Something had to give for Cal’s offense, for real. After dropping a 24-10 loss to the Clemson Tigers last week, where they barely scraped together 231 total yards and managed only a single field goal, it was clear that head coach Tosh Lupoi was going to make some big moves. Now, as the Bears get ready to visit UNLV this Saturday, it looks like he’s made an internal structural change to the offense, but the specifics are totally shrouded in mystery.
Lupoi’s Offensive Shuffle: What’s Really Going On?
Lupoi didn’t give much away when he spoke to reporters, only saying he wasn’t going to share details to protect any competitive advantage. The first-year coach was the only one available, and he quickly pivoted to praising his staff. He specifically mentioned elevating responsibilities for offensive passing game coordinator Pat McCann, quarterbacks and assistant head coach Nick Rolovich, and running backs coach Keith Bhonapha. He kept it vague, just saying he’s giving them “some specific roles” and “organizing.” He finished by saying he’s gotta do a much better job of making sure all three phases of the team are held to a specific standard.
Now, when coaches talk about elevating responsibilities on offense, it usually means one thing: play-calling duties. Jordan Somerville, the first-year offensive coordinator, has been calling plays for the first four games, and honestly, it hasn’t worked. Analysts, pundits, and especially the fans have been ripping him. But when Lupoi was pressed directly on whether Somerville would keep calling plays against the Rebels, he completely dodged it. He just said the offensive production has been “unacceptable” and that it’s his job, as head coach, to fix it. His exact words were, “I’m comfortable if we’re producing at a high level with anybody. So if we’re producing at a high level, absolutely. If we’re not, it’s my job to make sure, right? Nobody is bigger than this team, this university, this organization. It’s my job to make sure that you know we’re producing to the standard, in a position to go win games.” That’s a pretty strong message right there.
QB Struggles and Missing Connections
Beyond who is pushing the buttons, all eyes are on star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The sophomore QB had a nightmare game against Clemson, but let’s be real, that’s not just a one-off. His production has taken a serious dip this season after his super exciting freshman year. According to Game on Paper, his EPA per dropback against FBS opponents ranks a miserable 131st in the nation at minus-0.27. That’s a huge drop from last season when he was 54th at plus-0.12. Yikes.
Lupoi tried to explain it away, saying the offense just needs to build a better connection between Sagapolutele and his pass catchers. He pointed to the QB’s chemistry last year with Jacob De Jesus, who actually set the program’s single-season receptions record. But this year, transfer wideouts Ian Strong and Chase Hendricks have combined for only 482 yards. It sounds like those two still haven’t found their rhythm with Sagapolutele. While the passing game tries to figure itself out, it looks like running back Ashten Emory is going to be asked to carry a heavy load on the ground.
Cal rolls into UNLV on Saturday. This isn’t just another game; it’s a test to see if Lupoi’s mystery changes actually make a difference. Can this offense finally get untracked, or is it going to be another “unacceptable” showing? They gotta find that spark.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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