SB Nation - Ryan Moya

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-

UCLA Preview

John Berkowitz — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:22:37 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel faces is old team for the second time on Saturday in Pasadena. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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The Washington football team (3-5 overall, 2-3 in the Pac-10) returns to action this Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena when the Huskies take on UCLA (3-5 overall, 0-5 in the Pac-10) in a 12:30 p.m. game boroadcast on FSN. The Dawgs, who have faced the nation’s second-toughest schedule to this point, come into the game after a weekend off while the Bruins’ comeback fell short in a 26-19 loss at Oregon State last weekend. UCLA went 3-0 in non-conference play to open the season, but have lost five straight, all against Pac-10 opposition, since then.

Washington was in desperate need of a bye week after the Oregon game and that rest after facing the nation's toughest schedule over the last eight weeks may be just what the doctor ordered to get this team ready for the last quarter of the season.

Postion Matchups

Quarterback....Washington....Jake Locker was declared ready to go on Thursday night and was seen zipping around practice with no visible lingering effects of his quad bruise. With Jake healthy Washington has a serious advanatage at the throttle. Kevin Prince will start for the Bruins and he is coming off a good fourth quarter against Oregon State.

Running Back....Washington....The Bruins and the Huskies are near the bottom of the Pac 10 in overall rushing totals this season. UW is led by Chris Polk who is averaging over 80 yards per game. Polk is a physical runner who breaks tackles and gets a lot of yards on his own. UCLA's Jonathan Franklin is a good looking back who doesn't get as many carries on average as Polk does.

Wide Receivers....Washington...The trio of Devin Aguilar, Jermaine Kearse, and Jermaine Johnson have performed well all season. UCLA has sports the dangerous 6'5 Nelosn Rosario and 6'3 Tylor Embree. That height just may be the reason UW started experimenting with Anthony Boyles at CB during the bye week. From a productivity standpoint this season the Washington receivers have better numbers. The UCLA receivers while talented have not benefitted fromt he stability at QB the UW receivers have.

Tight End...UCLA...Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen are a couple of TE's who have the tane tto play on Sunday's. UW's Kavario Middleton also has that type of talent but you give the nod in this one to the experience and blocking ability of the Bruin duo.

Offensive Line...Washington...What we have here are two bottom division Pac 10 lines. The Washington offense has been more productive this season when it comes to protecting the QB and opening up holes for the rushing game so they get a slight nod going in.

Defensive Line...UCLA....Brian Price would get my vote as the top defensive lineman in the conference this season. He is a difference maker inside that is impossible to block which free's up his team mates to wreak a little havoc. Korey Bosworth and Datone do a nice job out on the ends.

Linebacker...UCLA....I really like UCLA's Reggie Carter , Akeem Meyers, and Kyle Bosworth. Washington counters with Mason, Butler, and Dennison. Dennison will be starting in place of EJ Savannah who is taking the week off with a thumb injury.

Secondary....UCLA...I would put UCLA's Rahim Moore, Alterraun Verner and Aaron Hester up against anyone in the conference. Moore leads the conference in interceptions this season. Hester is a little banged up and expected to play.

Special Teams...UCLA....UW has had a lot of problems with special teams over the past month. UCLA even though less than perfect has had less problems so I give them the nod going in. This is really a part of the game that will be up for grabs.

Washington running game versus the UCLA defense

This is where the game is going to be won on Saturday. UCLA is giving up over 157 yards per game this season and the Huskies goal going into this game is to pick up around 200 yards. That might be easier said than done because UW averages a shade under 120 yards per game on the ground and Sarkisan probably doesn't want to put too much of a load on Jake Locker who is recovering from a quad bruise. The staff is however treating this as the the must win that it truly is. If Locker can run they are going to unleash him if that what it takes to win this game. We all know what tye of running back Chris polk is. He gets the tough yards inside but is very capable of breaking some big one's. He needs to do that this week and have a career day.

Success rushing the football and winning go hand-in-hand for the Huskies. Since 1990, UW has rushed for 200 yards in a game 72 times. The Huskies’ record stands at 59-12-1 (.826) in those contests. Since the1995 season, Washington is 34-9-1 (.784) when rushing for 200 yards.

Washington Passing Game versus the UCLA defense

Jake has looked good so far in practice this week. What he needs to do this week is improve his decision making. He is going up against a ballhawking secondary and will face some pressure from the UCLA line. If he makes mistakes against the UCLA corners they are going to pick him off. He needs to get outside more on the rollout to buy a little more time. Washington has a very good group of receivers and the hope is a strong running game will open up opportunities down field.

UCLA passing game versus the Washington Defense

UCLA has had trouble all season putting this part of the game together. Washington is a great team to work out those problems against. The Bruins have a big advantage in size when it comes to their WR's. Washington is countering by bringing in two guys that haven't played this season in Jason Wells and Anthony Boyles. Wells may start at safety but I am not sure how much Boyles will play even though his height matches up well with these huge WRs. UCLA is not going to go deep much against Washington. They are going to be throwin a lot of quick outs and high percentage passses to get some rythm going early and give Price some confidence. Chow has a reputation of taking what a defense will give him and Washington will do wht they ahve done all season and that is keep theball in front of them.

Game Notes

UCLA will be the Huskies’ first opponent this season with a sub-.500 record.

Rick Neuheisel was the Husky head coach from 1999 through 2002. Also on the Bruins staff are three former UW assistant coaches: Tim Hundley, Wayne Moses and Reggie Moore (who was a GA at Washington).

Defensive tackle Cameron Elisara (neck stinger) will not travel with the Huskies, marking his second consecutive missed game and prompting the question whether the team has seen the last of his services this season. Also, linebackers E.J. Savannah (broken left wrist) and Jordan Wallace (left knee), who tweaked his knee during a tackle in practice Wednesday, will stay in Seattle.

WR Jordan Polk (knee surgery) has been cleared to play.

Five safeties – Nate Williams, Nathan Fellner, Jason Wells, Victor Aiweya and Greg Walker – will likely see action Saturday, the first-year UW coach said. Williams and Fellner are expected to start.

The Huskies could have as many as three new starters on defense this week. Cort Dennison will start in place of Savannah, and freshman Andru Pulu looks ready to start at defensive end while Daniel T’eo-Nesheim moves inside. Senior Jason Wells could get his first start of the season at safety, although Sarkisian said he had yet to decide whether Wells or true freshman Nate Fellner would start.

An X-ray on UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester's right leg was negative for a fracture, but he has calcium deposits and loose cartilage. Hester, who suffered a broken fibula in the same leg in the season opener, was not in uniform for practice and is questionable for Saturday. Receiver Morrell Presley will be out at least one week because of a sprained left shoulder. . . . Randall Carroll, who has a groin injury, is doubtful for Saturday's game.

UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter while rallying the Bruins back from a 16-point deficit this past Saturday against Oregon State. Prince finished with a season-high 323 yards and 22 completions against the Beavers and nearly drove UCLA down the field for another game-tying drive in the closing seconds.

Washington has not beaten UCLA in Pasadena since 1995.

UW is 29-37-2 in the overall series with UCLA.

This Saturday, the Huskies will face a former UW head coach for the 14th time in history, and for the second time since 1975 (the other in that span was a loss last year vs. UCLA, coached by Rick Neuheisel). In ‘75, the Dawgs played the second of two games vs. Texas, coached by Darrell Royal, who was the Husky head man for one season (1956). The Huskies lost to Texas in both 1974 and 1975. In 1946 and 1947, the Huskies face a St. Mary’s team coached by James Phelan, who was the UW head man from 1930 to 1941. UW lost the first of those two, 24-20, but won the ‘47 meeting, 26-6. Lastly,the Huskies faced Cal teams coached by Leonard Allison (UW coach in 1920) nine times between 1935 and 1944, going 5-3-1. The UW is therefore 6-7-1 in games against teams led by former Washington head coaches.

Three Keys To UCLA-Arizona

Ryan Rosenblatt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:37:46 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

Can Taylor Embree and the UCLA pass catchers exploit the seam against a struggling Arizona defense? (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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Here we go. Back on the road again and against a team in Arizona that will be flying high after a comeback victory over Stanford last week. The Wildcats had 553 yards of total offense and 415 of them came from Nick Foles, Arizona's sophomore quarterback who has emerged as one of the conference's best in recent weeks. With a defensive backfield in flux and an offense riding high, this match-up looks like it tilts firmly in favor of Arizona, but the Wildcats have had issues keeping opponents off of the scoreboard so the Bruins will have a chance.

1) Rush The QB- This one won't be easy to all. The biggest reason Arizona has been able to pass the ball so effectively is that their quarterback has all day to throw. Arizona quarterbacks have only been sacked four time all year and haven't be pressured to much either. Yes, the numbers may be somewhat misleading because of the shotgun and all the quick passes the Wildcats use, but the Arizona offensive line has done a fantastic job nonetheless.

With the quickness of the Arizona offensive line, the Bruins will have to be technically sound to rush the passer. UCLA will also have to be in great shape because the Wildcats used a lot of no huddle last week and the Bruins may not be able to get their normal subs in along the defensive front. If UCLA cannot rush the passer, Nick Foles will tear them apart and the Bruins' poor tackling could turn those short passes into big gains.

2) Stay Disciplined- Jahvid Best's 93 yard run last week was the epitome of what a lack of discipline (and poor tackling) on the defensive side of the ball can do to you. Over pursuit, not breaking down, it all hurt the Bruins on that play and arguably was the most important play of the game. One misplay and lack of contain by Akeem Ayers opened up the field for Best and set everything in motion.

Now, the Bruins will face an Arizona team that will spread them out and use a lot of shifty, quick runners and receivers that if given the opportunity, will cutback and take it to the house. This Arizona team will take on misplay and turn it into havoc for the UCLA defense. While the Wildcats didn't run the ball much last week, but they did have a 57 and 43 yard run. They have also topped 30 carries in previous games so there's reason to believe they can go back to the ground this week and with their quick backs, they can break another big one if the Bruins lack discipline.

3) Attack the Seam- Arizona's defense has had trouble in recent weeks, conceding almost 600 yards last week. They're done a decent job in space where they have speed, but they've been undisciplined guarding the seam. With Logan Paulsen, Ryan Moya, Morrell Presley and slot receivers in three and four wide sets, the Bruins will have space to work the seam.

If the Bruins can exploit the seam, which will take quality routes and hanging onto the ball, it can cause problems for the rest of the Arizona defense. Not only will it allow them to pick up chunks of yards, but last week, it made the Arizona linebackers step a little wider and a little deeper, opening up running room for Toby Gerhart and Co. If the Bruins can exploit the seam this week, they can also use it to open up the running game.

Things to Watch for During Tennessee / UCLA

Hooper — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:50:20 -0000

by Wade Payne - AP

It's showtime, Lane. You wanted expectations? You got it. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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This is a potpourri list based partly on my experience at the Western Kentucky game and partly on some of the observations I've made of the Tennessee Volunteers and the UCLA Bruins. But for those at home and for those in the stands, there is a lot of spectacle offered in this game.

If You're in the Stands

You'll be able to see things that the TV stations will never bother showing. Here are a few:

Sideline Energy. The UT sideline will be a hornet's nest of activity. Watch just how much energy the coaches maintain on the sidelines and how the players respond to it.
Sideline Organization. There is a lot of adrenaline flowing off-field, but it doesn't translate into chaos because everything on the sidelines is orchestrated. Players have specific regions to congregate in when they're not a part of the action. Special teams units use those Twister-esque circle boards to ensure the right personnel are ready. The training assistants are constantly looking for ways to get the sidelines from 99% organized to 100% organized.
Sideline-to-Field Communication. It's easiest to see on offense when the play is called in, but it applies to the defense as well; the procedures are well-rehearsed and the signals very rarely need repeated. Remember, this was an offense that had Lane Kiffin calling plays in the huddle well into fall camp; keep that in mind and you'll be impressed.
Timeout Activity. When the timeout guy in the red jacket stands on the field and the crowd dies down, the sideline doesn't relax. There's nothing else happening on the field, so take a gander and watch.
Communication with the Fans. This team gives fans feedback. More accurately, they'll be calling on fans for noise and support throughout the game. They're very aware of the hometown faithful and are waiting to see what the fans in attendance do in response to their efforts.

Everybody (at Home and in the Stands)

Playclock. I do not expect any delay of game issues from Tennessee on Saturday. They move quickly - very quickly - between plays.
UCLA's Tight Ends. I firmly believe that UCLA sandbagged their tight ends against the San Diego St. Aztecs. Despite having two returners (Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen) who had 8 receptions for 83 yards against Tennessee last year, the tight ends only managed 3 catches for 18 yards against SDSU. In the all-familiar game of hiding your playbook for a future opponent, UCLA hid their tight ends. And as you remember from last year, tight end passes are one easy way to keep an inexperienced quarterback in the game. If UT can shut the tight end down, Kevin Prince will have to look elsewhere for receivers.
Linebackers. Neither team showed their stuff with the linebackers last week. Watch for blitzes from both defenses; UT must believe they can get in Prince's head while UCLA will want to find out if Jonathan Crompton is indeed for real this year.
The First Step. In a zone blocking scheme, the critical element is to get position on the defender. Watch Tennessee's offensive line; if they come off the snap of the ball as a crisp, decisive unit, expect success. If there are miscommunications that lead to false starts or slow reactions to the snap, the zone blocking battle may be lost before it begins.
Punting Speed. We didn't see either the punting or the field goal games from Tennessee last week (nor did we see any field goal defense from Tennessee), but I'm not so optimistic as to assume we won't see UT punt once or twice this week. Chad Cunningham claims to have sped up his punting delivery from last year; watch and see if it's true. (If so, then Eddie Gran needs a street named after him for all he's done for UT already.)
Interception Defense. I am going to assume we'll see UT intercept at least one ball. One of their strengths last year was their ability to convert from pass defense to interception return blocking in the blink of an eye. Watch for it again this week. (You can catch it on the inevitable replays.)
When Things Go Wrong. Things will go wrong. Watch the coaches and the players to see how they respond. You'll see disappointment but never despair.
When Things Go Right. After big plays, watch the focus. How fast does the team get back into the game? This is a key indicator of whether the team is developing the killer instinct.

Tennessee vs. UCLA - Game Preview

Will — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0000

by Reed Saxon - AP

3 months ago: UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince passes against San Diego State in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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It is a game of tremendous importance for both teams. In Year Two of Rick Neuheisel's administration, it's a chance for the Bruins to continue to put 2008 behind them and make a huge statement on the road. In Year One of Lane Kiffin's tenure, it's a chance for the Vols to validate their dominant performance from a week ago, and put a truly definitive distinction between this year and last in the minds of players and fans alike. The team that wins will go into conference play thinking big. The team that loses will brace itself for another potentially frustrating year.

The keys to the game as the Vols and Bruins meet for the 15th time:

Jonathan Crompton & Kevin Prince: Continued Maturation

Prince, a redshirt freshman who hadn't seen real game action in two years due to an injury in high school, had his moments in the opener against San Diego State: 18 of 29 for 176 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. It was enough in a 33-14 win over the Aztecs, and under Norm Chow's watchful eye Prince should only get better. UCLA fans hope he reminds the Vols of Kevin Craft in the second half last season, not the first.

Jon Crompton we'd seen before, but not like this: 21 of 28 for 233 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions on batted balls. He earned his job back in the spring, worked hard to keep it this fall, and made the most of his fresh start. Now every orange eye will be upon him once more: a good performance against Western Kentucky offered hope. A good performance against UCLA offers something much more tangible. If Crompton plays well again, this time against a much better defense, most of us will breathe a tremendous sigh of relief, and be on board with #8 the rest of the way. But if the old Crompton shows up (or was merely hiding behind WKU's defense last week), the flashbacks come with him, and it will be unpleasant.

Neither will be asked to win the game on their own, but both will be asked not to lose it. Prince is a redshirt freshman looking to earn trust and make progress. Crompton is a redshirt senior looking to bury the past and keep moving forward. Both face a significant defensive upgrade this week. Who will come through?

Tennessee Rushing Offense: Lessons Learned

The greatest source of frustration for Tennessee fans in last year's game was the Vols' ability to run the ball at will on the Bruins, and Dave Clawson's inability to recognize it. Arian Foster had 13 carries for 96 yards, and Montario Hardesty ran 12 times for 66 yards. Between the two of them, that's 162 yards at 6.48 yards per carry. Ignoring this, Clawson allowed Jon Crompton to throw 41 times, and the Vols fell in overtime.

This year, the Vols got off to a great start with their best rushing performance in 15 years against Western Kentucky:

Montario Hardesty: 18 carries, 160 yards, 1 TD, 8.9 YPC
Bryce Brown: 11 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD, 9.5 YPC
Tauren Poole: 5 carries, 62 yards, 12.4 YPC
David Oku: 8 carries, 42 yards, 2 TDs, 5.3 YPC

The Vols ran for 380 yards at 8.6 yards per carry as a team, and it didn't really matter which back was in the game.

However, UCLA's run defense was also impressive last week, limiting San Diego State to only 39 yards on 18 carries (2.2 per). While the opponents both teams faced last week leave lots of uncertainties, one fact remains: San Diego State had no offensive linemen that weighed over 300 lbs. The Vols will start four. Bruins Nation discussed how UCLA might handle this earlier this week.

Tennessee isn't going to find the same level of success running the football against UCLA as they did against Western Kentucky. But if they can duplicate or even approach the type of success they found last year against the Bruins, life will be much, much easier for Crompton and the entire team.

Tennessee Secondary: First Real Test

Last week, WKU's quarterbacks combined to go 9 of 16 for only 49 yards, and rarely had time to do anything. As a result, Tennessee's untested secondary - you know, the guys not named Eric Berry - is still largely that.

While experienced players do return (Brent Vinson had a pick last week), the starting group of Art Evans and Marsalous Johnson at corner, plus Dennis Rogan in his transition to free safety (plus freshman Janzen Jackson in the nickel package)...it's still a relatively green bunch.

Meanwhile, the only places UCLA isn't relatively green on offense are at wide receiver and tight end. Taylor Embree and Terrence Austin each had six catches last week, and UCLA has one of the best overall tight end groups in the country, with Logan Paulsen and Ryan Moya (7 catches in last year's game) sure to be involved.

Evans will have to get the job done on 6'3" Taylor Embree, so look for 5'9" Marsalous Johnson near the shorter Austin. But if either of these guys get exposed it'll make life much easier on UCLA's young quarterback, and raise serious questions about exactly how good Tennessee's defense really is.

Environment & Adversity: Which team is tougher?

The Vols faced only mild adversity last week when they turned the ball over on their first two drives. Responding with 63 points in three quarters was nice, but make no mistake: it will take beating a team like UCLA, a team that beat them last year, for the Vols to fully separate themselves from the ghosts of 2008. If the Bruins get the early breaks and jump to a 14-0 lead, how will this team respond? How will Lane Kiffin respond?

UCLA showed their composure last week when SDSU jumped to a 14-3 first quarter lead, and then the Bruins scored 30 points in a row. The unfamiliarity for UCLA isn't in falling behind, but where the game is played: Neyland Stadium's sea of orange swallowed up the last Pac-10 team it saw, as the Vols jumped to a 35-0 lead on #9 Cal in the 2006 season opener. The Bruins are playing with a redshirt freshman quarterback, lots of youth in the backfield and three new starters on the offensive line. Will they be affected by the environment?

This is where Tennessee fans need to make a difference. Last week was a welcome win and a sigh of relief, and we all enjoyed it. This week we need to turn the dial back to eleven where it belongs, and be the dominant home field advantage we're more than capable of being. This is a Tennessee team whose season could go very different ways depending on the outcome of this game. We need to do our part to make sure it swings in our favor. If UCLA comes out for their first offensive series and thinks "Hey, this isn't so bad...", we should be ashamed of ourselves.

Lane Kiffin vs. Norm Chow: Pushing the right buttons

We've already covered this matchup at length, but when neither team has the sort of playmakers on offense where you can just get them the ball and get out of the way (not that I wouldn't love Hardesty or Bryce Brown to prove me wrong), playcalling becomes even more critical. Chow will be going against Monte Kiffin in a legendary coordinator battle. And Chow got the best of Tennessee's last coordinator, methodically going to the tight end and working the middle of the field as he watched Kevin Craft come back from the dead to steal an overtime win.

Kiffin has more to prove as a playcaller and as a coach in general. If the Vols are down four with two minutes left, what's he going to dial up for Crompton? Can he keep the offense in the same beautiful balance it enjoyed last week, or will UCLA be allowed to stack the box and force Crompton to win it? Regardless of the respect and the generally decent tone both sides have employed thus far this week, I'd be willing to wager a fair amount that both of these guys want this win - and want a great offensive performance - very, very badly.

This is the Gateway Game. Win, and the kind of season you've been dreaming about all summer long is still on the table with tangible evidence to back it up. Lose, and the kind of season you just struggled through comes back on the table, and you start thinking about bowl eligibility instead of the Top 25. Tennessee couldn't bury 2008 with even the very best of performances against Western Kentucky, though that's what we got with the largest difference in total yards per team in Tennessee Football history.

But beating UCLA - no matter what the Vols do next week - can give tangible proof that last year was last year, and this team is truly something different...and something better.

2009 UCLA Football Post-Camp Grades: WR/TE's

Ryan Rosenblatt — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:00:12 -0000

My post-camp unit by unit grades of our 2009 Bruins continues with the receivers and offensive line. Yesterday, we took a look at the quarterbacks, who I graded a C+, while at the moment, the overwhelming majority of BN readers have assigned the group a C. What will the UCLA pass catchers grade in at? Here's a hint...it's high.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Without a doubt, the receivers/tight ends offer UCLA the best combination of experience, youth, depth, talent and game breaking talent. Simply put, this is the Bruins' best unit. If you want some experience, there's Terrance Austin. How about a game breaking talent with speed that can't be taught? Say hello to Randall Carroll. Whose route running skills can only be described as machine like and has no problem going over the middle or anywhere on the field to act as the chain mover? That would be Taylor Embree. How about a big body who can go up and get it in the red zone? Gavin Ketchum, come on down. There's Morrell Presley, the freak athlete as well and Ricky Marvray, a freshman like Presley and Carroll, who exceeded all expectations in training camp and is forcing coaches into a touch decision regarding redshirts. There's still the big bodied, big threat sophomores Nelson Rosario, Antwon Moutra with redshirt freshman Jerry Johnson making a name for himself. Oh yeah, I didn't mention the proven commodities at tight end in Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen, both of whom could play on Sundays. Needless to say, there are options in the receiving game.

We already know what we're going to get from Terrance Austin in the receiving game. The wideout, who announced his decision to attend UCLA four years ago at the Army All-American Game and is a Long Beach Poly alum, his shifty and quick. He runs his routes well and while he's not the big body you sometimes see going up and battling for balls 50 yards downfield, he can quickly turn a catch 15 yards downfield into a 70 yard touchdown with how quickly he gets his hips turned up field and his ability to make people miss. Bringing back your top receiver never hurts and that's what UCLA has in Austin. UCLA also knows what it has in Ketchum, a senior who had a horrid start to camp. A week into camp, I was seriously considering the possibility of seeing Ketchum sixth or seventh on the UCLA depth chart and not traveling with the team. Ketchum stepped it up late in camp though and showed why he can be an asset to the Bruins. His size and knowledge of how to use it makes him dangerous in the red zone, either going up and getting the ball or shielding off defenders as he comes across the middle. Prince and Ketchum still aren't quite on the same page though as they miscommunicated a number of times throughout camp.

UCLA has lacked the ability to stretch the field in recent years. There's been some speed, but not jaw dropping speed. If a 4.3 40 and two-time high school 100 and 200 meter state champion sprinter doesn't make your jaw drop though then you may want to check your pulse and give up your seat at the Rose Bowl because there are plenty of others who would like a glimpse at Carroll. Carroll has speed that makes coaches drool and opposing DB's cry. While he still has a lot of refinement to do as a receiver (he had a case of the dropsies at times in camp and his route running is mediocre at best), he's an athlete that can put six on the board at any time and that's the type of player you make sure to get the ball to. Expect Carroll to be used on reverses, wide receiver screens and anything else imaginable because Carroll is exactly what UCLA defense have seen for years now, but only in games and never in practice. Fellow freshman Marvray doesn't have quite the same speed nor did he have the hype that Carroll had on the recruiting circuit. He was widely acknowledged as a good player because well, that's what a 5'11'' receiver without burning speed is known as, but Marvray has a special something. Last year when practice go-ers saw Embree, you saw he had that special something. It's a feel for the game. The way the field opens up for him and he always finds himself open. While it can be described as luck the first few times it happens, when it becomes regular then it's that special something. With plenty of receivers on the roster, Marvray may be redshirted and that would probably be the prudent route with available snaps at a minimum.

There's a trio of second-year receivers UCLA who are all big and can run. Moutra, Rosario and Johnson are all at least 6'2'', with Rosario checking in at 6'5''. They all have enough speed to get downfield and they all have a year under their belt, either as sophomores like Moutra and Rosario or as a redshirt freshman like Johnson. The one thing that all three need to work on is how to use their size though. Too often they don't shield their defender with their body and get balls knocked down. Too often they don't come down with high, long passes despite having pounds and inches on their opponent. Too often they go back to last year when they were freshmen and lose focus. Just when they frustrate you though, they make a play that wows you. Johnson is the least physically talented of the three, but shows the most hunger. Rosario is the biggest and has the most potential, but Moutra can bust a big one unlike the other two. All three have potential, but are short on results. The good thing for them is they're only one year into their time in Westwood and have time to prove themselves.

All three of the second-year receivers or really any receiver on the roster can take a page or two out of Embree's book. The Bruins haven't have a wideout who runs such precise routes in years and there are few with the reliable hands and willingness to take a hit of Embree either. Let's also remember that this is mister half-star. One recruiting website gave him one star, while the other gave him no stars out of high school. The son of a football coach sure plays like one though and he quickly developed a bond with Prince as the two spent plenty of practice time talking, then reps beating the defense for eight, ten or 12 yard chunks.

Presley is listed as a tight end and will likely be one before he leaves Westwood, but the majority of his freshman year will be spent away from the line and without his hand on the ground. Presley needs to put on some weight before he even thinks about pushing a defensive end or even linebacker around, but on the outside, he is a mismatch waiting to happen. While small for a tight end right now, no DB is contending with 6'4'' 220 lbs. and no linebacker can run with the guy. Toss in his huge vertical and you can see why he spent a lot of practice time on fades. He will be on the field a lot in the redzone and he should be a terror down the seam at midfield forcing safeties to pinch, thus opening up the deep ball.

The two tight ends who will get the most time can do it all. Moya and Paulsen are known commodities. They can block, which this team will need them to do, but they can also prove to be useful outlets for a quarterback with little experience who will be under pressure. Both have had injury problems so health could be an issue, as could fumbles. Paulsen is the tougher of the two and he was knocking heads in practice, especially when freed up to hit linebackers on running plays. Moya meanwhile was doing well on quick outs and turning upfield to pick up yards after the catch. If the two can stay healthy, it will do wonders to have that type of talent and experience on the field.

Grade: A I'm not going to bother researching the depth chart of every Pac-10 team's wideouts and tight ends, but I can't imagine another team having such a mix of strength, speed, experience, refinement and every other good work you can think of to describe receivers. I'll go with stupendousness. On a team of worry after worry, here's one unit to have confidence in.

Poll

What would you grade the UCLA receivers and tight ends?

A

191 votes

B

189 votes

C

29 votes

D

3 votes

F

6 votes

418 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Opponent Previews - UCLA

Will — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:10:58 -0000

More photos » by Nick Ut - AP

4 months ago: UCLA head football coach Rick Neuheisel speaks at a news conference at Pac-10 media day in Los Angeles, Thursday, July 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Browse more photos »

The Series

Which non-conference foe west of the Mississippi have the Vols played more than any other? It's the Bruins, with 14 meetings in the books, also good for 6th on the list of FBS non-conference foes the Vols have played all time, behind four ACC teams (Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Clemson) and Tiger High. The two teams usually play at least one home-and-home series per decade, with UCLA last visiting Neyland Stadium in 1996. The Vols hold a 7-5-2 advantage in the series.

Last Year

Well, we know how it started.

Kevin Craft's four first half interceptions and UCLA's mere 288 yards of total offense didn't keep them from finding those yards when they needed them the most, in a 4th quarter drive that paved the way to overtime. The Vols failed to take advantage of UCLA's early mistakes, and then made some of their own, including a costly Arian Foster fumble when the Vols were looking to go up two possessions. The Vols ran for 177 yards on 5.2 yards per carry, but Jonathan Crompton went 19 of 41 passing, the Vols went 5 of 17 on third down, and when Daniel Lincoln missed an overtime field goal, Rick Neuheisel had his first win and Phillip Fulmer's career in Knoxville headed for the home stretch.

When BYU rocked the Bruins 59-0 the very next week, it was a sure sign of trouble for both teams. Tennessee would finish 5-7, UCLA at just 4-8, with their only wins over the Vols, Stanford (5-7), Washington (0-12) and Washington State (2-11). Full 2008 Results

UCLA Offense

Redshirt freshman Kevin Prince unseated Kevin Craft as the quarterback in spring practice, which is a good news/bad news scenario for Vol fans depending on which version of Craft was planning on showing up at Neyland Stadium. At tailback, Christian Ramirez is an enigma, having been academically ineligible last season but now back as a junior with 19 career carries to his name. Vol fans can appreciate the unearned optimism that Prince and Ramirez are building in Pasadena: since neither was a factor in last year's 4-8 season, surely they must be an upgrade...

Taylor Embree was a Freshman All-American last season and returns at WR with 40 catches under his belt. There is experience all over the field here: Terrence Austin returns as last season's leading receiver, and Ryan Moya was second team All-Pac-10 at tight end last year. There are solid options in reserve as well with Gavin Ketchum and Logan Paulsen - if Prince can get these guys the ball, the Bruins will have playmaking potential.

The Bruins have experience up front, but ranked 110th in sacks allowed last season, so take that with a grain of salt. Injuries have also taken their toll on this unit.

The biggest storyline in this game might be the Lane Kiffin vs. Norm Chow playcalling battle, a Southern Cal special. If Kiffin is about competing, don't think he isn't looking forward to this opportunity a little more than others.

UCLA Defense

DeWayne Walker left as defensive coordinator to become the head coach at New Mexico State, but there is plenty of talent still in the cupboard in Pasadena. DT Brian Price was first team all-conference last year with 4.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, and DE Korey Bosworth did him one better with 7.5 sacks. For a Tennessee offensive line that will still be playing with an inexperienced tackle and has zero quality depth, this matchup will be absolutely critical and will be UCLA's best chance to take advantage of the Vol offense.

MLB Reggie Carter is another all-conference player who returns on this side of the ball, who led the team in tackles last season. There is inexperience but upside in the rest of the LB corps, with Kyle Bosworth returning from injury and Akeem Ayers stepping into his first full-time starting role.

Alterraun Verner led the nation in passes defended last season and Rahim Moore grabbed three picks as a freshman last year at safety. UCLA was eighth nationally in pass defense last year, another cause for concern for the Vol offense.

Full 2008 UCLA Stats

Best Case Scenario for the Vols

After a confidence-inspiring win over Western Kentucky, Tennessee plays it smart against the Bruins this time around: a dedicated effort to run and run some more wears down the UCLA defense in the Tennessee humidity, and the Vols minimize mistakes and own time of possession. Meanwhile, UCLA's inexperience at QB and RB shows itself, as the Vol defense completely shuts down the Bruins' running game and makes Prince beat them, and he's unable to pull a Kevin Craft. The defense keeps UCLA at bay all afternoon, giving the Vol offense plenty of opportunities to get the points they need for a solid win for Lane Kiffin. Tennessee moves to 2-0 and feels good about themselves heading to The Swamp.

Worst Case Scenario for the Vols

Let's just go ahead an assume that "Jonathan Crompton hasn't changed" and "an injury on the offensive line" go in this slot for all 12 of these games, okay? UCLA knows what to expect and is tougher on defense this time around, making life tough on Vol RBs and forcing Crompton to make mistakes. The Bruins get the ball to their playmakers on offense enough to put pressure on the Tennessee offense, which is unable to respond. Norm Chow outcoaches Lane Kiffin, and UCLA wins in Neyland Stadium, giving the Kiffin Era a bitter dose of reality in just its second game.

Game Importance Ranking - 8.8

Last week in the Big Orange Roundtable, I said the UCLA game was the most important game of the season because of its position on the schedule...so while a couple of other games will have a higher ranking, those games will be significantly less important if the Vols fail to win this one.

Make no mistake: this is The Gateway Game. Win, and you're 2-0 and will almost certainly start 3-1, with a real chance to still be thinking about 8-4 or better. Lose, and you're already one in the hole with plenty of tougher competition still coming down the pipe, and we're hoping for six wins. If Lane Kiffin wants people to believe in any level of instant turnaround, he has to win this game.

Whether Florida beats the Vols by 1 or 100, it won't affect the confidence of the team and the program the way winning or losing the UCLA game will. The Vols can get dusted by Florida and still feel good about their chances against Auburn, Georgia and most of the rest of the schedule if they beat UCLA.

I expect this to be an ugly football game, much the same way last year's was: if you take away a blocked punt and an interception return, that's a 17-17 ballgame with a world of mistakes. I'm not sure either team is good enough to really pull away from the other (UCLA was picked 7th in the conference at Pac-10 media days), which is easy for us to say now, but if the Vols put a huge number up against Western Kentucky, it's going to be easy to forget. The reality is these are two teams who both have a chance to be above average this season, but it also won't take much to remind you of how they struggled last year. The emotional roller coaster of blowing out Western Kentucky, fighting to the death against UCLA and then getting blown out by Florida - which, like it or not, is the most likely scenario - will be interesting, to say the least.

Losing to UCLA means we're almost certainly looking at a similar year to 2008, seven wins max. Beating UCLA keeps hope alive, and gives the Vols a chance to build on it the next time they play one of these toss-up games, of which there will be several in 2009. If we want to have the sort of rebound season we're all hoping for, that road goes directly through the Bruins.

Recommended Reading from BruinsNation.com:

Talented But Unproven UCLA RBs: Who Will Step Up?

All About Kevin Prince

Pac-10 Media Day Roundup: No Surprises for UCLA

Spaulding Roundup: Pac-10 Media Day, Freshmen Speed & Injury Notes

Nestor — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:49:24 -0000

Pac-10 Media Day is today. We got an invitation to attend it earlier this week but we all decided to take a pass because of time issues and the fact that these events never really amount to much except for usual soundbites and preseason predictions that we have been reading through this off-season. Nevertheless, if you guys are interested in following it, you can keep track via their official where they will stream it live and allows fans to "participate" by "tweeting their questions to: http://twitter.com/pac10."

Hey perhaps all of you can tweet questions about whether Pac-10 as a conference is plannint to something concrete about the scandals after scandals coming out of U$C*. I am not going to hold my breath on whether they will actually respond to those questions. So knock yourself out if you are up for it and let us know if we missed out on something totally earth shattering.

As for our team BruinJD already blogged about Ryan Moya and Logan Paulson being named to Mackey watch list. That is pretty cool. Let's hope both of those guys can stay healthy (crossing fingers/knocking on wood). Meanwhile, the team is going to be without couple of freshman LBs during the training camp:

Taniela Maka, a linebacker from Long Beach Jordan High, said he will not enroll at UCLA because of an academic issue. He plans to enroll in January.

"I just need to get a better SAT score," Maka said. "I don't think it will be a problem. I only have to add 60 points."

Maka will attend most of UCLA's practices while he prepares for the SATs.

"(Graduate assistant) Coach (Clark) Lea actually wants me to come up there and watch," Maka said.

Linebacker Jared Koster said he has a sports hernia injury and likely will undergo surgery to repair it. Koster isn't expected be enrolled for the fall quarter.

Instead, the plan is for him to be enrolled in January.

Good luck to Taniela and Jared. Also per Dohn "defensive end Chinonso Anyanwu has a hip injury that likely will require surgery and keep him out at the start of training camp." He always brings good news. Doesn't he? (j/k). Well, I wouldn't get discouraged about this kind of news.

This kind of attrition is fairly normal at this time of the year. The good news is that we will have Taniel and Jared next year and oh BTW Tony Dye, who was suffering from a bit of turf toe, should be all right. I will end this round up with some exciting news though.

According to his home town paper, Damien Thigpen is wasting no time display his speed at UCLA:

When UCLA tested its football players last week in the 40-yard dash, Damien Thigpen was nervous.

It had been two years since he had run a time in the 40 in large part because he was already known for his quickness.

But now, he was an incoming college freshman facing fellow speedsters and he wasn’t sure how he stacked up.

On his first run, he clocked in at 4.31 seconds. That drew some attention, but on his second run, he generated even more chatter — recording a personal-best 4.28. The facial expressions from onlookers told Thigpen he had done something impressive when he crossed the finish line.
The only thing was he didn’t initially know was how impressive the time was. It wasn’t the best time among freshmen or running backs. It was the best time of anyone on the team.

Thigpen was shocked. He had enjoyed plenty of success as a multiple state track champion hurdler at Stonewall Jackson, but this was something new and unexpected.
"I was excited that I had run that fast," Thigpen said. "I was on cloud nine."

Man, I can't wait to see this kid, Randall Carroll, Presley and other youngsters at the Rose Bowl. Can't wait.

GO BRUINS.

2009 Expectations: The NY Times Joins The Emerging Consensus Re. Upcoming UCLA Season

Nestor — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:32:25 -0000

Looks like there is not going to be much of a debate concerning the expectations for the upcoming UCLA football season. So far this season we have seen the following expectations/predictions (we have debated and discussed the nuances of those points endlessly over last few years) for the 2009 UCLA football season:

Adam Maya from the OC Register predicted UCLA's "best/worst-case scenario" ranged from"5-7 to 7-5." He concluded UCLA will finish "finish .500 (6-6) and earn a bowl bid."
Ted Miller of WWL also thinks UCLA could be the "surprise" team of the Pac. However, he is being lot more realistic listing UCLA as the 7th best team in the conference. Miller also went on to project a 6-6 regular season.
As noted previously, Lindy's has UCLA ranked No. 48 nationally and No. 6 in the Pac-10. Athlon has the Bruins No. 51 overall and No. 6 in the Pac-10.

In terms of upside, WWL's Bruce Feldman is bullish on the Bruins pegging UCLA as one of the potential most improved teams of 2009. Similarly, Phill Steele has an optmisitic projection of UCLA as one of the potential "most improved team" of 2009 that could "return to the post season." Still the consenseus right now is that realistically UCLA should be looking at 6-6/bowl season for this upcoming year, which would be a step up from this past season.

It looks the New York Times agrees with that emerging consensus expectations of a 6 win regular season:

Season breakdown & prediction: I believe U.C.L.A. will reach bowl eligibility, but I don’t think this team has any chance of cracking the top half of the Pac-10. Not that the Bruins won’t get there eventually, but this team would have to make a radical improvement on offense to be taken as a serious contender in the conference, and all signs entering the summer pointed towards U.C.L.A. still needing some work on this side of the ball. One fact in the team’s favor: the roster is positively littered with young talent. This is especially the case on offense, where a plethora of underclassmen will have ample opportunity to make their presence felt at the skill positions. Still, the offense has me concerned. Will the defense be good enough to propel U.C.L.A. to, say, eight wins? It’ll be good, but not that good. Neuheisel is building a program here, and if the past two recruiting classes are any indication, help is on the way. But I’m crazy about this team’s chances at cracking the top four in the Pac-10. Instead, I’ve got the Bruins just about tied with Arizona and Stanford for fifth in the conference: 6-6, 4-5.

That was from Paul Meyerberg on the New York Times's blog - "the Quad" - where he has UCLA checking in at number 52 (which is consistent with the discussions we have seen above). For more on the preview come along after the jump.

Paul's UCLA breakdown is fairly detailed as he has the following on players to watch for this upcoming season:

Players to watch: The Bruins will have a new starting quarterback in 2009, as the redshirt freshman Kevin Prince beat out the incumbent starter, the senior Kevin Craft, with a solid, though unspectacular spring. Craft will likely be the backup, though he’ll battle the true freshman Richard Brehaut for that position. Craft struggled last fall, throwing a school-record 20 interceptions against seven touchdowns; six of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. I gained a lot of respect for the way Craft dealt with his ineffectiveness, but for U.C.L.A. to become a capable offensive unit, the team must get much better play from its quarterback. The Bruins have a nice mix of experience and young talent on its receiving corps, a group led by the senior Terrance Austin. His breakout junior campaign included a team-best 53 receptions for 460 yards, as well as a school-record 1,878 all-purpose yards. Most of this yardage came on kick returns (1,109 yards), but Austin also added 90 yards rushing on only 13 attempts for a team-leading 9.0 yards per carry. Joining him at receiver are the sophomores Tyler Embree, who set school freshman records for receptions (40) and receiving yards (531, best on the team) and Nelson Rosario, the junior Dominique Johnson (34 for 373 yards) and the senior Gavin Ketchum. The Bruins also go two-deep at tight end, as the 2008 second-team all-conference senior Ryan Moya (38 receptions for 364 yards and 3 scores) will be joined by Logan Paulsen, the 2006-7 starter who missed all but one game last fall. The offensive line is due for an improvement, if only because the wide majority of the group returns with a year’s experience in the system. The senior right guard Nick Ekbaktani, the only lineman to start all 12 games last fall, leads the way. The unit also receives a nice boost from the sophomore center Kai Maiava, a transfer from Colorado who earned freshman all-American honors in 2007. He sat out last fall and will compete with the junior Jake Dean (seven starts in 2008) for the starting spot in the middle. The sophomore Jeff Baca will move inside to guard after making seven starts at left tackle as a rookie, likely leaving the left tackle job in the hands of the junior Sean Sheller, who missed all of last season due to a knee injury.

If there is any optimism regarding U.C.L.A.’s chances at reaching a solid bowl game in 2009, it is because of a talented defense. This group will do a lot of the heavy lifting for the Bruins, especially in the early going. It’s a good thing, therefore, that U.C.L.A. has talent at every level of the defense, from the line through the secondary. The front four will feature one of the nation’s best interior linemen in the junior tackle Brian Price, a first-team all-conference selection last fall after notching 35 tackles (a team-leading 14 for loss) and 4.5 sacks. Price has been a stalwart in the middle since early in his freshman season, and will be even better as a junior. He’s terrific. Lining up next to Price, and replacing Harwell, is the junior Reginald Stokes, who started five of the last seven games down the stretch last fall. Also competing for the starting role, though certainly at worst a part of the tackle rotation, is the sophomore Datone Jones. At end, the senior Korey Bosworth’s first season as a full-time starter saw him lead the team with seven sacks; he finished second to Price with 11 tackles for loss. The team will welcome back his twin brother, the senior weakside linebacker Kyle Bosworth, back to full health after missing all but two games a season ago. In 2007, Bosworth finished fifth on the team with 74 tackles. (Quick aside: My favorite movie featuring their uncle Brian Bosworth is "Stone Cold," where he plays a loose-cannon police officer who infiltrates a biker gang.) The leader of the linebacker corps is the senior Reggie Carter, who paced the team with 83 stops a season ago. Twenty of those tackles came against B.Y.U., the most by a Bruin in a single game since 1989. Rounding out the starting group is the sophomore Akeem Ayers, who had 40 tackles and 4 sacks as a freshman. One area where Neuheisel and his staff have done a very good job in recruiting is in the secondary. U.C.L.A. has surrounded the senior cornerback Alterraun Verner — one of the nation’s best — with a number of athletic freshmen and sophomores, giving this unit the potential to be the second-best in the Pac-10. Any group that has a player of Verner’s caliber is bound to be pretty good. As a junior, he ranked second on the team in tackles with 73 and led the nation with 18 pass breakups. Much like Price, Verner will challenge for all-American honors in 2009. The other returning starter in the secondary is the sophomore free safety Rahim Moore, who last fall became the first true freshman to start every game on defense for the Bruins since 2001. On the season, Moore tied Norris for the team lead with three interceptions. The second starting corner spot will come down to the redshirt freshman Aaron Hester and the sophomore Courtney Viney. As mentioned, this group is very talented, thanks largely to the solid job U.C.L.A. has done in bringing in young playmakers over the past two recruiting cycles.

He lists RB as the "position battle to watch" which is right. However, as we have said over and over again the difference this year between a 4-8/5-7 season and a bowl one will be how much improved our OL is from the disastrous effort of this past season. You can read the whole preview over here.

Reading the season previews this year, I think this is probably as close to consensus narrative I have seen around UCLA football pre-season expectations as the one we saw heading into Dorrell's (mercifully) final season when after four years of excuse making we were all expecting a Pac-10 championship season.

As we have said over and over again, this year in many ways will be like Howland's second season at UCLA when we all considering just getting into the NCAA dance a positive marker for the program, after it completely tanked under the previous regime. Similarly this year, if we can somehow scrap and claw into a bowl game, we will see it as a turnaround after the cratering the program experience last year from the listless leadership from previous regime(s).

GO BRUINS.

Inside The Numbers: UCLA Edition

TwistNHook — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:46:01 -0000

via www.impawards.com

If John Cusak's turn in "The Sure Thing" taught us anything (tho I'm pretty sure it didn't) it's that UCLA girls are incredibly loose and you need to travel across the country for one. Even when there is a perfectly better girl right there, just STARING you in the back of the head in a slightly disapproving manner while wearing the world's ugliest sweater.

This is the choice many high school students face when they apply to UCLA and Cal. They think they want to go to UCLA. They think that UCLA is the "Sure Thing." It will give you whatever you want. But then they get down there and realize that Cal is the slightly disapproving one in the world's ugliest sweater. Cal is the "Right Thing."

Or so I coulda figured out if UCLA had accepted me for undergrad. Coulda gone down there and found out why I should have gone to Cal instead. Or if they had accepted for law school, too. Coulda gone down there a second time and found out why I should have gone to Boalt instead. Had they accepted me!

Basically, my point is this "WTF, UCLA??? Was I not GOOD enough for you? Look at these cheek bones. Just look at them! Was it because I'm Jewish? Is that it? Is it anti-semitism?"

Yep, I'm pretty sure it was anti-semitism. I, for one, can see no other explanation.

Is that the same reason why SBN turned down my original request to start a UCLA sports blog in 2004. They claimed that The applicant seemingly doesn't know really anything about sports, UCLA sports, or even UCLA." That didn't stop them from giving me this Cal blog, did it? What's it going to be, Blez? Why didn't my stupidity preclude me running a Cal blog?

Wait, don't answer that. Instead,let's go inside the numbers of the school that rejected me twice. Woulda been a third time if I ever lived the dream of applying to Clown College.

All numbers are from here.

                            The Automated ScoreBook
               UCLA Overall Team Statistics (as of Oct 18, 2008)
                                   All games

TEAM STATISTICS                        UCLA          OPP
--------------------------------------------------------
SCORING.......................          143          204
  Points Per Game.............         20.4         29.1
FIRST DOWNS...................          123          136
  Rushing.....................           34           61
  Passing.....................           74           67
  Penalty.....................           15            8
RUSHING YARDAGE...............          636         1278
  Yards gained rushing........          825         1445
  Yards lost rushing..........          189          167
  Rushing Attempts............          224          269
  Average Per Rush............          2.8          4.8
  Average Per Game............         90.9        182.6
  TDs Rushing.................            7           11
PASSING YARDAGE...............         1518         1228
  Att-Comp-Int................    254-147-7    205-112-5
  Average Per Pass............          6.0          6.0
  Average Per Catch...........         10.3         11.0
  Average Per Game............        216.9        175.4
  TDs Passing.................            7           13
TOTAL OFFENSE.................         2154         2506
  Total Plays.................          478          474
  Average Per Play............          4.5          5.3
  Average Per Game............        307.7        358.0
KICK RETURNS: #-Yards.........       31-734       26-607
PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards.........       18-188       22-356
INT RETURNS: #-Yards..........          5-6         7-81
KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........         23.7         23.3
PUNT RETURN AVERAGE...........         10.4         16.2
INT RETURN AVERAGE............          1.2         11.6
FUMBLES-LOST..................         10-6         12-4
PENALTIES-Yards...............       36-308       51-416
  Average Per Game............         44.0         59.4
PUNTS-Yards...................      45-1963      39-1566
  Average Per Punt............         43.6         40.2
  Net punt average............         33.9         33.8
TIME OF POSSESSION/Game.......        30:42        29:18
3RD-DOWN Conversions..........       45/111       39/101
  3rd-Down Pct................          41%          39%
4TH-DOWN Conversions..........          2/6          2/4
  4th-Down Pct................          33%          50%
SACKS BY-Yards................        12-81       21-127
MISC YARDS....................            0           37
TOUCHDOWNS SCORED.............           16           26
FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS..........        10-13         8-13
ON-SIDE KICKS.................          0-1          0-0
RED-ZONE SCORES...............    22-27 81%    23-27 85%
RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS...........    14-27 52%    18-27 67%
PAT-ATTEMPTS..................    15-16 94%    24-25 96%
ATTENDANCE....................       338295       122881
  Games/Avg Per Game..........      5/67659      2/61440
  Neutral Site Games..........                       0/0

SCORE BY QUARTERS     1st  2nd  3rd  4th  OT     Total
--------------------  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---      ---
UCLA................   21   35   36   48    3  -   143
Opponents...........   31   90   43   40    0  -   204

Well, the first thing that jumps out at you is that UCLA has been outscored. Losing 4 quadrillion to nothing to BYU will do that to you. They've given up more first downs than they have gotten.

Same with rushing yardage. They average 90.9 per game, but allow 182.6. Given our rush-heavy offense, I like those numbers. Now, there are some concerns with the OLine. But if Cal plays to the level we know it can, we should be able to rush against these guys.

But their passing numbers are different. Craft has rebounded from his terrible 1st half performance against Tennessee to become a decent, if cannibalistic QB. And they do have about 300 more passing yards than their opponents. They only give up 175 passing yards per game, so their pass D is for real.

Another reason why we might see a LOT of rushing this weekend. Best. Vereen. Perhaps even Slocum.

Note that they have 111 third downs. I feel like Cal had something like 58 or so. That could be that UCLA is having a lot of 3 and outs or that UCLA is making long drives, it's unclear. I personally have no data to back this up, but cannot imagine that having 111 3rd downs is a good sign. They do convert 41%, which was higher than Cal's 33% (IIRC).

Note that many (myself included) were laughing at how empty the Rose Bowl appeared against Stanford on Saturday. However, they average 67,000+ K per game. I believe we averaged about 61. So, perhaps we shouldn't have been laughing so hard. Ai!

RUSHING              GP-GS  Att Gain Loss  Net   Avg  TD Long Avg/G
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Coleman, Derrick      5-0    32  192    1  191   6.0   1   44  38.2

Bell, Kahlil          5-5    71  209   22  187   2.6   5   13  37.4
Moline, Chane         7-4    28  126    8  118   4.2   0   40  16.9
Craft, Kevin          7-7    58  183  132   51   0.9   0   18   7.3
Austin, Terrence      7-6     5   49    0   49   9.8   0   20   7.0
Carter, Raymond       3-0    19   38   12   26   1.4   1    7   8.7
Forcier, Chris        3-0     6   27    8   19   3.2   0   13   6.3

Dean, Aundre          2-0     2    1    0    1   0.5   0    1   0.5
Team                  5-0     3    0    6   -6  -2.0   0    0  -1.2
Total..........       7     224  825  189  636   2.8   7   44  90.9
Opponents......       7     269 1445  167 1278   4.8  11   69 182.6

Their main man here is Khalil Bell. He has more than twice the number of the next running back. I'm not going to count Craft's 58 run attempts, because he is averaging .9 per attempt. Ai! A lot of that comes from sacks, which account for 132 lost rushing yards. He has rushed for 183 positive yards, which is a sign that he is a mobile QB.

Back to Bell, who is their main guy and is averaging 2.6 yards per carry. But I think Bell has been bothered by injuries and has been in and out of the game. They also have Derrick Coleman, who is running remarkably better. He averages 6 yards a carry and is actually averaging more per game than Bell. These are the guys to keep your eyes on regarding the UCLA running game.

Khalil Bell Via Zoo News

Derrick Coleman Via Zoo News

PASSING              GP-GS   Effic Cmp-Att-Int   Pct  Yds  TD Lng Avg/G
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Craft, Kevin          7-7   112.99  147-251-7   58.6 1518   7  43 216.9
Team                  5-0     0.00    0-2-0      0.0    0   0   0   0.0
Forcier, Chris        3-0     0.00    0-1-0      0.0    0   0   0   0.0
Total..........       7     111.66  147-254-7   57.9 1518   7  43 216.9
Opponents......       7     121.00  112-205-5   54.6 1228  13  52 175.4

Well, here we get to Kevin Craft of the Norwegian Metal Band Dark Crafticka. Again, the QB efficiency ratings always confuse me, but I don't know if 112.99 is all that good. It says he has thrown 7 TDs here. I believe it said he has thrown 7 Ints above. Although to be fair, 4 of those were in the first game.

It notes that he has thrown 251 pass attempts in his first 7 games. That's 35.8 a game! Not a good sign and that stems from being behind so much in many games. Craft is developing into a better QB, for sure, but is still not exactly where many UCLA fans wish him to be.

Kevin Craft via www.gawker.com

RECEIVING            GP-GS  No.  Yds   Avg  TD Long Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------
Austin, Terrence      7-6    36  363  10.1   1   29  51.9
Moya, Ryan            7-2    29  279   9.6   3   39  39.9
Embree, Taylor        7-5    25  324  13.0   0   43  46.3

Johnson, Dominique    7-2    18  208  11.6   0   24  29.7
Moline, Chane         7-4    10   94   9.4   1   20  13.4
Bell, Kahlil          5-5     6   29   4.8   0   13   5.8
Rosario, Nelson       5-0     5   85  17.0   0   25  17.0
Harkey, Cory          7-3     4   34   8.5   1   13   4.9
Miller, Jeff          5-1     4   27   6.8   1   15   5.4

Ketchum, Gavin        6-1     3   25   8.3   0   15   4.2
Coleman, Derrick      5-0     3    7   2.3   0    5   1.4
Paulsen, Logan        1-1     1   18  18.0   0   18  18.0
Everett, Marcus       2-1     1   17  17.0   0   17   8.5
Theriot, Trevor       3-2     1    5   5.0   0    5   1.7
Chandler, Nate        7-2     1    3   3.0   0    3   0.4
Total..........       7     147 1518  10.3   7   43 216.9
Opponents......       7     112 1228  11.0  13   52 175.4

Terrence Austin is the main man here, but they do spread the ball around. Moya and Embree are all getting a lot of looks. Note that none of their RBs seem to get a lot of receptions. I always thought that Norm Chow's offenses tried to use the RBs out of the backfield a lot, but either a)I was wrong or b)he doesn't really have the talent here to do that. Not really much to see here, just a complement of solid WRs.

Terrence Austin Via Zoo News

Ryan Moya Via Zoo News

Taylor Embree Via Zoo News



                              |--------Tackles--------| |-Sacks-| |---Pass Def---| |-Fumbles-| Blkd
DEFENSIVE LEADERS       GP-GS Solo  Ast Total   TFL/Yds   No-Yds  Int-Yds BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds  FF Kick Saf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
51 Carter, Reggie         7-7   24   26    50   2.5-3       .        .       .   .    .      2    .   .
1  Verner, Alterraun      7-7   34   13    47   1.5-4       .       2-0      7   .    .      1    .   .
2E Lockett, Bret          6-6   28   17    45   2.0-8       .        .       1   .    .      1    .   .
93 Harwell, Brigham       7-7   22   16    38   3.5-11   1.0-8       .       2   1   1-0     .    .   .
55 Bosworth, Korey        7-7   19   12    31   6.5-23   3.5-17      .       4   .   1-1     .    .   .
0C Moore, Rahim           7-7   18   11    29      .        .       1-5      1   .   1-0     .    .   .
40 Ayers, Akeem           7-2   16    9    25   3.0-28   2.0-23      .       1   .    .      .    1   .
22 Norris, Michael        7-7   19    5    24   1.0-2       .        .       8   .    .      .    .   .
12 Hale, John             7-5   14    7    21      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
92 Price, Brian           7-7   11    8    19   7.0-27   2.5-14     1-1      1   .    .      .    1   .
56 Blake, Tom             5-5    9    8    17   1.0-6    1.0-6       .       5   .    .      .    .   .
0G Viney, Countney        6-0   13    2    15      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
43 Sloan, Steve           7-5    7    6    13      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
91 Stokes, Reggie         7-2    6    6    12   1.0-2       .        .       .   1    .      .    1   .
27 Ware, Aaron            6-1    8    4    12      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
2A Westgate, Sean         7-0    3    7    10   0.5-2       .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
54 Bosworth, Kyle         2-2    8    1     9   1.0-3       .        .       1   .    .      1    .   .
2J Love, Glenn            7-0    6    2     8      .        .        .       .   .    .      1    .   .
6  Dye, Tony              6-0    4    2     6      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
47 Anyanwu, Chinonso      7-0    3    3     6   1.0-7    1.0-7       .       .   .    .      1    .   .
8E Carter, David          7-0    2    4     6      .        .        .       .   1    .      .    .   .
90 Siewierski, Jerzy      6-0    4    .     4   2.0-4       .        .       1   .    .      .    .   .
96 Jones, Datone          5-0    2    1     3      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
50 Moline, Chase          6-0    2    1     3   0.5-2       .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
TM Team                   5-0    3    .     3   3.0-6       .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
74 Skaggs, Nathanial      4-0    2    .     2   1.0-6    1.0-6       .       .   .    .      .    .   .
3  Craft, Kevin           7-7    2    .     2      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
10 Ketchum, Gavin         6-1    1    1     2      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
57 Dean, Jake             6-5    1    .     1      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
5B Yount, Christian       7-0    .    1     1      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
44 Chandler, Nate         7-2    .    1     1      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
53 Edwards, Joshua        4-0    .    1     1      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
82 Embree, Taylor         7-5    1    .     1      .        .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
52 Ward, Jess             3-0    1    .     1      .        .       1-0      .   .    .      .    .   .
41 Schmitt, Mike          7-0    .    .     .      .        .        .       .   .   1-0     .    .   .
   Total..........        7-0  293  175   468    38-144   12-81     5-6     32   3   4-1     7    3   .
   Opponents......        7-0  316  130   446    46-183   21-127    7-81    46  11   6-0     8    2   .

The first name to note here is Alterraun Verner. He is a stud DB. 47 totals is great, although having your #2 guy and leading solo tackler be a DB might not always be the best. 2 interceptions, leading the team. And 7 pass break ups, only 1 less than SydGOD. He's clearly a guy to watch for.

Reggie Carter, the leading tackler, is a LB, so that is a more reassuring sign to UCLA fans. But Bret Lockett, 3rd on the team in tackles is a safety. Brigham Harwell, 4th on the team, is, stunningly, a DT. Maybe I'm the only one, but I always look to see how many LBs are at the top of their tackles list. Here it is not many. Not a great sign.

Note that Korey Bosworth has 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He may or may not be related to former NFL star Kate Bosworth. He is completemented on the DLine by Brian Price who has 2.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. They clearly have a fierce DLine.

Another player to note is DB Michael Norris, who has 8 pass break ups. They have some ball hawking and ball blocking DBs out there.

Alterraun Verner Via Zoo News

Korey Bosworth Via Zoo News

Reggie Carter Via Zoo News

So, there are some players to keep an eye out for on UCLA. And some numbers to occupy your time. Who do you think will step up and have a big game for UCLA against us? Who do you think will be a key player to neutralize? And how many times did UCLA reject you? Go Bears!

Poll

How many times did UCLA reject you?

Never

45 votes

Once

28 votes

Twice

1 votes

Thrice

3 votes

I rejected them!

122 votes

199 votes | Poll has closed