Coaching…Overhaul?

Posted by: Avinash on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

(I’m in the process of moving out, so my posting will be sporadic for at least the next week or two. Since it’s the offseason now, there will be plenty of spare time.)

A few weeks ago, I said the following.

Wide receivers: Dan Ferrigno has produced outstanding receiver production for the second straight year, this year in spite of Longshore’s ineffectiveness. His transformation of Lavelle Hawkins into a legit NFL prospect definitely deserves props, although I wish he’d teach him to catch with his hands.

I guess that translated into a safe rating…real nice one out of me.

*Littlejohn and Ferrigno were released from their position coaching duties.

*Delgado left to take a job at Louisville.

*Coach Daft [QB Coach] will now coach the WRs.

*Former Graduate assistant Tosh Lupoi has been promoted and will now coach the DL.

*Frank Cignetti (the 49ers QB Coach last season) will become Tedford’s offensive coordinator.

*Al Simmons will become the new Cal DB Coach.

The big surprise to me was Ferrigno, who I never seriously thought would be leaving. There have been a curious number of routes misread (which didn’t help Longshore any bit) and other such failings. That being said, I figured Tedford would maintain patience. Nooope. I’m not exactly sure why Daft is being juggled around, but I guess it keeps things.

Delgado’s departure to Louisville was not a terrible surprise–if you thought Cal’s D-line was difficult to watch this year, Louisville was Indian Superman, woefully inept in every possible way. Not even worth looking at. Okay, Indian Superman is worth looking at.

[youtube f5Pjo0WjBcs]

I hear Al Simmons molded Deltha O’Neal. And he was in charge of Arizona State’s secondary last year, which if nothing else knocked people to the ground. It’ll be nice getting more physical down in the box with Ezeff, Thompson, Hicks and likely Conte manning the backfield, or at least trying to read the route then manning a zone.

The interesting move is Cignetti, who didn’t see much of a future between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill (and was probably getting canned anyway). Cignetti’s last coaching position was with Fresno State, a team that took #1 USC to the wire before Reggie Bush started channelling OJ. It’s probably not much of a coincidence that Coach’s origins are also from Fresno. So if nothing else, he’ll make things competitive each and every game for Cal’s young offense.

The question will be whether these moves were enough to turn around expectations for 2008–certainly the fact that Gregory is still here might not appease the majority of Cal fans disgruntled by bend-not-break. But it’s a long offseason. A very very long offseason. So don’t think you’ve seen the last changes of the year in Strawberry Canyon.



Topics: Cal Football, Coaching

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