Thoughts On Coach Tedford Taking Over Playcalling Duties

by TwistNHook on Apr 18, 2011 3:00 AM PDT in California Golden Bears Football

TwistNHook: Looks like we have some clarity on who will be calling plays for Cal next year.

When Cal takes the field for its games this season, there will be a new man calling plays for the Bears.

In this case, however, it's like the old Who song: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Jeff Tedford hopes that's a good thing, because he's the boss and he'll be calling the majority of plays in an effort to make his first losing season as Cal's head coach his only losing season.

"I did it the first three or four years here, then went back and forth," Tedford said. "You've got to be all in or out, one of the two. There's got to be a role you play. You get to set things up, have a good feel for things."

That link also says they are going to simplify the offense going forward. What are people's thoughts on Tedford being the playcaller. Further, what are people's thoughts on Tedford simplifying the playbook going forward?

HydroTech: Tedford isn't simplifying the offense. He's merely not installing the entire offense early on. There's a difference. So for all those fans who think this is Tedford hearing their suggestions to dumb down the playbook -- this isn't it.

TwistNHook: Criticism Accepted!

Solarise: Instead of having multiple voices on offense, there'll be just one. Getting a new QB in place allows Tedford to start over. Bringing back coaches who worked well in his system before can only help. I think Tedford is staking his legacy as an offensive guru on the next few seasons. It's going to be a great ride.

Berkelium97: It's nice to see Tedford going back to what he's most praised for: running the offense and developing the QBs. Ludwig was not necessarily a bad offensive coordinator (it was hard to tell with Marshall's terrible o lines), but his development of QBs was sub par. I trust that bridgford, Maynard, mansion, and Sweeney, will be in good hands this spring.

In terms of simplifying the offense--I don't care what he does with the offense this spring as long as he chooses a QB who can consistently complete forward passes and who can take care of the ball.

OhioBear: On the playcalling issue, I am excited about Tedford returning to that role. I don't have anything ill to say about Andy Ludwig's playcalling, but I can't help but associate Tedford's heavy hand-on role in the offense with success. With Tedford having a hands-on role, we had very productive offenses from 2002 to 2006. And even in 2007, our offense was very good pre-Longshore injury (and even had flashes of productivity post-Longshore injury). Besides that, I just have a feeling this will be good for Tedford -- he will be getting back to what he really is, which is a guy who needs to be involved with the offense. Maybe getting back to what he is will be a positive step for our offense and our football team.

As for simplifying the playbook -- I, too, view read this as simplifying it for spring practice, which is a good thing given that two guys expected to be in the mix (Zach Maynard and Allen Bridgford) have not had experience running the offense. Also, perhaps this is a way to even the playing field in the QB competition, at least in the spring. With a "simplified" offense, it would be less likely that Mansion or Sweeney could get a faux upper hand simply by virtue of knowing the offense best?

TwistNHook: I would generally agree with this. I didn't necessarily see a lot of bad stuff with Ludwig's playcalling (although it was hard to determine things when plays would so often break down). But it was obvious that when it came to QB development there were major problems. Hopefully, Tedford being hands on with the QBs and calling the plays will improve things.

NorCalNick: My only opinion on playcalling: Tedford needs to start each season off with a first play half-back option pass

TwistNHook: Frankly, NorCalNick, is there any other play they should ever select?????

Berkelium97: A Brock Mansion fade, obviously.

NorCalNick: I would've said left tackle screens, but with the graduation of Mike Tepper there's been a huge hole that still hasn't been filled in our offensive repertoire.

Solarise: Going back to 2009, Riley's screen tosses to either Best or Vereen often sailed high or bounced low iirc. I think it's fair to say that Ludwig stopped calling for screens after learning the strengths & weaknesses of his personnel.

I don't think playcalling would be dramatically different w/ Tedford back as the decision-maker. Under Tedford the Golden Bears are a remarkably balanced 50-50 run-pass team. I don't think our balance is going to change anytime soon. What should be more exciting to fans is the annual twists coaches install. Spread, WildBear, & the KA21 QB toss are all recent additions. It'll be exciting to see what new elements Tedford approves for 2011.

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I also think it depends on if JT is aggressive and innovative as he was early on….many of us think JT has gotten more conservative in his “game” as the years have passed…So is it really going to be the “old” JT who mixed things up and was NOT predictable, or the JT of late who seems to play it safe at times….we shall see

by Cal_Fan2 on Apr 18, 2011 8:35 AM PDT reply actions

I think that the conservatism was related to the lack of confidence in the offense. Especially during the periods when we had a strong defense, I think he felt like that was the only way to go.

by cal85 on Apr 18, 2011 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

Well then having a new QB and an OL that performed mediocre at best last year probably should not instill a whole lot of confidence then…..so by those measures he might be conservative again…unless things change quite a bit this Fall since JT is none too happy with his offense..especially the OL

by Cal_Fan2 on Apr 18, 2011 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions

I think that’s exactly right. We should expect a great deal of conservatism because frankly it doesn’t look like we have the talent at OL and QB right now to make much more happen. If Saturday’s practice is any indication of what we can expect from the OL next year (even with Michalczik back) we are in for some serious disappointment. Matt Williams is clearly not ready per Michalczik’s and JT’s report, Solarise and Avi have both pointed out rightfully that based on what we know about his skill level he will need to sit out a year and improve. With injuries on our big guys it looks like MSG will be playing out of position yet again. False starts were a bane last year and I fully expect it to get WORSE this year. Yes, that is right. WORSE. These are young guys who clearly haven’t found the rhythm of playing together (exacerbated by the need to constantly rotate positions).

OL stability was the number one factor for Cal’s success in the early years. It’s not just coaching, but lack of injuries and a lot of luck. We were VERY lucky. I mean just look at UCLA for what injuries on the OL can do to a program (Neuweasel has never had a healthy OL at UCLA).

IMHO, QB is a secondary worry behind the OL issues. It’s going to be ugly (anyone remember ASU’s OL setting the sack record a couple years back???). I don’t know if there is anything the coaching staff can do about it, honestly. Maybe scout the hell out of the defensive front 7s we’ll be facing and adjusting to take advantage of their weaknesses?

Everything that the Cal offense does is predicated on a solid OL play. Without that, it’s going to be a ROUGH ROUGH slog. I think the best thing Cal fans can do is realize that those horrible mistakes our QB is going to make are not entirely his fault. And there will be HORRIBLE mistakes…we will pine for the days of Ayoob.

Say it like Ron Burgandy signing off: "Stay Classy, Bears!"

by PlayClassyBears on Apr 18, 2011 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

we got a loaded D-line. Coach M can recruit some to play on OL. Moala playing two-ways. That would be awesome.

by JustBear on Apr 18, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions

The OL issues, I think, will result in Maynard getting the job due to his mobility. With a good Oline, I suspect that Bridgford would win it.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions

I was just thinking about that carp. You know I hope that is what happens, but I wouldn’t be surprised if JT has a hard time pulling the trigger because he wants the best throwing QB on the field…I suspect he is learning that some compromises are going to need to be made.

Say it like Ron Burgandy signing off: "Stay Classy, Bears!"

by PlayClassyBears on Apr 18, 2011 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t want Bridgford to get lit up and become afraid of the pass rush for the rest of his career.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Being mobile doesn’t mean much if you’re not accurate with the ball.

Contact info
Twitter: @avinashkunnath
Email: bearsnecessities at gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Apr 18, 2011 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions

And mobility in the sense of being able to run for your life is a probably overrated method of defeating the pass rush. Better to have the pocket presence to be able to feel pressure and the ability to read defenses and get the ball out quickly.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Being accurate doesn’t mean much if you don’t have time to pass or have the ability to pick up a first down with the legs (as Maynard did on a 3rd and 7 last Saturday).

If the team didn’t have so many gaping holes, I don’t think Maynard wins. Bridgford or Mansion would have to really take a huge jump, even though I would love to see Bridgford get a shot behind a decent line.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions

If your O-line sucks, there’s only a handful of elite QBs that can be effective (in the college game, I can think of only one, and he’s sadly playing for our rival). It doesn’t matter how mobile you are. You have to win the trenches.

Mobility is nice to have, but it’s secondary to pocket presence and accuracy. Riley was mobile but never made that many great throws when he was moving. Maynard seems athletic, but what happens when the pocket stays intact? Will he still be more effective than Bridgford?

Contact info
Twitter: @avinashkunnath
Email: bearsnecessities at gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Apr 18, 2011 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I think this is a pretty easy problem to solve. Just find the next Michael Vick, and you’re good. NBD.

by Missing Barry on Apr 18, 2011 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions

This is awesome. Ludwig’s predictable playcalling was ineffective. Tedford is a genius, so I’m certain we’ll get better results now. If we can get one of the QBs to play with a little poise, we’ll have an awesome year. The defense is going to keep us in every game, so the key on offense is going to be to not panic while also not telegraphing every play to the opposing D.

by Monica's Dad on Apr 18, 2011 9:12 AM PDT reply actions

I’m still pretty cynical about it and feel like he still had a major hand in the playcalling regardless of the official pr

no bear, no care

by EchoOfSilence on Apr 18, 2011 10:05 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

But I’m still hopeful that the schemes will play out better

no bear, no care

by EchoOfSilence on Apr 18, 2011 10:47 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

From the highlights posted, my conclusion is that Jahvid Best or playing against inferior teams = great play calling.

by cal85 on Apr 18, 2011 10:08 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs

EXACTLY!

Say it like Ron Burgandy signing off: "Stay Classy, Bears!"

by PlayClassyBears on Apr 18, 2011 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions

You, sir, have more than demonstrated your qualifications as an arm-chair football head coach. Well done.

by Missing Barry on Apr 18, 2011 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm worried, but there are things we can do...

The playcalling WAS too predictable – meaning you could tell the play by the formation and the motion (not always, of course, but too often). So that can be fixed easily by design and by what is called. The worry part is the OL and QB executing those plays. And I think PlayClassyBears may be right, and it’s painful to admit.

I’ll repeat my old mantra – if you have U$C’s recruiting (and cheating) talent and depth, you can run a boring pro-style offense, and just out play the defense. For too many years we have tried that and failed. If you are a bit disadvantaged player-wise, you need more trickery, obfuscation, and ‘genius’, but you can in fact beat bigger, faster defenses. We used to do this more often between 2002-2006. Some luck and a couple of stand-out players helps.

I think we have a couple of stand-outs on offense, I don’t know about our luck. I’ll let you know about the playcalling…but PLEASE have at least two plays out of each base formation…someone watch all the video and tell me how many times in the flysweep the ball went to the sweep man last year – my recollection is either zero, or one, but I think the one I remember is from 2009, not 2010. And how many times was the WildBear a run inside the tackles? 90%?

No formation should be above 65% of the same play ever. It’s like giving the defense 3 extra guys for that play.

Stand the whole game, stay to the end, and start yelling while they're still in the huddle. GO BEARS

by JerrottWillard45 on Apr 18, 2011 11:32 AM PDT reply actions

IMO, running a pro-style offense requires hard-to-find players like a QB who can pass at an All-Conference level, as well as TE’s and FB’s who can block and catch. It seems we’ve been missing 1 or more of these for some time now. Any offense requires a good RB and Oline.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

OLine

So, from these comments, it’s pretty clear that I’m not the only one already concerned about the Oline. Is there any reason (please to say yes) to think we might have a better line than last year?

Is there a conceivable situation in which MSG moves back to guard? Can anyone cite evidence that Coach MZ is on the scene and fixing stuff? I just need something hopeful to get me through to fall camp. . .

by slaphancock on Apr 18, 2011 3:01 PM PDT reply actions

Keep in mind that two of the top five linemen (Schwartz and Galas) are rehabbing from surgery and not participating in spring practice.

Also: of course there’s a reason to think we’ll play better this year. Michalczik is a much, much better coach than Marshall.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I’ve been looking hard, and have yet to find a real reason for optimism…

by Missing Barry on Apr 18, 2011 6:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Watching that Maryland video...

…damn, I forgot how good Kevin Riley could be.

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

http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/

by BearStage on Apr 18, 2011 5:15 PM PDT reply actions

I’m not sure which is my favorite highlight from that game, Jahvid’s first big run behind the peekaboo block from Verran Tucker, Riley slipping the tackler on a bootleg and throwing a dart into the end zone, or Nyan Boteng juking a Maryland defensive back out of his shoes with a double move on the post.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions

(Man if we had the coaching staff we do now back in 2009 we coulda done some damage, I swear.)

"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 Apr 18, 2011 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Maryland went 2-10 that year (with 1 of those wins coming against non-D1 James Madison)

Riley looked “good” against UC Davis too…

by The Red Mamba on Apr 18, 2011 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions

And we went 8-5 with five blowout losses. I remember. As it happens, sometimes it’s fun to look back without being completely objective.

"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 Apr 18, 2011 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions

On this blog, don’t we look at the present and future without being completely objective? Isn’t that why we’re all here?

by cal85 on Apr 18, 2011 9:45 PM PDT up reply actions

but at the same time, we won all the close games.
@Minnesota, @ASU, vs. Arizona, @Stanford

by JustBear on Apr 19, 2011 12:28 AM PDT up reply actions

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