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Football: Recruiting notes
By Jonathan Okanes
Monday, October 17th, 2011 at 5:16 pm in Football, off-season stuff.
ESPN.com’s Greg Biggins had a couple of significant news items today, both with ties to Cal:
- Biggins reported that Aric Armstead, a mammoth offensive lineman considered one of the top overall recruits in the nation, has decommitted from USC. Armstead mentioned Cal as one of his possible visits, but sounds fairly wide open now.
- Biggins also reported that Shaq Thompson really enjoyed his visit to Oregon last weekend and now considers Oregon, Washington and Cal as co-leaders. My hunch is Cal is still the leader, but the way the rest of this season goes down could be a factor.
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October 17th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I’ve noticed that we moved out of the top 25 in recruiting where a few months ago we were at #17 -these two can help., but can we pay as much as USC? Perhaps they are near their salary cap lol.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Cal 2012 recruit, QB Zach Kline (San Ramon Valley-Danville), had an amazing game last week, completing 19 of 23 passes for 337 yards and five touchdowns in win over California-San Ramon. He has done an incredible job already in recruiting for Cal last year, and looks like he could be one heck of a quarterback as well.
October 18th, 2011 at 12:24 am
Wish we had an offensive scheme like Oregon and the backups they have to keep the ball moving to the end zone. If you missed the Oregon game against ASU last Saturday, Oregon played outstanding football with their second string (or third string) halfback and their second string QB, both freshman, without missing a beat, quickly scooting and jitterbugging through holes made by their offensive line. Cal seems to be in slow motion compared to these guys.
Wish we had an offensive scheme like Oregon, and the players needed to execute it. I look forward to Oregon’s game against Stanford to see what type of scheme is best — Oregon’s new quick hitting shotgun formation or the more tradition T and shotgun formation of Stanford. My money is on Oregon.
October 18th, 2011 at 12:38 am
Gobears49,
Oregon’s offense looks ridiculously quick, but we did ok in the first half and for the most part ASU was keeping up until the end. Last year Auburn was able to control the Ducks O, and this year LSU handled them pretty well.
The key in any game is you need to not only be able to score points, but you need to have an offense that gets your team first downs and helps you win T.O.P. The best defense is sometimes keeping the other offense off the field. I would venture to say that’s the best way to try beat Oregon and that’s something that Tedford has not been able to do his last two trips up to Autzen. If your defense is on the field longer, they are going to get gassed. By the 4th quarter against a team with the speed of Oregon, any opponent would be toast.
What I’ve seen the last few years is the collapse of our offense is what has led to our losses. Not our “bend but don’t break defense.” (Although that doesn’t help either). Tedford has to start answering for these losses and not just putting the blame on the “execution” of his staff and players.
October 18th, 2011 at 1:42 am
Scout is saying OR is front runner… how many times does a kid decommit and then end up choosing that school? i don’t have any official numbers but it seems like rarely.
October 18th, 2011 at 8:47 am
That would be really sad is Shaq bailed on Cal.
But would be really great if Armstead signed up.
I read a quote where Armstead mentioned something about having to consider what’s best for his basketball, too. What’s up with that? Is he wanted to play on two teams??? Hell, sign him up, Monty! He could be the rebirth of Sanders-Frison: 6’7″ and Beef. Beef that we’ll need with the skinny collection of Solo, Kravish, Berhens, Rodriguez. Armstead could play as a freshman!
October 18th, 2011 at 8:49 am
I’m liking a front line, for Monty, of Freddie Tagaloa and Arik Armstead.
October 18th, 2011 at 9:14 am
I’m a huge Cal fan, but if you’re an elite gridiron player and based on the past one plus seasons, why would you want to play for the Bears???? They’ve underachieved and the program appears to be sinking fast. I hope I’m wrong, but the way things are going, we’re back to mediocrity….
October 18th, 2011 at 9:31 am
Raf: Conte did, but I think you are right. Let’s hope all the negative posts here about Tedford and the direction of the program don’t scare too many recruits away.
October 18th, 2011 at 10:39 am
The facilites are amazing, and anyone with decent talent goes to the nfl. Nobody else can say that. That’s why you go to the bears. Also, you can play earlier, and that means you can leave earlier. Cal has a lot going for it. I just wish the coach could take advantage of that.
October 18th, 2011 at 11:06 am
Covinared – you really think recruits will decide based on blog comments? Come on man. That’s ridiculous. An 18 year old has more exciting things to do with their time than us. Especially elite athletes.
I pray they’re working on their game, their academics, and chasing tail.
October 18th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Cal is a great school with world wide admired degree, now has great facilities, regularly puts kids into the NFL, is in the center of the Bay Area with great weather, so many things going for it!
Recruits want to come to Cal for obvious reasons.
The Cal coach is expected to recruit well and win.
Hoping the Bears get back on the winning track Saturday and continue to take recruiting to an even higher level!
October 18th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Tony Gonzalez played both FB & BB at CAL and did pretty good at both. The kid is a five star FB player, if he wants to play BB as well, show him the way to Haas Pavilon.
October 18th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that Monty has been recruiting him to play Basketball. Our BBall team should be rolling by February as well
October 19th, 2011 at 11:56 am
If we accepted Zack Maynard to get K Allen to commit;
I see no problem letting S Thompson play WR and Armstead suit up on the basketball team.
Bring them aboard.