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USC Needs A Coach Who Won’t Do Damage

A reader suggested USC hire Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith.

I think Smith would win if he came to USC.

Why?

Because for many years I’ve had the theory that you only need a competent coach to win at USC with the talent it attracts.

Smith is more than competent. I don’t know what Coach Bohn thinks of him but Smith is from Southern California, which is a plus.

You really just want a coach who won’t damage the program. Lane Kiffin was too immature 10 years ago. Steve Sarkisian was out of control. Clay Helton was incompetent.

So that’s why guys like Smith will win. He is none of those things.

117 thoughts on “USC Needs A Coach Who Won’t Do Damage”

    1. Petersen’s offense did incredibly well with Smith and struggled without him. Anyone interested in Petersen should be that much more eager to get Smith.

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    3. Smith is 2nd or 3rd tier.

      Bohn has to approach Petersen, Stoops, Urban (yes…still), Fickell, Campbell, Franklin and perhaps Cristobal. This is the first tier.

      I am fine with Bohn approaching him after he goes through the first tier. Yet, Bohn needs to rank the coaches from best to worst and go down the list.

      Remember when Dennis Erickson was #1 our list after Hackett?

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      1. Yeah, Erickson was # 1, then Belotti then Holtz and we ended up with Carroll, WHO NO ONE WANTED.

        Sometimes the best hire isn’t the sexy hire

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  2. Just because Smith pantsed us a couple of weeks ago doesn’t make him a great coach. It shows how far down we have gone. The question previous to this asked if we need a search firm? I think Haden used a Mattress Firm (he slept on it) Perhaps the most lazy man in all of football at the time. His thought process was… “Hmmm the players like him, he looks clean, I guess he won’t gnarfle the garflap. It’ s Helton!”

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    1. That’s not why he’s a great coach. He’s a great coach because of what he’s accomplished, and how he coaches– he may be one of the best developers of talent and has a scheme that fits SC to a tee. There is nothing of a “come down”, he’s far better than the candidates that are spoken of, but he doesn’t fit irrelevant categories nor does he self promo. Too many fans and media (not you, speaking in general) want a boyfriend or someone to be their pretend fans-father, rather than a great coach. It’s weird.

      https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/how-jonathan-smith-transformed-oregon-state-football-and-weakened-washington/

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  3. I have to give it to Scott, he’s 100% right, though he underplays it. First, his track record speaks for itself.

    Seattle Times:

    “Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes had a checklist as he embarked on a coaching search in the late fall of 2017. It included many of the standard boxes (integrity, leadership capacity, communication skills) and several boxes specific to the OSU football program.

    ‘We wanted stability, somebody we knew would dig their heels in and build it back up,’ Barnes said earlier this week. ‘Because we were at rock bottom.’

    Jonathan Smith has done exactly that in his three-plus seasons at his alma mater, turning the floundering program into a contender. After back-to-back victories over traditional tormentors USC and Washington, the Beavers (4-1, 2-0) are alone in first place in the North.

    Barnes wasn’t ignorant of the role Smith played in Washington’s success under former coach Chris Petersen. In fact, he spoke to Petersen about Smith during the search.

    ‘We wanted to be very diligent, and we talked to people who worked with Jonathan and had mentored Jonathan,’ Barnes said. ‘So in terms of Chris Petersen, yes. I spent time with him.”

    At the time, Smith was finishing his fourth season in Seattle. The impact of his location change is clear in each program’s yards-per-play average, which is arguably the best indicator of offensive efficiency because it accounts for differences in tempo.

    — Washington’s national ranking in average yards per play (Smith’s seasons as offensive coordinator indicated with Smith’s name)

    2015: 43rd Smith
    2016: 10th Smith
    2017: 20th Smith
    2018: 49th
    2019: 62nd
    2020: (39th, four games)
    2021: 90th

    — Oregon State’s national ranking in average yards-per-play (Smith’s seasons as head coach in bold)

    2015: 100th
    2016: 81st
    2017: 101st
    2018: 98th
    2019: 58th Smith
    2020: 51st (seven games) Smith
    2021: 30th Smith”

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  4. Helton, with a lot of talent around him, will come in average around 7-6, maybe top out at 9-4, several ugly wins every year, regularly get blown out by good teams.

    Smith, with the same talent level, guessing would go between 9-4 to 11-2, so good for 2-3 more wins than Helton each year, and be competitive against top opponents. I also think he would do much better than Stoops.

    Maybe Fickell could get another win on average each year relative to Smith?

    One would expect Meyer or Saban (not that the first would be hired, or the second would be interested) would be better by at least one more W per year than Smith, and 3-4 more W per year than Clay.

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    1. Yep… exactly right, 67. If past is prelude, Meyer would be turning in 11-1 regular seasons at USC…..
      #AndYou’reRightAgainWhenYouSayWeWon’tOfferJobToHim….

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      2. Ingrid Bergman in Indiscreet, “We’ll remember that moment forever, it will be seared into our brains….”
        #NunsSpeakingToGirlsInMy8thGradeClassBeforeGradParty: #”Remember…
        #…ItakesALifeTimeToBuildAGoodReputation…
        #…AndOnlyAMomentToRuinIt…”

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Cincinnati, just as an fyi, has higher ranked recruiting classes than Oregon State. I think sometime outside of the Midwest people don’t realize that.

      And Cincy’s “ratings average” of players is actually a respectable 85, which is definitely better than the average P12 team and far better than their conference competition. In fact, that ratings average per player was better than Oklahoma State, Louisville, NC State, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, Northwestern, Texas Tech, Virginia, Baylor, Missouri, Kansas State, Syracuse, Boston College… That’s why Cincy was selected to the Big 10– it has recruiting, facilities and budget of a Power 5,- it’s not some small time Catholic college coming up, it’s been a bully long before Fickell failed into a better job.

      Jonathan Smith has played in the PAC, recruited in the PAC, is from LA and OC’d a team to the Playoffs. I can’t see how with those facts that we would project Fickell ahead of Smith. Definitely interesting hear different opinions, I just can’t see it.

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      1. Nice analysis.

        I recall that horrible season that tOSU put up after the guy in the cardigan was summarily punted out. I do not know if Fickell was to blame or was implosion to blame. I don’t recall tOSU being much impacted AS FAR AS TALENT OR SCHOLARSHIPS by the light NCAA punishment. Despite a signature win vs ND, I’m still unsure about Fickell. He’s a better choice than Stoops or Urban.

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  5. Evidently, the three items most important to being a successful HC in CFB
    1. Tireless recruiter
    2. Excellence in player development
    3. Able to “relate” to this younger generation of FB player.

    So, if Smith is a great recruiter or at least willing to keep on guys like Donte, etc, then maybe Smith could win BIG at USC. He seems to be competent at player development
    and likely relates well to the younger generation.

    The guy at ISU, Matt Campbell is a better-known entity and relates well to the young players and develops the talent.

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    1. Fickell seems unlikely to come.

      Franklin has a lot of baggage. If we are willing to take on baggage, let’s go with Urban!

      Cristobal lost regularly before going to Oregon.

      Campbell has a 57% winning record at Iowa State.

      So perhaps that leaves Aranda as number 1. Is he on the list? Nothing from Scottie so far that would suggest that…

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      2. Side bar story, 1967:

        My wife and I are sitting down to dinner with AD Bohn and Chancellor DiStefano at a small gathering of Buff Boosters (Big 12 years). Bohn is trying to drum up support for the move to the Pac 12, and the silly Buff donors are worried about “the rivalry with Nebraska” or whether CU is gonna field a Baseball team. Nebraska? Baseball in February in Boulder?

        Anyway, Bohn makes the point of comparing the road trips for Buff fans in the Big 12 to the road trips in the Pac for the Buff fans. Let’s see–a roadie to LA in October vs a roadtrip to Waco? A road trip to Lincoln NB vs a roadie to Palo Alto?
        Anyway, he glibly states, “Who wants to go to Ames Iowa in November? Ever been to Ames?”

        I have not been to Ames (as far as I know) nor do I recall my one trip in the 1960’s through Iowa. However, I think Bohn may need to make that trip. Campbell resonates with the younger generation and develops 3 star players into talent that often finds its way into the NFL. Iowa under Ferentz has been steady for 20 years, yet Campbell continues to threaten the far superior Hawkeyes most years.

        I’d take Campbell, but he’s not #1-3.
        He will do far better than Urban or Stoops or Orgeron.

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      3. Thanks, Bourbon, great story. What is your overall impression of Bohn? Competent? Good leadership? Good judgement in terms of hiring coaching talent?

        BTW – after the Wazzu game I had a small sip of Angel’s Envy vs. Woodford reserve. The envy has a nice vanilla finish. Haven’t tried Blantons yet.

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  6. So the list gets longer?

    Dave Aranda. Great choice. Would need to find a premier OC ASAP!!!!*
    Matt Campbell. A strong choice.
    Fickell? Doesn’t sound like he wants to come here.
    Franklin. A strong choice. Likely has good assistants.
    Johnathan Smith. Sounds good. Is he your #1.

    Not on the list: Orgeron (the one-hit wonder), Kiffin, Urban (pretty old), Stoops (too old), PJ Fleck, Cristobal

    *Ask Justin Wilcox how tough this is.

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      1. Speaking of Cal, where is Cal? The blog is on crutches without Pudly and Cal. Lose a few more, and it will be on life support.

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      2. Pudly and Cal –if you’re here in this room with us make yourself known by putting out the candle on the table… and speak your new names…
        #There….
        #…ThatShouldDoIt,67!

        Liked by 2 people

      5. Look, 67! I’m a Medium now! I brought Cal75 back!
        Now, we have to all hold hands (you too, Owns) and bring Pudly back from the nether regions.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Jonathan Smith, huh? If we’re talking Oregon St., isn’t this the point where we should first be targeting Mike Riley for the sixteenth million time?

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    1. I think we’re all getting old, losing our memory. Riley coached Jonathan Smith, then Ericson came in and Jonathan Smith was the QB the year the Beavers finished 11–1, arguably should have been awarded the National Title (finished 2nd in one poll and 4th in another), and was a school record for wins, won the first PAC title in 36 years– Smith was the MVP of that Fiesta Bowl, even though he was recruited as a walk on from Pasadena (Glendora).

      Smith hired his old coach Riley at Oregon State for a year and half before Riley took the job in that pro league that went bust a year ago. Riley said Smith’s football IQ as a player and coach is off the charts. Petersen said so too. Someone should tell him to hit the gym, buy a visor, and get into twitter beefs with pop culture celebrities– and hug everyone!

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      1. Or….Maybe we can all stop looking for that “boyfriend coach” you were referring to earlier and accept Smith the way he is…..

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  8. So you all want a guy with a horrible losing record as a head coach who has yet to win anything? OK. If Smith is a serious candidate than so is 50-75% of power 5 coaches and you all would be happy.

    Aim higher, much higher.

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    1. Doesn’t make sense– he came into a program that was 1-11, and each year improved it significantly, and they are 4-1 now. It’s a perennial crap team, the last time they won anything (a PAC Title, National Champ contention, etc., was over twenty years ago, under Erickson, and wait, Jonathan Smith was the QB, known as a football young savant even as a player. As an OC he got Washington to the CFB playoffs… Or we could find out what Gene Chizik, Mack Brown and Les Miles are doing. 🤷‍♂️

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      2. Of course. I mean if people say “proven winner in college football” and “won a championship” as their criteria, rather than context and details about the candidate and how it relates, then Gene Chizik, Mack Brown and Les Miles are the candidates that have won NCs in college recently that are available. lol Or maybe they want Larry Coker or Jim Tressel.

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      3. Yes he got the huskies to the playoffs, not Chris Peterson. Significant Improvement? He took a 1-11 team all the way to 2-10 the following year. Then he went 5-7 and 2-5 the next two years. He’s a savant! Might as well keep Clay.

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      4. Why are you getting stats wrong? I hope you’re trying to be funny and not just lying. The 1-11 team came before him.

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      5. He came into a team that went 1-11 and ran off half the team and went 2-11, then 5-7,(*2-5 during the Covid Season when OSU closed practices for the entire run up due to an outbreak) and is 4-1 now… Did you also forget in your lying that he’s 4-1 this year too? I don’t mind trolling, I just don’t like lying.

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      6. I didn’t lie once. Re-read my post. He’s way under .500 in year 4. Big deal he is 4-1 this year. They haven’t beaten anyone worth a darn. He didn’t call plays at UW, that offense was all Chris Peterson. There are 50 guys out there significantly more accomplished. He may end up being great, but he hasn’t done anything yet. We need to aim higher.

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      7. Again, a lie. He called the plays. I think what really tells who is who comes from this article, where Petersen basically hung Smith out on a limb after his first year, where despite improving on Petersen’s performance as a playcaller at UW, Petersen basically said, Smith is responsible for the offense and if the offense doesn’t perform I’ll fire him.

        “His credentials as a play caller were questioned and criticized repeatedly in the past year as the Huskies struggled to move the ball and score points. No other assistant coach bore as much public blame, warranted or not.

        And even while coach Chris Petersen supported Smith publicly, the fact remains that Smith was the only UW assistant to receive a one-year contract extension at the end of last season; every other member of the Huskies coaching staff signed a two-year deal.

        <<>>

        The Huskies (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) entered this week ranked fourth nationally in points per game (46.1), fifth in yards per play (7.4), first in passing efficiency, tied for seventh in yards per pass attempt (9.8), third in touchdown passes (31), tied for eighth in yards per rush (5.84), second in turnover margin (plus-1.63 per game) and 24th in third-down conversion percentage (46.51 percent).

        Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Sophomore tailback Myles Gaskin leads the Pac-12 in rushing. Junior receiver John Ross has moved into a tie for third place on UW’s single-season touchdown receptions list with 11. And the older, more experienced offensive line allows only 1.75 sacks per game, a marked improvement from last season’s average of 2.62.

        Most impressive, perhaps, is the Huskies’ efficiency. They have run 512 offensive plays in eight games (307 rushes and 205 passes), tied for 116th out of 128 FBS teams, yet score more than nearly anyone else.

        Smith’s play-calling, Petersen said, has been “excellent.” And Smith and UW players say it hasn’t really changed a whole lot since last season, an indication that perhaps the Huskies simply needed their young roster to mature before they were fully capable of executing the full scope of the offense.

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      8. We should but I’m not going to stop giving you grief because you know he was the play caller at UW (okay, you might not but for the sake of this discussion I’m going to accuse you lool). Being the OC of a team that was pretty shit and not laden with talent and making it one of the best offenses in the country and to the CFB playoffs and dominating the conference is well within the Top 50 of accomplishments of a major coach. Fixing Oregon St from a team that was at the bottom of the conference for years, not just a single bad season, and turning them around by significant wins every regular season is great– even in 2019, he didn’t just play a single type of offense, he ground out a close games where they were grossly overmatched, and others went all out and put up over 45 plus points 7 or so times including 6 in the PAC I think.

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  9. Right on Scottie. You were right back in 2014 when you suggested Franklin and you’re right on here. The fans might complain a bit at first but it wouldn’t take long before he would win them over. This guy learned from Mike Riley, Dennis Erickson and Chris Petersen and he knows how to develope a strong running game. This is his 4th year as HC at OSU. In those 4 years, his teams have averaged 155, 156, 197 and 229(this year) yards per game rushing. This guy can coach. I don’t know whether they will go for him but they should.

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  10. You want to be in the final four every year you hire urban Meyer. You don’t wanna be in the final four hire anyone else. Folt and Bohn it’s up to you and no one else.

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  11. SC could do much worse than Smith and have … he would be a good fallback if Franklin, Petersen and Bill O’Brien say no. Smith’s offense is fun to watch. You don’t have to be great at USC just not awful like SucKiffer and Gomer.

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  13. Maybe five years from now but he isn’t a home run hire. More like a single rounding first making it half way to second then turning back to first.

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  14. Smith is not a sexy enough coach for me. I want a coach who is reality TV ready. I need to get my kid and her friend some quality air time. Thank you next…..

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  15. Jonathan Smith- no way we don’t need a possible 1 year success story. Jonathan is not an established coach, and Oregon State is too big a jump to USC. He at best is another Mike Riley who won more than the others at Oregon Staten, but in no way can be classified as a championship coach. Please explain to me what Mike Riley really won at Oregon State yet he is a hero in Corvallis which shows you how low the expectations are in that town. Nice guy……..but like Jonathan Smith does not meet the requirements necessary to be successful at USC.

    If Jonathan Smith had a Pac 12 Championship already on his resume along with 2-3 appearances in the college football playoffs then I would say he should be considered.
    Come On USC is one of the top paying jobs in the country we should never accept an unproven coach at that salary level.

    Too many of these college coaches and coordinators are hot candidates with one good season we need a proven/successful head coach from a proven program, and if you can’t do that you should not pay a top salary since it is a huge gamble.

    Very disappointed that anyone would even consider Smith for the USC job. Doesn’t anyone look at the guy’s resume, and if you think he is a good candidate at this early stage in his career you must be winning to gamble on USC’s, or will you be the 1st to complain or request he be fired if it takes 3-4 years to have a winning season. 1 Possible winning season at Oregon State is not what USC should be going after.

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  16. 1/2 a successful 2021 season does not justify an up and coming coach classification. Oregon State has a senior dominated team this year I say we will get a better read on Smith after 2-3 more seasons. I say if he comes to USC now he’s a bust much too big of a gamble if we want to win right away. It is not fair to the kids to hire a head coach who still is in the development stage.

    I think our next head coach should be a defensive minded coach like Pete Carroll was when he came here. Not saying Ken Norton or Jason Leach should be top candidates for this job, but if your going to gamble on a 1/2 year wonder at this point go with a defensive minded coordinator or head coach. Bob Stoops, might be the darkhorse for this job he is all about defense first. His brother Mark Stoops is in the same mold, and has done some wonderful things at Kentucky over more than 1 season

    I still say if you want to grab another Pac 12 coach go for David Shaw at Stanford, and give him the type of raise Stanford can’t match. Shaw, knows he will never win a national championship at Stanford, and at USC that goal can be accomplished.

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    2. His improved a team every time (I’m giving him a pass on 2020 because they had a Covid outbreak that prevented any preseason work and they lost 5-10 starters– and still Johnson’s low talent Oregon St beat a healthy Oregon by the end of the year, the same Oregon that beat us. And of course his Oregon State came in and beat us and Washington…

      His years under Petersen, who very much put him in charge of the offense– and it was a big difference of UW with Johnson where they did very well, and without Johnson when they struggled. Petersen swears by the guy, Erickson does too, as does Riley.

      And he did a great job with at Montana, Division I semifinals in 2011 and the best offense in conference and at Boise State QB Joe Southwick to a completion percentage of .669, fifth-best in school history, and 11-2, conference champs…

      Two things happen with him– he builds Oregon State into something within limitations or like the team he QB’d and won the PAC and made a national championship run, which was almost miraculous. He loves that sad place and his experience makes him think Oregon State can win big. Or he jumps for a big opportunity.

      That same thing btw I see with Shaw, but Shaw is never leaving Stanford, and Shaw just doesn’t seem to have a killer instinct. Shaw loses to much less talented teams on a disturbing basis, but gets up for bigger games mostly, and he’s seemingly alright with it because it’s all Stanford expects.

      But one thing about Johnson, which Wolf is right about– he’s never coached a bad offensive team in his life, and his blueprint would return SC to being SC– OL, TE, Fullbacks dominating blocking, a run game with the pass and play action off it (actually a QB lining up under center mixed in), passing and running all out of the same look, and the ability to shoot out or protect the defense with ball control… He made Jake Browning, a weak armed QB look Heisman worthy and he’s doing it again with Chance Nolan… He develops players. So at worse, at this crucial time he’s not a gamble.

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  17. Watched the Rams/Sh*thawks tonight. Robert Woods is one former bozo I’d have on my team. Woods is the guy SUCC chased into in the NFL so the bozos could feature Marqueasy Lee.

    Woods caught 12 balls tonight to help the Rams secure a big victory. Is Lee still in the NFL? If he is, I’ll bet a dozen of Chip’s favorite donuts Lee’s on some NFL team’s IR roster.

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    1. Lee last showed on an NFL roster in 2019 with the Jax…apparently he should have hung on for a couple of years more, considering how much fun it appears he’s missing out on…

      Woods definitely a good player (and a steal for LAR to get him)…not quite the same, but similar dynamic to the pairing of Jarrett and Smith, where the latter had the far better pro career after being thought of as less talented. I haven’t followed the Bruins closely enough to keep my Doakie Walkers, Mike Sherrards, and JoJo Townsells completely clear…but think similar dual player situation was true in ’70s with Tyler and Brown as running backs (but in that case, both had good NFL careers).

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    2. Hey Owns
      If you want to check on Mr Lee, do this

      Go to NFL sportrac, then find the team listed….by descending cumulative salaries, in this case SC is listed above the ruins and click on the school. All alums under NFL contracts are listed and the list is updated daily.

      If you need further guidance, wait by the mailbox.

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      3. Big Bear and the Mule – WolfWorldOverload! I love it…this is why I had to LZ I and “I Can’t Quit You Baby”…Wolf should do a video pod once a week and have a rotation between you three and a couple of the other top notch frequenters…

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    1. Odd offense– spread option– which he says is all about not having talent. ““The reason why we like to run the offense that we do, we don’t have to have the best linemen in the country to win games,” Chadwell said. “We don’t have to have the best receivers in the country to win games. Every job that I have had has been a rebuild. We’ve had to develop and recruit talent that fits our system.” He’s like a more competent Graham Harrell and his Air Raid. Shudder.

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      2. Until they meet a Big Boy defense– and they run into trouble in the end zone vs those teams. Chip Kelly added a lot of wrinkles to it to hide it’s inherent weaknesses — with the hurry up, the speedball wide receiver screens, two back sets to go along with his zone read to complement the option pitching, (and vs Auburn he actually put in a whole new pass heavy RPO scheme which he didn’t reveal until the second half.) I think that’s as far as that offense is going to go though– even Chip abandoned it and didn’t bring it to UGLY, which surprises me. He must still recall Nick Fairley and company on that Auburn front not waiting and just crashing both runner and QB, something previous defenses hadn’t often done.

        It’s a cover for schools who can’t get the blocking or talent in general, SC is above that still… I hope.

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  19. Please no more Mike Riley- Although he is the nicest guy in the world the guy never won anything at Oregon State, and he got killed when he went to Nebraska. Good coach and offensive mind, but not a legend by any means in the coaching profession. Yes, Riley is probably a legend at lowly Oregon State, but so was Dee Andros “the great pumpkin” because he had 1 winning season. The only coach to really have a highly successful season at Oregon State is Dennis Erickson, and yes Jonathan Smith was the QB on that team. Smith, is not the right guy for USC as he is still in the early part of his career, but might develop into a great coach in a few years.

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  20. Pardon me for interrupting, I’m new here…

    Why does the discussion include Cristobal or Smith? If either of the Oregon schools loose their HC, it’s a net neutral for the underachieving PAC 12. But it’s chaos for the other school. Where was Christobal b4 he became a HC? Where was Smith b4 he became a HC?

    SC seems to think they are a top notch national team. Why not pick on some team their own size, like a top 10 national team and pilfer one of those coaches and send that school’s program spiraling?

    I now return you to MG. He’ll have the answers and clever #.

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    1. Cal,
      You need to make the hire. Don’t put on your bears hat, we will pay you enough to ignore your allegiances. But we need your go get the best guy attitude. How do we make it happen?

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    2. Please forgive my interruption– I too wanna hear MG.

      But this: Cristobal was at Alabama and Miami, and of course he won NCS as a player at Miami. He built FIU from a DII school or whatever we call it these days to a DI or whatever we call it these days. He did a great job considering all he was doing… (And the players were a riot, getting into shootings, etc. Smh) I was working there at the time, worked w him to get players in.

      Cristobal’s recent overtime loss was while Morehead was pulled out at the last second as OC and play caller for the game so I haven’t hopped off his train– but I am always suspicious that OL/TE /Run game coordinator guys can tend to overlook QB/WR/Passing game coordinators and the on the players at that position, and vice versa– but the OL/TE/Run guys are much more valuable and rate.

      Smith has a pretty gnarly record as an OC/QB/Passing game and running game guy– at UW, Boise St.. Montana, etc. He’s been a Petersen, Erickson, Riley, protege and in some ways combines all the best to be greater than the individuals (see the improvement at UW with Smith and drop off without him.) These aren’t just fell off the turnip truck guys. Smith is the better coach, Cristobal prob has more appeal with persona, but neither are duds.

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    3. Cal75 —Scott asked me to make the following announcement:
      I, Scott Wolf, am through with “theme days.” Theme columns are for the little guys. From here on (to borrow from the old Mickey Mouse Club) every day will be Anything Can Happen Day…..
      #IGoWhereIPlease

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  22. Cal 75————those were the golden years of bear football led by Head Coach Mike White, Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett, and the great ones- Joe Telegraph Ave Roth, Chuck Muncie, Steve Rivera. Joe Roth, was a very special QB it’s a shame he passed away too early in life from cancer. Definitely, would have been a 1st round pick, and a top pro. Those Bear teams with Roth and Muncie were unstoppable both in the passing, and running game.

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  23. Forgot to mention two other great ones at Cal- Wide Receiver Wesley Walker, and QB Steve Bartkowski. Those were the golden years of bear football we probably will never see Cal Football again like it was then.
    Sadly, I think Justin Wilcox getting fired at the end of this season.

    Will Cal go after Clay Helton???????????????????????????????

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    2. TommyD,
      I’ve got some great bullshit re; Bart vs Ferragamo. I’ll slide it in sometime when Scott takes a 3day bender.
      Here’s the deal(thanks Drevno), Cal can’t pay. ENOUGH. We had Bruce Snyder bringing us back. AZ hires him away. Mariucci. 49ers hire him away. Tedford. Forgets to put a little balance in his life and take care of his heart.
      Wilcox is not on the hot seat because Cal fans are used to this. Sadly.
      IMHO, BOHN has the replacement lined up b4 he hired Helton. If he didn’t then you guys ….well…NO COMMENT.

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      2. I’ll be looking forward to reading that – enjoyed your stories about Chuck Muncie…I seem to recall Joe Kapp had some success when he returned…

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  24. Maybe Clay can be Director of Intramurals at Cal……They students play good flag football up there in Berkeley especially on Telgraph Ave. Berkeley should for sure be the next stop for Uncle Fester and his family.

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    1. It gets a little dangerous on Telegraph (bricks thrown thru windows, firecrackers thrown at old ladies) —not sure Clay would enjoy it…..

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  25. Well sheis, my post got the boot. Slow night so I’ll toss in a little Cal folklore.

    1975, I was in an altered state that night but the story is 99.9%.
    Pi beta Phi formal. Pi Phi and Kappa’s were BY FAR the best houses on campus. My date is a Pi Phi. Joe Roth is taking out (S***** H*********). She’s wearing an elegant white gown. She starts her period. Little red spot on the dress. Of course no one tells her. It keeps getting bigger everytime she sits.

    Her new nickname in the Pi Phi house is….wait for it….

    SPOT.

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      1. Both arguments strong…an event of sufficient renown to be worked into an episode of M*A*S*H…but then there was that lack of follow-up issue (although the Yanks of that era did have that tendency, as the Brooklyn Abscondos were more aware of than anyone)…

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  27. Painful watching SF Giants beating the Dodgers through 4 innings.
    I am hoping this rant will change the momentum as most of the times I bitch, the team I am rooting for turns it around.

    Let’s go Dodgers!

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    2. The Dodgers get shut out thanks to Dave “That POS” Roberts.

      Pollack and Bellinger strike twice on pitches no where near the plate.

      This Dodgers Shutout loss was vintage Roberts baseball.

      #Chico Escuela knows more about baseball than Roberts.

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      1. I’m still trying to find a way of blaming the Dodgers’ defeat on the Pac 12 refs….I’m gonna need a little more time….

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      2. Just relax Dodger Blues…Bay fans too…track record of teams involved in season-long competition leading to great records is rather poor in terms of post-season after effects (even the teams that eventually won were more relieved escape artists, e.g. 75 Reds, 86 Mets)…recall when Braves overtook Giants in 93 they were knocked out by the Phillies…85 Cardinals…several others, but these were all great teams that got pushed down to the wire, and eventually pulled up short…teams can only keep that high level performance up for so long given baseball (hitting) is so brown to slumps (particularly in this feast or famine home run derby era)…not exactly the same, but the Dodgers just did it to the Cards (what were they, 18-2 down the stretch?). It will work itself out. I’d be most concerned if I was a Giants fan, and probably feeling the most confident if I was a Rays fan…

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  29. Gruden wouldn’t want the aggravation of the bozo FB program, and Meyer will spend his time groveling to his wife’s demands.

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  30. Cody Bellinger is killing the Dodgers like Clay Helton killed USC. It’s a miracle when Bellinger makes contact with the baseball. Trust me he will be out of baseball soon if he does not turn it around quickly next season.

    The guy’s head is on another planet. Chris Taylor should be playing each and after game, and Bellinger needs to go to the bench.

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    1. No tommyd, Dave “F**king” Roberts is killing the Dodgers. On his own, Roberts lost the Dodgers at least 10 games (I’m thinking more games) with lousy, BS managerial mismanagement. Cut those 10 games in half and Dodgers finish in first place by 4 games.

      Dave Roberts is an abomination as the Dodgers Mgr.

      #”Windmill” Bellinger SUCCs and belongs in Triple A Baseball.

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    1. Game (33-24 Trojans?), Fury-Wilder (I’ll take the former in 5), Dodgers-Giants (what a matchup just getting started and better on the Diamond than on the Dimon), Urban/O’Brien et al Mary Goes Round, Round, Hockey Returns!, and Forks Up! (at least for one more week)- plus all the sorted extraneous soup additives that makes this place fun…

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      1. IF (big if) USC handles Utah to the tune of 33-24 (and comes out of the game healthy), I’m gonna feel pretty good about where the Trojans are going into the Notre Dame game.
        As far as Fury/Wilder —I agree. I re-watched Fury/Wilder Two the other day and Wilder was weathering Fury’s punches pretty well even with blood pouring outta his ear. But for that freak busted ear I think the fight woulda ended differently [and, more importantly, I think Fury feels the same way]. Karma is a bitch and when you disrespect a noble opponent by licking his blood when he’s hurt….well, I think whatever shit happens to you after that is richly deserved.
        #AddThis:Fury’sBodyLanguageAllWeekSez”IThinkI’mFucked”

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