Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

If you don't know what those 2 numbers mean, allow me to paint you a picture of the last time I entered $UC's football penitentiary. The Bruins entered the U$C game in December 2005 ranked 11th in the country. We were (9-1)  and 6-1 in the Pac-10. Everything was pointing to a potentially close and exciting game in Los Angeles. A few friends of mine decided to tailgate at U$C before the game. And the excitement really began to build as our bbq'ing went under way. We noticed some toddlers carrying their teddy bears. It wasn't until we looked more closely that we noticed the long strings attached around the Teddy's bears necks. And soon after, the triad of children began to taunt UCLA football, as they dragged those bears across the ground, one of them approached us and said, "You shouldn't have come here".

And with that omen, I began to assess our time in South Central. I will say, that I'm not exactly sure what kind of parents, poison their children against teddy bears. But I will also say that I pitied them, because my favorite stuffed animal as a child was a bear, and I could only imagine them worshipping some sort of Trojan Horse. Perhaps one that was widdled out of wood and represented the complete cluster F#@% of a crippled empire...I digress. Regardless of what these horrible children were saying, we trusted our team to show up on game day, and deliver a fight.

And with that, we entered a penetentiary that could only be up to $UC's standards. The seats were terrible as I could only imagine being in that stadium. We were surrounded by angry, drunk and bitter Trojan Bandwagoning  fans. And as we were stuffed in to a corner of the stadium, for a brief moment I pondered an exit route...(just in case).

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According to ESPN.com, the Cowboys have let go of defensive coordinator Brian Stewart after failing to meet the expectations as a Superbowl contending team in 2008. ESPN reports,  

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Upon reviewing the season I find myself at peace with how our team has been progressing. Frankly, If this had been an easy season for bruins, than expectations would be higher than the reality of where our football team is actually at. I believe these losses will be the statement that if UCLA football hits bottom, (no bowl game) there's nowhere to go but up. 

On that note i have spent a good amount of my time reviewing our quarterbacks. And i really think that with the last few games we have left, We should really be focusing on a (S)light (C)hange. Let me expound.

Everyone knows our O-line is depleted. Its depth wouldn't even make it completely 6 feet under, Its more like 2 feet without a coffin. And while I have seen improvement on Kevin Craft's part, I think he is consistently lacking focus. I keep reading about how Craft is having a difficult time settling in first half's. He has also thrown a total of 11 interceptions spanning over the last 8 games. Including 2 games where he threw 4 in each (Tennessee) and now (Cal). 

I believe Craft is the better of the quarterbacks. Given the opportunity I believe he can settle in the pocket and nail the target he needs to IF he has enough time. Well our schedule isn't going to be any easier, and from what we have all seen, the pocket that he needs, isn't a pocket at all. Its a porous, permeable membrane that isn't giving our QB's the time they need.

With all this in mind I'm sure you're wondering why I'm going on about this. Well I believe that in order to prepare for U(S)(C) we ought to be making Slight Changes to our game plan. I think that Craft needs the time especially at the beginning of games to collect himself, maybe reflect. I believe its time for Chris Forcier to take a few more snaps during games. The reasoning behind this belief is that Forcier has been able to demonstrate some hope in the idea of a moving offense. In other words, The kid can run. 

Take for instance December 2nd 2006. Pat Cowan, taking over for Ben Olson at the Helm finished the game with 114 yards passing, and 55 yards rushing. I remember being at this great game where I noticed that USC's defense was so preoccupied with containing our receivers, leaving Cowan opportunities to run the ball. Now I certainly do not believe that we should consistently be doing Running QB plays, or that they should be anything like the automatic qb runs we were doing a few games back. BUT I sternly believe we need to be showing the opposing Defense that we have the option. Even if they see a glimpse of hope that Forcier could run it in for a first down, you're going to be causing some confusion where at least the safeties can second guess themselves. THUS giving us an opportunity to find open receivers.

Now I'm not saying I want to see Forcier start each and every game. However, We need to stop relying on a crippled offensive line, and institute more play actions, and even options where the quarterback is potentially going to take off but decides not to, If people remember watching Joe Montana, he would scan all his options while rolling out of the pocket. This is something I have seen glimpses of from both our quarterbacks, but not enough. 

I will finish with this thought. Kevin Craft has shown he can be somewhat of a mobile quarterback. He finished the Fresno St. game with 46 yards rushing when given the opportunity throwing off defenders and bring the game to a close 31-36 loss. Anyway, I just wanted to post an idea as these next few weeks conclude and I know our coaching staff will be working several possibilities out over the bye week. Go Bruins! 

Seems like its not only Bruins who recognize the class difference at U$C. While the trojans are letting this get under their skin, this shouldn't surprise anyone who knows the amount of infractions this school collects or allows their players to commit.

From ESPN:

Small cites 'class' difference between OSU and USC

 

September 6, 2008 4:57 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The two teams that meet next week at the L.A. Coliseum have enjoyed tremendous success with dramatically different philosophies.

Ohio State wide receiver Ray Small pointed out some of those differences after Saturday's too-close-for-comfort 26-14 win against Ohio. Small, like several players in the Ohio State-USC game, visited both schools during the recruiting process.

"As I took my visit to USC, I'm like, 'How are they successful? They're not even serious about the game,'" said Small, who caught five passes and had a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown against Ohio. "Before the game, they're all going crazy. Me and [Buckeyes defensive end] Rob Rose was on the visit and I'm looking like, 'Wow.' And then the coach said, 'You better get out of here. It's 'bout to get hectic.'

"And then I come [to Ohio State] on the visit and before the game, it's all quiet, everybody getting taped, coaches talking. It's the total opposite."

Small can't figure out how two divergent programs achieve such similar results. But he knows he made the right choice with the Buckeyes.

"It's more of a class thing," he said. "We took what [former USC quarterback] Carson Palmer said. I don't think somebody from Ohio State would have ever said that remark."

Palmer, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, sounded off in July, telling an L.A. radio station how he "cannot stand the Buckeyes and having to live in Ohio and hear those people talk about their team, it drives me absolutely nuts." He later apologized, saying he does respect the Buckeyes.

"Here at Ohio State, they teach you to be a better man," Small said. "There, it's just all about football."

This is my first fanpost so I hope people can bare with me but I wanted to start off by saying that as a UCLA fan and as an even bigger football fan, I have been embarrased on several occasions by UCLA fans. 3 years ago when I witnessed Drew Olson and Maurice Jones-Drew carry our football team through the 2005 season, I felt the most amazing sense of pride. The most exciting game I had been too that season however was the Cal game. Maurice Jones-Drew scored five touchdowns including an 81 yard punt return, and caught a 28 yard pass to bring the score to a narrow 47-40 score with 1:35 left to beat the, then no. 10 ranked Golden bears. UCLA was ranked 20th with Cal being an obvious favorite to win. 

How then does the UCLA fan become embarrased, well as close as this game was, the stadium was filled with mostly UCLA fans. The small Cal section however, was the loudest of the two teams, I could barely hear myself think as I looked over at my friends next to me who were trying to yell even louder. Frankly, I felt the embarrassment of having an entirely filled UCLA fan based rosebowl be outyelled, and out-fanned (if that can even be called considered a word.)

Moving on, to make a long story short, after experiencing the wrath of cal fans (even after they had lost) I went to the UCLA vs. Cal game in 2006 expecting a decent showing of UCLA fans...and there was. Only to find that the ENTIRE section of UCLA fans was sitting down quietly the whole game, as if we were at some theatrical event watching it all unfold. We lost that game the following season, and I know that part of it had to do with the terrible fan base that I witnessed as a UCLA fan.

In writing this, I can see how some people could be offended by what I am saying. However, My experience at SEVERAL other football stadiums emphasizes my belief in  the lack of commitment from UCLA football fans to STAND UP! BE PROUD! and BLEED BLUE AND GOLD at EVERY game.

This is coming from a UCLA student who has witnessed the disappointing losses and the amazing comebacks and I hope that with a new amazing coaching regime, what I call the Tetrarchy,  UCLA fans can inject their energy into the rosebowl. I ask that EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD, show each team that comes to Pasadena why being a UCLA fan, student, alum, etc. is one of the most honorable experiences any person could ever have. Thank God I'm a Bruin, and I can't wait to see UCLA football unleash its wrath on any visiting team.