As much help as the Connors Bros. will bring, the schematic tweaks are probably more important. I noticed, especially late in the season/playoffs, that teams were able to manipulate the box and displace one of the two inside backers, forcing a safety into the box fit which is less than ideal. Especially vs. playoff caliber competition.

Agreed on Bell and Faulkner, both capable.

Forty times are definitely overrated. Biletnikoff is an interesting comp; very similar to Kupp I would say on the field from what I remember. Hell of a route runner, physical, caught everything. Kupp is probably faster than Fred was though, but that's just a guess. And it really doesn't matter. How fast can you play and does the QB trust you?

Back in the 80s before some of you were born, we had WR Tay Thompson, who could play for us now. Not the fastest guy but he could sure run the pattern any play called for and had great hands as well. Got hurt in the playoffs broke his collarbone and I think if we had him we could won it all. I believe he is now a physician and still practicing in California.

Dr. Taylor Thompson is with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard
https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/2185246/Taylor-Thompson
It was the 70s. class of 74, UCD Medical School class of 77.. Back then the medical school was in some temporary buildings on campus. So he overlapped with Biggs and Speck at QB. He would have played in the Broadway Bowl against UMASS, And in the classic game against Boise.and probably the Miracle Game against Hayward.

Definitely against Hayward. Lined up opposite Mike Everly.

I think Thompson may have been the intended 1st look, but Sundown Brown got quick pressure up the middle. I think it was George Mock who barely made a sack-saving block, but Biggs had to move to the right, away from Thompson.

There was a colorful player from that era, DE Tom Williams who later played for the San Diego Chargers. Does he ever attend alumni events?

Don't know. Colorful is an understatement!! I believe it was Tom's senior year that he lived in the gym part of the year. Slept on the training room tables, used the showers and the laundry.

Free spirit? I was surprised to see he was a high draft pick but his career ended after two years.

Neil Zoumboukas, a former roommate, was coaching at USF at that time. He later coached at Oregon under Mike Belotti. Neil said that Williams was the #2 rated D-lineman on the West Coast, behind Al Cowlings of UCLA.

Tony Kays a modern example as well.

I looked at some bio info on Tom Williams, "retired" after two seasons ('70 & '71). No idea why, and he appeared in 27 games over the two seasons according to what I saw, "anchoring the Defensive Line".

Plenty of guys have lived in training rooms and locker rooms, especially during the summer. You have everything you need right there and most coaches or staff tend to turn a blind eye. Players also camp out in cars sometimes in extreme cases. I have heard Plough speak continually about the need for funding summer living expenses, as well as program nutrition. The struggle is real for these kids who are expected to stick around all year, but only get covered for 10/12 months. Funding summer living would be a huge step in the right direction for the program.

Theres an apartment complex in Davis thats going to provide free summer housing for players if they rent for the rest of the year.