[OutsiderFan]

Outsiderfan -

This allegation in the above link - that some of the c.a.l OL may have intentionally allowed some sacks of Maynard - is stunning.  However, I thnk I can understand its plausability.

Here's where I'd like your input.  I don't go over to B.earInsider except in a blue moon, as the level of animosity towards things Cardinal makes me uncomfortable.  But I did hear about some thread there either late last year or early this year.  Supposedly, a C.a.l player parent posted something along these lines:  that the son heard Keenan Allen in the locker room say that he wasn't playing unless Tedford started Maynard, and/or Allen was doing some behaviors (like skipping workouts) that would earn any other player suspensions.  Having seen Tedford's fealty to Maynard, I can believe the first part.  So I can see why players would quit on Tedford, as well as Maynard.

Is that locker room story true or apocryphal (or did I not hear/read it correctly)?  I'm looking for a B.earInsider reader to confirm.

First of all, I avoid BI like a communicable disease.  Second, I seriously doubt Keenan Allen ever did any such thing.  As I have been told by insiders (including Ryan Gorcey), here's how the situation with Allen and Maynard played out...

Keenan Allen said he wanted to play with his 1/2 brother Maynard.  Cal was the only school to offer both Keenan Allen and Zach Maynard a scholarship.  But along with Maynard and Allen, both from North Carolina, were DL Gabe King, OLB Chris McCain, and WR Maurice Harris, who Cal also offered.  They all wanted to play with each other in college.  And they all signed with Cal.  There are whispers that advisor/"coach" Otis Yelverton and Tosh Lupoi were involved in nefarious dealings to deliver the NC Five, but no wrongdoing has ever been proven.

According to what I have heard, Keenan Allen never demanded Maynard be the QB.  What happened was Tedford felt a little bit of an obligation to play Maynard because he knew the only reason Allen went to Cal was because he wanted to play with Maynard.  So in reality Tedford took it upon himself to play Maynard, ostensibly to keep his best offensive player, Allen, happy.  Where things went really wrong for Tedford was the fact the team thought Maynard was only playing to placate Allen, and Tedford wouldn't play the better QB (perhaps Austin Hinder) because he didn't want to be proven to be the idiot he is if Hinder played well.  So when he did make a change, he threw out Allan Brigford, who was actually worse than Maynard.  I've never heard anything bad about Allen in terms of being selfish or cancerous.  But I do know he didn't work very hard in the weight room. 

So essentially, Tedford lost his team because he got way in over his head.  The players saw inconsistent personnel decisions, favoritism at certain positions, and basically just went through the motions.  The players may have said they respected their coach, but their performance belied that reality. 

[OutsiderFan]

Outsiderfan -

This allegation in the above link - that some of the c.a.l OL may have intentionally allowed some sacks of Maynard - is stunning.  However, I thnk I can understand its plausability.

Here's where I'd like your input.  I don't go over to B.earInsider except in a blue moon, as the level of animosity towards things Cardinal makes me uncomfortable.  But I did hear about some thread there either late last year or early this year.  Supposedly, a C.a.l player parent posted something along these lines:  that the son heard Keenan Allen in the locker room say that he wasn't playing unless Tedford started Maynard, and/or Allen was doing some behaviors (like skipping workouts) that would earn any other player suspensions.  Having seen Tedford's fealty to Maynard, I can believe the first part.  So I can see why players would quit on Tedford, as well as Maynard.

Is that locker room story true or apocryphal (or did I not hear/read it correctly)?  I'm looking for a B.earInsider reader to confirm.

First of all, I avoid BI like a communicable disease.  Second, I seriously doubt Keenan Allen ever did any such thing.  As I have been told by insiders (including Ryan Gorcey), here's how the situation with Allen and Maynard played out...

Keenan Allen said he wanted to play with his 1/2 brother Maynard.  Cal was the only school to offer both Keenan Allen and Zach Maynard a scholarship.  But along with Maynard and Allen, both from North Carolina, were DL Gabe King, OLB Chris McCain, and WR Maurice Harris, who Cal also offered.  They all wanted to play with each other in college.  And they all signed with Cal.  There are whispers that advisor/"coach" Otis Yelverton and Tosh Lupoi were involved in nefarious dealings to deliver the NC Five, but no wrongdoing has ever been proven.

According to what I have heard, Keenan Allen never demanded Maynard be the QB.  What happened was Tedford felt a little bit of an obligation to play Maynard because he knew the only reason Allen went to Cal was because he wanted to play with Maynard.  So in reality Tedford took it upon himself to play Maynard, ostensibly to keep his best offensive player, Allen, happy.  Where things went really wrong for Tedford was the fact the team thought Maynard was only playing to placate Allen, and Tedford wouldn't play the better QB (perhaps Austin Hinder) because he didn't want to be proven to be the idiot he is if Hinder played well.  So when he did make a change, he threw out Allan Brigford, who was actually worse than Maynard.  I've never heard anything bad about Allen in terms of being selfish or cancerous.  But I do know he didn't work very hard in the weight room. 

So essentially, Tedford lost his team because he got way in over his head.  The players saw inconsistent personnel decisions, favoritism at certain positions, and basically just went through the motions.  The players may have said they respected their coach, but their performance belied that reality.