(Written by kencraw)

Thoughts after re-watching the disaster:

• I’m glad that they showed that “from Riley’s perspective” replay of the interception. Because from the stands and from the standard TV view it was completely inexplicable. But when you see it from Riley’s view, I can see how he’d think he could loft it into Jones. It just wasn’t there. Still a bad decision, but at least now I “Get it”.
• I’ve heard it said that the interception was the early turning point of the game. I disagree. I think it was the early 3rd down conversion for USC and to a lesser degree the McNight touchdown (which was a TD). That’s what sucked the air out of the crowd, which I think was key to how things went downhill. The team’s intensity quickly followed the crowd’s (something for us to remember).
• You know, rewatching the first couple series for Cal were pretty good as far as diversity of play calling. I don’t know that the 3rd down play that Riley never gave a chance by over throwing Best was going to work anyway, so it might just have been the first bad play call of the game. Nevertheless, that was a pretty good sequence of plays. I wonder if they’re scripted and when they run out of scripted plays is when they start running into trouble.
• Now, the Bears were helped by a holding call to slow the USC redzone drive that would have put them up 14-0, but you still have to give the Bear defense some credit for coming up with a stop. I know that at that moment, the Bears down 10-0 I still was pretty optimistic from what I had seen from the Cal offense so far that they could get back into it. However, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable about the defense and that gave me more hope.
• Now the Bear’s next possession was pretty pathetic. Additionally, everything already felt recycled. The Riley rollout, the crossing route to Ross (that wouldn’t have gone for a 1st down anyway), it was just too predictable. Also, they did the run in the wrong order. You run Best first and then do the Riley rollout. When you reverse it the defense can corral Best more easily because they’re OK with a 3 yard gain (unlike on 1st down).
• But that defense really continued to do its job, including coming up with those 3rd and 4th and short stops. Again, the defense although not stellar, for the most part held up their end of the bargain. They’ve definitely got some problems with linebackers in coverage and confusion in the secondary (the latter being very surprising to me), but for the most part the players are giving it their all and executing to Gregory’s game plan.
• You know, I hate to bring it up because it had nothing to do with the outcome but the Bears didn’t get any breaks from the refs. That personal foul on Tucker for his block was COMPLETELY bogus. Even what the announcers were saying is a penalty that is very rarely called and it didn’t apply. Then the punt return for a touchdown his foot was out of bounds. I’m 85% confident USC scores a touchdown on that 1st and goal from the 4 if the replay is properly called, but it was still a bad call.
• Now, back to that punt return, what frustrates me about our special teams is that it always seems to fall apart when we need them most. It was horrible coverage and it felt like the coverage team wasn’t trying very hard. It also felt like there were only 3 guys on that side of the field to be blocked. And what was with Anger’s punts? When did this guy become an average punter? Again, just when we needed him most, he kicks a low, easily returnable punt followed by a semi-shanked 27 yard punt.
• I think the problem with the Cal offense by the time the 2nd quarter rolled around is that they had already given up on the running game. I’m not talking amount the gimmicy, trick-play to throw off the defense, running game. I’m talking about the line up and smash USC in the teeth running game. Would it have been productive? Probably not very much, but you know what, it helps keep balance and just importantly, it keeps the offensive players in the right mindset of playing hard, physical, football. Instead they were already in panic mode and the defense was forced back onto the field after quick 3-and-outs again and again and again.
• And then the field goal attempt with 12 seconds left has the same effect. It just gave everyone from the players to the fans the idea that the coaching staff was playing for moral victories instead of to win the game.
• Going back to the defense, while I feel there is a lot Gregory is doing right, what. is. the. story. with. the. WR. screens!?! Are we ever going to solve this problem? EVERY team is going to run those over and over, particularly when they really need a drive extending play, if the Bears don’t bring 3 players over when the opposition has a 3 WR bunch set.
• I’ve been a big hater of the wildcat formation but I’ll tell you what, it was reasonably effective when they ran it over and over mid-3rd quarter. They need to look on film on why it worked in those instances but not when they’ve used it on single plays other times during the season (and in this game for that matter). At the same time, wasn’t that just another sign of already having given up or at a minimum, a sign of desperation? While I don’t think the game plan was as horrible in this game as against Oregon, I do feel like the signs of giving up were more obvious from the coaching staff than in the previous game.
• On the opposite side of the play calling spectrum was the sideline huddle/hide Vereen on the sideline play. A perfect call for that moment in the game and it was a sure touchdown if Riley had thrown even a halfway reasonable ball.
• That’s what is most frustrating about Riley. Riley has some brilliant throws, some brilliant escape moves with his feet and sometimes shows signs of wonderful leadership and execution. At the same time he gets in funks that are inexplicable, terrifying and disgusting at the same time. Comparing him to recent QB’s at Cal, Ayoob is really the most apt comparison, and I say that without saying it to curse at Riley like some would assume. The lone difference is that the coaching staff has molded him much more firmly to not throw the ill-advised interceptions that Ayoob was known for.
• I don’t think the offensive line was to blame for this loss, but they sure didn’t help matters on that 4th and 8 in the redzone. The collapsed like a wet plywood bridge with a tank on it. Actually, it kinda feels like they got weaker and weaker as the game wore on. In part that’s because they were taking on the strongest, best conditioned, most talented defensive line in the Pac-10 if not the country. But I think they also had given up a little bit and weren’t using the best technique.
• That long run that McNight had in the 4th quarter that was the final re-enforcing nail in the coffin was not a horrible play by the defense but it was Eddie Young who was responsible for the lost containment. He bought on Barkley’s action and was too far up-field to make the tackle on McNight. Again, not a horrible play, just that’s where the contain was lost.
• Well, that botched punt return by Syd was the perfect way to sum up the night. Another special teams failure when we need them most and poor execution across the board.

Overall, give credit to USC for taking advantage of Cal’s offensive ineptitude. And while I want to keep my hope and despair stuff for separate posts, let me just say that I think USC is going to win out and go to the BCS Championship game as long as Barkley stays healthy. They’ll beat Oregon’s gimmicy offense in Eugene with their great defense that yet again, despite all of the talent turnover and losses to the NFL, is the best defense in the conference.