:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/723089/126310715.0.jpg)
Rumors abound that Jeff Tedford is on thin ice at Cal. Do you believe that the Bears will fire him? Do you believe they should fire him?
Avinash Kunnath, California Golden Blogs (Cal) and Pacific Takes: I believe Cal needs to rebound and win at least four of their next seven games in order for Tedford to have any chance. Unfortunately, Cal plays FIVE currently ranked Pac-12 teams before the season ends.
And honestly this offense has never been worse. The team averaged under three yards per pass play when you factor in sacks; the run game seems to get abandoned too much in favor of dropback passing with a terrible dropback passer. Gameplans make little sense and the team is giving up sacks and penalties at killer rates. If Tedford doesn't at least get back to .500, I see this being his final season as Cal's head coach.
Scott Allen, Rule of Tree (Stanford): If Tedford and the Bears take a five-game losing streak into Big Game and get blown out by Stanford, he might not make it to November. Cal's played a difficult schedule, but the Bears' offense has been even more difficult to watch. Barring a major turnaround, I think this is Tedford's final year. I for one will be sorry to see him go.
Utecentral, Ute Football Central (Utah): Cal just makes no sense to me. They have an athletic budget nearly twice the size of Utah's (move over WSU, we're last now) and continually end up in the top 25 for recruiting every single year. Can someone explain to me why they don't win every year? It would seem to me that with all those resources, someone should be able to put up a stronger program than what's there now. While I wouldn't call for Tedford to be fired, I think it will be difficult for him to hold onto his job considering how much success the new four new coaches are having so far this season.
One bad season is too soon to panic too, so they shouldn't fire him. Remember, he took the Bears to 7 consecutive bowl games, and 8 in the last 9 years, including last year. He was 1 win from going 9 for 9. Before that, the only bowling the Bears were doing was literally in a bowling alley. They also had a stadium that needed rebuilding, but no money to do that with, and no other facilities.
The Bears would be better suited to invest their efforts in finding someone who can recruit a quarterback. They haven't actually had one in several years, and have won as many games as they have despite, and not because of, talent at qb. Tedford, or someone he hired, found a way to win some games despite one wildly inaccurate quarterback after another.
David Piper, Addicted to Quack (Oregon): Tedford's firing is long overdue. The joke has long been that nobody does less with more than Cal. I liken the whole situation to what Oregon basketball went through with Ernie Kent. He was kept around too long due to past successes, and instead of turning it back around, the program completely bottomed out. Cal has talent. They are a great school in a hot recruiting bed and now have fabulous facilities. Have some standards, Bears fans, and get a coach who will take you to the next level.
Trevor Wong, Conquest Chronicles (USC): I'm going to say the Bears don't fire him and they shouldn't. Cal hasn't really had the easiest of schedules, playing Ohio State and USC on the road (both ranked teams), a Nevada team that is 4-1 and a much improved Arizona State squad. And it's not like they're getting blown out; they've been in every game.
Adam Butler, Pac Hoops and Pacific Takes: One time I had to breakup with my super hot girlfriend. She was smart and beautiful and funny and athletic and adventurous; equal parts ready to take the town or stay in for a movie. But then it just wasn’t working. There wasn’t really a good reason, it just wasn’t working. Look, Jeff Tedford is a good football coach. A very good one. History tells us that he’s led the Bears to just one losing season and seven bowl games across ten-plus years. Toss in a conference championship in 2006 and we cannot deny he’s solid. But it just might not be working anymore. The consistency isn’t quite there and the rest of the conference is catching up. Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everyone.
Jack Follman, Pacific Takes: Man, with the way the Bears have played in recent seasons, and how they have started this year, it's hard not to think that they will fire him unless he can make a huge turnaround this year. The only reason I think they might not is that he basically built Cal football, they were a laughing stock for a near decade before he took over and they essentially were able to remodel the stadium because of him, and then they fire him the first year it's ready? It seems but crazy, but yes, I think they should, if he can't get them bowl eligible. Look at NFL rosters and see how many Cal players who played under Tedford are on them and then think about how many games he's won in that span and it just seems like he's not getting the most out of guys. Also, despite being a "QB guru," his teams' biggest weakness since Aaron Rodgers has always been at the QB position.