[upsetof86]

Has us possibly 2nd best in the North based on prospective QB impact in 2012.

Just another pov which I think is worth consideration. Basically the thesis is that UW and Furd fall, we rise, ORE still runs the roost. Who can argue that as implausible this fall?...apart from negabears...

oops, that's the Seattle Times...not CoCo Times...

Bud Withers

[mbBear]

obviously the quote that will launch 5 pages on this thread is "quantum improvement from QB Zach Maynard." The challenge is, even "half quantum" improvement would be tremendous, because you like to think that the running game might be a bit better than last year; however, will the non-KA receivers make the alleged Maynard improvement less noticeable?

[kelly09]

His picks seem about right. I think we may well beat the Ducks at home but may well lose to WSU or OSU on the road.

[FingeroftheBear]

Withers is actually a very reasonable guy and I agree. Lets put it this way, ZM was up and down last season but he ended on a high note, and on average I'd grade him at a B given his strong finish.

***IF*** ZM can start at a B and get to B+ or A-, Cal will be better.

The flipside of the offense and QB is the D. D should be good.

[Cal_Fan2]

Originally Posted by FingeroftheBear

Withers is actually a very reasonable guy and I agree. Lets put it this way, ZM was up and down last season but he ended on a high note, and on average I'd grade him at a B given his strong finish.

***IF*** ZM can start at a B and get to B+ or A-, Cal will be better.

The flipside of the offense and QB is the D. D should be good.

I'm not sure he ended on a high note if you count our last game against Texas... I'll agree that he was better in the latter half of the season but we also played the lesser teams too...so I'm hoping that the Spring reports are correct and that he has progressed to at the very least a middle of the pack to slightly better than that QB....I'll take a "B" from him any day..

[Bobodeluxe]

Originally Posted by mbBear

obviously the quote that will launch 5 pages on this thread is "quantum improvement from QB Zach Maynard." The challenge is, even "half quantum" improvement would be tremendous, because you like to think that the running game might be a bit better than last year; however, will the non-KA receivers make the alleged Maynard improvement less noticeable?

Did you study physics at Cal?

[FingeroftheBear]

Originally Posted by Cal_Fan2

I'm not sure he ended on a high note if you count our last game against Texas... I'll agree that he was better in the latter half of the season but we also played the lesser teams too...so I'm hoping that the Spring reports are correct and that he has progressed to at the very least a middle of the pack to slightly better than that QB....I'll take a "B" from him any day..

Agree on the Texas game but ZM played as well or better than Luck against Furd. So he has shown he can get up for a big game. Just hope he can maintain and improve. IF he can play to that level, Cal will be in position to win but of course other stuff needs to happen.

[1BigTroyFan]

Originally Posted by FingeroftheBear

Withers is actually a very reasonable guy and I agree. Lets put it this way, ZM was up and down last season but he ended on a high note, and on average I'd grade him at a B given his strong finish.

***IF*** ZM can start at a B and get to B+ or A-, Cal will be better.

The flipside of the offense and QB is the D. D should be good.

Here's an idea!!! Just admit that ZM can't carry the Cal offense and run the ball. An improved ZM helps the running game for Cal but he's not the kind of player who is going to throw 35+ TD's this year.

It will be 10+ years before Cal gets another QB like Rodgers. You guys are obsessed with the QB. The last time you beat us you did it with a powerfull O-Line and running game.

[91Cal]

Originally Posted by 1BigTroyFan

The last time you beat us you did it with a powerfull O-Line and running game.

This was the formula we followed, and ZM played well in space making good decisions...right up until the Texas game.

With another year under Coach M's tutelage and stronger RBs, this should more than make up for the WR losses given that we have KA back.

Assuming KA is 100%, that the line improves and TEs are servicable, we should be serviceable on offense.

We could be in for something special if Harris and 1-2 freshman can step up at WR, if FB can show a flash or two of effectiveness to keep opposing Ds honest and a kicking game emerges.

[burritos]

If ZM can achieve a Kapernick like performance, then we'll be better. If he's the same as last year, then no need to expect better than 7-6 again.

[LafayetteBear]

Originally Posted by 1BigTroyFan

Here's an idea!!! Just admit that ZM can't carry the Cal offense and run the ball. An improved ZM helps the running game for Cal but he's not the kind of player who is going to throw 35+ TD's this year.

It will be 10+ years before Cal gets another QB like Rodgers. You guys are obsessed with the QB. The last time you beat us you did it with a powerfull O-Line and running game.

1BTF: You're right about that. But, then again, you guys have been on pretty much a decade long winning streak with QB's (only Corp and Mustain have been disappointing, and Corp didn't get a real shot), while Cal has seen a whole lot of futility at QB since Rodgers left. I think that goes a long way in explaining the obsession.

Imagine if Barkley had gone pro and Kiffin announced he was going with (and sticking with) Scroggins this season. Wouldn't QB be quite high on your list of concerns?

[1BigTroyFan]

Originally Posted by LafayetteBear

1BTF: You're right about that. But, then again, you guys have been on pretty much a decade long winning streak with QB's (only Corp and Mustain have been disappointing, and Corp didn't get a real shot), while Cal has seen a whole lot of futility at QB since Rodgers left. I think that goes a long way in explaining the obsession.

Imagine if Barkley had gone pro and Kiffin announced he was going with (and sticking with) Scroggins this season. Wouldn't QB be quite high on your list of concerns?

I'm not worried about the future after Barkley because the next Trojan QB will not be asked to carry the offense. We want our QB's to make good decisions and let guys like Bush, Jarrett, Williams, Lendale White, Lee, Woods, McNeal, Morgan and others do the work.

The decade long winning streak should be attributed to 1) Great defense 2) Excellent O-line play 3) Balanced offenses. We've been lucky to have a string of several QB's WHO MADE GOOD DECISIONS. The only Trojan QB's that had an arm comparable to Rodgers were Palmer and Sanchez. Barkley is accurate and has a good (but not great) arm.

Here is what Kiffin had to say at the Pac12 coaches conference call:

USC coach Lane Kiffin said he wants to see improvements in the running game: "I think we did improve in the second half of the season comparable to the first half ... obviously we lost our left tackle Matt Kalil, so that will be tough to replace. But Curtis coming back after a 1,000-yard season. He's coming into his senior year. I'm looking for him to improve with D.J. Morgan going into his second year of playing with us. We aren't very deep, but we would like to definitely improve our rushing stats."

[FingeroftheBear]

Originally Posted by 1BigTroyFan

Here's an idea!!! Just admit that ZM can't carry the Cal offense and run the ball. An improved ZM helps the running game for Cal but he's not the kind of player who is going to throw 35+ TD's this year.

It will be 10+ years before Cal gets another QB like Rodgers. You guys are obsessed with the QB. The last time you beat us you did it with a powerfull O-Line and running game.

Yeah, love hearing from University of Spoiled Cocksucker.

[LafayetteBear]

Originally Posted by FingeroftheBear

Yeah, love hearing from University of Spoiled Cocksucker.

Finger: Jeez, dude. I'm no SC fan, but 1BTF was hardly trolling here. Wasn't that a tad harsh?

[1BigTroyFan]

Originally Posted by FingeroftheBear

Yeah, love hearing from University of Spoiled Cocksucker.

That's the sprit Finger!!!. The last Cal QB I can remember that had anything close to an excellent fighting sprit was Mike Pawlawski. Maybe that's what you really need.