SB Nation - Kai Maiava

Spaulding Roundup: Offensive Issues Piling Up For Bruins

Nestor — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:45:22 -0000

How healthy is Prince's shoulder? Per the LA Times Prince is "cleared by trainers" but "[c]old weather's effect on injury is a concern"

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I don't recall so much drama around a UCLA "bowl team" like the one from this year. We have had players suspended due to academic issues. We have had a guy sent back home due to off field issues (which we hope will get resolved some time in the near future). We have had senior captain LB getting into it with defensive coordinator because he didn't want to take part in tackling drills. We have also had players ditching practices in the name of a pathetic tradition emblematic of mediocrity and classic under achievements dating back to Donahue era.

In the middle of all this our team is trying to prepare for a tough football team from Philadelphia which is coached by a protege of Joe Paterno with issues at center and a QB who is still trying to heal from a shoulder separation. Concerns remain about effectiveness of Kevin Prince and the rhythm he is developing with back up center Jake Dean, who now finds himself at the center of action due to suspension of Kai Maivava. Let's start with the latest on Prince, who per the LAT is making "progress":

One concern Coach Rick Neuheisel has is how Prince's shoulder will be affected by the cold weather in Washington. Highs are expected to be about 40 degrees during the game, according to forecasts.

"When we get there spinning around in the cold weather, you never know what it will do," said Neuheisel, who added that Prince wasn't "100% sharp" in practice Tuesday.

Still, barring unforeseen complications, Prince is set to start for the Bruins, though backup Kevin Craft could get playing time as well.

While saying the decision wasn't his to make, Prince said he was ready to play.

"I think the only thing holding me back is from a physical standpoint," Prince said. "There are still a couple throws that really bother me. I played hurt before and I have never had an issue getting over injuries."

Neuheisel is looking more than day to day progress. He is looking for sharp practices and per the Daily News our offense hasn't been as sharp as CRN wants it to be:

"We still have to have sharper days," Neuheisel said. "Kevin is better, but he's not 100 percent yet. That may be why I'm not willing to say it was a great practice. We're still not sharp yet. He's not complaining of pain, he's just not sharp yet. He's got to improve between now and game-time."

And if he doesn't?

"Well then we have another Kevin, who is dying to play again, and he has been sharp," said Neuheisel, referring to senior quarterback Kevin Craft. "I think there's reason for optimism. I just want to make sure we've got healthy, consistent players out there.

Well, I still think Neuheisel needs to make sure Craft is ready to go. Craft has shown this year than he can step in any time like he did during the Washington game without a lot of practices. However, that took place in Southern California weather conditions at the Rose Bowl. I hope when the team gets to DC later this week, Neuheisel makes sure Craft gets enough reps so that he is ready to go if needed. More on our offense after the jump.

While Prince is working to get healthy and work his way through his injury, he (and Craft) are also adjusting to a new center (Jake Dean) during these practices:

"It'll be a little different," Prince said. "You adjust to the way they snap the ball. Everybody snaps a little differently. Jake happens to snap it a little further back so you do little adjustments. (It's) nothing too big of a deal."

Everyone knows that one of the most important parts of any offensive play is the exchange between the center and the quarterback. Dean was used sparingly in games against Washington State and USC but has enough familiarity with Prince and Kevin Craft, who could see action in the bowl game.

"Kevin Craft and I took snaps together all year, last year, and Kevin Prince was working with the second team a lot last year so I was taking snaps with him," Dean said. "Spring and fall camp and all that stuff, I took snaps with all of them. Every day before practice we all rotate, taking snaps together. It's not going to be anything new. I've taken plenty of snaps with Kevin Prince. I've taken plenty of snaps with him during seven-on-sevens and in the offseason. We're fine."

Not just Prince, it sounds like rest of the offense is not "worried" about losing Kai and his leadership for this game:

"I don't feel like I need to replace that (Maiava's leadership)," Dean said. "We're a really close group this year, and we don't need to be out there yelling and doing all that stuff. We know what to do, we know what our assignments are. That intensity is going to be there every time I step on the field, but I'm not going to try to do what Kai does."

Dean's offensive teammates are not worried about the switch, particularly as this starting unit is no stranger to each other.

Dean, Ekbatani, left guard Jeff Baca and right tackle Mike Harris started against Oregon State last season.

"Our line is a pretty close-knit group," sophomore wide receiver Nelson Rosario said. "They'll pick it up without Kai. We're just going to miss someone to lead our little chant before the game. We'll find somebody."

Dean has one idea: to stand in for Maiava's pre-game rendition of the haka, a Maori tribal dance.

"(Sophomore linebacker) Steve Sloan does a pretty good impression in the locker room," Dean said with a laugh. "I'm sure he can go out there and get us going."

They will need to get it going from the kick off against a Temple team, that will be ready and is not going through anywhere close to the off field soap opera surrounding our football team.

Right now I am hoping all the drama that has gone on last few days will have a reverse effect of firing up our team. UCLA is still a 5 point favorite over the Owls. However, given the coverage we have read in recent days it sure appears the Owls are lot more prepared and focused (at least according to the news reports we have been blogging about in recent days), while the Bruins have their mind somewhere else. After it's all said and done, I hope it will be the Bruins who will come out with a chip on their shoulder and prove to a national TV audience that they were as deserving as any other team to appear in this year's bowl season. Well that's the best case scenario I am hoping for as I am getting ready for a freezing cold afternoon at RFK. :-)

GO BRUINS.

Two Bruins Fail To Climb Academic Wall Becoming Ineligibile For EagleBank Bowl

Nestor — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:36:33 -0000

Wow. This sounds like so much fun:

UCLA sophomore center Kai Maiava and freshman wide receiver Morrell Presley are academically ineligible for the EagleBank Bowl. Jake Dean will start at center for the Bruins, with Nick Ekbatani sliding to right guard. [...]

"It's tough - I don't think anybody's taking it harder than he is," redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince said. "He apologized to the team on Saturday, and it's a blow to not only the offense but the whole team. He's the leader of that offensive line - he brings that fire and passion that I think helped the line play a lot better this year. I know he'll be punching himself for not being in the game."

That was from Jon Gold. Remember it was just days ago we read about Reggie Carter barely being eligible to practice after having to sit out couple of practices for not taking care his schoolwork.

Losing Kai is a huge blow to our patchwork OL which was already having to make do without a hobble Ryan Taylor at RG. With Kai at C our OL made marginal improvement this season and now he is out (will not even make the trip to DC or participate in any bowl related activities). While Kai and others have a responsibility, the blame for this falls on the UCLA academic advisers and coaching staff including of course Rick Neuheisel.

We now have had three players with academic issues this quarter during bowl preparation season and it's inexcusable that these guys didn't see it coming. To add to that they have been projecting the image (not us) of just goofing off the field for the sake of team-building.

Again at this point we will see how this team shows up next Tuesday. While Temple Owls are preparing as if we are getting ready for the Super Bowl, I am not exactly sure what we is going on with Rick Neuheisel's UCLA Bruins. Last week, I wrote Neuheisel was following Pete Carroll's model of discipline. Unfortunately right now Neuheisel's football team is starting to resemble a little bit like Carroll's Trojans off the field. Not a pretty picture.

Let's hope the Bruins actually learn from this and come out with a sense of purpose on December 29th and for rest of the offseason both on and off the field. This kind of shenanigans may be acceptable somewhere else but not at UCLA. Hope Rick Neuheisel is listening. The heat is on him to win in D.C.

GO BRUINS.

UCLA vs. Washington Report Card

Ryan Rosenblatt — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:14:43 -0000

More photos » by Francis Specker - AP

Kevin Craft sure didn't have this much room to throw last season. The offensive line played their best game in the CRN era.

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Let's be honest now. UCLA was far from flawless. While the effort, courage and heart that the Bruins displayed was admirable, you're not going to win many games with five giveaways. Two weeks ago, Arizona was kind enough to keep UCLA in the game before eventually winning. Today, it was UCLA who was kind enough to keep Washington in the game, but the Bruins did do enough to win and a team coming off of five straight losses isn't going to complain about the manner in which they get a W. Here are the grades for each unit, with A being exceptional, C being average and F last season's offensive line.

Quarterback

The Bruin quarterbacks were fantastic from the first toss of the game to the last. Kevin Prince put together a performance that justified all of the pre-season hype I was giving him as he put the ball in all of the right places, used his hot routes to perfection and even an audible. If he could just learn to slide, he'd be in great shape. With Prince on the bench due to injury, Kevin Craft got a shot and showed why he is a capable backup, making just about every throw. He wasn't perfect, but he was good enough and especially good when you consider the lack of snaps he's gotten of late. In his one series, Richard Brehaut proved that he still does have a ways to go. According to CRN in his post-game interview, Brehaut not only took a sack, but he also forgot to bring a guy in motion and was responsible for the illegal formation penalty when the Bruins were in the Wildcat and he did not get on the line. Overall, great day from the QB's, although the two interceptions were ill advised throws. Grade: A-

Running Back/Fullback

You have to hold onto the ball. Jonathan Franklin still hasn't figured that one out. Franklin has had a great freshman season, but fumbling the ball is the number one sin for a back and today was an example of that. Franklin made three great blitz pickups so he did some things right, but hanging onto the ball is number one. Derrick Coleman had a couple nice runs and while he still doesn't have the speed to break one, he picks up solid chunks of yards on just about every carry. Milton Knox was very good with the ball in his hands again, but that was mostly out of the Wildcat. When asked to work as a back in the base offense, he was hesitant, exhibiting why he's had issues getting on the field. Chane Moline is still an adequate blocker at best from the fullback spot, but he was tough running the ball. It was a sub-par performance overall, especially running the ball, but the blitz pickups were great all the way around. Grade: C-

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

It sure is nice to have a go-to receiver and it looks like the Bruins have one in Nelson Rosario. When a guy is 6'5'' and you know that all you have to do is get it up high, it makes things a heck of a lot easier on the quarterback so it's no surprise that Rosario has become a go-to guy. He's showing the focus and confidence he lacked earlier in the year and his second consecutive 100+ yard game is a product of that. Some excellent route running doesn't hurt either and his second quarter deep in that made the DB fall because he was caught by surprise when Rosario cut in is a perfect example of it. Terrance Austin showed some dependability and he's reading defenses better than any of the receivers, becoming a real weapon against zone defenses. Embree had a solid game, while Ketchum made an appearance. Ryan Moya made a good catch and Logan Paulsen had a big 56 yard catch, but for how much longer is the senior going to lead the team in freshman mistakes? Grade: A-

Offensive Line

The unit of the game, bar none. The growth from last season and even the beginning of this season is startling. Last season against a win-less Washington team, the Bruins gave up three sacks. Today, it was just two sacks despite 50% more pass attempts. Kai Maiava was a stud, getting side to side quickly to give the quarterbacks plenty of room to step up, while both tackles, Xavier Sua-Filo and Mike Harris, showed great feet, especially against the blitz. The guards were solid on passing plays, but the lack of surge on running plays has to be a concern for Jeff Baca and Ryan Taylor. The unit gets an A for pass blocking, but they need to be better on the run. The pass was the key to today's win though. Grade: B+

Defensive Line

A poor performance from the defensive line was the low light of the game for UCLA. It's concerning that the front four can't pressure the quarterback on their own, even occasionally and while they've done well to bottle up dive plays, they're not moving well enough side to side to stuff the runs off tackle. A lack of discipline on misdirection plays is also concerning, although they do a good job maintaining their position on the pass rush so even if they did not hit Jake Locker very often, they did keep him from getting the edge too often. At some point, someone needs to make a big play, especially if teams continually double Brian Prince. Two sacks and over six yards a rush for UW points to the defensive line. Grade: D+

Linebackers

The linebackers are fast, but sometimes too fast for their own good, especially Akeem Ayers. Over-pursuit has been a problem for the UCLA linebackers all year and reared its ugly head again today. Luckily, Reggie Carter looked to be in better health than he was last week and he was able to make up for some of the over-pursuit. Carter did a fantastic job holding the point and keeping big holes from opening up in the second level. The run defense of the UCLA linebackers was adequate at best, but they were fantastic in pass defense. They dropped back quickly to get into their space, were very quick coming up to make tackles and got to Locker when they were actually asked to blitz. Their ability to come up and make tackles after dropping into coverage showed just how much speed they have and their tackling was sure. Grade: B

Defensive Backs

Rahim Moore just manages to be in the right place at the right time. Some may call it lucky, but at some point, with how frequently he does it, Moore needs to get credit for it. Moor has eight interceptions now after picking one off the seal the win for the Bruins and he was very active all game, playing centerfield and making tackles against the run when the front seven didn't get it done. Alterraun Verner is still having issues that nobody was expected, but he's still the surest of corners for the Bruins, even if Sheldon Price made a singular great play on Moore's interception. One player who went largely unnoticed was Andrew Abbott, who did a fantastic job at nickle back. The safety position opposite Moore continues to be a trouble though as neither Tony Dye nor Glenn Love was better than mediocre. Grade: B

Special Teams

Kai Forbath is still automatic and while Jeff Locke has not showed the booming leg he did earlier on in the year, he's still be good. Austin's fumble on the kick is a concern for a guy who had been holding onto the ball, while the other candidates for the job haven't. Austin did have one big return to make up for some of his fumble. Kick coverage is still awful on a good day. Grade: C-

Coaching

Norm Chow called a great game and to the surprise of many, didn't take the foot off the pedal when Prince went down. It proved to be very successful and landed the Bruins a win. CRN's decision to go with Brehaut is questionable at best and his vow to get the freshman some meaningful snaps almost cost the Bruins a win, but the sack that took UCLA out of field goal range did not come back to haunt the team. Chuck Bullough's defense is doing just enough, but not as much as it should. He did show some more creativity and aggressiveness at the end of the game and we can only hope that he's turned a corner. The personal fouls are traced back to discipline and the coaching staff. Grade: B-

Spaulding Roundup: Eye On Prince & Early Washington Notes

Nestor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:47:43 -0000

More photos » by John Froschauer - AP

So will Bullough bring the heat early on?

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Let's start this game week by accentuating the positive which is keeping the focus on Kevin Prince and UCLA offense. For the first time this season the UCLA offense has an opportunity to build on some genuine momentum. Sure the offense showed some signs of life against California at our last home game but that game ended on a sour note for Prince after the pick-6. Before the Cal game Prince probably had his best game in the season opener against San Diego State. However, even in that game he fizzled out in the second half. So Oregon State was really the first game in Prince's young career in which he finished strong and it would be a huge shot in the Bruin psyche if he can come out and pick up right where he left off in Corvallis.

Of course Rick Neuheisel and others know that Prince was helped out by the fact that the Beavers were playing prevent offense. Still he is hoping that Saturday's experience will help with Prince's confidence:

"I saw a quarterback sitting in the pocket, making throws down the field," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "He was composed despite the circumstances and was still able throw down the field. Whether deserved or not, the confidence will grow."

By that, Neuheisel said, he meant that sometimes teams will give up underneath completions while nursing a lead.

"Sometimes when you make a play, maybe the other team lets you make it by coming off coverage," Neuheisel said. "Whatever happens, you have the confidence to go out and do it. That's a huge benefit."

But Neuheisel said, "There was no accident. Oregon State was playing hard. Kevin made plays."

Spaulding Roundup: More California Game Notes

Nestor — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:50:43 -0000

Let's get back to football and talk a little bit more about the game this Saturday. If you haven't done it yet make sure to listen to ryebreadraz and ucla13_usc9 talking about Bears-Bruins match up with Ragnarok from California Golden Blogs. The nugget I found most interesting was the discussion about the special teams. Now special teams have been a huge topic of discussion (or shall I say consternation) here on BN. I didn't know that it was such an issue for the Bears as well. Ragnarok pointed to a post from Jon Wilner that at least on surface points to a UCLA advantage for UCLA specials teams (don't LOL) on Saturday. I thought the numbers on punt and kick returns were especially surprising:

Punt returns

UCLA’s Terrence Austin averages 10.5 yards per return with a long of 45.
Cal’s Syd’Quan Thompson averages 5.6 ypr with a long of 12.

Kick returns

Austin averages 24.8 ypr.
Cal’s Shane Vereen averages 25.6 ypr.

Coverage units

It’s about even on kicks, although UCLA has 10 touchbacks and Cal has one.

UCLA has a huge edge in net punting, with a 41.3 average (first place) vs. Cal’s 33.9 net (last place). The Bears have also allowed one touchdown, the 66-yarder by USC’s Damian Williams.

Advantage

UCLA, by a substantial margin.

Again, I am not sure if we can get too comfortable looking at those numbers. In fact looking at those numbers it worries me even more for what could happen this Saturday. If anything it seems like now it's a done deal that Syd'Quan Thompson or Shane Vareen will take one to the House against us. Austin is a good kid but to me Vereen and Thompson are way more explosive than TA.

We saw last weekend how falling asleep in one play can change the dynamic of an entire game. They can't just depend on booming kicks from Locke ( leads the conference with a 46.3 net.) every time out. I hope our specials took that lesson to heart and are working extra hard this game week because they will need to focus as hard during punt and kickoff coverages as they did against Stanford's Chris Owusu in Palo Alto when they were able to bottle up Palo Alto. More on the game and other team notes after the jump.

The guys over at California Golden Blogs have the notes up on UCLA and I think they are pretty much on the mark. I have been saying all week Saturday is going to be about how UCLA offense performs against Cal's defense. Avinash's thoughts on the "biggest battle" on Saturday:

Not only is their starting tailback a frosh, but their starting o-line is very young. 1 frosh, 3 sophomores on the offensive line, Even more interestingly, their left tackle is a true frosh (although Su'a-Filo might be their best guy on the line). So they're going to struggle generating offense as they get their reps in and they make those mistakes.

It's why the biggest battle will be UCLA's offensive line playing Cal's defensive line. The Bears D-line has played well the last two weeks, but got overshadowed by the other deficiencies and strong O-line play by Oregon and Southern Cal ~~UCLA~~. They'll certainly want to make their mark, and Alualu might have his most favorable matchup of the season playing either Harris or Su'a-Filo. The Bruins have to hold their ground to make sure Kevin Prince is comfortable in the pocket and execute their blocks to get UCLA's running backs to that second level against our weaker linebackers.

Not only are we working in freshman and sophomores, two of our offensive line starters are also transfers. I actually think our guys have done an average job (which is substantial improvement from the miserable state of things last season) of giving our QBs time and opening up running lanes. They just need to do be working on becoming more consistent. They are aware of what they need to do:

Sophomore center Kai Maiava said he takes personal responsibility for the team's inability to punch it in from inside the 2-yard line on four consecutive plays against the Ducks.

"Shoot ... Oregon did a good job plugging up the holes," Maiava said. "We just couldn't execute it. We never really practiced that play. But either way, we should've punched it in. I take most of the responsibility on that. We should have wedged it in and gotten that seven."

The key question will be whether our guys (Prince or Brehaut) will be able to get in a rhtyhm early on. There was no doubt Prince was rusty early on against Oregon. He did get back into it somewhat in second quarter (IIRC at point he had completed something like 8 passes in a row) but he went back into a funk during that Duck explosion early in the 3rd. I think it will be imperative for Chow to call a game on Saturday that will put Prince in a comfortable spot and facilliate his game management decisions. Perhaps having Christian Ramirez this weekend will help:

"He's (Christian Ramirez) looking like he's healthy and he's starting to work his way back into the mix a little bit," UCLA running backs coach Wayne Moses said. "When you're away that long, it takes a little time to get your timing and rhythm back. It looks like he's starting to get into the flow."

Ramirez presents a completely different option than the team's more diminutive backs. At 6-foot-2, Ramirez is the biggest Bruin back, with two inches on Coleman, four inches on Franklin and six inches on Knox and Thigpen.

His size gives him a built-in advantage in pass protection and in the receiving game, though he was admittedly shaky with his blocking against Oregon.

"I need to try to use the combination that I have - the size and speed. And I pride myself on catching the ball, being a receiving back. I can split out and turn it into a five-wide easily. I still need to get some more experience in (protection). I felt a little rocky out there Saturday. I'm coming. I need to get back into the groove, and try to establish myself again."

I wonder if we will see Ramirez in goal line situations this Saturday. As for the Jet Ski sounds like it's a day to day deal with him at this point. From the LA Times:

Franklin, who gives the Bruins speed in the backfield, was unable to get in a full workout.

It leaves coaches pondering other options.

"We'll find out on Saturday," Franklin said about whether he would play.

Asked what was difficult about running on the ankle, Franklin said, "No comment on that." Asked if it still hurt, Franklin said, "No comment on that."

For some reason I am not as worried about this as I should be. I am thinking in a situation like this is perfect for backs like Ramirez and Knox to pounce all over and take advantage of the opportunity. At least I hope that's the case and they get the chance to do it. We will see.

Speaking of personnel decisions it looks like Hester is not going to be available for this week. The earlier he might be available is for the Arizona game on October 24. But CRN might decide to work him in cautiously and wait till October 31 when the Bruins take on Oregon State (See the OC Register report). Meanwhile, Sheldon Price is scheduled to start against California this Sat:

The UCLA depth chart listed Price and sophomore Courtney Viney as possible starters this week, but Bullough said Price would keep the job.

"I think he's growing up more and more every game," Bullough said. "He's a very gifted player and hasn't had as many mental mistakes as you would expect as a freshman."

Honestly, I don't get this decision. No doubt Sheldon is giving eveyrthing he can but to me it seems like Viney brings a more noticable physical presence in the way he covers and tackles (despiting giving up size). At least that's what I remember from the effort he gave against pretty athletic Tennessee receivers at Neyland stadium. Anyway, we will see how it goes on Saturday.

Lastly, let's end with a note with a quick look into the mindset of the Bears. They are desperate for a win and per Jonathan Okanes of the MercuryNews.com, apparently Tedford has been tyring out some "new practice rituals" to fire up the Bears for this Saturday (and rest of the season):

Tedford also introduced some new practice rituals in an attempt to work on intangibles. The team began and ended practice by assembling in a big huddle, and jumping up and down and hooting and hollering, as though they were about to take the field for a game.

"That's the swagger that we have all day, every day," Kendricks said. "That was fun. That's what they're trying to install in us. You have to have fun while you're doing this. We always have a sense of urgency and we always want to win, but I feel like having fun while we're out there playing is just going to help us play better."

"A lot of people had high hopes for us. The season isn't over," Cal safety Marcus Ezeff said. "The season is brand new now. That's how we're looking at it. "

I hope it all works out for them ... starting on October 24th.

GO BRUINS.

BN Gameday Roundup: Bruins Set For Stanford's Power Attack?

Nestor — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:02:43 -0000

Just few more hours to go till our kickoff. I think we have done a pretty good job of exhausting the various story lines around this game in last two weeks. The game day stories both from the LA and Bay Area newspapers don't really offer up anything new this morning. Still might as well go through them before we immerse ourselves into college football Saturday. The main storyline around today's game will obviously be Gergart and Stanford's offense showdown against the UCLA defense. At the same time an anxious Bruin Nation is going to hold its collective breath to see how Craft led UCLA offense can manage the game on the road.

We will start with the key matchup of the day which will be headline by Gerhart and Reggie Carter. The emotional leader of the Bruin defense and his team-mates seem fired up and ready to go:

"Physical, physical, physical," Carter said. "I've been waiting for a game like this again. Playing Tennessee was great, but then Kansas State came in and started hitting us with that crazy spread stuff.

"Stanford plays old-fashioned, downhill football. They have a downhill back, and an aggressive offensive line. I'm looking forward to this game.

"I'm not going to trash talk. They say they're physical. I'm not going to back down. I'm going to be ready and waiting for them." [...]

The Bruins are ranked ninth nationally against the run. Stanford, with 235-pound Toby Gerhart averaging 129 yards rushing behind a line that averages 297 pounds, is 11th nationally in rushing offense. [...]

"We know these guys are runners," said UCLA defensive end Korey Bosworth. "That's what they say, their bread and butter is that power play. As far as I can tell, we're not too bad against the run. When we get a team that runs the ball, I really look forward to it."

Neheisel and co will be looking to Carter and Bosworth to manage the point of Stanford attack:

"You better put on your big-boy pads," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "They come at you.

"We've been fairly stout in the early part of the season but this is going to be the biggest test thus far. We've got to be able to manage the point of attack. It's going to be a great challenge for our guys in the front seven."

Offensively, Stanford's point of attack will be Gerhart, who ran for a career-high 200 yards in last week's victory over Washington.

Gerhart isn't the kind of running back who is going to fake out would-be defenders with side-to-side moves. If you're in his way, he'll run right over you. It's a technique that resulted in 1,136 yards and 5.4 yards per carry in 2008.

However, Bruin defense will have more than Gerhart to worry about. Stanford has a solid QB in Andrew Luck who has done a pretty good job of managing the game as a red shirt freshman. Although Harbaugh hasn't depended on Luck's arm, his production has been extremely efficent as he has complete 50 out of 83 passes with 4 touchdowns and 2 picks. Luck also has decent weapons to throw to Owusu and Ryan Whalen.

We have talked about Owusu's game breaking ability (specifically in the special teams) this week, but we can't forget about Whalen who has teamed up with Owusu for 29 catches and 470 yards, giving Luck couple of dependable targets. It is going to be a huge challenge for our defense. They have been able to shut down our previous three opponents (keeping them within 300 yards). It is going to be interesting to see whether they can do the same today. Meanwhile, on the other end it is going to be interesting to see how the offense with Craft under center performs on the road. More on them after the jump.

All week we have been talking about how our defense is going to handle Gerhart. The Bruin offensive running attack in contrast hasn't gotten a lot of attention. Jon Gold from the Daily News writes:

The Bruins counter with a bit of lightning to Gerhart's thunder. While not nearly as prolific as the Cardinal's hot start on the ground, UCLA's running game has shown vast improvement over last season, with redshirt freshman Johnathan Franklin and sophomore Derrick Coleman leading the way. Franklin has rushed for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries, for a 4.7 average, and Coleman has picked up 116 yards and a score on just 18 carries.

With all the hype surrounding Stanford's running game, the Bruins believe it is their turn to get some attention.

"There's been a lot of talk about that, but I think the guys up front are ready," redshirt sophomore center Kai Maiava said. "We're ready to prove ourselves, get the respect we deserve."

Well, we will find out what they can do at the Farm. I am particularly curious to see what Knox can do today. While Franklin and Coleman have been pretty solid this season, I would love to see Chow throwing in few screen plays for Knox or get him out on the open field, so he can show some of the moves he displayed at Neyland stadium. In addtion to Knox, Norm Chow will have Christian Ramirez at his disposal today. Christian of course had a pretty memorable game in his first trip to Palo Alto. However, that was a long time ago under a different coach against a completely different Stanford team in Harbaugh's first season.

Not sure if I need to go over the Kevin Craft factor. Everyone here is well aware of it. The kid hasn't had a good game on the road in his UCLA career. However, that history is from last year when he played a team with no offensive line and thus credible running attack featuring a gimpy senior (full of heart) and a true freshman. Hopefully the offensive line today will come through with some pass protection giving Craft some time to execute on offense.

We have also talked about the revenge factor. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

"Everybody remembers the UCLA game last year, especially the defense," linebacker Clinton Snyder said. "All offseason, we said, 'We've got to finish.' "

Harbaugh called it "a bitter defeat" that "stuck in everybody's craw in the offseason." He said of the final drive that his players want "to make darn sure it never happens again."

Well. We will see how it works out for them. On our end we hope it works out like it did last time Bruins went on the road against a team hungry for the same kind of revenge. For more on today's game here are the writeups from the AP, Chris Foster (LAT), and Chris Dufresne (LAT).

We will have our game thread up about 30 minutes before the kickoff. Don't forget to get your pregame guesses in as we will close that thead when the game one goes up. Might also throw up a pre game thread right in about an hour. Enjoy the Saturday.

GO BRUINS.

Spaulding Roundup: More Stanford Game Prep Notes & Harbaugh's Views On UCLA

Nestor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:26:02 -0000

Bruins continue to pound away at each other at Spaulding to get ready for Stanford this Saturday. Coaches have been using the huge freshman fullback Jayson Allmond from the scout team to play the role of Gerhart all week long to get our defense ready for Saturday. The OC Register reports on Allmond's week at Spaulding:

Fullback Jayson Allmond remembers playing against Stanford running back Toby Gerhart when the two were in high school. Allmond starred at Bloomington High while Gerhart did the same at Norco.

The Bruins' coaching staff is happy that Allmond was paying attention back then.

The 6-0, 266-pound Allmond is playing the role of Gerhart (6-1, 235) at practice this week, in an effort to help the UCLA defense prepare for the real deal when the Bruins travel to Stanford on Saturday.

"I run harder, and I run more downhill than I usually do," Allmond said of his Gerhart impression. "He comes downhill harder than most running backs I've seen in the NCAA."

Allmond has the flexibility to move laterally when he carries the ball, but he's under orders, from the UCLA coaching staff, to shelve that part of his repertoire for now.

"They tell me to run downhill more — come straight at the hole and run through everybody — because that's what he does," Allmond said. "He's very hard to bring down. He's not somebody you really want to go up high with. You have to go at least to his ankles because his legs are just as strong as his upper body. He's a big guy and a force to tackle."

I think Allmond is going to end up redshirting this season. But he sounds like the kind of fullback who is Norm Chow's dream. He is flexibile enough to stretch it out (in addition to blasting through the hole) and if he develops the ball catching ability in the coming year, he could present another matchup nightmare bowling over CBs in the coming years. For this week though it sounds like Allmond is having fun making his contribution to this week's game prep.

While our defense is getting ready for Gerhart and co. on the other side of the field our OL is hoping it will be able to continue the improvement so far this season. So far this season Xavier Su'a-Filo, Baca, Kai Maiava, Eddie Williams and Mike Harris haves started all of our games, matching the last year's total of 3 straight starts of Baca-Savage-Dean-Glicksberg-Ekbatani (starting at week 4). So the guys are little ahead this year per Jon Gold in the Daily News:

The offensive line might be the most important group that has that continuity," UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said. "They just all have to be on the same page. The communication that's going on in the trenches is huge, and when you get good at it, you start using dummy calls, and then the defense really doesn't know what the heck's going on."

With backups including Ekbatani and freshman Stanley Hasiak in the mix — Ekbatani returns this week after suffering a knee sprain in training camp — the coaches now have to find a way to mix guys in without sacrificing permanence.

"You still want to keep competition going — that's always going to be the hallmark of a program — but you have to be able to count on guys," Neuheisel said. "When another guy comes in, it's like a badge of honor to be part of it." [...]

With the addition of freshman Su'a-Filo, redshirt sophomore Maiava and redshirt junior Williams, the talent is certainly better.

But, Harris says, it's Maiava making the most difference.

"Playing especially with Kai Maiava, he's such a good center," Harris said. "That's what we were missing — that leadership role on the line. He's been taking that role, and I'm proud of him."

The line will have a challenge against a decent Stanford defense on Saturday afternoon, that thoroughly manhandled the Washington OL and Jake Locker.

Meanwhile up in Bay Area, Jim Harbaugh is doing a solid Lou Holtz impression this week building up the UCLA defense:

"That's the way we're seeing things. This is the best defensive line we've played, there's no question about it. This is the best three linebackers we've played against and the best secondary we've played against. Without a doubt this is the best defense we've played against."

And talking up Kevin Craft:

"I always had a lot of respect for him. I always thought he was their best quarterback. I always figured that he would be the quarterback that we'd be seeing. He's resourceful. I think he's very talented. He's athletic, he's a smart guy and he made some really big plays for them last year. And I'm not just talking about our game although he did very well. He threw for two touchdowns, including the game-winner, and 200 and it seemed like 50 yards or something. But other games too. I've seen him in hanging in the pocket and he made big-time throws. Just from my perspective, I really believe he's their best quarterback."

Well what can I say here that hasn't been said already. We love Kevin's heart and committment to UCLA. I will defer to our coaches for their decision to start Craft, but let's just say I don't think anyone here will agree with Harbaugh's observations re. who is the best QB in UCLA's roster. There was a reason why Prince became the starter and it became pretty obvious in his first two starts as a redshirt freshmen at UCLA.

We are just hoping somehow someway Kevin can get the job done this week in terms of managing the game and give our team the best chance to win.

GO BRUINS.

Three Keys to UCLA-Kansas St.

Ryan Rosenblatt — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:43:28 -0000

UCLA is coming off of a huge win in Knoxville, but that win will be meaningless if they drop Saturday's game to Kansas St. A win over the Wildcats will put the Bruins at 3-0, halfway to the bowl game that was the goal for the season. As you can see, this weekend presents the Bruins with a huge opportunity so UCLA will have to come to the Rose Bowl ready to play from the opening whistle.

1) Nickel Defense- With Courtney Viney out, the Bruins are thin at corner back. Kansas St. will look to win the game with their defense and by running the ball so there’s a chance the Bruins can put the Wildcats in a lot of third and long situations on Saturday. If they can get the Wildcats in third and long, they will go to nickel, which will stretch the Bruins’ thin defensive back even further. How they’re able to cover in nickel situations will be key.

Just as important as UCLA’s ability to cover in nickel situations will be the pass rush they put on the Kansas St. QB. With inexperienced corners in the defensive backfield, it will be crucial that the defensive front get pressure on the QB and keep the DB’s from covering for too long. Nickel situations can either hand the Wildcats a victory if they’re able to convert them with regularity or it can allow the Bruins to wrap up a victory early on should they force turnovers with a potent pass rush and ball hawking DB’s.

2) Penalties- UCLA is the better team. I don’t have any reservations in saying so. However, UCLA is not such a great team that they can’t lose this game and when you see an upset, which a Kansas St. win would be, penalties are usually a key factor. When you consider the issues the Bruins have had with penalties in their first two games, those yellow flags take on even greater importance.

While defensive penalties, as can be seen in the picture above, have been the Bruins' bugaboo thus far, it's the penalties on the offensive side of the ball that could be the killer. Regardless of whether Richard Brehaut or Kevin Craft is under center, UCLA is going to have trouble converting third downs and penalties will put the Bruins in far too many third down situations.

3) Kai Maiava- I wouldn't count on many audibles at the line and whoever our quarterback is will have enough to handle in the defensive backfield. It will be on Maiava to make sure the offensive line is in order and make the correct calls. Kansas St. moved their defensive linemen around a bit last week and their linebackers moved back and forth from on the line to off the line. All of these will be things that Maiava will have to pick up on and communicate to the rest of his offensive linemen.

Norm Chow is certain to lean on his running game and with the speed of Jonathan Franklin, as well as the lack of size K-State has along the defensive front, Maiava will have the opportunity to brush the linemen and get onto the second level. Maiava's ability to do so can be the difference in a four or five yard gain and taking one 40+ yards. If Maiava can keep the offensive line in order and get to the second level, they will control the line of scrimmage and you know what happens when you control the line of scrimmage.

Spaulding Roundup: Eyes On Prince, Bruin OL & Some Predictions

Nestor — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:37:32 -0000

Let's start this Thursday with zeroing on our offense. We have discussed a lot this week about how our defense will have an enormous challenge on their hands dealing with the monster Tennessee OL. During the discussion we talked about how one of the keys for this game will be for Kevin Prince and the Bruin offense to do some effective ball controll and give their defensive counterparts adequate breather throughout the game.

So obviously there is going to be a lot of pressure on our redshirt freshman QB. He is taking all of this attention in stride and with casual (Cade like) confidence:

"The toughest environment I played in was in front of 6,000 people," Prince said.

That was during his junior year at Crespi of Encino, and the game was at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.
Add 100,000 people or so, and you have Neyland Stadium, or about double the size of the crowd at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

"I like being on the road. I like noise and hearing quiet. That's awesome," Prince said. "That's our goal to try to keep them quiet."

Not sure I mentioned this after the San Diego State game. One of the things I noticed about Prince last weekend was how he didn't get worked up after throwing his picks. I am personally nervous about how Prince is going to do this Saturday. I just don't think it is realistic for this kid to bring home a victory given the situation. Just think back how Cade did as a sophomore in Ann Arbor and in Knoxville. It wasn't pretty. However, fwiw his team mates sound confident in his ability:

``I'm not really stressing about KP,'' said Kai Maiava. ``He's a really composed quarterback. He plays with a lot of confidence. He knows the playbook from front to back. He'll be able to make his reads and calls, and we'll go from there.''

As do his coaches:

"He has that `it' factor, whatever that `it' is," Chow said.

Added coach Rick Neuheisel, "I think he's a mature young man. I think he's proved he can handle nerves because certainly there were nerves a week ago. I'm looking forward to watching him in this kind of environment. You know what? Sometimes you think about how big it's going to be and you get there and it feels just like football. That's what I'm hoping is going to happen."

For their part coaches are doing whatever they can to prepare Kevin for Neyland stadium. More on that and othe notes after the jump.

Coaches were blasting "Rocky Top" during practice yesterday to work the team through simulated "crowd noise." They were also working on precautions wrt to communicating on offense:

"We try to take every precaution," Bruins offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "We'll use hand signals. We'll use different cadences and counts. You do the best you can. The noise isn't going to go away. It's a huge challenge and we need to embrace it. We'll welcome it."

Well another big part of the offense will be the chemistry between our offensive lineman. Sam Allen from the Daily Bruin penned a nice report earlier this week on our offensive line, in which Sam outlined couple of substantial issues the OL has to keep building on following the first game:

– Pass protection.

The Aztecs only sacked Prince three times, but he was pressured often. I expect UCLA to continue to use roll-outs to give Prince more time. They also may need to work out of maximum protection passing formations, like they did against San Diego State.

One good thing to note here is that, in general, Prince handles the rush well. Former quarterback Kevin Craft’s tendency to rush his reads and force throws under pressure only exacerbated the Bruins’ problems last year.

– Communication, chemistry on run-blocking.

This was a huge issue last season because the Bruins rotated so many different offensive linemen into the starting lineup. Now it seems that the Bruins have settled on a solid five. More repetitions and more experience will help. It’s important to remember that Maiava, Williams and Su’a-Filo had not played a game for UCLA until Saturday, and that Baca and Harris are both sophomores.

"It’s just about getting the feel for the game again," said Maiava, who sat out last season after transferring here from Colorado.

I think Sam's point about doing whatever it takes to pressure of Prince is huge. I loved what I saw from Prince in terms of his ability to roll out and throw passes to our TEs and FB. I will not be surprised if Chow has some plays designed in which he rolls out Prince to move the trigger point of our passing attack, enabling him to buy some extra time.

Of course another big marker for our OL would be to generate a consistent rushing game. That goes back to our pre-season goal of averaging at least 4 yards per carry. If we want to win on Saturday, that is a must. The OL will need to open up some holes for Franklin, Coleman, Knox (and Thigpen?) so they can pick up chunks of yardage putting our offense on manageable situations on second and third downs. Otherwise, if we end up in third and long situations with a freshman QB, it will be a long evening in Knoxville.

Lastly, speaking of the game outcome let's share some interesting productions. The boys over at All-Pac blog are expecting the Bruins to put up a fight. Sam is expecting a "game effort" from the Bruins:

In the end, I expect a game effort from the Bruins, but the margin for error is very small for Prince. I think the Vols will be a little too tough at Neyland Stadium, and a few UCLA mistakes should be the difference.

Prediction: Tennessee 31 – UCLA 20

His colleague Dave expects a defensive battle with Tennessee having the final edge:

I expect Tennessee to do a good job defending against the run and forcing Prince to try to beat them, which could spell trouble. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, but expecting a mistake free day this Saturday might be asking too much.

I see Tennessee having difficulty putting points on the board as well, especially if UCLA’s defensive line can control the tempo. This game should be one of those ugly battle-for-every-inch types, with Tennessee’s home field advantage and thirst for revenge giving them the edge.

Prediction: Tennessee 20 – UCLA 13

Both of those predictions sound pretty reasonable to me. But still I have to share this from Kyle over at Dawg Sports:

UCLA Bruins at Tennessee Volunteers: Now we know the real reason Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin; he used to be at USC, so he was brought in to Knoxville for the purpose of beating the Bruins. You know, sort of like Mark Richt was brought in from Tallahassee because the Florida St. Seminoles knew how to beat the Gators. (Hey, if I hadn’t mentioned it, skigator93 or Year 2 would have!) This game has disaster written all over it for the Vols, who are coming off of a huge (albeit largely meaningless) win and looking ahead to the big one in the Swamp, so a UCLA team that gained great confidence from last year’s season-opening overtime victory over the Big Orange is apt to sneak into Neyland Stadium and creep out with a Bruins win. (Warning: I virtually never call SEC/Pac-10 matchups correctly.)

Hmm. I wish I could sound confident about Kyle's prediction. I have got to think he is yanking the chains of his SEC rival here a bit. lol Right now though I remain skeptical about Saturday. The intangibles in this game - revenge factor, hostile venue, freshman QB - are simply not in our favor. Moreover, we just don't have the track record in our recent history (since 2001 at least) of pulling out a big time win at a big time atmosphere. I am just not seeing it.

I am hoping and praying Prince and col will make me eat crow on Saturday night.

GO BRUINS.

Spaulding Roundup: Youth Movement In Bruin Offense

Nestor — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:32:20 -0000

We will start our roundup today with a little update on our OL. As mentioned in my fanpost yesterday, Stan Hasiak (who is not contemplating a mission) has been sitting out practices last two days with a sore shoulder, allowing coaches to experiment with the starting OL. Per the LAT's report "Jeff Baca, the starting left tackle alternated with Brandon Bennett at right guard with the first team," while "Mike Harris played Baca's tackle spot." Hasiak is supposed to be back today, which will allow coaches to reset to the starting lineup announced after Saturday's scrimmage. Obviously the fate of our season hinges on how these young guys - four of whom were not in UCLA uniform last season - perform this year.

Ted Miller on ESPN's Pac-10 blog made the astute observation that CRN and his staff are going along with a youth movement not because of necessity, but becayse they think "it's the best way to win":

Two things: 1. These guys aren't stiffs; 2. Wonder what these guys will look like in 2011, when quarterback Kevin Prince is a junior?

The two true freshmen on the left side, tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo and guard Stanley Hasiak, certainly pass the sight test and were both among the nation's highest-rated offensive linemen last year. Right guard Eddie Williams is a 331 pound powerhouse from Mt. San Antonio Junior College in Walnut, CA.

Sophomore center Kai Maiava started nine games as a true freshman at Colorado. True sophomore right tackle Jeff Baca started eight games for the Bruins last year.

They are the only two players from the post-spring depth chart who remain No. 1 at their line positions.

While the season-ending knee injury to senior Micah Kia and the sprained knee that will sideline senior Nick Ekbatani four to six weeks certainly aren't good things, neither was a sure-thing to start. Ekbatani was running second-team at center, while Kia was expected to split time with Hasiak.

So starting inexperienced players is not move motivated by necessity. It's a choice.

Now the key will be for the coaches to figure out how they can get some continuity with their key players so they can grow through this season:

"By definition, continuity requires people all being there," Neuheisel said. "You can't have continuity if you don't have everybody learning the steps, learning the dance. You have to spend time with one another, not only so the footwork is choreographed, but the calls and the dummy calls. Those things all take a little while, and we've got to grow with that."

Most importantly, they need to grow together.

There is nothing more frustrating for an offensive line coach than when one lineman lags behind, causing a crack in the wall.

Offensive line coach Bob Palcic must ensure that as freshman Stanley Hasiak improves, so does redshirt sophomore center Kai Maiava. As Maiava improves, so does sophomore Jeff Baca. And so on.

"That's Bob's job," Neuheisel said. "The offensive line coach has to make sure we're all staying on task. If there needs to be extra, there needs to be extra for everybody, so that we're all coming along together. One for all and all for one."

I think the minor setback (well it sounds minor at least according to the reports) of Hasiak's injury could be a silver lining because it is allowing Mike Harris to get familiar with rest of the starting unit. While it is ideal that we can have as much continuity as possible with a new core of starting unit, it doesn't hurt to have the guys behind in the depth chart also gain some familiarity with the starting unit, in case they are called upon during the season.

Speaking of getting called on (and youth movement), the LAT led their report today with a quick profile on Damien Thigpen. Many of you know the story. Thigpen originally committed to Tennessee this past season. However, after they went through their coaching change, he was off their new coaching staff's radar. Here is how Thigpen ended up in Westwood:

"Their plans seemed to be going a different way, so I decide to look around," Thigpen said.

Eldridge Armstrong, the uncle of UCLA linebacker Isaiah Bowens, called Neuheisel and asked whether the Bruins were interested. Armstrong and Doug Thigpen, Damien's father, are secret service agents.

Neuheisel was interested, and now he has a freshman running back who lately has taken turns with the first-team offense.

He certainly has gotten Neuheisel and Chow's attention:

"He has too much lighting in his bottle not to use him," Coach Rick Neuheisel said.

Thigpen's performance in Saturday's scrimmage put him on the fast track for playing time. He returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown and had a kickoff return of 61 yards. He also had 31 yards in seven carries.

"We have to have a plan for him," offensive coordinator Norm Chow said.

I can't wait to see him. However, here is my one thought about burning his redshirt season. I hope if the coaches burn his redshirt situation, they will use him more than just sparingly in special teams situation. It would be awesome if Chow can use his speed to create mismatches around the field. When I read about this kid I have visions of Dexter Carter (not as a FAIL in Niners uniform but the way he lit up Bobby Bowden's Seminoles offense back in the day).

It sounds like Thigpen is relishing his early experience as a Bruin and eagerly "learning the assigments." Another team-mate of his, who has embraced a new role with the team is Chane Moline. Balderas from the OC Register blogged yesterday about how the former TB is fired up to play FB (and hit LBs) this season:

"It’s a beating. It’s a lot different," Moline said of the fullback position. "As a tailback, you’re running the ball, so you’re obviously going to try to put a beating on the guy that’s trying to tackle you, or avoid him. I’m not a running back that’s going to be juking and jiving. I’m going to put my shoulder down and hit you."

He’ll hit if it means picking up an extra yard or two. He’ll hit to protect his quarterback. He’ll hit to give his teammates some running room. He’ll hit because that’s what fullbacks do.

"As a fullback, you’re hitting linebackers every play you’re in," he said. "That’s the biggest difference. I learned that last year."

Moline got a chance to reacquaint himself with the fullback position when Trevor Theriot hurt his knee prior to the Fresno State game last season. Moline was moved out of the tailback position and back to fullback.

With the depth that the Bruins have at the tailback position this season, it was clear that Moline would not be returning to his previous spot.

"Going into this year, I knew what I was going for," he said. "I bulked up over the offseason."

Moline sat out practice yesterday with a hip-flexor but he should be back today. I have always enjoyed watching this kid play. Again I will bring up a Niners reference (can't help it). But I do have visions of Rathman-Craig with Moline-Coleman/Franklin/Knox in the backfield. Mix in all the speed element with Carroll and Thigpen, and the experiences of Austin, Paulsen, and Moya, well my mouth is watering for some Bruin offense.

It will be up the coaches to mix in the noticable youth movement all over our offense with the veteran experiences of Moline, Austin and Paulsen. If those guys can develop the right chemisrty around a new quarterback and young but talented OL through the season getting us to a bowl game, it will set us up perfectly heading into CRN's third season.

GO BRUINS.