Cooks and Woods both played in Pac 12 during 2011 and 2012 season
They never played versus each other but Cooks was a Belitnikoff winner in 2013. In 2011 Woods was 1\3 Belitnikoff finalists. It's a connection.. Mutual respect/shared experiences(Pac 12) creates an immediate connection. In football, likely more than any team sport, chemistry carries a ton of weight and influence. It isn't always a deal breaker but when ya got 'it' + talent it generates genuine cohesion. That cohesion may have zero effect on performance. But incoherence mixed with a little conflict and whole team WILL be affected negatively.
It's little things like simply being good team mates, specifically with the guys you share position with. Intangibles I believe to be powerful enough to be the key that opens gates of a few extra victories. Teams can get by busting the lock, temporarily, but that gate stays unlocked all off season.It will attract parasites and the uninspired/selfish.
It wasn't a fluke that once Bruce fully inherited leadership role mixed with talent that things turned around quickly. Bruce doesn't praise Henry Ellard just to be a nice guy. Bruce(or any lifelong leader), understands next level leadership isn't obtained without studying/being beaten down by proven leaders. Great leaders know when to shut up, recognize who's making sense, listen and gradually wait until their instincts take over.
No doubt in my mind quality players are asked to move along after contract is up due to inability to connect with leaders of team.
Isn't a coincidence once leaders were put into place this team immediately surged out of obscurity. Chris Long was no leader. Quinn was not a leader. Last leader this team had before McVay/Whit/Gurley/Goff was Aeneas Williams. Chris Long was a joke. Good dude, not a leader.
Not sure who current on field leaders are(Whit?) but this team gets along. They wouldn't be 4-0, convincingly, if they didn't.
I know Goff and Kupp have been long time friends. NOT a coincidence they've shared something special since day one that continues to grow. Watkins wasn't a good mix with Woods. Cooks appears to be. Cooks also doesn't appear to have desire to have special treatment despite his top 10 WE salary.