(No, I don't just do recruiting, haha!)
We here at GBR often get these types of questions: how small is too small? What do the coaches look for in a defensive tackle? What traits are prized at the Y, versus the X? Well, ask no more. In the next several thousand words to follow (the second part of this series will run tomorrow), we’ll draw back the curtain on the staff’s preferences, position by position. Some of it is based out of conversations we’ve had with our sources in and close to the program, some of it on observation and clear trends in how Coach Dykes’ regime approaches recruiting. All of it, we hope, will be informative.
Program-wide Traits: Hard-working, academically oriented student-athletes
This isn’t much of a unique demand. Every program wants these traits, and everyone wants students who can qualify without worry. But when you’re talking about the number one public school in America (shameless plug), a higher demand is placed on these traits than at most other places. The staff sorts recruits by a red-blue-gold system, with each level corresponding to respective academic riskiness, or lack thereof. As you can imagine, test scores, GPAs, and work ethic all factor in, and ideally, a class has mostly blue and gold qualified student-athletes – the latter referring to recruits who will do well here without worry, the former to those who will do just fine with supports in place – and only a few red-rated academic risks.
Quarterback
Traits: Accuracy/consistency, field intelligence/leadership, mobility
Ideal size: 6’2+, 210+ pounds
Before Jared Goff was the dark horse Heisman candidate and a surefire first round pick, before the broken school records and the highlights on end, the Bear Raid Commander was much, much less – he was an early enrollee fighting off a redshirt, if even that. After all, it was a different four-star quarterback that was expected to win the starting job, a different four-star quarterback that people expected to usher in the Sonny Dykes era. But Zach Kline was finally edged out because Goff flashed again and again what this offense requires most – the accuracy and consistency required to generate first down after first down, key in any tempo attack. Right alongside these prized traits is the ability to make the right decisions and take care of the football, which Goff has largely excelled at as well.
Just about the only way Goff falls short of the ideal Bear Raid quarterback is with his legs, a trait the staff has recruited for in every signalcaller since: Luke Rubenzer, Chase Forrest, Ross Bowers, Max Gilliam, and Armani Rogers are all notably more threatening as runners than Goff, who, to his credit, has improved greatly in this aspect. That list doesn’t include other run-threat quarterbacks Cal missed on, either – the Brady Whites, the Josh Rosens and Travis Wallers of the world. The ability to take off on a zone read or run for a first down should be considered more of a luxury than a must, but it does add a valuable dimension to the Bear Raid, putting additional stress on an already stretched out defense. When the other team is already gasping for air and worried about defending five skill position players in space, and the quarterback can run? Oof. There’s a case to be made that the “real” Bear Raid hasn’t appeared yet, for that reason.
That being said, there only needs to be a run threat in the backfield. A capable rushing attack serves just fine, which is why this is more of a luxury.
We here at GBR often get these types of questions: how small is too small? What do the coaches look for in a defensive tackle? What traits are prized at the Y, versus the X? Well, ask no more. In the next several thousand words to follow (the second part of this series will run tomorrow), we’ll draw back the curtain on the staff’s preferences, position by position. Some of it is based out of conversations we’ve had with our sources in and close to the program, some of it on observation and clear trends in how Coach Dykes’ regime approaches recruiting. All of it, we hope, will be informative.
Program-wide Traits: Hard-working, academically oriented student-athletes
This isn’t much of a unique demand. Every program wants these traits, and everyone wants students who can qualify without worry. But when you’re talking about the number one public school in America (shameless plug), a higher demand is placed on these traits than at most other places. The staff sorts recruits by a red-blue-gold system, with each level corresponding to respective academic riskiness, or lack thereof. As you can imagine, test scores, GPAs, and work ethic all factor in, and ideally, a class has mostly blue and gold qualified student-athletes – the latter referring to recruits who will do well here without worry, the former to those who will do just fine with supports in place – and only a few red-rated academic risks.
Quarterback
Traits: Accuracy/consistency, field intelligence/leadership, mobility
Ideal size: 6’2+, 210+ pounds
Before Jared Goff was the dark horse Heisman candidate and a surefire first round pick, before the broken school records and the highlights on end, the Bear Raid Commander was much, much less – he was an early enrollee fighting off a redshirt, if even that. After all, it was a different four-star quarterback that was expected to win the starting job, a different four-star quarterback that people expected to usher in the Sonny Dykes era. But Zach Kline was finally edged out because Goff flashed again and again what this offense requires most – the accuracy and consistency required to generate first down after first down, key in any tempo attack. Right alongside these prized traits is the ability to make the right decisions and take care of the football, which Goff has largely excelled at as well.
Just about the only way Goff falls short of the ideal Bear Raid quarterback is with his legs, a trait the staff has recruited for in every signalcaller since: Luke Rubenzer, Chase Forrest, Ross Bowers, Max Gilliam, and Armani Rogers are all notably more threatening as runners than Goff, who, to his credit, has improved greatly in this aspect. That list doesn’t include other run-threat quarterbacks Cal missed on, either – the Brady Whites, the Josh Rosens and Travis Wallers of the world. The ability to take off on a zone read or run for a first down should be considered more of a luxury than a must, but it does add a valuable dimension to the Bear Raid, putting additional stress on an already stretched out defense. When the other team is already gasping for air and worried about defending five skill position players in space, and the quarterback can run? Oof. There’s a case to be made that the “real” Bear Raid hasn’t appeared yet, for that reason.
That being said, there only needs to be a run threat in the backfield. A capable rushing attack serves just fine, which is why this is more of a luxury.
