Pac-10 Week 9 Notes and Observations: UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins 3-5 Overall (0-5 Conference)
This Week’s Score: Oregon State 26 – UCLA 19
Next Week’s Opponent: Washington
Everyone knew that a successful rebuilding of the program wasn’t going to happen overnight, but it doesn’t make the losing any less difficult to swallow.
In week two, after UCLA went into Tennessee and played such a physical, smash-mouth game to upset the Volunteers, the Bruins gave their fans hope for the season. A 3-0 start also made a bowl game look like a very realistic possibility.
But that hope has fizzled out, and Rick Neuheisel is preaching patience. Patience is key, and there is plenty of young talent here, and they will learn from games like this one.
The defense did a great job bending-not-breaking for most of the afternoon, forcing the Beavers to settle for field goal tries five times (four were good). An offense as explosive as this is going to get its share of yards (463), so keeping them out of the endzone for most of the game was a small victory.
But as has been the story for most of the season, the offense was the problem once again. The offense was non-existent for the first three quarters, due in large part to an abysmal day on the ground. This team struggles enough WITH an established running game, so with Jonathan Franklin rushing for only 37 yards on 14 carries, it just felt like a long day.
Kevin Prince had a nice game and had a very inspired effort in the fourth quarter, leading the team to two touchdown drives (the first capped off by a 58-yard TD reception by Nelson Rosario) as well as two two-point conversions to tie the game up at 19. Unfortunately, with all the momentum shifted in the Bruins’ favor, the defense couldn’t come up with the stop.
And that’s been the story this season; if it isn’t one thing, it’s another. The defense played well enough all game long to keep the Bruins in the game, but the offense did nothing for the first three quarters. Then they finally wake up in the 4th quarter, but the defense can’t come up with one more big stop. This team is learning the hard way that you need a strong effort for all four quarters to win games.
The bowl hopes aren’t over yet. UCLA hosts Washington this week, @Washington State next week, and then back at home for Arizona State; all winnable games if the Bruins play their best for 60 minutes… something we haven’t seen since week two in Tennessee.
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