Dan Greenspan writes about Tepper's post-game comments.
"We’re not going to accept anything but victory," Tepper said.
"(Athletic director) Sandy (Barbour), Coach (Jeff Tedford), all the coaches and players, we all believe we can win a national championship. We just got to do it. As much as they hold us to that, why doesn’t our fan base as well? I like our fans. I think they’re great. They traveled pretty well, but people who don’t buy this as a bad season are incorrect."
The Bears have the talent to win. The players are there. Running back Jahvid Best was healthy when Oregon and USC pushed around Cal. Defensive lineman Tyson Alualu is a beast. Up and down the roster are the necessary athletes.
Many will put the blame on Tedford for a passive offensive game plan or defensive coordinator Bob Gregory for a secondary that missed tackles and assignments all night long or special teams coach Pete Alamar for a 61-yard kick return that put the Utes right back in the game after falling behind 14-0.
Wrong again, according to Tepper.
"If you’re getting paid as much as our coaches are, you’re going to have a good game plan. If you don’t, they are going to make adjustments on the sidelines and make it a good game plan," he said. "I think it is player execution.
"Once again, it was everyone taking turns. We missed protections. Kevin didn’t throw the ball fast enough on a protection. He overthrew a fullback. I missed a block on a run play. I know Mark Boskovich missed a block on a run play that if he would have hit, he would have separated and it would have been six points. We took turns making mistakes.
"This team has enough talent to beat Florida or Alabama or anything, I think it’s a sense of urgency on the players. It was spotty (all season long)."
...
Tedford is one of the highest paid employees in the state of California. The university is spending millions to upgrade Memorial Stadium.
If you don’t want to win it all, drop the program.
Otherwise, what’s the point?
That is Tepper’s point.
After the jump we look back at last night's loss to Utah as well as some of the questions Cal will face in the offseason. GN will take tomorrow off and return Sunday. Happy holidays!
Cal Football
- Besides saying guys are disappointed, Tedford doesn't say a whole lot in the post-game press conference. He praised Utah and said Wynn made some good plays and that their special teams played well.
- JO has quotes from the post-game press conference with Tedford, Riley, Mohamed, and Young and quotes from Gregory, Tepper, and Holley.
- The loss wasn't exactly how players and fans thought Cal would finish the season after starting the season #12 in the land. JO recaps the rest of the game. AP also has a recap of the game. SFGate also recaps the game.
- Ted Miller calls Cal's loss "supremely disappointing." Miller suggests dropping the nickle package, as it simply isn't working. His stat of the game sums up the woes on offense: six consecutive Cal drives gained a combined total of 18 yards.
- Tedford will likely have much to ask himself about how this season played out. Where was the consistency? Why were many of the losses so lopsided?
- With Cal and OSU's losses and academic issues plaguing USC, UCLA, and Oregon, the Pac-10 bowl season is off to a rough start.
- Ted Miller offers a Christmas present for Cal: a light bulb that keeps the locker room illuminated throughout the whole season, so Cal can be prepared for all twelve games.