Is Tedford a good game-time coach?
by royrules22 on Jun 9, 2009 9:59 PM PDT
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This posts already sounds sacriligeous. I mean how can one criticize God of all people! I mean he's not even a homo sapien, but rather the evolved and superior homo tedfordis.
But hear me out. I saw this post on BearInsider (which is about CGB's What worries you about Cal? post... holy circular links batman!). Naturally that post is a somewhat trollish post. But it does raise a valid question.
Is Tedford a good/excellent game-time coach?
And by game-time coach I don't mean his recruiting skills, his managerial skills, his motivational skills, or even his skills in improving players' skillsets. Rather I mean things such as correct usage of the game clock, time-outs, coach's challenges, half-time adjustments, etc.
Some examples are: Not telling Riley to throw the ball away during the OSU game in '07, not challenging the no-call on the Maryland safety, making adjustments during the Oregon '07 game during half-time leading to a comeback, etc.
Now I refuse to answer my own question because while I have turned into another die-hard Cal fan, I'm still a newbie when it comes to Cal and even football. I still don't understand all the Xs and Os of football. So that's why I'd like to hear some opinions from those here at CGB that do know their stuff.
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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Not telling Riley to throw the ball away during the OSU game in ’07
You can be damn sure he did tell Riley to throw the ball away if he didn’t have anything. That’s why Tedford was so pissed off, it was a simple decision that Riley screwed up. You can’t blame Tedford – that one’s totally on Riley.
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
I, likewise, don’t blame Tedford—especially since he was calling plays at the time. But I’ve long looked back on that moment as the first sign of a lack of leadership on that team. Hindsight is 20-20, and I know there is a protocol in the huddle that makes the QB The Man, even if he is a freshman playing his first game. But couldn’t Alex Mack, or Robert Jordan, or Justin Forsett, or one of the other veterans looked Riley in the eye as they broke the huddle and said, “If it’s not there, throw the ball away! Throw it away!!” ?
Go Bears!
by California Pete on Jun 10, 2009 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
That was the problem with the team. Nobody stepped up to be a leader. The juniors were looking at the seniors, and the seniors weren’t doing anything. That is why Pain Train took it on himself to be a great leader this year.
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Oh man, Hydro’s going to go crazy when he sees this post this morning….
I’d say he’s similar to Tony Dungy in his conservative manner with these quick hitting decisions (some crazy stat about Dungy never using a challenge flag for the first three years or so), but he isn’t too bad. The Cal coaching staff probably should have a replay guy watching out for these calls.
by Avinash Kunnath on Jun 10, 2009 1:32 AM PDT reply actions
Actually I think he is a great coach considering.(By the way, I am new here hi everyone) the fact that this is his first head coaching job. There are going to be some growing pains. What he has done for Cal football is astronomical even for a veteran coach. The rose bowls will come and I even think a nc will arrive opefully sooner then later. I think he will mature into a college football legend. I think people expect 2004 to repeat itself once it happened. Then people put tedford on a pedastal and forgot that he is fairly new to the coaching game. Now that he has got the facilities and imo a OC that he will trust enough to take over the offense (part of this is just him letting go of his OC past) he an focus on head coaching duties and Cal is going to take off and break through the preverbial ceiling.
^^^what they said
CGB: Our points are reliable. Our logic is infallible. Our past records are illogical. And our ham is dynamite!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jun 10, 2009 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions
When did this start happening?!?
Naturally that post is a somewhat trollish post.
On Bear Insider? They have such posts there? I’m shocked.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
Hello everyone. Long time readuh, first time postuh (sorry, I live in the Jerz).
First off, being a hard core Cal fan for almost 20 years, I will be forever grateful that Gladstone, in his infinite wisdom, hired Tedford to be the head coach. I was there for the first play of the 2002 season, the double pass for a TD against Baylor, and I knew Cal had a gem.
That said, the only fault I have with Tedford’s game-time coaching is he tends to be conservative when the team is close to the red zone and/or at the end of the first half when the team could conceivably put together a two minute drill-type drive. I would really like to see him take a nasty, stomp on their throat personality in these situations. If we are anywhere close to FG range and hit 4th down, Tedford will choose to take the points every time. I know this is conventional wisdom, but I would like to see him mix it up every now and then. Have we ever ran a fake FG play? Maybe he wants to show faith in his kickers, but it’s frustrating when the kick fails. At the end of the half, even if we are in good field position, he seems content to sit on the ball and run out the clock when we could drive down the field and go for the jugular.
Other than that, no complaints!
by KikiRevenge on Jun 10, 2009 7:42 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Hellooooooo KikiRevenge! Great to have new posters. I’m the new welcome Sheriff! (take that Spazzy)
The The is above upsets.
Welcome, KikiRevenge
I do think you’ve spoken of most fans’ major gripe with Tedford: he always kicks the field goal and rarely goes for a fake field goal or just plain goes for it.
I understand it’s often painful when we attempt a field goal and miss, however, it’s just as painful to go for the first down and failing to convert knowing that we could have had a chance at 3 points. I think there are two sides to the coin, and most people are finding that the grass is greener on the other side.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
You know, I don’t recall Tedford EVER faking a kick. EVER. Am I wrong on this?
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
Fake punt vs. Oregon State last year, didn’t we? We fumbled and didn’t get the first down.
And if you want to count the weird Longshore play on the extra point in the Big Game, that might have been another fake kick. Though I highly doubt Tedford actually called for that one.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
How often do fake kicks work? I think we could pull one off because I am guessing Giorgio is pretty damn fast. Anyone remember that play from 2007, LSU vs. South Carolina, where the LSU holder got the snap, the kicker started sprinting behind him, and the holder just flipped a perfect no look pass over his shoulder. That kicker was quick.
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGr6e8nDId4&feature=related
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions
On the flip side, sometimes it doesn’t work.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
However, that was nowhere near as good a toss as Flynn’s. It has to be perfected in practice before I would be comfortable with it in a game.
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions
That was a sweet play.
On the other hand, anyone remember the Janikowski fake FG against Kansas City last year?
by HolmoePhobe on Jun 10, 2009 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Crap, now I have to find the article that makes a statistical analysis of why coaches should go for it on 4th down more often. Long story short: coaches should go for it on 4th down more often.
If I’m not mistake, it was actually a Berkeley economics professor (or maybe 2) that first published a study on this…
by Missing Barry on Jun 10, 2009 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Welcome as well!
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
I've had disagreements with some of his strategic decisions
including second-guessing him on how soon to pull the onside-kick trigger, but overall, he’s a very solid game manager, and the moments where I even question his decisions are few and far between.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
I'm not a football savant..
But in my layperson view, it seems like Tedford-era Cal teams make in game adjustments fairly well, which I view as the sign of a good in-game coach. For the most part, I don’t have a quibble with Tedford’s end of half or red zone decision making. The way I view it, he knows his personnel better than anyone else, and knows what puts his team in the best position to succeed. He’s had enough success with high scoring teams that I still feel comfortable deferring to his in-game coaching judgment. As for end of half aggressiveness, I think field position dictates that more than anything else. I, for one, don’t want to see us loosey goosey at the end of the half when we have the ball inside our 25 yard line. Better field position, maybe try for something. So perhaps I’m just a tad conservative myself that way.
I also remember a lot of in-game decisions that make me think, “NAILED IT.” We all know Tedford has his fingerprints on the offense and perhaps even in what to call in given situations even when he’s not the primary playcaller. So Tedford has to get some credit for calling the right things at the right time. Some examples that come to mind just off the top of my head:
- Arizona State 2006. We just recovered a fumble in ASU territory. What does he call? Immediate jugular. Longshore to Hawkins, left corner end zone, TD.
- Fucla 2008. Fucla just failed on the fake punt. 1st down Cal at midfield. Flea flicker to Boateng. Touchdown.
- USC 2008. After the Verran Tucker spectacular catch, we dialed up the absolutely perfect play. Fake bubble screen, pass to Vereen in flat. Touchdown, albeit called back by penalty.
- Big Game 2008. We just got a first down at our 41. We shift to split out Vereen. Lo and behold, we find a 1 on 1 matchup we like. Riley is suddenly accurate. Touchdown.
- Hell, look at the whole 3rd quarter in the Big Game. Talk about pushing all the right buttons in-game. Wow.
- at Oregon State 2006. OSU is amped up after tying score at 7 in a big play in 1st quarter. So we take advantage of OSU’s overpursuit. Halfback option pass by T. Williams to Chase Lyman. See ya later, Beaver. Touchdown.
That’s just a few that immediately pop to mind. I think Tedford has to get credit for pushing the right buttons in certain game situations. He’s done it many times over the years.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
by Ohio Bear on Jun 10, 2009 11:13 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
I don’t think you mean OSU 2006. 2004 maybe?
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Yea 2006 OSU is where the magical Longshore invincibleitis started falling away (discounting Tenn)
I think that was the first game (again non-Tenn) where we didn’t hit 35+ points?
In other words, Go Bears!
Actually, 2006 OSU game was great for us
We won 41-13 at Corvallis. Scored a TD on our first possession of the game and it snowballed from there. One of Longshore’s best games, as I recall.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
Also, one of the few Cal games not to be televised in recent memory. I remember I was moving frmo SF to CoCoCounty that day and listened to it on the radio.
I am the Tyrant Boy King Of UC Eugene! An endless cavalcade of worthless inanities is my currency!
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Please don't think that I agree with the BearInsider poster
I just wanted to see the opinions of people who are more knowledgeable about football than I regarding this matter.
In other words, Go Bears!
I think Tedford can improve on his play-review/challenge skills. I’m not sure if he doesn’t know the rules clearly enough, or he is reluctant to burn a time-out but it seems a lot of times we don’t challenge a call which has momentum-swing written all over it.
Also, the Maryland safety, he later said he tried to review the call, but the refs told him he wasn’t able to. Though, it was, a safety.
We all dream of being a child again, even the worst of us, the worst... perhaps... most of all.
I think it’s a lot harder to know when to review a call when you’re standing on the sidelines, as opposed to watching on TV. Even the with the Maryland safety, I was basically sitting parallel to the goal line for that play, and even I wasn’t more than 60-75% sure it was a safety.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
I actually missed that game. I was busy helping prepare for a banquet for most of the day, but I was going to watch it later that night. Then someone said sometime during the day: Cal is down by like 20 (was it 22? I forget exactly). Then for the next hour or so I was refreshing my ESPN MVP about every 6 seconds. I got home, read CGB about it, and decided that I really didn’t want to watch it.
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions
That's why we should have replay officials - people watching live feeds/replays and who notify the coach if something is off
In other words, Go Bears!
I think firing every single Pac-10 referee would do the same thing.
While the rides on the Pain Train and Brock Mansion Party Yacht have been fun, I think its time I hop on the BakBakcycle.
by rollonubears on Jun 10, 2009 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions
so zero refs? that seems like trouble
CGB: Our points are reliable. Our logic is infallible. Our past records are illogical. And our ham is dynamite!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jun 10, 2009 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions
We could decide calls by arguing over the internet! (h/t The Onion)
I’m still a newbie when it comes to Cal and even football.
Don’t sell yourself short Roy – you probably got the most out of the spring game than anybody but Hydro.
As for Tedford, I think he’s pretty darn good. Coaches in college and the pros make all kinds of mistakes that seem obvious at the time, so the fact I can’t think of any instances when I REALLY disagreed with a Tedford decision is enough anecdotal evidence to indicate that he’s not bad.
The problems we have as fans (and a trap I too often fall into is over analyzing the bad and glossing over the good. For example, all of Ohio Bear’s examples – I had never thought of those as examples of good coaching, but of course they are. We just think “wow, player X just made a great play!” But when something goes wrong we frequently immediately blame the coaches. I think it’s a credit to Cal’s fanbase that, BI psychos aside, the support for Tedford has been so uniformly strong.
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