UCLA Football: A fan’s look back at Saturday’s victory
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As a lifelong UCLA fan, the first eight-plus years of this millennium have been fairly tough in this town for people like me. (I’ll let you figure out why). Sure there’s basketball, but summer and fall is all about football and another season has begun.
Now I don’t pretend to have any special insight or insider information, but I do possess the same qualities that you probably do -- an undying passion for the Bruins.
But if you’re coming here for logical analysis, a breakdown of the Xs and O’s of the game or some kind of behind-the-scenes perspective, I’m afraid you might be disappointed. We’ve got plenty of people at The Times who are quite skilled.
So starting this week I will be offering a review of each UCLA game this season -- but from a fan’s perspective.
So here, for the first time, are ‘Observations, opinions and reflections from the fan’s chair’ after UCLA’s 33-14 victory over San Diego State.
I’ve found out the hard way that my patience wears thin when it comes to slow starts. Perfection can’t be the expectation, but after falling behind 14-3 early, it was hard not to want to pull my hair out. Thankfully things got better from there....
Take away the bad start and things actually looked pretty good for the Bruins. There was consistency from the offensive line, there were actually holes for the running backs to run through and the defense seemed to be flying all over the field more than I remember at any time in the recent past....
Kevin Prince made some mistakes but overall he was solid as a signal caller, and I liked the way the ball came out of his hands as well as his movement in the pocket. He made mostly good decisions and didn’t seem to have the ‘happy feet’ that can get many quarterbacks into trouble though he has got to avoid tunnel vision when he drops back. That lack of seeing the field cost him his two interceptions. Still, overall, he sure didn’t look like a kid who hadn’t played a game in two years....
he more I see of Terrence Austin, the more I wish the coaches would find a way to get the ball into his hands more often....
Same with Taylor Embree. Seems as if he’s ready for a breakout year and has the makings of becoming the go-to receiver after his 2008 season was cut short because of a shoulder injury....
Looking for some more Logan Paulsen as well. A very quiet 2009 debut but no reason to panic....
It was nice to see the running backs ‘make plays,’ as Coach Rick Neuheisel put it. Am I crazy or suddenly is there finally some depth in the backfield?..
It was great to see Johnathan Franklin score a touchdown on his first career carry. I forgive him for that early holding penalty....
Derrick Coleman is an absolute load if he gets into the open field....
Can’t wait to see what kinds of contributions Milton Knox and, especially, Damien Thigpen can deliver....
I know I’m not going out on a limb here, but Kai Forbath will be the difference in a game at some point this season. Dude is as automatic as John Lee was on PATs back in the day, but his leg is way stronger. Predicting a field goal in the high 50s for him this season....
That other kid across town is the one everyone is talking about, and that’s fine, but I definitely noticed that true freshman quarterback Richard Brehaut was two for two for 39 yards and looked especially smooth on his first pass....
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one with my heart in my throat when Brian Price went down in the first half. Fortunately he returned and the defense dominated from then on. Losing Price would be a disaster....
For that matter, I felt the same way when Prince had to leave for a series and Kevin Craft took over. No offense to Craft, but it’s way too early for fans to be dealing with a quarterbacking catastrophe in Westwood....
Alterraun Verner gets most of the attention, and rightly so, but I guess teams will have to think twice if they think about throwing in the vicinity of Rahim Moore, who tied a school record with three interceptions and showed he’s ready to be a major factor. (Yeah, yeah, I know two of those picks were thrown right to him, but you still gotta catch ‘em.)....
Speaking of Verner, ‘Mr. Big Play’s’ 70-yard touchdown after picking up a loose ball on a blocked field by Jerzy Siewierski, was typical of his seemingly innate ability to somehow always be in the right place at the right time. You can’t teach that stuff....
Having Reggie Carter in the middle of the defense roaming around and barking out signals to his teammates is one of the most reassuring sights there is....
Wasn’t it nice to actually have an advantage in time of possession? The more we can keep that defense off the field, the stronger it will be in November. Lather. Rinse. Repeat....
Final grade for Week 1: B-minus. Bruins finished way better than they started, but I was left wanting more. A lot more, but that’s a good thing because the talent level finally seems to be on the rise. However, I do worry about a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., without anything but a full 60-minute effort. Until next week....
-- Jim Barrero