Practices start today! The team will be in my neck of the woods in OC next week so I’m wondering if I can pop by to watch practice? Or do I have to get on the great parks hot air balloon to see them?
All I am hearing is significant negativity regarding our offense.....Of what can be seen, the defense is flying around and making plays.....the offense looks disappointing. Don't panic.....this is one of the most fundamental dynamics of football training camps, especially under a new coaching staff.
Look....Defense is inherently reactive. While there is a scheme, the ultimate goal is simple: find the ball and tackle it. There is "Less Mental Friction" on Defense: If a defensive player makes a mistake but plays with 100% effort and speed, they can often still make the play. I have heard this comment several times: "they are just playing with their hair on fire"........the offense isn't......of course! On defense, especially early on, you can play with pure emotion. Players can play instinctively, unleashing their natural athleticism by not overthinking their assignment.
Offense is execution dependent......success requires all 11 players to do the exact right thing at the exact right microsecond. In his new scheme, Chesney's players are mentally processing new terminology, specific footwork, and complex blocking assignments. When a player is thinking about where to go, their body naturally slows down. A hesitant athlete looks like a bad athlete, even if they are elite. If the offensive line takes a half-second too long to recognize a blitz, or a receiver rounds off a route because he is unsure of the playbook, or the quarterback gets pressured....... the play fails.......The offense will catch up once the plays become more familiar; once there is more muscle memory executing assignments, than abject thinking.....that is when execution and results will kick in..........or at least, that is the way it should work.......for better or for worse, we are going to find out in two weeks.....I think we have too much talent on offense to just fail, and a really unique pressure-oriented scheme on defense that will penetrate and play on the other side of the ball, creating losses and turnovers .........I predict we take care of business against Cal.
Let's see how quickly team chemistry can develop. Returning players introducing new players to the campus and LA. JMU transfers helping others learn Chesney's system. Speaking of transfers, after a Louisiana court order, Trent Hendrick is now part of the team after attempting to join the NFL. Chesney expects him to play against Cal. We live in interesting times.
The Big 18 just passed their rule banning NFL players from attempting a return to the college game......but according to the Bruin administration, Hendrick "threads the needle" so to speak and is evidently unaffected by the rule as to what qualifies as an "NFL player attempting to return" (i.e. attending mini-camp tryouts does not count; declaring for the draft "as a senior," as opposed to "as an underclassman" does not count) and thus, he will play in the opener.
To my understanding, the "needle" so to speak, is about (a) signing a contract and/or (b) declaring for the draft while someone still has college eligibility available to them. So, attending mini-camp tryouts - which, technically any of us could do! - without being offered a contract doesn't make someone an "NFL player", anymore than auditioning for a show and not getting cast doesn't make someone a "Broadway performer"... As for the draft scenario, if you don't have any college eligibility remaining, it isn't a "choice" to be eligible for the draft, it's what should be the natural progression of your career, no matter what Lame Kitty thinks...
Eh this is just all technicalities, so to be truly fair / honest about things Hendrick should also not be allowed to play as he was attempting an NFL career (but was not drafted or made it on a team)
But who knows what judges will rule tomorrow on these things, or what changes will come down
Oh, I 100% agree that this is all madness and that "rational" left the building a while ago but it does seem like a rational dividing line that signing an NFL/NBA/WNBA contract makes someone ineligible for college athletics and not doing so leaves someone subject to all other agreed-upon college athletics eligibility rules.
It is sad that boosters who happen to also be local judges and failing up coaches with massive paychecks despite having never won a major conference title nor a playoff game put themselves before the bigger picture but, these days who's surprised or shocked - Shocked! - that there's gambling going on at Rick's...
This is the Big Ten's definition of a professional player. If they don't want players like Hendrick, then they need to change their rules. In today's world of court injunctions, anyone following the rules is a step forward.
I've had a long, stressful week, so THANK YOU for this article.
Three cheers to our dear friends across town. I raise my old fashioned to them, on this fine evening. Well done!!!
Once a Trogan, always a Trogan.
Post is still up. sc following philosophy of never admitting you were wrong.
1 month to start of football season
Practices start today! The team will be in my neck of the woods in OC next week so I’m wondering if I can pop by to watch practice? Or do I have to get on the great parks hot air balloon to see them?
5 days until kickoff! 💙💛💙💛
Less than two weeks to go.
All I am hearing is significant negativity regarding our offense.....Of what can be seen, the defense is flying around and making plays.....the offense looks disappointing. Don't panic.....this is one of the most fundamental dynamics of football training camps, especially under a new coaching staff.
Look....Defense is inherently reactive. While there is a scheme, the ultimate goal is simple: find the ball and tackle it. There is "Less Mental Friction" on Defense: If a defensive player makes a mistake but plays with 100% effort and speed, they can often still make the play. I have heard this comment several times: "they are just playing with their hair on fire"........the offense isn't......of course! On defense, especially early on, you can play with pure emotion. Players can play instinctively, unleashing their natural athleticism by not overthinking their assignment.
Offense is execution dependent......success requires all 11 players to do the exact right thing at the exact right microsecond. In his new scheme, Chesney's players are mentally processing new terminology, specific footwork, and complex blocking assignments. When a player is thinking about where to go, their body naturally slows down. A hesitant athlete looks like a bad athlete, even if they are elite. If the offensive line takes a half-second too long to recognize a blitz, or a receiver rounds off a route because he is unsure of the playbook, or the quarterback gets pressured....... the play fails.......The offense will catch up once the plays become more familiar; once there is more muscle memory executing assignments, than abject thinking.....that is when execution and results will kick in..........or at least, that is the way it should work.......for better or for worse, we are going to find out in two weeks.....I think we have too much talent on offense to just fail, and a really unique pressure-oriented scheme on defense that will penetrate and play on the other side of the ball, creating losses and turnovers .........I predict we take care of business against Cal.
Let's see how quickly team chemistry can develop. Returning players introducing new players to the campus and LA. JMU transfers helping others learn Chesney's system. Speaking of transfers, after a Louisiana court order, Trent Hendrick is now part of the team after attempting to join the NFL. Chesney expects him to play against Cal. We live in interesting times.
The Big 18 just passed their rule banning NFL players from attempting a return to the college game......but according to the Bruin administration, Hendrick "threads the needle" so to speak and is evidently unaffected by the rule as to what qualifies as an "NFL player attempting to return" (i.e. attending mini-camp tryouts does not count; declaring for the draft "as a senior," as opposed to "as an underclassman" does not count) and thus, he will play in the opener.
To my understanding, the "needle" so to speak, is about (a) signing a contract and/or (b) declaring for the draft while someone still has college eligibility available to them. So, attending mini-camp tryouts - which, technically any of us could do! - without being offered a contract doesn't make someone an "NFL player", anymore than auditioning for a show and not getting cast doesn't make someone a "Broadway performer"... As for the draft scenario, if you don't have any college eligibility remaining, it isn't a "choice" to be eligible for the draft, it's what should be the natural progression of your career, no matter what Lame Kitty thinks...
Eh this is just all technicalities, so to be truly fair / honest about things Hendrick should also not be allowed to play as he was attempting an NFL career (but was not drafted or made it on a team)
But who knows what judges will rule tomorrow on these things, or what changes will come down
Oh, I 100% agree that this is all madness and that "rational" left the building a while ago but it does seem like a rational dividing line that signing an NFL/NBA/WNBA contract makes someone ineligible for college athletics and not doing so leaves someone subject to all other agreed-upon college athletics eligibility rules.
It is sad that boosters who happen to also be local judges and failing up coaches with massive paychecks despite having never won a major conference title nor a playoff game put themselves before the bigger picture but, these days who's surprised or shocked - Shocked! - that there's gambling going on at Rick's...
This is the Big Ten's definition of a professional player. If they don't want players like Hendrick, then they need to change their rules. In today's world of court injunctions, anyone following the rules is a step forward.
Breaking news:
AD Martin jarmond fired!
https://nypost.com/2026/08/31/sports/ucla-martin-jarmond-out-tim-harris-new-path-forward/
https://chancellor.ucla.edu/messages/building-the-next-chapter-of-ucla-athletics
Weird timing right before the football season though