Cal vs. USC postgame quotes: Sonny Dykes unhappy with defensive coaches

Cal head coach Sonny Dykes appeared to be especially unhappy with not just the Pac-12, but the team’s execution and overall coaching on Thursday night. Dykes took the tone that Cal didn’t play well because they weren’t coached very well, with the tone especially harsh on the defensive side of the football.

Sounds tough. The full extent of that quote is even tougher regarding Dykes’s current feelings about the defensive coaching staff.

"We've got to tackle better. It's up to us to teach your guys how to tackle. If we don't play well then we didn't coach well."

For those of you who are unhappy with the Cal defensive coaching (I think that’s almost all of you!), this is the closest you can get with regards to a vote of no-confidence. Could changes be afoot this offseason?

Some postgame quotes available below. More are available at CalBears.com.

Cal coach Sonny Dykes

"We got down early and didn't execute well early. We didn't do a good job on third down and got to do better and be able to move the chains. We didn't look sharp. We had to move some receivers around with Chad out and other guys going down. We didn't execute well. Give USC credit. They're a good team and Clay has done a nice job and they've gotten better every week. The QB has improved and done a nice job. They did a good job against us in the run game. We have to be able to stop somebody from running the football against us."

"I thought we did some good things at times offensively to give us a chance to get back in the game. As bad as we started we cut it to 28-17 and had a chance to make it one score but didn't do anything with it. We got to play better and coach better but that's a beat up team. I hope the Pac-12 thinks better of not doing this to someone else."

"Singleton was out. He tried to play. We started running out of bodies. Our timing wasn't what it normally is in timing because we were playing guys out of position but we have to get them ready to play. It's my job to get them ready regardless. We practiced once this week in pads – thought that was the way to go to get to the game more fresh. It's hard to practice one time before you play a game."

Cal quarterback Davis Webb

(On playing without Chad Hansen and momentum switch on first drive, dropped pass for potential TD)

"That's how the ball goes sometimes. There are plenty of throws I miss, plenty of drops. It's a short week and something we had to deal with because of injuries. We didn't play well tonight and it starts with me. It was a game where we didn't click in the first half and had a lot of miscues. And give credit to USC. There's a reason they're one of the best teams in the Pac-12.

Cal wide receiver Demetris Robertson

Cal defensive end DeVante Wilson

(On USC's running game)"It was tough. We had some miss tackles and stuff we have to clean up for next week. A credit to them."