Cal Football: OC Bill Musgrave Promises to Unleash Some `Trickeration' in 2021
We have heard more than once that Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave didn’t go too deep into his playbook last fall because of the limited preparation time the Bears due to the pandemic.
Cal’s fifth spring practice on Wednesday is one more than they had all last year before COVID-19 shut things down. Offseason workouts weren’t on a par with the usual routine. And fall camp was canceled before teams took part of hurried preparation for a season that was delayed and shortened.
As a result, as Musgrave said, “We played it close to the vest last year.”
That’s about to change, he promised.
“We’re ready to expand.”
Musgrave said the run game in particular will feature some different blocking concepts the coaching staff was reluctant to add last fall when the offensive line, in particular, was hit hard by COVID-19 issues. But it won’t stop there.
“We’ll try to throw in some trickeration, if that’s a word. Get some gimmicks going, too. Because we want to be difficult to defend,” he said.
Cal fans have, at times, clamored for more offense that is out of the box. We expected that with former offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin, but seemed to get little in the way of fun trick plays.
“This is the time of year to practice your trick plays, not during the season, where they’re one-week wonders,” Musgrave said. “This is the time of year for us to practice our exotics so we get plenty of turns at them and then we can dial them up during the fall.”
Of course, Musgrave isn't about to share specific trick plays he has hiding up his sleeve. He's probably fine just floating the idea out there so opposing defensive coordinators will have one more thing to think about in the offseason.
Musgrave also addressed how he is approaching the quarterback position this spring, with third-year starter Chase Garbers
Progressing at “a pretty steady rate,” not rushing it.
A mix of new things for Garbers but also “getting as many plays for those young guys so they can develop as well.”
Musgrave talks in the video below all that will go into deciding on the No. 2 quarterback:
“That’s up to them. How well they play, when they display their grasp of the system, making good decisions, leading their teammates and being productive members of society,” Musgrave said. “That’s on them. We’ll put them in position to be successful. Hopefully, all of them really accelerate quickly so we feel comfortable putting anybody in the game.”
Musgrave acknowledged what was reported yesterday, that redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Casey has put his name into the transfer portal.
“We hope that he finds a good fit and can get a lot of good college football experience. So we wish him the best.”
Spencer Brasch releases a pass against Oregon State in 2019
Photo by Neville E. Guard, USA Today
Among the other three who are on campus and competing for the No. 2 assignment — sophomore Zach Johnson, redshirt sophomore Spencer Brasch and redshirt junior walk-on Robby Rowell — Musgrave said all of them are doing some good things.
In the video below, Musgrave breaks down the strengths of each of those three young QBs:
Incoming freshman Kai Millner will join the quarterback mix this summer. Millner attends Higley High in Gilbert, Arizona, the same school that sent Brasch to Berkeley.
And speaking of trick plays, Millner pulled off a beauty in his final high school game. He called Dipsy Do for 2, but it looks an awful lot like a bride tossing her bouquet.
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Cover photo of Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave courtesy of Cal Athletics
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
