 8, 2009 4:28 PM PST up reply actions  

Dammit I was just about to post this joke

by BerkeleyChris on Nov 8, 2009 5:03 PM PST up reply actions  

I wonder if CGB can collect some $ and buy a billboard…

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 5:03 PM PST up reply actions  

I will never be interested in running a site who spends time and money trying to get someone else fired. We can talk and complain and stop going to games and stop donating to the university and burn all our t-shirts, but you’ll never find me registering fire[insert coach name here].com.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 8, 2009 10:15 PM PST up reply actions  

I’ve already registered FireRopeGuy.com. It’s because I’m a terrible person.

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2009 10:35 PM PST up reply actions  

“Do you know how I got these scars?”

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 9, 2009 1:04 AM PST up reply actions  

Which is why I responded in a completely, totally, 100% serious manner.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on Nov 9, 2009 8:36 AM PST up reply actions  

I was actually completely, totally, 100% sarcastic in my response, and my proposal.

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 9, 2009 10:46 AM PST up reply actions  

Let’s look across the line at what we have. LT Tepper is a good guy, but he’s not nearly as good as he’s been made out to be. LG was a RS Frosh starting who got injured and his replacements are a former walk-on in Fisher and a current walk-on in Boskovitch, who spends more time whiffing on blocks and losing his feet of any OL I’ve seen in the Tedford era. Our Center is an undersized RS-JR taking his first meaningful snaps at C but who has no business playing that position, especially against top notch DTs. The RG is a RS-So who has the size to play the position but has lapses. The RT is a RS-So who has been pretty reliable. The TEs cannot reliably block and are all young. Just looking at our starters, they are a recipe for inconsistency. As much as size of OL is important, mentally they need to know their assignments and how to adjust on the fly when blocking, which comes from repetition.

In a sense, the line is still young with 3 underclassmen starters. The interior of the OL is the biggest issue right now, and quite frankly, the reason why we absolutely stink running between the tackles.

While this post was funny to read because it pokes fun at a glaring weakness on our O, this post really does not look at the root of the problem: recruiting. There have been too many scholarship busts and/or misses on the OL front in 05-06 and we are really feeling it now. There is exactly ONE starter on the OL from those classes. Guys from those 2 classes are who should be starting right now unless there were some super sensational underclassmen who could beat them out. That is not the case.

Instead of calling out our new OL coach, blaming him for our offense sucking, creating undeserved animosity towards him, and throwing more fuel on the fire when it’s not needed, perhaps you can better use your time and creative juices looking more in depth at the non-surface issues next time. I enjoy reading and posting here because I found CGB to be probably the most intelligent places on the net to discuss any Cal sports and particularly football. I’m not so sure about that after reading this post from a mod :(

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 6:05 PM PST reply actions   1 recs

Our Center is an undersized RS-JR taking his first meaningful snaps at C but who has no business playing that position, especially against top notch DTs.

Which certainly explains why he’s been groomed for the position since he stepped on campus, and why he started 4 games last year before a season ending injury.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 6:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Didn’t know Guarnero started 4 games at Center © last year, which is what I was commenting about. Nothing makes up for live snaps on the field.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:00 PM PST up reply actions  

He started at guard. The point I was trying to get across was that the coaches obviously believe he has the skill to be an interior lineman. Saying he has no business playing center is completely off base unless you have something better to go on than “he’s undersized.”

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 11:04 PM PST up reply actions  

Yes, not only is he undersized but the better DTs in our conference have all blown past the guy to sack and pressure Riley and completely blow up running plays. People are wondering why our running game stinks, it’s in part because Chris doesn’t consistently get enough push to move the defenders forward. Some DTs in our conference should just set up a lazy boy in our backfield because they spend so much time there.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:10 PM PST up reply actions  

Forgot to add, I don’t think Chris is horrible at all. I think he’s more suited to play the Guard position. His technique is really good, but he has struggled mightily with DTs at the Center spot. He didn’t have those problems so much last year at Guard, but then again, if you are playing next to Alex Mack, you’re going to look a lot better.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:12 PM PST up reply actions  

I just don’t buy that Coach M, Tedford, et al would have groomed Guarnero to be Mack’s successor unless they believed he was capable of competing in the Pac-10. Which means that either the coaches were wrong (which is certainly possible) or something has stunted his development.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 11:33 PM PST up reply actions  

Believe your eyes and what you see on film and/or in person at the games, not what you read in the papers. :)

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:36 PM PST up reply actions  

I don’t think anyone can argue any of the 3 interior spots on the oline has gotten the job done. They haven’t. Like I mentioned in my rant, any good DT has dominated us (and all 3 interior linemen in the process), wether it was Price, Guy or Paea or someone else. With regards to Guarnero, though…the coaching staff has been talking the guy up for years. He was a highly rated recruit, he was being groomed for C, he was even supposed to be good enough to play the last two years if we didn’t have Mack. Of course it’s dumb to think he could do what Mack could, but from everything I had heard about him I was confident he’d be a good player. So far that obviously hasn’t been the case…

by Missing Barry on Nov 9, 2009 7:41 AM PST up reply actions  

Agreed. And I do recall reading and hearing about the hype.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 9:06 AM PST up reply actions  

Oregon has a young, undersized, offensive line, and their offense hasn’t missed a beat. Oregon State has a young, undersized, offensive line, and their offense hasn’t missed a beat.

Cal historically hasn’t had great offensive linemen other than Mack (can you name anyone from those 2004-2005 teams?), and yet they’ve unleashed 1000 yard rushers like dragons. They’ve executed great, until this season, with lesser talent. So I feel a lot of what’s gone on this season stems from coaching failures.

I didn’t write this article with any malice; I isolated the one variable that I felt might’ve messed up what’s been a smoothly running machine for the past seven years. Plus it’s no fun to write serious, sober articles about tough blowout losses. I’ll take your criticism into consideration though.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 8, 2009 6:37 PM PST up reply actions  

Marvin Philip?

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2009 6:41 PM PST up reply actions  

To be fair, it’s hard to name offensive linemen from those years because they’re offensive linemen from 5 years ago. I mean, there’s a certain amount of anonymity inherent to being an o-lineman, unless you’re just a total stud like Mack.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 7:11 PM PST up reply actions  

It’s only hard if you weren’t around 5 years ago ;-)

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 7:55 PM PST up reply actions  

lolwut? My comment was in no way pedo!!

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 9, 2009 10:27 PM PST up reply actions  

Ryan O’Callaghan? Aaron (I think that was his first name?) Merz? Mike Gibson? These guys were all good enough to get drafted and spend some time in the NFL. I’d say that’s some pretty darn good offensive linemen.

by Missing Barry on Nov 8, 2009 7:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Damn, for some reason I thought O’Callaghan and Merz were from 2002 and 2003.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 8, 2009 7:20 PM PST up reply actions  

Jeremy Newberry?

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 7:54 PM PST up reply actions  

a little early…

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 9:22 PM PST up reply actions  

True. It was in response to the “Cal doesn’t have a history of producing quality linemen” statement.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

by BearStage on Nov 8, 2009 11:07 PM PST up reply actions  

Well as long as we’re going back that far…!

Tarik Glenn!
Langston Walker!

by Missing Barry on Nov 9, 2009 7:41 AM PST up reply actions  

Mooch era, if one could call it that.

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Nov 9, 2009 7:28 AM PST up reply actions  

Point of reference: California O-line draftees 2003-2009

2003: Scott Tercero (6th round, 184th pick)
2004: Mark Wilson (5, 151)
2005: N/A
2006: Ryan O’Callahan (5, 136), Marvin Phillips (6, 201), Aaron Merz (7, 248)
2007: N/A
2008: Mike Gibson (6, 184)
2009: Alex Mack (1, 21)

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 8:15 PM PST up reply actions  

Ryan O Callaghan? Or was he earlier?

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 9:22 PM PST up reply actions  

mm I should scroll down.

The Lack of Mack's Imposition Attacks My Disposition.

by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 8, 2009 9:22 PM PST up reply actions  

When you lose two 3 year starters and all conference players from your interior, unless the guys replacing them are complete studs, there probably is going to be a production hit. We are seeing that in a bad way now.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Avinash – this might be the funniest post I’ve ever read on CGB. It’s painfully true, but that doesn’t make it any less funny.

dboneisloose

by HolmoePhobe on Nov 8, 2009 6:54 PM PST reply actions  

Ouch.

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2009 7:05 PM PST up reply actions  

I have to say, I set out to refute some of Cali49a’s points by looking at our past recruiting…and was surprised to find, at least based on rivals recruiting rankings, that our oline recruiting has been pretty weak. I had a much more optimistic opinion on it then when I looked back through. We really just might not have the talent….

by Missing Barry on Nov 8, 2009 10:00 PM PST reply actions  

Submitted without comment

2005:

Kevin Bemoll (Rivals 4 stars, Scout 3 stars)
Matt Laird (Rivals 3 stars, Scout 3 stars)

2006:

Mike Costanzo (4 stars, 4 stars)
Chris Guarnero (4 stars, 3 stars)
Mike Gibson (4 stars, 4 stars)
Justin Prueitt (3 stars, 3 stars)
Mike Gray (2 stars, 3 stars)

2007:

Matt Summers-Gavin (4 stars, 4 stars)
Todd Huber (3 stars, 3 stars)
Mitchell Schwartz (3 stars, 3 stars)
Sam DeMartinis (3 stars, 4 stars)
Justin Cheadle (3 stars, 4 stars)

2008:

Tyler Rigsbee (4 stars, 4 stars)
Dominic Galas (3 stars, 3 stars)
Donovan Edwards (unrated, 1 star)

2009:

Mark Brazinski (4 stars, 4 stars)
Charles Siddoway (3 stars, 3 stars)
Brian Schwenke (3 stars, 3 stars)
Charles Ragland (2 stars, 3 stars)

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 8, 2009 11:25 PM PST up reply actions  

In 2005, add Teofilo

In 2006, scratch off Costanzo because he was always going to be a DL
Gibson medically retired
Gray was a Juco

So like I said above from 05-06, we only have 1 OL starter form those years. Teofilo is a backup and sees no more than 10-15% of meaningful snaps. There is a lot of youth on the OL, which makes me cringe now but down the line, it should be a lot better.

Michalzik did not leave the cupboard bare when he bounced, he just left it with a lot of young talent. Who knows what the OL would have looked like this year had Michalzik stayed.

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:33 PM PST up reply actions  

Isn’t Schwenke playing a lot this year? I hope Brazinski can start next year.

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Nov 9, 2009 7:31 AM PST up reply actions  

He plays on Special Teams for PATs and FGs mostly, has seen action when the OL was heavily substituting in the hot weather vs fucla and ASU, garbage time snaps, and other times when there’s injuries or the RG needs a blow (no, not that type of blow :). He is part of our rotation and travels with the team, which says a lot about a true frosh OL.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 9:10 AM PST up reply actions  

Indeed, Barry. I swear I’m not making any of this up!!

by Cali49a on Nov 8, 2009 11:26 PM PST up reply actions  

Like you’ve said, it does seem we’ve done better the last couple years, so that could be promising for the future.

by Missing Barry on Nov 9, 2009 7:44 AM PST up reply actions  

So basically here's the balance

between Cali49a’s points in Marshall’s favor and Avinash’s points against.

Pro Marshall:

-He has some talented starters, but the line has little interior depth after MSG’s injury, forcing him to play two walk ons at left guard due to poor o-line recruiting in 2005-6
-Among his non-injured starters are included an undersized center, a left tackle who previously lost a season to injury and did not have experience on the blindside (though he acquitted himself well at right tackle previous to injury), the solid Mitchell Schwartz, and the inconsistent Justin Cheadle

Against Marshall:

-There’s a difference between bad and bad: The perennially strong Cal run game has been almost completely shut out of 4 games out of 9, and an offense that features two of the best running backs in the country ranks only 36th in the nation in rushing, 5th in the Pac-10. Meanwhile the offensive line has given up 19 sacks (69th in the nation) and allowed 56 total tackles for loss. Even with Matt Summers-Gavin starting, the line was caught completely flat-footed by an Oregon defensive line replacing 3 starters.
-This, while Oregon jerry-rigs an offensive line out of bubblegum and duct tape after having lost 6 of their top 10 linemen to graduation and still manages to be the top rushing team in the Pac-10.
-The Cal o-line has already given up 6 more sacks than the 2006 offensive line which replaced 3 NFL draft picks (in fairness, Cal’s rushing ypg is higher this year than it was in 2006, but I’m at all not convinced it will stay that way)

Personally? I’m not in favor of riding Marshall out on a rail, just giving him the same handshake and pat on the back he’s received from so many NFL teams already. There’s reason to give him the benefit of the doubt; just not enough.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 9, 2009 12:34 AM PST reply actions  

There’s a factor here that hasn’t been brought up yet. Recruiting. Marshall seems to be a decent recruiter, we have 3 guys so far in this next class (assuming we hold onto them) – Adcock (rivals 3, scout 3, ESPN 4), Crosthwaite (rivals 4, scout 4, ESPN 4) and Gibson (rivals 3, scout 3, ESPN 3) that seem like decent to good recruits…so if Marshall gets a pretty good class this year, I definitely think that has to buy him more time.

By the way, am I right in thinking scout is stingier with their stars than rivals?

by Missing Barry on Nov 9, 2009 7:51 AM PST up reply actions  

You will like Crosthwaite. That’s my gut feeling. And Adcock and Gibson have potential to be the road pavers at Guard in the future. I just hope all these guys have nasty streaks because our OL needs that.

Scout is stingier with star ratings in part because some of the talent evaluators are UW, iirc. Rivals is a better overall talent evaluator, IMO, but they lean more towards the ND and SEC side.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 9:16 AM PST up reply actions  

I think it changes from year to year. This year Scout looks a lot stingier than Rivals but I remember when looking through the 2005 recruiting class Scout rated 4 of our players 5 stars (DJax, Hawk, Ayoob, Bishop) whereas Rivals rated just one.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 9, 2009 12:30 PM PST up reply actions  

But just in general, how do they compare in the overall number of 5 star recruits, 4 star recruits, etc. that they reward in total?

by Missing Barry on Nov 9, 2009 12:42 PM PST up reply actions  

oh I have no idea. I was just making an abstract judgement based on what I saw.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 9, 2009 2:16 PM PST up reply actions  

Here’s an abstract for you to judge:

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 10, 2009 7:37 AM PST up reply actions  

and allowed 56 total tackles for loss

That is pretty damning statistic and when you think about how many times we have had zero or 1 yard gains, it’s frightening. This stat is not entirely on the OL. There have been plenty of hitches and screens that have gone for TFLs and coverage sacks. It would be interesting to see how many TFL and 0-2 yard gains we’ve had from rushing the ball.

-The Cal o-line has already given up 6 more sacks than the 2006 offensive line which replaced 3 NFL draft picks

Cal doesn’t have Longshore anymore who was very good at getting rid of the ball before he got sacked. He just wasn’t very good at making sure it always got to the right team for a number of reasons. Riley holds the ball in fear of turning it over, which is bad in its own right because of fumbles/sacks/lost yardage. It’s not entirely the OL’s fault for each sack. There’s only so much time an OL can give a QB before the pressure comes.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 10:06 AM PST up reply actions  

What are your thoughts about Aaron Rodgers and the struggles with the Pack O-line. How much of it is on the O-line, how much of it is on Rodgers?

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 9, 2009 12:57 PM PST up reply actions  

I don’t follow Green Bay closely enough to give an informed opinion on Rodgers and this situation, but I do know he’s been sacked 37 times, the most in the league by far. The two times I watched him, Jared Allen ate the Green Bay OL up for 7.5 sacks. Allen has 10.5 sacks on the season. I think Allen’s sack total vs GB is more indicative of the quality of their OL rather than Allen just being super amped up to play the Packers. In other words, the GB OL is, indeed, crap.

I’m sure Rodgers has waited too long and got sacked/pressured/hit as a result, but that’s only normal. Based on what I saw from those 2 games I watched,
 but based
The 37 sacks doesn’t even include the number of times Rodgers has been hurried, hit, flushed from the pocket, and having to throw while falling down, on the run, or with somebody in his grill. Imagine his numbers if he actually had an OL. He’s already rated in the Top 15 in the league in accuracy and his QB rating is top 5.

Rodgers is truly amazing.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 2:38 PM PST up reply actions  

^^^But based on what I saw from those 2 games I watched, the Packers OL is the most suspect and where the blame should be pointed to.

by Cali49a on Nov 9, 2009 2:40 PM PST up reply actions  

Yeah, thought as much. Wish he’d get rid of the ball a little quicker though. It’s his only big weakness.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Nov 9, 2009 5:46 PM PST up reply actions  

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