Review of each offensive position group
(Written by kencraw)
The depth chart for the season (really for Northwestern, but let’s not quibble over details) has not yet been released (we should expect it later today). However, we know enough that it’s time to review each position group.
Quarterback:
I appear to be more pessimistic here than others. Hasn’t anyone else ever heard of the Sophomore Slump? It sure doesn’t seem like it. More seriously, last year I found Goff to be less impressive than I hoped and not in a way that I have high hopes for him to be great anytime soon. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a serviceable quarterback and at the end of the season I’m pretty confident Goff will not be the reason we’re shaking our heads in disgust. But I’m also not expecting him to be the reason we’re over-joyed. Also, since this is a position group analysis, one has to be pretty scared about the prospect of Goff going down. Hinder has been passed by a true freshman (Rubenzer) on the depth chart. Chances are there will be at least one game where Goff is not the primary QB under center. Let’s hope it’s going to be a game the Bears were most likely going to lose anyway.
Offensive line:
I might as well continue on to the next group I’m more pessimistic about than the norm. There’s been a lot of positive press about the improvement of the offensive line. Well, there HAD BETTER BE!?! That group was down-right horrible last year and costs us a win or two. What I want to know is how much of a curve is this improvement being judged on? My gut says they’re grading a bit too easy. There are some young guys I have some hope will impress (Matt Cochran, Dominic Granado, and Steven More) but the proven talent is small (Jordan Rigsbee and ???). Losing Okafor hurt and it’s troublesome that Adcock is so far down on the depth chart (and no, I’m not one of those who say “If random guy X beat known quantity Y, X must be really good”). So here’s hoping this group really has come together and the new talent impresses in a big way, because from my way of thinking, this is the unit the season’s success rides on.
Running backs:
Let’s switch gears to a group I’m very high on. While some have mixed feelings about the RBs, count me amongst those who think we’ve got two very talented guys in Lasco and Khalfani. They weren’t given a chance last year behind the OL. While the impression of them still rests on improved OL play, I think these two could hold their own as the backfield for almost all of the Pac-12 teams. If there’s one downside, it is that their backups are young, particularly now that Coprick is out. Let’s hope we don’t get bit by the injury bug here.
Wide receivers:
This is by far the strongest offensive group. Powe, Treggs, Harris, Lawler, Harper… all of them are very capable and have shown it on the field. Supposedly Davis and Anderson are looking really good too. If there’s one group the team could afford to have more than its usual share of injuries, this is it. In fact, one wonders why we haven’t considered moving a few of them over to the other side of the field to be a DB.
Tight Ends and Fullbacks:
Sorry, I just had to throw this in here. But we intentionally have no depth here (I guess technically we have 3 fullbacks on the roster, but you’d never know it) and frankly it’s something that just doesn’t sit right with me. There are times when you want extra bodies who can line up and put someone on their back on the field. I’ve got two reservations about the offensive scheme: 1. that it depends too much on up-tempo, something our opponents are figuring out how to neutralize. 2. That it eschews the TRUE power running game (or even just lining up that way and then throwing out of it). Thus I just can’t get over the lack of concern for having any talent in this area by the coaching staff.
August 26th, 2014 at 9:14 am
Sophomore slump would imply that Goff has already had an amazing year – which he hasn’t. He was the LEAST of my worries last year in watching the offense behind a porous offensive line, and a lack of running game.
I’m pretty bullish on him to improve this year, not only because QB’s in college tend to make their biggest improvement between their first and second years starting (it just so rarely happens to be a true freshman going to true sophomore), but you combine that with the fact that he has one of, if not the best WR corps in the conference.
The defense which was historically bad and had an aberrant amount of injuries that we didn’t have the depth to withstand, should give him more opportunities to score points.
August 26th, 2014 at 9:34 am
Chris, I completely agree that he’s the least of the team’s worries. He’ll do fine. If we stink, it won’t be because of him. But I also think “least of our worries” doesn’t mean “great”, not on this year, and some seem to be making that logical leap. He’s got a lot of improving to do to be a great QB. It would be wonderful if he does take the next step, but call me a bit skeptical.
August 26th, 2014 at 11:50 am
Ken,
Goff, the receivers and the running backs are all qualified, Pac 12 quality players. It comes down to how much the defense and the O-line improves.
I agree with your assessment that the O-Line needs to improve A LOT. And the defense needs to be meaningful. That means games where the opponent scores less than 30 points.
Goff could develop into an elite QB. But I don’t think that impacts the win count as much as the O-line.
If Sonny gets the improvements he needs and wins 5 or 6 games, he may be at Cal for a long time. If not, we’ll get a new coach soon after we get a new AD.