GOODBYE, MR. DUNBAR
The wires are now reporting that Cal OC Mike Dunbar has accepted an OC position at the University of Minnesota. File this one under "failed experiments." We have mixed emotions about this - on the one hand, it's clear that the working relationship between JT and Dunbar was far from perfect - the fact that he would make a downgrade move suggests that he was eager to get out of Berkeley. Further, our personnel doesn't support Dunbar's version of the spread offense.On the other hand, it's never good to have this sort of staff volatility so "late" in the off-season (and two weeks from LOI day). We'll see what JT does in response; we don't begin to know who might be on his short list to replace Dunbar. Any thoughts?
posted by Tightwad @ 1:13 PM
4 Comments:
Wow very odd...why take a job working for yet another crappy Big 10 team? He didn't even get promoted? This smells fishy.
Hopefully Dunbar just wanted to be "closer to home" or some crap like that.
Good riddance, perhaps? It's not like we had great and crafty plays this year. Of couse we didn't have a spread QB.
As I think I've voiced here before, I'd love to see Mike Pawlawski move into the coaching ranks. Now, I don't really think the Polish Rifle's first gig should be O.C., but assuming he has any interest in coaching, I'd love to see him brought into the fold. More generally, I think it's time for Tedford to assume the mantle of older mentor among his staff and bring in some ambitious, creative younger blood. Certainly, the contrast between Tedford's tendency to hire older guys, and Pete Carroll's virtual coaches' kindergarten, couldn't be greater. And if we're going to go young, why not make it former Bears? If not Pawlawski, why not Russell White or Geoff Macarthur, who are both presently coaching at the high- school level?
Two final thoughts: Jim Michalczik or Ron Gould--either one of those guys a legit candidate for moving up to the OC's chair? Norm Chow--not exactly a youth move (or even a realistic one), but one that sure would generate some interesting reactions from the land of Troy. And make no mistake, that's what Cal football is all about now: beating SC.
As for Dunbar, no hard feelings here. It wasn't the best of coaching marriages, but it probably will prove to be a good learning experience for both guys.
Ron Gould for OC
I have to admit I was in Knoxville and yearning for a power run game combined with short slant routes. It hurt physically watching the offense flail.
The spread is neat. I like having the QB take shotgun snaps and the direct snap to the RB thing, but we just recruited a whole lotta O-Line beef and most of our young QB's are Tedford not Spreadford types.
I don't know who the new OC will be, but it would be nice if he could potentially, um, take over as head coach in a couple years. Not that Tedford won't be the next JoePa, but just in case, you know?
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