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Regards,
Josh B.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
UCLA Rocked By Cal, .500 Halfway Home
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/20/09)
It’s all unraveled so quickly for the Bruins. After Saturday’s 45-26 home loss to a mediocre Cal team, what once was a promising 3-0 start has devolved into a 3-3 mark that reeks of one obvious fact: UCLA is still competing underhanded. Which is to say, head coach Rick Neuheisel has yet to significantly close the talent gap that has plagued Bruins football for years. USC clearly still runs this town.
None of this is meant as any kind of a bash. It’s not even meant as a complaint about the Neuheisel Era. Too little has transpired in too short a span of time to fairly judge this coaching regime yet. But concerned Bruin fans are talking, and it’s not just about the troubles at quarterback. The whispers are growing louder. Senior linebacker Reggie Carter knows that. He also knows the 2009 season is getting late fast.
“In a lot of ways, it’s all about momentum,” Carter told me after the Cal game on Saturday. “I mean, if you ask me to point out something specific, like whether we’re missing tackles or assignments or something fundamentally wrong, I’d be the first to say, ’Hey guys, we need to go and fix this. Or we need to go work on that.’ But the truth is I just don’t see it. I mean, our offense is young, but that’s no excuse . . . We’ve got to find a way to make this better.”
The pain in Carter’s voice was tangible. He’s a player who’s always worn his emotions right out there on his sleeves for everybody to see. He genuinely cares about leaving some kind of legacy, however small, for the next class of Bruins to build on. It’s just not happening right now.
“I’m feeling more comfortable and I want to say that we’re getting there, but I know that’s not good enough,” freshman quarterback Kevin Prince said in the locker room on Saturday. This after throwing for a career-high 310 yards and looking drastically improved from an abysmal performance against Oregon a week earlier. “The coaches, the fans, all my teammates, they deserve better and I’m just going to keep doing my best to give it to them.”
Prince is going to get better as time goes on. Remember, this is a guy who hadn’t even played in a competitive football game since his junior year in high school. Physically, he’s got the tools to deliver. And there’s no doubt that freshman Jonathan Franklin is the real deal. His 74 yard lightning flash against the Bears proved that. A little undersized, he runs smoothly and downhill most of the time. When he’s not banged up, he can hold his own with just about any running back in the conference. But the wide receiving corps longs for someone to step up and be the go-to guy. Everyone just keeps wondering when and where that’s going to happen.
“I’m not going to sit here and give you all a bunch of excuses, that’s just not going to happen,” Neuheisel stated from the post-game podium last weekend. “We’re a young team and we’re trying to get better, and it’s really tough to see how well we were playing in the first quarter of the season, at three and oh, then watch the second quarter of the year, at oh and three, and now we’re kind of back where we started. Now it’s up to us to fight through this and find a way to close out the second half of the schedule as strongly as we can. I still believe in this team, and I know that the guys in that locker room do too.”
A defense that played so magnificently early on this year has sprung some leaks against the run. That 93 yard touchdown for Jahvid Best was both beautiful for Best and utterly atrocious for the UCLA ‘D’. Silly penalties have emerged as a nagging problem too, as exemplified by Datone Jones’ pointless personal foul after a third and long stop that gave Cal a first down early in Saturday’s fourth quarter. Those kinds of plays can be devastating to a defense’s mental momentum, and it’s hard to tell which player is going to step up and grab it back. (Could UCLA use another pick from Rahim Moore right now or what?)
Red zone woes have plagued this team too. Nothing against kicker Kai Forbath—he’s probably the best and most reliable player on the team—but you don’t want to see his number called every time the Bruins get deep into enemy territory. Four field goals in four red zone trips just leaves you with an empty feeling inside. Kind of like you forgot to eat your dinner.
“All we can do is focus on the next game, the next practice,” Carter summed up. “We’ve just got to do everything we need to in order to go and beat Arizona next weekend. We do that, and things will change for us in a hurry. I know it.”
No easy task in beating the #23 Wildcats on the road. They’re playing really well while UCLA is oh for the conference slate, though it's clear that this team still hasn’t played its best game. Unfortunately for Blue & Gold fans, it’s running out of time to do so and save yet another Bruins’ season from being bowless.
Hopefully, it all changes on Saturday in Tucson, for everyone’s sake.
-JAB
It’s all unraveled so quickly for the Bruins. After Saturday’s 45-26 home loss to a mediocre Cal team, what once was a promising 3-0 start has devolved into a 3-3 mark that reeks of one obvious fact: UCLA is still competing underhanded. Which is to say, head coach Rick Neuheisel has yet to significantly close the talent gap that has plagued Bruins football for years. USC clearly still runs this town.
None of this is meant as any kind of a bash. It’s not even meant as a complaint about the Neuheisel Era. Too little has transpired in too short a span of time to fairly judge this coaching regime yet. But concerned Bruin fans are talking, and it’s not just about the troubles at quarterback. The whispers are growing louder. Senior linebacker Reggie Carter knows that. He also knows the 2009 season is getting late fast.
“In a lot of ways, it’s all about momentum,” Carter told me after the Cal game on Saturday. “I mean, if you ask me to point out something specific, like whether we’re missing tackles or assignments or something fundamentally wrong, I’d be the first to say, ’Hey guys, we need to go and fix this. Or we need to go work on that.’ But the truth is I just don’t see it. I mean, our offense is young, but that’s no excuse . . . We’ve got to find a way to make this better.”
The pain in Carter’s voice was tangible. He’s a player who’s always worn his emotions right out there on his sleeves for everybody to see. He genuinely cares about leaving some kind of legacy, however small, for the next class of Bruins to build on. It’s just not happening right now.
“I’m feeling more comfortable and I want to say that we’re getting there, but I know that’s not good enough,” freshman quarterback Kevin Prince said in the locker room on Saturday. This after throwing for a career-high 310 yards and looking drastically improved from an abysmal performance against Oregon a week earlier. “The coaches, the fans, all my teammates, they deserve better and I’m just going to keep doing my best to give it to them.”
Prince is going to get better as time goes on. Remember, this is a guy who hadn’t even played in a competitive football game since his junior year in high school. Physically, he’s got the tools to deliver. And there’s no doubt that freshman Jonathan Franklin is the real deal. His 74 yard lightning flash against the Bears proved that. A little undersized, he runs smoothly and downhill most of the time. When he’s not banged up, he can hold his own with just about any running back in the conference. But the wide receiving corps longs for someone to step up and be the go-to guy. Everyone just keeps wondering when and where that’s going to happen.
“I’m not going to sit here and give you all a bunch of excuses, that’s just not going to happen,” Neuheisel stated from the post-game podium last weekend. “We’re a young team and we’re trying to get better, and it’s really tough to see how well we were playing in the first quarter of the season, at three and oh, then watch the second quarter of the year, at oh and three, and now we’re kind of back where we started. Now it’s up to us to fight through this and find a way to close out the second half of the schedule as strongly as we can. I still believe in this team, and I know that the guys in that locker room do too.”
A defense that played so magnificently early on this year has sprung some leaks against the run. That 93 yard touchdown for Jahvid Best was both beautiful for Best and utterly atrocious for the UCLA ‘D’. Silly penalties have emerged as a nagging problem too, as exemplified by Datone Jones’ pointless personal foul after a third and long stop that gave Cal a first down early in Saturday’s fourth quarter. Those kinds of plays can be devastating to a defense’s mental momentum, and it’s hard to tell which player is going to step up and grab it back. (Could UCLA use another pick from Rahim Moore right now or what?)
Red zone woes have plagued this team too. Nothing against kicker Kai Forbath—he’s probably the best and most reliable player on the team—but you don’t want to see his number called every time the Bruins get deep into enemy territory. Four field goals in four red zone trips just leaves you with an empty feeling inside. Kind of like you forgot to eat your dinner.
“All we can do is focus on the next game, the next practice,” Carter summed up. “We’ve just got to do everything we need to in order to go and beat Arizona next weekend. We do that, and things will change for us in a hurry. I know it.”
No easy task in beating the #23 Wildcats on the road. They’re playing really well while UCLA is oh for the conference slate, though it's clear that this team still hasn’t played its best game. Unfortunately for Blue & Gold fans, it’s running out of time to do so and save yet another Bruins’ season from being bowless.
Hopefully, it all changes on Saturday in Tucson, for everyone’s sake.
-JAB
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Cal Brings Issues, Talented Best to Rose
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board --- 10/15/09)
It's a matchup of two reeling Pac-10 teams in Pasadena on Saturday. Both California and UCLA have hit the skids of late.
The Golden Bears were thankful for a bye last weekend that at least guaranteed they wouldn't get blow out again. Prior to that, eighth-year coach Jeff Tedford saw his Cal crew destroyed 42-3 by Oregon on the road before USC throttled the Bears 30-3 on their home turf. It hasn't been pretty, to say the least.
"We're struggling right now to get our swagger back, you know, and our confidence about what we're trying to do," said star tailback Jahvid Best earlier this week. "I still believe in this team and I know everybody in our locker room does to. Hopefully, we can get back on track (against UCLA on Saturday)."
The word is out on how to defend California. Teams who stack the line and contain the uber-talented Best have a shot to beat California. The junior running back had just 102 yards on 30 rushing attempts the past two weeks as both Oregon and USC pressed eight up in the box and took Best out of the game.
When teams have trouble carrying the rock, they usually turn to the air. But Golden Bears' junior quarterback Kevin Riley is only completing 51% of his passes this season, though he does have a good ratio of five touchdowns to just one interception. He couldn’t complete 40% of his passes against Oregon or Cal.
Additionally, the Golden Bears' defense was shredded in both of its last two contests, giving up 524 yards to Oregon and 457 to USC. It hasn't made Tedford happy. "This team has as much talent as any group in the conference," he proclaimed in Tuesday's teleconference. "I know we're capable of better things collectively, but we have to get some momentum rebuilt and rolling first."
California's problems aside, the UCLA Bruins are 3-2 and coming off of two straight troubling defeats. The team could only muster 16 points on the road at Stanford and just 10 a week later home to Oregon. Just when it looked to be turning a corner, the running game for the Bruins has headed south with just 95 yards on 26 carries against Stanford and a miserable 66 yards on 33 carries against Oregon.
Defensively the team has been good against the pass but has been struggled against the run in each of the past two games. Freshman Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince will get the start again despite a 13 for 25 performance for 81 yards last week home to Oregon. The freshman is hitting on 54% of his attempts this season with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The Bruins are 9th in the Pac 10 in total offense producing just 282 yards per game and a miserable 4.5 yards per play average.
One of these clubs will turn it around and get the confidence going again on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. With both of these teams so up and down so far this year, it's hard to predict who that's going to be. When in doubt, go with the home team.
Prediction: UCLA 24 - California 21
-JAB
It's a matchup of two reeling Pac-10 teams in Pasadena on Saturday. Both California and UCLA have hit the skids of late.
The Golden Bears were thankful for a bye last weekend that at least guaranteed they wouldn't get blow out again. Prior to that, eighth-year coach Jeff Tedford saw his Cal crew destroyed 42-3 by Oregon on the road before USC throttled the Bears 30-3 on their home turf. It hasn't been pretty, to say the least.
"We're struggling right now to get our swagger back, you know, and our confidence about what we're trying to do," said star tailback Jahvid Best earlier this week. "I still believe in this team and I know everybody in our locker room does to. Hopefully, we can get back on track (against UCLA on Saturday)."
The word is out on how to defend California. Teams who stack the line and contain the uber-talented Best have a shot to beat California. The junior running back had just 102 yards on 30 rushing attempts the past two weeks as both Oregon and USC pressed eight up in the box and took Best out of the game.
When teams have trouble carrying the rock, they usually turn to the air. But Golden Bears' junior quarterback Kevin Riley is only completing 51% of his passes this season, though he does have a good ratio of five touchdowns to just one interception. He couldn’t complete 40% of his passes against Oregon or Cal.
Additionally, the Golden Bears' defense was shredded in both of its last two contests, giving up 524 yards to Oregon and 457 to USC. It hasn't made Tedford happy. "This team has as much talent as any group in the conference," he proclaimed in Tuesday's teleconference. "I know we're capable of better things collectively, but we have to get some momentum rebuilt and rolling first."
California's problems aside, the UCLA Bruins are 3-2 and coming off of two straight troubling defeats. The team could only muster 16 points on the road at Stanford and just 10 a week later home to Oregon. Just when it looked to be turning a corner, the running game for the Bruins has headed south with just 95 yards on 26 carries against Stanford and a miserable 66 yards on 33 carries against Oregon.
Defensively the team has been good against the pass but has been struggled against the run in each of the past two games. Freshman Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince will get the start again despite a 13 for 25 performance for 81 yards last week home to Oregon. The freshman is hitting on 54% of his attempts this season with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The Bruins are 9th in the Pac 10 in total offense producing just 282 yards per game and a miserable 4.5 yards per play average.
One of these clubs will turn it around and get the confidence going again on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. With both of these teams so up and down so far this year, it's hard to predict who that's going to be. When in doubt, go with the home team.
Prediction: UCLA 24 - California 21
-JAB
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Oregon Blows Past UCLA, 24-10
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/11/09)
No Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback for the Ducks yesterday at the Rose Bowl. No matter. A flurry of third quarter touchdowns, solid game management by backup Nate Costa, and Oregon rolled over a fatigued Bruins' defense en route to a 24-10 win.
For UCLA, it was the second straight Pac-10 loss after beginning the year with a 3-0 record. The Bruins are now 0-2 and in danger of bottoming out in league play with a loss to California at home next weekend. Oregon is 5-1, with a 3-0 conference mark and five straight wins after a season-opening loss at Boise State.
"That's what our team does," first-year Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "They feed off each other. When somebody makes a big play, the other guys feed off that. These guys have a great attitude, a great chemistry right now. It's fun to be around them."
It was a tale of limited offense and missed red-zone opportunities for Rick Neuheisel's crew in this one. In the first half, UCLA saw a third and goal from the one yard line lead to zero points. Consecutive quarterback sneaks by QB Kevin Prince went nowhere. Later in the fourth, UCLA wideout Terrance Austin took a punt return inside the Oregon twenty-yard line. Again, the Bruins went for it on 4th and goal, this time from the five, but came away with nothing.
Kicker Kai Forbath's 52 yard field goal was responsible for the only points on the board at halftime, UCLA with a 3-0 lead.
"There are no excuses for that really," freshman RB Jonathan Franklin said afterwards. "Our defense is playing its guts out, and we didn't give them the kind of lift or breathing room that we needed. I really don't know what to say, other than we've got to keep working at getting better and converting (red zone chances). That was so disappointing out there today."
Freshman QB Kevin Prince returned from a fractured jaw for UCLA. After a conservative, mistake-free first half, Prince unraveled in the 3rd quarter amidst a flurry of Ducks' touchdowns. The Bruins saw their 3-0 halftime lead dissipate quickly when Oregon's Kenjon Barner returned the second half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Moments later, Prince gift-wrapped a touchdown for Ducks' CB Talmadge Jackson, with an interception on an out throw for Terrance Austin that was returned 32 yards for a score. Less than two minutes after that, Prince lost a fumble that Oregon recovered. The Ducks rolled in for a third straight touchdown a few plays later, Nate Costa hitting receiver Jeff Maehl for a 20 yard score up the middle of the field. That grabbed a 21-3 lead for the Ducks and they never looked back.
"We've just got to get much better as a team, especially on offense," said UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. "Our defense lays it on the line out there, play after play, but our offense has got to move the ball, score points, take time off the clock---really do all the little things that help both units stay fresh. We'll get to fixing this stuff right away, and I know we'll have a better effort next weekend."
Linebacker Akeem Ayers accounted for UCLA's only touchdown with a great interception in the Oregon end zone late in the third quarter. He picked off a forced throw by Costa, then planted both feet down before falling out of bounds. Unfortunately for the Bruins, it was too little, too late.
UCLA hosts Cal next Saturday at 12:30 at the Rose Bowl. Tune in to AM 570 KLAC for all of your Bruins coverage, starting two hours before every kickoff.
-JAB
No Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback for the Ducks yesterday at the Rose Bowl. No matter. A flurry of third quarter touchdowns, solid game management by backup Nate Costa, and Oregon rolled over a fatigued Bruins' defense en route to a 24-10 win.
For UCLA, it was the second straight Pac-10 loss after beginning the year with a 3-0 record. The Bruins are now 0-2 and in danger of bottoming out in league play with a loss to California at home next weekend. Oregon is 5-1, with a 3-0 conference mark and five straight wins after a season-opening loss at Boise State.
"That's what our team does," first-year Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "They feed off each other. When somebody makes a big play, the other guys feed off that. These guys have a great attitude, a great chemistry right now. It's fun to be around them."
It was a tale of limited offense and missed red-zone opportunities for Rick Neuheisel's crew in this one. In the first half, UCLA saw a third and goal from the one yard line lead to zero points. Consecutive quarterback sneaks by QB Kevin Prince went nowhere. Later in the fourth, UCLA wideout Terrance Austin took a punt return inside the Oregon twenty-yard line. Again, the Bruins went for it on 4th and goal, this time from the five, but came away with nothing.
Kicker Kai Forbath's 52 yard field goal was responsible for the only points on the board at halftime, UCLA with a 3-0 lead.
"There are no excuses for that really," freshman RB Jonathan Franklin said afterwards. "Our defense is playing its guts out, and we didn't give them the kind of lift or breathing room that we needed. I really don't know what to say, other than we've got to keep working at getting better and converting (red zone chances). That was so disappointing out there today."
Freshman QB Kevin Prince returned from a fractured jaw for UCLA. After a conservative, mistake-free first half, Prince unraveled in the 3rd quarter amidst a flurry of Ducks' touchdowns. The Bruins saw their 3-0 halftime lead dissipate quickly when Oregon's Kenjon Barner returned the second half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Moments later, Prince gift-wrapped a touchdown for Ducks' CB Talmadge Jackson, with an interception on an out throw for Terrance Austin that was returned 32 yards for a score. Less than two minutes after that, Prince lost a fumble that Oregon recovered. The Ducks rolled in for a third straight touchdown a few plays later, Nate Costa hitting receiver Jeff Maehl for a 20 yard score up the middle of the field. That grabbed a 21-3 lead for the Ducks and they never looked back.
"We've just got to get much better as a team, especially on offense," said UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. "Our defense lays it on the line out there, play after play, but our offense has got to move the ball, score points, take time off the clock---really do all the little things that help both units stay fresh. We'll get to fixing this stuff right away, and I know we'll have a better effort next weekend."
Linebacker Akeem Ayers accounted for UCLA's only touchdown with a great interception in the Oregon end zone late in the third quarter. He picked off a forced throw by Costa, then planted both feet down before falling out of bounds. Unfortunately for the Bruins, it was too little, too late.
UCLA hosts Cal next Saturday at 12:30 at the Rose Bowl. Tune in to AM 570 KLAC for all of your Bruins coverage, starting two hours before every kickoff.
-JAB
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Ducks Flock to Pasadena for Big Bruin Test
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/7/09)
At 4-1 overall, with a 2-0 mark in Pac-10 play, there's no doubt first-year head coach Chip Kelly has Oregon football headed the right way. Four straight wins since an opening night loss at Boise State (something about LeGarrette Blount throwing a punch?) have pushed UO to #13 in the national polls. But Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon's do-everything playmaker at quarterback, injured his knee in last weekend's win over Washington State. He'll likely miss the Bruins game, giving backup Nate Costa a chance for his first career start.
How he fares against a UCLA defense that is one of the tops in the country will be a huge determiner of the outcome in this one. But it's not all about Oregon's QB situation; the Bruins have been forced to shuffle the deck there as well. Starter Kevin Prince had his jaw fractured in last month's win over Tennesee. He missed two games, and while senior backup Kevin Craft played well in his stead, it's likely that Rick Neuheisel will turn back to his redshirt freshman for Saturday afternoon's game.
The clash of tailbacks will focus on UCLA's Jonathan Franklin, who seems to run harder with every game, and Oregon's breakout back LaMichael James, who's averaging more than six yards per carry.
UCLA hasn't beaten a ranked opponent yet this year, and it's probably not happening at the Rose Bowl this weekend.
Prediction: Oregon 20 - UCLA 13
-JAB
At 4-1 overall, with a 2-0 mark in Pac-10 play, there's no doubt first-year head coach Chip Kelly has Oregon football headed the right way. Four straight wins since an opening night loss at Boise State (something about LeGarrette Blount throwing a punch?) have pushed UO to #13 in the national polls. But Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon's do-everything playmaker at quarterback, injured his knee in last weekend's win over Washington State. He'll likely miss the Bruins game, giving backup Nate Costa a chance for his first career start.
How he fares against a UCLA defense that is one of the tops in the country will be a huge determiner of the outcome in this one. But it's not all about Oregon's QB situation; the Bruins have been forced to shuffle the deck there as well. Starter Kevin Prince had his jaw fractured in last month's win over Tennesee. He missed two games, and while senior backup Kevin Craft played well in his stead, it's likely that Rick Neuheisel will turn back to his redshirt freshman for Saturday afternoon's game.
The clash of tailbacks will focus on UCLA's Jonathan Franklin, who seems to run harder with every game, and Oregon's breakout back LaMichael James, who's averaging more than six yards per carry.
UCLA hasn't beaten a ranked opponent yet this year, and it's probably not happening at the Rose Bowl this weekend.
Prediction: Oregon 20 - UCLA 13
-JAB
Cardinal Derails Perfect UCLA Start, 24-16
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/4/09)
Stanford is for real, and UCLA’s perfect start to the 2009 season is over. Riding senior tailback Toby Gerhart 29 times for 134 yards, the Cardinal offense displayed a steady balance all game long, en route to a 24-16 win.
It was the first win for Stanford over UCLA since 2003. That was also the last time the Cardinal made a bowl game. With head coach Jim Harbaugh now in his third year as Stanford’s head coach, his team genuinely looks like it’s turning a corner. Of course, having a quarterback like Andrew Luck certainly makes it all look a little easier: the redshirt freshman was 14 of 20 on his throws for 198 yards and the all-important donut in the interception column.
Stanford was a highly efficient 7 for 13 on 3rd down conversions; UCLA was a dismal 2 for 10 on the key plays. Time after time, Luck was able to pick up the blitz ahead of time and deliver his throws on the mark for the Cardinal.
“He’s a talented player, and he really just picked us apart there in the first half,” said Bruins’ coach Rick Neuheisel. “When you let their running game get going early with that big back (Toby Gerhart) of theirs, you put yourself in a difficult situation.
RB Jonathan Franklin rushed 14 times for 58 yards to lead the Bruins ground attack. Stanford Junior WR Ryan Whalen led all receivers with six catches for 188 yards.
After falling behind 24-6 early in the second half, UCLA began to chip away. Kicker Kai Forbath drilled another of his three field goal makes during a twelve minute span that framed a 1 yd TD dive from Jonathan Franklin.
Still, the deficit for UCLA was too much to overcome, as the Cardinal ran out the clock on their final drive.
“I was real proud of the way we fought back, everyone sticking together,” offered Bruins’ QB Kevin Craft, who was 22/34 for 206 yards without a pick. “But the bottom line is you have to find a way to get things evened up, and then get ahead and stay there. We came up short today.”
Stanford remains perfect in the Pac-10 at 3-0. UCLA falls to 0-1 in conference, with a home against #13 Oregon looming next Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
-JAB
Stanford is for real, and UCLA’s perfect start to the 2009 season is over. Riding senior tailback Toby Gerhart 29 times for 134 yards, the Cardinal offense displayed a steady balance all game long, en route to a 24-16 win.
It was the first win for Stanford over UCLA since 2003. That was also the last time the Cardinal made a bowl game. With head coach Jim Harbaugh now in his third year as Stanford’s head coach, his team genuinely looks like it’s turning a corner. Of course, having a quarterback like Andrew Luck certainly makes it all look a little easier: the redshirt freshman was 14 of 20 on his throws for 198 yards and the all-important donut in the interception column.
Stanford was a highly efficient 7 for 13 on 3rd down conversions; UCLA was a dismal 2 for 10 on the key plays. Time after time, Luck was able to pick up the blitz ahead of time and deliver his throws on the mark for the Cardinal.
“He’s a talented player, and he really just picked us apart there in the first half,” said Bruins’ coach Rick Neuheisel. “When you let their running game get going early with that big back (Toby Gerhart) of theirs, you put yourself in a difficult situation.
RB Jonathan Franklin rushed 14 times for 58 yards to lead the Bruins ground attack. Stanford Junior WR Ryan Whalen led all receivers with six catches for 188 yards.
After falling behind 24-6 early in the second half, UCLA began to chip away. Kicker Kai Forbath drilled another of his three field goal makes during a twelve minute span that framed a 1 yd TD dive from Jonathan Franklin.
Still, the deficit for UCLA was too much to overcome, as the Cardinal ran out the clock on their final drive.
“I was real proud of the way we fought back, everyone sticking together,” offered Bruins’ QB Kevin Craft, who was 22/34 for 206 yards without a pick. “But the bottom line is you have to find a way to get things evened up, and then get ahead and stay there. We came up short today.”
Stanford remains perfect in the Pac-10 at 3-0. UCLA falls to 0-1 in conference, with a home against #13 Oregon looming next Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
-JAB
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Bruins Head North, Open Pac-10 Play
(first published on KLAC's Bruins Board website --- 10/1/09)
With Saturday’s looming trip to Stanford (3-0, 2-0 in Pac-10), the undefeated UCLA Bruins (perfect through the ’09 non-conference slate) feel ready for the grind of Pac-10 play. And the Bruins coaching staff took full advantage of their extended practice time since the Kansas State win.
While it has been a full two weeks since UCLA played in a competitive football game in pads against anyone except each other, you wouldn’t know it listening to senior middle linebacker Reggie Carter.
“We’re focused, man,” offered Carter on Tuesday, the defense’s signal-caller and emotional leader. “Being three and oh right now, I mean it’s great and all. I’m not gonna lie and say I’d rather be where we were a year ago. But the thing that we all gotta remember, and keep telling ourselves, is that we really haven’t done anything yet. And that’s not me just putting us down. We have to focus on the fact that we still haven’t played a single Pac-10 team so far and there’s a lot of work left do do.”
The Cardinal should give UCLA all it can handle at Stanford Stadium this weekend. Jim Harbaugh’s crew is an impressive 3-1 out the gates with the only loss coming by 3 points to Wake Forest on the road. Lopsided conference wins for Stanford over both Washington schools have the team at 2-0 in the league, good enough for first place right now.
One of the main reasons why Harbaugh’s Cardinal is having so much success this season is its outstanding special teams play. Return man Chris Owusu already has three kickoffs returned for touchdown this season, tying the Pac-10 single season record set by USC’s Anthony Davis (’74) and UCLA’s Matthew Slater (’07). His long returns have boosted Stanford’s field position and greatly affect which side of the field teams are playing on.
To kick to Owosu or not to kick to him? That is the question that UCLA special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. has dealt with for the past two weeks. A safer bet would be to stay away, but you don’t want to give Stanford the ball at the 40-yard-line every time either.
“He’s a problem,” says Gansz, matter-of-factly. “Just when you think you have containment, the guy busts through a couple defenders and he’s gone. We’ll have to treat him very carefully this weekend. He’s a game-changer, no doubt.”
The Bruins are off and running too though, with three wins in their first three games for the first time since 2005. That team went on to win ten games before some late season hiccups. With top Pac-10 teams dropping like flies just about every weekend this year, the door is certainly ajar for someone new to squeeze through this year.
“We know what our goals are,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel in his weekly Pac-10 teleconference. “And we know that we’re capable of achieving them. I really do believe that this group has the chance to put something special together over the course of the season. The bye week was good for us. It gave us a chance to freshen up, shake off some bumps and bruises here and there. We got a lot of quality practice time in too, so that was a big plus. Once the season gets rolling, sometimes it can be hard to keep the rhythm of practices. So it was nice to get that back for a bit and sharpen some things up— especially in terms of our red zone production and kick coverage.”
Though UCLA’s offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up on the scoreboard just yet, it’s already clear that the ground game is significantly better than it was a year a go. Freshman TB Jonathan Franklin is getting decent space thanks to a vastly-improved offensive line. And fullback Derrick Coleman has been a nice change of pace runner for offensive coordinator Norm Chow’s scheme. But the quarterback position remains unsettled, though the seat stays warm. Senior QB Kevin Craft was a bit shaky at time during the home win over Kansas State a couple weeks back, but he made some key throws in the second half when he had to. He should be fine against an average-at-best Stanford ‘D’, so long as he continues avoiding the big mistakes that plagued him last year.
Meanwhile, injured freshman starting quarterback Kevin Prince is said to be all but recovered from the fractured jaw he suffered at the end of the win over Tennessee. He’s walking around visibly ten or so pounds lighter than before, but says his head feels fine. Prince will not travel with the team, but will make the trip to Stanford for the game on Saturday. He’s expected back under center against Oregon at home next weekend.
Prediction: UCLA 17 - Stanford 13
-JAB
With Saturday’s looming trip to Stanford (3-0, 2-0 in Pac-10), the undefeated UCLA Bruins (perfect through the ’09 non-conference slate) feel ready for the grind of Pac-10 play. And the Bruins coaching staff took full advantage of their extended practice time since the Kansas State win.
While it has been a full two weeks since UCLA played in a competitive football game in pads against anyone except each other, you wouldn’t know it listening to senior middle linebacker Reggie Carter.
“We’re focused, man,” offered Carter on Tuesday, the defense’s signal-caller and emotional leader. “Being three and oh right now, I mean it’s great and all. I’m not gonna lie and say I’d rather be where we were a year ago. But the thing that we all gotta remember, and keep telling ourselves, is that we really haven’t done anything yet. And that’s not me just putting us down. We have to focus on the fact that we still haven’t played a single Pac-10 team so far and there’s a lot of work left do do.”
The Cardinal should give UCLA all it can handle at Stanford Stadium this weekend. Jim Harbaugh’s crew is an impressive 3-1 out the gates with the only loss coming by 3 points to Wake Forest on the road. Lopsided conference wins for Stanford over both Washington schools have the team at 2-0 in the league, good enough for first place right now.
One of the main reasons why Harbaugh’s Cardinal is having so much success this season is its outstanding special teams play. Return man Chris Owusu already has three kickoffs returned for touchdown this season, tying the Pac-10 single season record set by USC’s Anthony Davis (’74) and UCLA’s Matthew Slater (’07). His long returns have boosted Stanford’s field position and greatly affect which side of the field teams are playing on.
To kick to Owosu or not to kick to him? That is the question that UCLA special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. has dealt with for the past two weeks. A safer bet would be to stay away, but you don’t want to give Stanford the ball at the 40-yard-line every time either.
“He’s a problem,” says Gansz, matter-of-factly. “Just when you think you have containment, the guy busts through a couple defenders and he’s gone. We’ll have to treat him very carefully this weekend. He’s a game-changer, no doubt.”
The Bruins are off and running too though, with three wins in their first three games for the first time since 2005. That team went on to win ten games before some late season hiccups. With top Pac-10 teams dropping like flies just about every weekend this year, the door is certainly ajar for someone new to squeeze through this year.
“We know what our goals are,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel in his weekly Pac-10 teleconference. “And we know that we’re capable of achieving them. I really do believe that this group has the chance to put something special together over the course of the season. The bye week was good for us. It gave us a chance to freshen up, shake off some bumps and bruises here and there. We got a lot of quality practice time in too, so that was a big plus. Once the season gets rolling, sometimes it can be hard to keep the rhythm of practices. So it was nice to get that back for a bit and sharpen some things up— especially in terms of our red zone production and kick coverage.”
Though UCLA’s offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up on the scoreboard just yet, it’s already clear that the ground game is significantly better than it was a year a go. Freshman TB Jonathan Franklin is getting decent space thanks to a vastly-improved offensive line. And fullback Derrick Coleman has been a nice change of pace runner for offensive coordinator Norm Chow’s scheme. But the quarterback position remains unsettled, though the seat stays warm. Senior QB Kevin Craft was a bit shaky at time during the home win over Kansas State a couple weeks back, but he made some key throws in the second half when he had to. He should be fine against an average-at-best Stanford ‘D’, so long as he continues avoiding the big mistakes that plagued him last year.
Meanwhile, injured freshman starting quarterback Kevin Prince is said to be all but recovered from the fractured jaw he suffered at the end of the win over Tennessee. He’s walking around visibly ten or so pounds lighter than before, but says his head feels fine. Prince will not travel with the team, but will make the trip to Stanford for the game on Saturday. He’s expected back under center against Oregon at home next weekend.
Prediction: UCLA 17 - Stanford 13
-JAB
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