SB Nation - Jerzy Siewierski

Spaulding Roundup: Relaxed Barkley Calls Bruin Defense "Beatable," Calls Preparation For UCLA Not "Too Tough Mentally"

Nestor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:12:48 -0000

He is really relaxed folks.

Yesterday we found out Trojan safety Taylor Mays doesn't think all that much about the UCLA-U$C* football game. It's "not that big a deal" for him apparently as he cares more about the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State. Well today we are finding out Mays teammate Heisman Barkley is not all that worried about taking on the Bruin defense (emphasis added):

"They play a pretty base defense, which is not going to be hard to see," Barkley said. "They're just going to play hard and get after you.

"So it's not going to be too tough mentally. . . . They're secondary is very impressive but, again, they're beatable at times."

All he left out was mentioning how he envisioned the Trojan offense slicing right through Price, Carter and Ayers. Barkley is feeling confident and good about himself because he will have Damien Williams and Anthony McCoy back in the lineup:

It was difficult to tell who was happier Tuesday -- USC receiver Damian Williams or quarterback Matt Barkley.

Williams went from doubtful to probable for Saturday's game against UCLA at the Coliseum, doctors clearing the junior to play after he tested his injured right ankle in practice.

"I didn't do anything totally crazy, just try to see if I can cut and move and how fast I can run," said Williams, who did not play in the Trojans' 55-21 loss to Stanford. "Straight ahead, I'm fine. There's a little discomfort cutting but not too much."

The return of Williams, coupled with tight end Anthony McCoy's progression toward a return to full strength, would help Barkley and the Trojans offense immensely against a surging Bruins team that ranks first in the Pacific 10 Conference in scoring defense and turnover margin.

Well, no doubt the Trojan offense will have an upper hand IMO if Williams and McCoy are 100 percent. They can give them that balance to complement the threats posed by McKnight and Bradford. Given what we have seen from our defense since the Tennessee game, I am still weary about our front-7 going up against their running attack. Although Barkley's comments about UCLA playing a "pretty base defense" is a little funny given what we saw last weekend at the Rose Bowl. The kid has a point since we have been voicing frustrations about it the whole season, but it's kind of odd to make that statement so publicly as an opponent after UCLA is coming off couple of games in which they mixed it up a little. Whatever, I am sure our guys will take note of Mr. Barkley's relaxed mindset.

Speaking of our guys, CRN and Brian Price are not discounting Trojans despite their recent struggles:

Despite the recent struggles, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel was quick to assert that the Trojans remain as physically talented as any team in the country.

"They aren't impostors wearing that uniform," he said. "We will have to play our best to stay close and hopefully get the game into the fourth quarter."

That's a big reason why Price, while willing to talk about how much USC annoys him, isn't willing to trash talk the Trojans as a program.

"They're still dangerous," he said. "We can't take them lightly because they lost a couple of games. They're not the same as they were a couple of years ago, but they are still 'SC."

They are still '$C* indeed. More on those clowns and other notes around this game after the jump.

Brian Price also noted what Taylor Mays apparently had to say during their bonfire in South Central:

"They had a bonfire I guess and he was saying that just because they lost a couple of games that they're still 'SC and we're still UCLA so they're going to beat us," Price said. "Something like that. Something disrespectful. I found it funny, but we're going to use it to our advantage."

Price then observed:

"You can't talk trash after getting dominated by Stanford and Oregon like that," he said.

LOL, and he also added:

"As the years go by, you grow to dislike them even more and more," he said. "They're so cocky and arrogant."

Man. I am going to miss the Big Bear. I don't know about but right now I am having a hard time sitting still till Saturday night to see the kind of emotion Price comes out with in (our home uniform) at the Mosoleum. You can sense the emotion that is already roiling up within him for this game.

As for this team-mates on the other side, the OL is looking to build on the performance from last weekend when they wore down the number 15 ranked defense in the country. Although the Bruins didn't rack up the explosive numbers from preview 9 quarters, they were grinding it out throughout the second half. It appeared Palcic's boys were softening up the ASU defensive front by pounding them away, and opening up holes for Chane the Train Moline. More importantly they were caught behind the line just 5 times. Not too shabby for the rebuilt OL that has been developing throughout this 09 season. From Jon Gold in the Daily News:

"Our defense allowed us to play more conservatively, and then our O-line did a great job protecting," Moline said. "At first there weren't too many holes, but the offensive line wore them down a little bit. As (senior fullback) Trevor Theriot said, it was old-style, power football."

If Tuesday's practice was any indication, it will continue to be.

Moline appears to be the Bruins' man of the moment this week as well after his first start following a three-carry, three-touchdown performance against Washington State in Week 10.

"Chane's been the man these past couple weeks," Maiava said. "His ability to read the holes and read the blocks is probably the best on our team.

"He's a senior and this means the most to him. Coach talks about keeping drives alive, and if we can keep just getting first downs all the way to a touchdown I'm OK with that."

While the conservative approached worked against ASU, especially after our defense gave us a cushion with 2 TDs, we can't count on that for Saturday. We will need lot more than Chane (as dependable as he can be) and CRN knows it:

UCLA used a safe-and-sane offensive approach in a 23-13 victory over Arizona State on Saturday. The Bruins had fullback Chane Moline at tailback and ground out yardage.

"That remains to be seen," Coach Rick Neuheisel said when asked if a similar game plan would work against USC. "I don't think we can do it wholesale. I think we have to mix things up. I just think we're going to need more explosive plays. That's going to require more than just having our 'bigs' on the field."

I am going to guess CRN and Chow will mix in substantial doses of JetSki, Franklin, Coleman and perhaps Thigpen from Saturday. I really hope this will be the weekend when the penalties will be minmized and all aspects of offensive execution will come together. If there is a game to make that happen this is it.

We have talked about defense and offense in this roundup. So, I will end with the special team which can potentially play a huge part this Sat. So far (except for kickoff coverage and returns) they have been solid:

An edge that UCLA appears to have over USC is on special teams.

The Bruins have the top field-goal kicker in the nation (Kai Forbath) and the nation's ninth-ranked punter (Jeff Locke).

They also excel in the ability to change momentum with blocked kicks.

The special teams, under coach Frank Gansz Jr., have blocked five kicks this season, three field goals and two punts, with two resulting in points. A blocked field goal by defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski was returned for a touchdown by Alterraun Verner against San Diego State. Linebacker Sean Westgate blocked a punt for a safety against Washington State.

"I love the man-on-man part of it," Westgate said about his punt blocking success. "You have to find a way to beat that guy any way you can. Then I get up and get to where the guy is kicking."

Well let's hope the Bruins can use the edge offered up Sean Westgate and rest of our special teams. Foster actually has a solid write up today on our kicking game featuring Fortbath, Locke, Reese (holder) and Younter (long snapper). Those guys have been money all season and we are going to need them in a huge way on Saturday, if it shapes up to be a classic nailbiting game.

I think the key will be for our team to keep it close early on. If we can slug it out in the trenches early on and turn this into a street fight at half time, we will have a shot. We need our defense to come out and attack the Trojans just like they went after it against Hardesty and Tennessee. They need to play out of their minds while on offense Prince and co. need to keep building on the confidence they have gained in recent weeks. Again, just gotta keep it close at half time and then look for the opportunity to pounce. We will have the mental edge as the pressure right now despite all the talk from South Central is all on Pom Pom.

GO BRUINS.

Spaulding Roundup: "Arizona State. Nothing Else Matters"

Nestor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:57:14 -0000

by Paul Connors - AP

Erickson and his ASU are in the same boat as Neuehisel's UCLA program

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Well I knew one of these days football was going to put Ben Ball in the backburner here on Bruin Nation but I didn't think it was going to get here so fast. lol As much of a downer the unthinkable loss (and we will probably have few more of those this season) against Cal State Fullerton was last night, right now my mind is completely locked into the huge football game on Saturday. I really hope everyone around Southern California - students, alums and fans - make an effort to pack the Rose Bowl this weekend because to me this might be the biggest game of the season.

While given our "Bruin instincts" it is natural for all us to think about that last game of the season, right now nothing else except ASU matters. CRN set that message yesterday in Westwood (emphasis added):

Just don't ask the Bruins to talk about any bowl games or crosstown showdowns that might exist beyond their home finale Saturday.

"Arizona State. Nothing else matters," coach Rick Neuheisel said Monday. "There's conversations all around about things that can't help us. Our conversations will center around the Sun Devils and what we have to do against a fine football team, and we'll give ourselves a chance for all of those other conversations to matter."

He knows full well how big this game is for both teams:

"I know they, like us, are trying to finish the season with a flurry," Neuheisel said. "And I know this game looms large for both programs, so looking forward to the game ahead, (we) keep grinding and keep pushing. (We're) very excited about the challenge. I think we're improving. I see signs."

Bruins will look for more signs this weekend taking on an Arizona State defense which plays at a whole different level than our previous two opponents. Jon Gold from the Daily News writes:

The Sun Devils rank 15 th in the country in total defense while surrendering just 301 yards per game and are 29 th in scoring defense at just 21 points per game.

Arizona State has 68 total tackles for loss and 22 sacks, with nine players registering more than five tackles for loss. Leading the way is defensive tackle Saia Falahola with 72.

"This is a very, very good defense, no question about it," Neuheisel said.

"Solid across the board. They've got a great pass rush, great run-stopping. We're going to have to make some plays and be a balanced team this week. It's going to require a great offensive plan."

A great offensive plan this weekend will entail providing some balance to Kevin Prince's recent breakout performances in last few weeks. More on that after the jump.

Arizona State is not going to throw a lot of surprises at our offense. They are going to bring the heat with their defensive front and try to disrupt Kevin Prince from getting into any kind of rhythm. Saturday is going to be a challenge for Prince. I think he will have opportunities to go deep here and there during the game. However, more importantly for him he will have to keep moving the chains by spraying short and medium range passes to make that defense a little more elastic.

Hopefully Prince through some early completions will able to get the Sun Devils front-7 a little off balance and set up the running game for JetSki, Coleman and Knox. Speaking of our running game, the LA Times has the following from CRN:

"We believe we have the makings of a good running game," Neuheisel said. "We just have to keep banging away to find the right combinations."

Franklin leads the team with 532 yards rushing, but his fumbles have been a concern for two weeks.

"He just needs to get his confidence back," Neuheisel said. "Sometimes talking about something so much it becomes like, 'Don't think about the blue elephant over there.' "

Another option is fullback Chane Moline, who the Bruins have been turning to in the red zone the last two weeks.

While Chane is finishing off his senior season in style, we need Jet Ski to get back into it. We need him badly. If we can somehow manage to get him back in the same groove he found himself in before he tweaked his ankle against Cal, it would be a huge boost to our offense.

Meanwhile, on the other end ASU's QB situation remains unclear:

Coach Dennis Erickson said he won't decide on a starter for Saturday's game at UCLA until seeing how healthy senior Danny Sullivan (right biceps) and true freshman Brock Osweiler (left shoulder) are during practice. Also, sophomore Szakacsy's right elbow, an issue since the preseason, could be a factor coming off his most-extensive playing time.

"We've got to see how his elbow is," Erickson said of Szakacsy. "When he throws for a long period of time, it bothers him. His arm is not as strong as it was last spring, but it's getting there. He's got a pretty good chance to get back to full strength by spring (2010). He's very accurate and made some good throws (against Oregon)."

Erickson, like CRN has also been dealing with injury issues:

Players out for the season are offensive linemen Matt Hustad (knee), Zach Schlink (knee) and Mike Marcisz (shoulder); tight ends Dan Knapp (knee), Stanley Malamala (jaw) and Chris Coyle (foot); wide receivers T.J. Simpson (ankle) and Brandon Smith (knee); defensive linemen Corey Adams (back), Otis Jones (knee) and Jonathan English (knee); linebacker Gerald Munns (elbow); and cornerbacks Omar Bolden (knee) and Osahon Irabor (wrist).

Irabor and Coyle are true freshmen who would have played this season but instead are redshirting.

The most-recent losses are Hustad, Knapp and Munns.

Tom Njunge will replace Hustad at right tackle. Jovon Williams, if healthy, or Trevor Kohl will play at tight end, with Steven Figueroa also an option. Travis Goethel, the starting strong-side linebacker, also becomes the backup at middle behind Vontaze Burfict.

Burfict is a handful. I hope Kevin Prince takes some sliding lessons this week because if he gets an opportunity Burfict is going to do to Prince what Maluauga did to Cowan few years ago. This is a game in which Prince will have to play it safe when he finds himself in a collision course.

On our end it looks like Pressley will be out for another weekend. We could also get Jerzy Siewierski and Ryan Taylor back in action this weekend. Their replacements - Jess Ward and Darius Savage (respectively) - did a solid job last weekend. Hopefully the rest of the team can come out this weekend with the same tunnel vision they displayed up in Pullman.

GO BRUINS.

Spaulding Rounup: Early Thoughts On Arizona State

Nestor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:54 -0000

More photos » by Rick Bowmer - AP

Samson Szakacsy (10) gave the Sun Devils a little spark last Saturday in Eugene

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Let's start this Monday with an announcement of a simple rule for this game week. We don't want to see any discussion here on BN on any game other than the one coming up this weekend at the Rose Bowl. Period. If we see any more fanposts, fanshots or comments that talk about UCLA's last regular season game of the year overlooking a solid Arizona State football team with one of the best defenses in the conference, we will be hitting the delete button. So if you want to waste your keystrokes on our game against Chetey's bunch, you will have to do it somewhere else. It doesn't mean that we have to stop making fun of Petey or his lapdogs in the traditional media because that's an evergreen topic on BN. We just don't want to think about that game right now because we have a bigger one looming against Arizona State

Dennis Erickson's team is coming off a 21-44 loss against the Ducks. Looks like the Sun Devils might have found a young QB in that game who helped them make a little bit of run or at least make the score respectable in Eugene:

True freshman Brock Osweiler, who played the second half of the loss to USC on Nov. 7, got the start in place of Danny Sullivan. But he was ineffective Saturday, going 5-for-10 for 14 yards with one interception before leaving halfway through the second quarter with an apparent forearm injury.

But it wasn't Sullivan who came in. He had been limited during the week because of a biceps injury.

Coach Dennis Erickson sent in sophomore Samson Szakacsy, who entered the game with the Devils down 31-7. The Ducks would go on to win 44-21.

Szakacsy had been expected to the primary backup this season, but his elbow injury opened the door for Osweiler. Szakacsy, in his first extended playing time of the year, went 13-for-22 for 113 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions.

He is the most mobile of the Arizona State's quarterbacks, and he rushed five times for 9 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown.

With the help of an Oregon fumble on a kickoff, Arizona State got within 31-21 in the third quarter.

ASU now has a record of 4-6 (2-5 in the conference) which puts them on the same boat as us heading into Saturday's matchup. So they will be approaching Saturday with the same sense of desperation making it for all intent and purpose an elimination game.

Looking through ASU's season statistics the number that obvious jumps out right away is their defense. The Sun Devils are coming into the Rose Bowl with a defense which is ranked number 1 in Pac-10 (alsi in top-15 in all of college football). It's a stingy bunch that gives up 105.5 yards on ground and 195.9 yards through passing game. So Kevin Prince and co., who are probably feeling pretty good about themselves after what they have done in last 9 quarters, will have a game in their hands which will serve as a real measuring stick for the 2009 season. More after the jump.

Right now it looks like if the Bruins want to take control of this game, we are going to need Kevin Prince to be in rhythm early on. Thanks to Kevin's numbers our passing game's numbers are starting to look respectable (ranked 4th in the conference). Prince will have to keep spraying passes all over the field to loosen up the Sun Devils defense opening up some space for our running attack.

And, speaking of our running attack, the coaches will have to find a way to get JetSki back in a groove. I think it's pretty clear that he is our best all around back. I watched most of the replay of our game against the Cougars last night. When I was zeroing on the RB spot, to me it looked like JetSki was doing the best job in terms of providing extra pass protection for Prinice. Given the pressure we are going to face from ASU and the team speed of their defense, I think the Bruins will need JetSki to make a meaningful contribution this weekend. So hopefully he has erased the memories of those sloppy fumbles and locked in at Spaulding.

As for personnel news, Bruins might get some reinforcements this weekend:

Neuheisel said he hopes to get senior defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski (foot) and junior offensive guard Ryan Taylor (foot) back this week. ... Redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Hester is expected to return to full-speed action this week. He has been hampered by a fractured leg suffered in Week 1. ... Senior tight end Logan Paulsen suffered a calf cramp that kept him down on the field for a few minutes against Washington State, but Neuheisel said he was fine.

CRN also is focused on the most important objective for this game week:

"I'm just focused on us getting to 6-5 this week," Neuheisel said.

For those who are coming on to BN to talk up UCLA football this week, we'd love to hear your takes on Arizona State. We'd love to read and here more about how our guys match up against Erickson's Sun Devils team which is also going to be fighting and clawing for a post-season bowl bid.

Don't forget it is also senior day. So it's going to be a pretty emotional day for kids such as ATV, Reggie Carter, and Terrence Austin who have collectively been through a lot during their four years in Westwood. Kevin Prince mentioned right after the Washington State game what a special day it is going to be at the Rose Bowl and how he wants to do his part to make sure seniors can be sent off on a great note from the Rose Bowl. So once again let's lock in and keep all of our focus on the Sun Devils till kickoff at 1 pm PST this Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

GO BRUINS.

Spaulding Roundup: Prince Update, Curing Fumbilitis & Staying In Offensive Rhythm

Nestor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:53:14 -0000

More photos » by Wily Low - AP

Got to hold on to the football.

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Bruins continue to prepare for Washington State with an eye on the health of Kevin Prince. The LAT reported Prince looked "sharp" in his return to practice yesterday while the OC Register described him as "alert." Prince still has to go through a "series of tests" this week before the UCLA medical staff clears him for Saturday's game in Pullman. Al Balderas has more on various tests Prince has to pass before taking a snap against Washington State:

Prince said he felt good after Tuesday's practice but understood the protocol that he's required to go through when coming off such an injury.

"I can tell them all I want that I feel normal but they won't believe me," Prince said of the medical staff. "I've got to prove it."

The tests are fairly simple and seem to be more time consuming than anything. A lot of them are geared toward testing Prince's memory skills.

"I'm sure she'll do the same stuff like make me count backward by sevens from 100 and stuff like that," Prince said.

"There is little crazy stuff like that. She'll tell you five words and you have to tell them back to her five minutes later.

"They take good care of us."

We expect nothing less. Prince's OL will also be looking to take good care of him (or Craft) on Saturday. Those guys have been a clear marker of improvement for our offense this season in the form of providing better protection for our quarterbacks. That was evident against the Huskies last weekend when our OL made both Prince and Craft comfortable as both of them were finding time to look for their second and third options. From the Daily News:

"We're all on the same level now," freshman left tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo said. "Communication is excellent, right where it's supposed to be. We did notice on film that there were some broken plays and we still made them. As long as we keep doing our jobs, that can happen, even if the route isn't there."

Both Prince and Craft made plays outside the pocket after the Huskies' coverage broke down, and both quarterbacks were able to bide extra time to let plays develop.

The offensive line allowed two sacks, but one came under intense pressure, while the other was considered a coverage sack.

"When everyone talks about protection, they always just think it's with the offensive line," offensive line coach Bob Palcic said. "It's the receivers running the right routes at the right depth, it's the quarterback reading the right coverage and knowing where to go with the ball, and it's the offensive line holding up and preventing penetration."

"It's a three-pronged attack that has to work together."

Bruins will count on the OL to help stay in the rhythm they got in during the fourth quarter against Oregon State and continued through the Washington game. However, they will need to really cut down on their fumble issues.More on that issue and other notes after the jump.

Offense coughed up the ball 10 times in its last two games (recovering 7 of those fumbles). In Corvallis some of those fumbles stunted promising offensive drives while last weekend two of them led to Washington touch downs. So coaches are giving extra emphasis on ball security during practices this week:

"We definitely need to institute ball security back in practice," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "Compared to what took place a year ago, the turnover rate has been good for us. But it has reared its ugly head and we have to go back to making it a huge point of emphasis."

The biggest culprits are the team’s leading passer and leading rusher. Quarterback Kevin Prince has nine fumbles, losing four. Tailback Johnathan Franklin has five, losing two. The two are also responsible for 10 of the Bruins' 14 offensive touchdowns.

Still, Franklin, who has been nursing a sore ankle, did not return to the game after fumbling at the start of the third quarter against Washington. He has been the most consistent running back this season, with 510 yards rushing and five touchdowns

That leads Neuheisel, when asked if there will be changes in personnel, to say, "I’m not sure we're ready to make that decision."

"Most of [Franklin’s] fumbles have been when he was close to the ground," Neuheisel said. "But the last one against Washington, he got the ball yanked out of his hands. We have to make sure he treats that thing like it’s sacred."

The answer this week will be more drills. Neuheisel said he had eliminated the ball-handling drills earlier in an effort to shorten practice, but he will re-introduce them this week.

"We’ll have guys run the gauntlet machine and other drills," Neuheisel said. "We’ll also make sure the scout team is involved. They have to try to get the ball out. There will be great concentration on this during the week. We can’t lose the ball. It’s too important."

Well it will be interesting to see how Prince, JetSki and rest of their team-mates hang on to the ball on Saturday. One of the reasons I thought we struggled holding on to the ball in Oregon State was because the conditions might have been a little slick (I thought it had rained in Corvallis earlier in the day, but I could be wrong on that count). The fumbles last week were inexcusable though. JetSki (he is not the only RB who has had fumble issues this year either) has to focus and concentrate with the rock. Hopefully the extra drills during practices will get the guys more game ready for Saturday.

Going back to the offensive line the LAT reports of a little shuffle due to an ankle sprain by Ryan Taylor:

Guard Ryan Taylor is not expected to play this week after suffering what Neuheisel called a sprained right foot against Washington.

Taylor, who was wearing a walking boot while watching practice, said that X-rays showed no broken bones but that "two of the bones by my toe have separated a little."

Darius Savage and Jake Dean will compete for the starting guard spot and both may play against Washington State on Saturday.

Savage started seven games at left guard last season. He has spent most of this season on the field-goal and kickoff-return units.

"I was a little rusty today because I have been playing tackle the last two or three weeks," Savage said. "I have to get my steps more compact and playing inside is more physical, which I prefer."

Offensive line coach Bob Palcic said, "I had Darius and Jake alternating with the first team, giving them equal time. I need to make sure they understand the proper techniques and assignments."

I thought Taylor did a great job last two weeks stepping in for injured Eddie Williams. Ekbatani really struggled when he was asked to step in during the Arizona game. When Ryan took over the spot he seemed to stablize it. Hopefully Savage or Dean make most of this opportunity.And, no I am not going to offer any commentary on Stan Hasiak (who is back in LA) except to wish him luck and root for him to get it together in a tough freshman season (away from parents and family in Hawaii).

On other injury news it sounds like Jerzy Siewierski suited up and went through half of practice yesterday. He might be ready to contribute on Saturday. If that's the case it's great news for our D. We can definitely use his motor in front-7. Although, I am sure if he gets in on Saturday, it will be for limited amount of time. Also, the coaches are slowly working Aaron Hester back into practice:

Redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Hester was back at practice Tuesday after missing much of last week with discomfort following his return from a broken tibia. His status for the week is still undetermined after he worked mostly with the scout team in practice.

"Hester was back working today, getting acclimated with the scout team," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We're seeing if he can gain confidence. It's really a confidence issue with him."

Again I don't think there is any need to rush him back. It looks like Sheldon Price is slowly developing confidence at the corner spot. This weekend presents another huge opportunity for the freshman CB to take another step. My preference at this point is to let Price keep gaining his confidence and take as much time as possible so that Hester gets completely healthy. Also, note I though Andrew Abbott did a pretty good job from the nickle spot last weekend against the Husky offense.

To wrap this up I think the key for the entire team will be to zero in on execution on Saturday. I think the game is going to present a huge opportunity for the entire team to show what kind of composure it can exhibit as an obvious favorite. While Washington State no doubt will have some intangibles on its side as it will try to take advantage of its best opportunity to pick up a conference victory, our guys should be able to come in and take control of this game from the outset if it wants to keep charging towards a possible post season. If our gus on offense can eliminate the fumbling mistakes, continue to protect our QBs, and stay on a rhythm it found itself in back in Corvallis, we will have a great shot to keep the MO on our side during our flight back from Pullman.

GO BRUINS.

Looking ahead to UCLA

John Berkowitz — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:34:21 -0000

More photos » by Greg Wahl-Stephens - AP

about 1 month ago: UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel talks to one of his players during the second half of NCAA college football game against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., Saturday Oct 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

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The natives are restless in Westwood. UCLA is in year two of rebuilding under Rick Neuheisel and the honeymoon is officially over as the Bruins try to break out of a five game losing streak when Washington comes to visit. The majority of the problems are surprisingly on offense. I say surprisingly because the tandem of Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow make up one of college football's offensive braintrusts.

What is holding the Bruins back this season is the lack of a big time QB and poor production from the offensive line. The UCLA offense is only averaging 19.9 points per game this season. They rush for only an average of 102 yards per game and they average only 305 yards of total offense per game. That won't get it done in this conference.

Defensively the Bruins are not doing bad. They have a pass defense that limits teams to 197 yards per game but the rushing totals have been creeping up all season long and are now at 157 per game. Overall the Bruins have given up 355 yards per game and an average of 23 points in each contest which is fine by itself but doesn't help when your team is averaging less than 20 ppg.

One big equalizer the Bruins have on defense is CB Rahim Moore who has picked off seven enemy passes this season to lead the league. The Bruin defense as we saw in the first half against Oregon can play well and can keep games closer than expected.

The prescription for beating the Bruins on defense is to shut down their running game and put the game in the hands of whoever happens to be playing QB at the time. UCLA has the worst QB efficiency rating in the Pac 10 so accomplishing a win by doing that has been the safe bet this season.

Offensively Washington needs to control the ball and have a big day on the ground. That means Chris Polk needs to have a big day augmented with some help from Jake Locker. Sark hasn't run Jake much this year and a quad bruise suffered early in the Oregon game limited what Washington could do on offense against the Ducks.

Jake has had a week off to heal but early reports regarding his mobility in practice aren't great. Sark labeled Jake as questionable for the game after Sunday nights practice. Jake on the other hand said he would be fine and he practiced well on Monday. A big key to his availability will be how his leg responds on Tuesday.

Defensively the Huskies need to make some things happen against UCLA. Once the running game stalls and the Bruins are in 3rd and long the Huskies need to bring it and get some sacks. They didn't get that done enough earlier in the year when they played Arizona State. UCLA is in a similar predicament on offense except their trio of QB's are even less productive than Danny Sullivan at this point. Washington needs to take advantage of that.

Special teams for Washington have not been special over the past month. The Huskies need to win this segment of the game on Saturday and eliminate the crippling errors that have happened over the past three games. The Huskies need to eliminate the errors that have started giving up points and firld position.

Both these teams are eyeing each other as teams they can beat. There is a lot on the line in this one. Whoever loses can basically kiss away any slim bowl hopes they previously had.

Early Game Notes

Washington has not won on the road against UCLA since 1995.

Washington is coming off a bye week after playing eight straight games against the toughest schedule in the country.

UCLA is in the midst of its worst losing streak since closing 2003 with five straight losses, and it's the first time the team has been 0-5 in conference play since 1994

Both teams enter the game 3-5 and must win three of the last four to qualify for a bowl game.

Jake Locker is listed as questionable because of a quad bruise that is still limiting his mobility but he is expected to start.

EJ Savannah is doubtful after undergoing surgery for a broken thumb on Friday. The coaches will probably give him the week off to heal for the last three games. Cort Dennison would likely start in his place.

UCLA QB Kevin Prince completed nine of 13 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against OSU in an aborted comeback attempt.

UCLA was outgained 248-86 in the first half against Oregon State The Bruins only rushed for 18 yards, were sacked three time to go along with four fumbles.

UCLA WR Nelson Rosario's touchdown catch with 8 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter against Oregon State was the Bruins first offensive touchdown since 9:36 in the second quarter against Cal in Week 6, a span of more than 150 minutes!

Cornerback Aaron Hester injured his right leg during the OSU game but X-rays were negative. Center Kai Maiva is not expected to miss time after suffering a hyper-extended right elbow. Tailback Johnathan Franklin "tweaked" his sore left ankle in the first quarter but returned to the game.

UCLA defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski has plantar fasciitis and is expected to miss the game this weekend.

New Look on SBN

You might notice this morning that we have a more readable look this morning thanks to the development department at SBN. They are continually improving the sites and all the members appreciate the hard work.

Spaulding Roundup: Flickers Of Bruin Hope In Corvallis

Nestor — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:36:45 -0000

Well I went on record last week that we were staring at a 5 game losing streak. We didn't see anything in the dispiriting loss against Arizona to change that outlook. Our quarterback situation is fuzzy and injuries are piling up a bit (more on that below) on the defensive front. There is a total sense of doom and gloom that has taken over not only just BN but seems like the general Bruin community both on and offline. Any way you look at this weekend's game it is shaping up to be a classic nightmare during a very cliche Halloween weekend. Yet early this morning when I was looking through the numbers for both Oregon State and UCLA, I did find little flickers of hope.

Lets see here. Here are some data points to consider:

Oregon State ranks 9th in the conference in the category of sacks allowed per game (3.14). On the flip side UCLA ranks 7th in the conference in sacks per game (1.86). Here is the key stat though. UCLA is ranks 2nd in the conference in the category of "tackles for loss" (7.71 per game) thanks to exploits of Brian Price and co. So, I am guessing if Mr. Bullough decides to shake things up just a bit, show different looks other than his boring and vanilla 4-3 scheme, and I don't know try to bring some heavy pressure on Canfield, things could get a little interesting. No?
The Quizz is an amazing football player. We all know about him at this point. He is ranked second in the conference rushing for 115.71 yards per game. However, here is the interesting note. Oregon State over all is not a juggaurnaut rushing team. Their rushing offense ranks 7th in the conference. Of course the problem here is matchup wise this is not a fun situation for UCLA because we haven't shown the ability to stop opposing RBs when they get to the outside edge. Perhaps having Aaron Hester this week will help a little but I am not sure. Still it was interesting for me to find out Oregon State is not in the top half of the conference in total rushing offense.
On the defensive side of the ball Oregon State is ranked 8th in the conference in scoring defense and ranked 7th in total defense. I don't need to go over in detail about the offensive trouble we have had on our side. No doubt the Oregon State defense is thinking how they are going to improve their stats taking on our meek offense. But hey - may be - just may be the coaches on the offensive side of ball could think about this game as an opportunity for opening things up again and replicate the performance from the California game (sans the the miscues and settling for FGs).
When looking int Oregon States statistics referenced above note they include a 34-7 win over Portland State and a nailbiting 23-21 win over UNLV in which they had to kick a last second FG to eek out the victory.

Now look. There is no way I am discounting the improvement Oregon State has made since the opening two games of this season. I think they are one of the best coached teams not just in the Pac-10 but in the entire West. They have explosive athletes and a very good QB. They are going to be riled up on home coming weekend and look to put a hurt on our Bruins. Yet I throw up those numbers up to point out things shouldn't be that bleak. Again, I have never cared much for moral victories but I do think Bruins might have a shot if they can somehow regroup and just focus on excution, play with fire and play with a sense of nothing to lose. More after the jump.

Mentioned above that defensive injuries are piling up. From the LA Times:

The middle of the Bruins' defense took another hit Wednesday, as starting defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski hobbled off the field on crutches. Siewierski injured his right foot during practice, according to Coach Rick Neuheisel.

"Jerzy tweaked something," Neuheisel said. "We'll find out the significance of it. We'll have to wait and see."

Siewierski was scheduled to be re-examined this morning. Even if he can play, it adds another problem to a defense that has struggled and has key players hurt.

Linebacker Reggie Carter has practiced little the last three weeks, after injuring his left knee against Oregon. He has not missed a game, but his playing time was limited in a 27-13 loss to Arizona on Saturday. Alterraun Verner, the Bruins' top cornerback, suffered a dislocated toe against Arizona and has been held out some in practice this week.

"It's good," Verner said. "It's definitely better than I thought it would be, especially after Saturday."

Obviously losing Jerzy will be a big hit. Let's hope for the best in terms of news update today. However, if he can't make it on Saturday let's hope our replacements are ready to go. The news on ATV was interesting. I wasn't aware of his toe injury. It might explain just a little how he has looked a step slower in last two weekends (especially against Cal).

ATV and his team-mates are going to be tested this weekend by Sean Canfield who is one of the most accurate passers in the conference. From the Daily News:

Canfield has thrown for 1,734 yards and 11 touchdowns for the 4-3 Beavers and is coming off a 329-yard, three-touchdown performance in Oregon State's 42-36 loss at USC.

"There's no doubt about it. It's confidence and decisiveness," Beavers coach Mike Riley said. "That's not only into the year, but through the year. Almost game to game. He's hung in there and made throws and hasn't blinked, which is a big, big part at quarterback."

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel was most impressed by Canfield's consistency, and for good reason.

Canfield has thrown for at least one touchdown in all but one game this year, a 28-18 loss to then-No. 17 Cincinnati in Week 3. Meanwhile, he's thrown multiple interceptions just once; he had two against Arizona in a Week 4 loss and only four for the year.

"He's a very consistent player and he has great command of that offense," Neuheisel said. "He knows where to get the ball and he's very difficult to get to. He's having a very nice season."

Well as I have said multiple times this week our defense cannot allow Canfield to sit in the pocket against a base 4-3 defense early on and let him pick apart our secondary. We will have to bring some pressure on him early (when he is not expecting) and get him off rhythm.

Another thing, I don't want to see from our defense (while watching the replay) is to see our corners giving their receivers 7-8 yard cushion to get a running start. That has been driving me crazy last few weeks to see how opposing receivers have been picking up 6-7 yards without making much of an effort. We are going to need ATV and Hester to be physical and play some tough bump and run to slow down the momentum opposing receivers have had on our DBs in recent weeks.

So what it boils down to is that for our Bruins to have a shot this weekend against Oregon State we will need our coaches to devise a game plan that is on the opposite end of conservative. This is not one of those games in which we are going to be able to "manage" our way into a victory. For the Bruins to steal a win this weekend not only they will have to be disciplined and execute the individual plays, they will have to have schemes that has them attacking the Beavers on both side of the football. We will have to let it all out. Do I think our coaches can pull it off? We can always hope. Right?

GO BRUINS.

What Are the Greatest Cal Football Runs of All Time?

Avinash — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:00:51 -0000

Hard not to argue that Jahvid Best's 93 yard touchdown run definitely put itself into the annals of greatest Cal runs. Everything about that play--the Kevin Riley block, the six to seven whiffs by Bruins depending on who you count, good enough man blocking to give Best plenty of open space to evade the tackles, Matt Summers-Gavin knocking Jerzy Siewierski down not once but twice, Brian Price flailing in pursuit before ultimately giving up, poor Alterraun Verner getting juked out and burned again (not his finest game)--places this one into Cal football lore.

So readers, we want to know what you think: Where does this rank among the greatest Golden Bearfootball runs of all time? And what are the greatest Cal football runs you've ever witnessed or experienced whether at the game or on TV? We've had so many stud athletes, like Lindsey Chapman, Russell White, Deltha, Joe Igber, Arrington, Marshawn, Desean, Forsett, Jet, plus all the others in between, let us know your best! Rec your favorites and we'll list the most rec'd in a future post! Bonus points for any video you can scrounge up.

Note--kick returns and punt returns count, as do wide receiver runs--anything where one player had to do all or most of the running is what we're looking for.

(hat tip to Cal Ranger from Bear Insider for the idea!)

Poll

Where does Jahvid Best's 93 yard touchdown run rank in the greatest Cal football runs of all time?

Number 1!!!!!

22 votes

Top 5 for sure, not my number 1.

130 votes

Top 10 definitely, although not top 5.

33 votes

Not in my top 10.

4 votes

189 votes | Poll has closed

2009 UCLA Football Post-Camp Grades: DL

Ryan Rosenblatt — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:38:15 -0000

The entire offense has been graded and it doesn't look so bad. The results won't lead you to believe that we'll have an explosive offense and that's because we won't, but you can see mediocrity across the board for the most part and after last season, I'll take mediocrity. The quarterbacks got a C+, the receivers and tight ends an A, the running backs and fullbacks a B+ and the offensive line a C-. Not so bad. Now we go to to the defensive side where there is elite talent at the top in some spots, but little to no depth in just as many spots.

Defensive Line

Any defensive line that has Brian Price in the middle is going to make its fair share of plays, but one player alone cannot make every play and its the play of the other three along the defensive line that brings a shred of doubt into the mind of UCLA fans. You know what you're going to get from Price. The massive, agile, strong and tough junior defensive tackle from Crenshaw High School will be double teamed, but hold at the point of contact, shed his man and get on the ball carrier against the run. Against the pass, he will command double teams, but will be able to create a push up the middle to create an uncomfortable situation for the opposing quarterback as his pocket collapses. If they're double teaming Price though, opposing teams clearly respect him enough to avoid running at him regularly and will assign as many necessary to block him in the passing game. That means the other three guys along the front four will have to make plays because the opportunities will be there.

As we head into the season, the other starting defensive tackle position is held by Jerzy Siewierski, a senior who has played better than expected this camp and has given the coaching staff some comfort in the level of play next to Price. Siewierski has shown improved strength that has allowed him to hold the point much better and create problems for the offense. In the passing game, he hasn't quite gotten to the level where he's bringing down the quarterback, but he's moving the pocket and causing confusion in the backfield so the opposing quarterbacks are often moving into the path of other defensive players. The top two of the UCLA defensive tackles looks strong, but behind them there are serious questions.

Jess Ward was having a good camp, but his knee injury leaves his play in doubt for 2009. Whether he can regain the form he showed in camp before his injury will be one of UCLA's biggest questions heading into the season. Reggie Stokes is another guy who was having a good camp, especially with his intensity and motor before falling victim to injury. His injury is more serious than Ward and he may be back by midseason, but only in a best-case scneario. If Ward and Stokes are still injured or does not regain his form, the even more responsibility will fall to David Carter, who had a sensational camp to go from near afterthought to trust member of the defensive tackle rotation. Carter showed a better motor than he had before and was able to establish leverage on a more regular basis despite being 6'5''. Carter should be a force in the running game with his size and improved handwork that allows him to shed blocks well, but the next step for him will be to pressure the quarterback.

The depth at defensive tackle is so poor right now that a pair of offensive linemen, Sean Sheller and Connor Bradford were moved to the position to give the Bruins some depth in camp. Andy Keane and Justin Mann are ahead of the two converted offensive linemen on the depth chart, but are closer to those two converts than they are to the rest of the tackles. Both really struggled in camp and will be called upon this season so they have limited time to make vast improvements.

The end position is another position that is rather strong at the top, although not as strong as at tackle, but with little depth, although a little better than tackle. Starting at ends is one guy with plenty of experience and another with plenty of talent. The one with plenty of experience, Korey Bosworth, is a redshirt senior and does have some talent to go with that experience. He led the Bruins in sacks last year and was second in tackles for loss so much is expected of him in his final year at UCLA. He will provide the Bruins an outstanding end and after a strong camp in which he was often on the quarterback off the edge, the only concern is when teams choose to run right at him. The super talented end is Datone Jones. What he lacks in experience (he's a sophomore), he makes up for in athletic ability, which he has in spades.The question for Jones is how he handles himself not in one-on-one situations, but when he's asked to twist or stunt. In one-on-one situations in camp, Jones was a terror as he used his speed to get off the edge and while he wasn't great against the run, he was able to get into the backfield with some regularity. When asked to work more within the team structure, he often got lost and dominated. When backs picked him out of the backfield, he was often slow to react and taken out. When tight ends rubbed him on the line, he was knocked backwards. He'll need to deal with those if he's to be a trusted every down end, but that could come with experience.

Damien Holmes will also be used off the end and while he doesn't have great physical tools, he has a never ending motor. Time and time again, Holmes would be originally outplayed by an offensive lineman, but would eventually make his way downfield, across field or into the backfield late in a play to make a tackle. Against the run, Holmes was often outmatched in the strength department, but used great handwork to shed blocks and get in position to make a tackle. He's a crafty guy with a great attitude that allows him to play above his tools. With so little depth, Stokes could slide over to end when he returns from injury and little talked about Ian Davis could get time, Davis doesn't quite have the strength to play on the defensive lins o he would be vulnerable against the run, but he has some wheels so if he were to be used only in passing downs, the Bruins might be able to get away with it. Otherwise Iuta Tepa, a freshman who would probably be best served redshirting, may be forced into action.

Grade: B- The starters on this defensive line would be worthy of a B+ or even A- with the quality all the way across and player who can dominate a game like Brian Price, but the depth is a major concern. If the defensive line can all stay healthy, this unit can be close to an A, but this is D-1 football, no unit stays healthy for an entire year and the depth on this unit will be tested, unfortunately.

Poll

What would you grade the UCLA defensive line?

A

94 votes

B

148 votes

C

24 votes

D

5 votes

F

2 votes

273 votes | Poll has closed

UCLA Roundtable

TwistNHook — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:00:11 -0000

via api.ning.com

TwistNHook: Can we finally win a game in LA? Finally? Please. Pretty please. With ice cream on top!
But I feel good about this year. I feel like this is our year to take care of business in LA. Let's do this thing!

Avinash: The one thing that should worry us is UCLA is going to be very unpredictable this season. Their quarterback situation will be better with Prince or Craft lacing it up, but given it's Price's first year back there he'll throw clunkers. Their defense was very formidable last season, and only crumbled when UCLA's offense gave up interceptions galore. However, their offensive line is very young, which could be well exploited by our 3-4 D.

Nevertheless, cross your fingers we cross the Bruins on a down week.

HydroTech: The UCLA game scares me. I think UCLA is sort of like a sleeping giant. While UCLA does have a goofball at the helm in CRN, they have Norm Chow to lead their offense. And with them landing pretty good recruiting classes year after year, it's not like they're lacking in talent. So I think once they get themselves organized and put together, they're going to be a tough team. I'm not really sure if this is the year that they'll actually become a team that will finish in the top half of the conference, but I think that they're not too far away from finishing in the top half of the conference.

As for the game being in L.A., well, that little fact right there makes me worried sick that we might lose. I don't believe Tedford is cursed or anything and that he can't win a game in L.A. But I think that hostile crowds, against solid opponents is always a recipe for a loss. I could see Cal destroying UCLA, and Cal also losing to UCLA.

Ragnarok: Honestly, I've never associated the words "Rose Bowl" and "hostile crowds" before. UCLA's always had talent, even during the darkest hours of the Karl Dorrell regime, but I'm still a little shocked that the Bears haven't managed to pull one out down there since 1999 (didn't we end up forfeiting that victory or something?)

TwistNHook: We'll get a chance to see the stuff UCLA is made of early in the year. UCLA travels to Tennessee. Cal fans know the brutality of that place. If they can hold their own there, could make for a boost to UCLA's morale and springboard to further success. If not, who knows?

Then again, Cal got crushed in 2006 there and had a great rest of the season. So, who knows?

The dirty little secret about UCLA last year was that their defense wasn't half bad. Kevin Craft threw 4 interceptions against Tennessee and the D managed to keep UCLA in that game. Kevin Craft threw 4 interceptions against us! And it wasn't like we were destroying them (at least up until the 4th quarter).

Their D is led by Alterraun Verner, who led the nation in passes defensed, last year.

Also, he's smart as he was named All-Academic Pac10. So, keep your eyes on him. He'll probably lock down our best receiver, (name yet to be determined). I'm not sure why this is all italics and I cannot fix it. Triple le sigh!

Avinash: Verner singlehandedly killed us in 2007. Those two picks haunt the hell out of me.

HydroTech: You're blaming Turner? Most fans would blame Longshore. He's responsible for INTs, the swine flu, and tectonic plate movement!

TwistNHook: Here is another person who could kill Cal on the D. Brian Price:

via media.dailybruin.com

Last season Price started in all 12 games for the Bruins, leading the team with 14.0 tackles for loss en route to a first-team All-Pac-10 selection by the conference’s coaches.

Helping Price last year was the presence of defensive tackle Brigham Harwell, whom Price referred to as the big brother for the entire team. He said Harwell provided the Bruins with leadership, wisdom, passion and a force up the middle.

Now that Harwell has departed, senior Jerzy Siewierski takes over his position at defensive tackle. And now the leadership role falls to Price.

"I think he’s become a leader and he’s leading by example," defensive line coach Todd Howard said. "He’s become more vocal. ... His freshman year, we had Bruce Davis and Kevin Brown. Obviously those were the leaders. And then last year Brigham was the leader. This year we’re looking at him and Jerzy and (Korey Bosworth) – those guys are pretty much the leaders of the defense."

According to Price, everyone is trying to learn how to be that vocal presence needed on the defensive line and the team as a whole.

"Everyone knows when you have a feeling when you have to step up into a role," Price said. "I felt it was my time to be that vocal leader on the D-line."

Siewierski said he believes Price is one of the best players he has ever played with, and what makes Price so effective is his explosive first step.

I remember Brian Price murdering us last year (box score). He led the team with 14.5 tackles for loss last season. He had 5 tackles against us, including 3 for loss and a sack. We need to keep an eye on him.

HydroTech: Yes, I remember Price having a pretty good game against us last year. He's a pretty quick and powerful guy. He'll probably command extra attention from our OL. Cal might counter a fierce Price pass rush with screens, quick passes, and with moving pockets.

TwistNHook: Really? Screens? You expect Cal to call screens?

I know it's a long ways away, but I, for one, look forward to the LA Times in depth 2018 expose on that successful 2011 UCLA team. Such a lack of institutional control, UCLA had over that 2011 team. But I guess the Rose Bowl trip made up for it, right? Too bad UCLA has yet to recover from the pesky success of the Neuheisal era.

Avinash: Keep in mind this is also a very different UCLA team. No Karl Dorrell. No Dewayne Walker. No matter how much certain parties griped about the first, these guys always managed to come up with a strong gameplan that kept the games tight, even at Cal (every game from 2004 to 2007 was in reasonable doubt deep into the 2nd half).

Not sure what to make of Neuheisel yet. It's way too early to judge his merits or the new guys he's installed. Any thoughts on their coaching?

TwistNHook: Honestly, I think Neuheezy did a pretty decent job last year. The cupboard was bare. Really bare. And they had a decent defense and managed to knock off Tennessee. I'm sure there are many UCLA fans who were not enamored with last year, but the future does look bright.

Plus, Neuhizzle is bringing the sex-ay back, one sweater vest at a time. You think he and Tressel could have a sweater vest off. LOWEST CUT WINS!

UCLA is having some injury problems. Not huge things, but worrying nonetheless:

Christian Ramirez's hamstring injury has opened the door for UCLA's talented young running backs.

Even though Ramirez, a redshirt junior, didn't practice much in the spring because of hamstring issues, he had the inside track on the starting tailback job.

Ramirez has been slowed the past week with the injury and had limited carries, meaning more chances for sophomore Derrick Coleman and redshirt freshmen Jonathan Franklin and Milton Knox. All have had solid camps, and all could play a part in UCLA's running game this season.

And then also:

Neuheisel shut down redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince's workload in Friday's morning practice, and Prince didn't do much in the afternoon practice because of a sore right arm. Prince is expected to play in today's scrimmage.

"I'm not worried at all," Prince said.

Said Neuheisel: "That's to be expected on Day 13 of camp, and you're throwing as much as he's been throwing, you're arm gets a little dead. We've got to monitor that and keep him on a pitch count."

In the long run, these injuries probably will not mean much. But if UCLA's thin offensive talent level is already thinned further by injury, it could take every sweater vest in Neuhussy's wardrobe to win this year.

But I guess as long as Kevin Prince throws fewer than 4 interceptions a game, they'll be OK.

HydroTech: I think this might be the year that Cal *finally* gets a win in L.A. So I'm saying we'll win by 14 or so.

Avinash: If we beat USC, I believe we win handily against UCLA. If we lose, we're going to struggle. Even with the bye week, it's easy to lose confidence if we fall short of expectations.

TwistNHook: I agree that we could hit this UCLA game in the middle of a bad, bad place. If we lose to Minn, Oregon, and USC, we could head down to UCLA with thoughts of the 2007 Cal-lapse dancing in our heads.

Hopefully, a stout defense and an explosive running game coupled with a passable passing offense (see what I did there?) and sneaky good special teams can lead to our first LA victory, independent of previous games' results. I say Cal 28-10.

Ragnarok: Wow. Now that's a downer scenario if I've ever heard one. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

Bears gotta win this one. They just gotta. I can't go down to LA only to see the Bears lose for a 9th straight time. 8 is enough!

"Several people unfortunately rejected from UC Los Angeles" via www.geniusintelligence.com

HydroTech: Ragnarok, perhaps you are the problem. You're the curse. You're why we cannot win in L.A.! You must not go!

TwistNHook: SOMEBODY STOP THAT MAN! AND HIS WIFE! AND THE 8 OTHER FRIENDS WHO ALWAYS GO WITH THEM! AND SPECIAL TEAMS/TIGHT END COACH PETE ALAMAR!

IT'S THE ONLY WAY!

Poll

How do you think Cal will do against UCLA?

Big win

94 votes

Close win

89 votes

Close loss

61 votes

Big loss

24 votes

268 votes | Poll has closed

Spaulding Roundup: Scrimmage Storylines

Nestor — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:06:42 -0000

It's scrimmage Saturday. As mentioned in my previous post normally this type of scrimmage is lot more about the festivities leading up to it and after it than the actual plays during the scrimmage. I think it is reasonable to expect that the coaching staff will keep everything fairly basic on both sides of the ball. However, it will be exciting for those who haven't been able to make it down for practices because they will get to see a number of talented kids for the first time in a Bruin uniform. As captainqtp noted Randall Carroll - Number 1 - is going to get the start on offense as Austin is away for a wedding reception (who scheduled it this weekend?!). It should be fun to watch our two number 1s - ATV and Carroll - going right at each other.

There will be an interesting subplot in today's scrimmage thought. It will be around our RBs. Christian Ramirez, who has been nicked up a little this fall camp (and he also sat out a big part of spring camp) will be in the spotlight. Per the LA Times, CRN is expecting Ramirez to step up today:

"He’s got to play tomorrow," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "He has to play and play a significant amount." That means "with four backs, if we get 80-90 plays, I hope he can get somewhere around 10 carries." [...]

"Johnathan Franklin has had an unbelievable camp, and Milton Knox has been unbelievable," Neuheisel said. "What’s the pecking order? Everyone deserves a chance to show something."

Ramirez's chance needs to be Saturday.

"We can’t stir around and put a blind eye the way the other kids are running," Neuheisel said. "I think he is eager to get going and hopefully Chris gets rolling tomorrow night."

One of the advantages Ramirez has is coaches know he can provide pass protection. It’s the main area of concern about Franklin and Knox.

"They’re improving, but it is still work in progress," Neuheisel said. "Until they do it without coaches standing right behind them, not against a blocking bag but a thing that is actually moving, we won’t be sure."

Well Christian has been facing a lot of heat on the message boards. Lot of people are anxious to see what Coleman, Frankling and Knox can do on a regular basis without caring too much about the coachs's concerns about their blocking abilities (which they might have improved upon since this past spring). Christian for his part realizes that at this point he does need to prove himself on the field:

"It's one thing to know what you're doing, it's another thing to do it," Ramirez said.

Those are very mature comments on the part of Christian. I am hoping he will be able to step up and validate coach's belief that he was the top RB coming out of spring camp. If not I am sure coaches will end up going with backs who have been productive during practices. More practice related notes after the jump.

Kevin Prince sat out yesterday's practice because of a sore arm. From the Daily News:

Neuheisel shut down redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince's workload in Friday's morning practice, and Prince didn't do much in the afternoon practice because of a sore right arm. Prince is expected to play in today's scrimmage.

"I'm not worried at all," Prince said.

Said Neuheisel: "That's to be expected on Day 13 of camp, and you're throwing as much as he's been throwing, you're arm gets a little dead. We've got to monitor that and keep him on a pitch count."

That makes sense to me. Also, speaking of bumps and bruises, the LAT has an update on the OL shuffle following Kia's injury:

Mike Harris worked at right tackle Friday morning.

"Mike is my third tackle, so he has to know both spots," offensive line coach Bob Palcic said. That was part of the fallout after senior offensive lineman Micah Kia suffered a season-ending knee injury Wednesday.

UCLA's current starting line -- tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo, guard Stanley Hasiak, center Kai Maiava, guard Eddie Williams and tackle Jeff Baca -- is close to being set in stone. Coaches will also explore other options at guard in case Hasiak struggles.

One move available to them is putting Maiava at guard, where he started nine games for Colorado in 2007, and play community college transfer Ryan Taylor at center.

If folks are wondering, whether coaches will bring Sheller or Chandler back to OL, think again. From the OC Register:

"Sheller will stay over with the defense," Palcic said. "They really need some depth over there and I’m comfortable with the guys I have left."

From that comment I am going to assume Chandler will be stay at TE as well. Also, think it's noteworthy how Palcic sounds "comfortable" with the group he has at OL. Don't recall hearing that kind of comment from him last season. I can see why that kind of comment will make many of us hopefuly to the point of delusional. :-)

BTW big ups to Sheller for being a team player (much like Chandler from last season) and accomdating the coach's needs even if it the position shift might be a little bewildering:

Neuheisel attributed Sheller’s demotion to the influx of new players on the offensive line, which includes two true freshmen and a JC transfer. They then seem to beat out Sheller, seeing that Neuheisel approached him at the beginning of this week and asked him to switch to defensive tackle.

"He’s a total team player," Neuheisel said. "From fighting back from the injuries he’s sustained to now being of use on the defense. If need be he’d come back over and have the right attitude."

Sheller, who has not played on defense since 2005, struggled while working with the second string Thursday. He is still very much learning his new position but has welcomed the move thus far.

"I’m pretty excited about it," he said. "I really wasn’t doing much with the offense. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m here for the team. I’m not disappointed at all."

That kind of story makes us root for kids like Sheller even harder. It will be hell of a story if he ends up contributing from that position this season.

Lastly, before heading out to Drake, note some players will be sitting out due to minor bumps and bruises. Kai Forbath (sore right leg), Jerzy Siewierski (back) and Gavin Ketchum (hamstring) are going to sit out today. I rather have those guys healthy than aggravate minor injuries at a Fall scrimmage.

GO BRUINS.