CGB Hall of Fame Finals: (1) Ron Gould v. (7) Andre Carter

Our second match-up in the last round of the California Golden Blogs Hall of Fame 2012 is now upon us! Whoever wins the voting from here on out goes directly into our Hall of Fame, which can be seen by clicking here.


This match-up features epic running back coach Ron Gould taking on Andre Carter, the former Cal football star who was a beast of a defensive lineman and has had a long and stellar NFL career. Gould has created a stable of running backs that have not only done incredibly well at the collegiate level, but also have gone on to have great success in the NFL. He advanced to this final match-up by taking out Syd'Quan Thompson in a really close vote. Carter was a bright spot on some bad Cal teams and has fulfilled his potential and then some in the NFL. He got here by easily taking down softball legend Michelle Granger.

The winner here will be the CGB Hall of Fame recipient from the Pappy Waldorf Region for this year so be sure and get your votes in! You can take a look at the rest of the bracket and all the match-ups here. The full write-ups are after the jump and the voting will end on Friday. GO BEARS!

(1) Ron Gould

Ron Gould speaking (via GoldenBlogs)

Entering his 15th year at Cal, Coach Gould has proven himself repeatedly to be one of the best in the business. Cal's ground attack has been one of the consistent strengths of the team for the past decade. When combined with solid line play and competent quarterbacking, the results have been a dominant running game. He's done it with blue chip talent and with little-known prospects that no one else wanted. Here are the running backs that he's sent to the NFL:

Tarik Smith - 7th Round, (Dallas) 1998
Adimchinobe Echemandu - 7th Round, No. 208(Cleveland) 2004
J.J. Arrington - 2nd Round, No. 44(Arizona) 2005
Marshawn Lynch - 1st Round, No. 12(Buffalo) 2007
Justin Forsett - 7th Round, No. 233(Seattle) 2008
Jahvid Best - 1st Round, No.30(Detroit) 2010
Shane Vereen - Projected 3rd round 2011 (Edit: He was chosen in the second round by New England)

And let's not forget Big Game hero Joe Igber, or all the walk-on fullbacks that he developed into solid players: Chris Manderino, (also played 3 years in the NFL), Will Ta'ufo'ou, Byron Storer, and Brian Holley. As good as he is as a position coach in teaching balance, ball security, and fundamentals, he might do his best work and building character.

The hallmark of a Ron Gould-coached back is a complete player who can block as well as run and receive. Players are taught that details matter and learn to maximize their talents instead of solely relying on raw physical gifts. He's been deservedly promoted to Associate Head Coach and this year also carries the title of Running Game Coordinator.

(7) Andre Carter

Coach Tom Holmoe pulled quite the coup in 1997 when he recruited studly Andre Carter to play his college football at Cal. Carter's college career was certainly forgettable from a wins-losses standpoint, as Carter was unfortunately in the middle of the Holmoecaust. But Carter was certainly a bright and shining light on Cal's "Hit Squad" defense of those years.

MinerNiner lays out the case for Carter.

Carter played for the California Golden Bears from 1997-2000. During his junior and senior years he was a unanimous All-Pac 10 Conference selection. In 2000 he won the Morris Trophy, awarded to the Pac 10's top defensive lineman as voted on by the starting offensive lineman from the conference. In addition to being selected as the Golden Bears' most valuable player, Carter was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defensive player. Finished as the school's all-time sacks leader.

#2 seed Scott Fujita was also big on his old teammate, calling Carter his favorite teammate (HT kolwave).

When Fujita got to Cal as a 6-4, 195-pound safety who was the last man on the depth chart, his intensity on the practice field routinely perturbed his veteran teammates. "I was kind of the annoying, walk-on, ‘Scout Team All-American' who irritated the old guys," Fujita explained. [...] It was hard not to feel excluded, especially when everyone was lining up for training table and I wasn't allowed to eat. Andre Carter would sneak me food all the time. He really took care of me in every way. He's my brother from another mother."

White might've been more important for us at Cal, but Carter has definitely had the better professional career.

Ohio Bear:
Great career as a D-lineman at Cal, became a top-10 pick in the NFL draft, and has had a long pro career. On top of that, he has become CGB's meme for "needing an adult."

Kodiak:

This guy was an absolute beast off the edge. Could stuff the run, rush the passer, and was known for running down backs/receivers down the field...even on the opposite side. If not for being knee-capped by the Holmoe era, he would have put up unreal #'s.

Similar in speed to Cam Jordan, but not as big. However in terms of motor/focus, he started from day one and was a force even as a true frosh.