Betting on the Bruins: Stanford

I'm not a big gambler, but I thought it would be fun to play a little "imaginary" money each week and see how good I am at predicting how UCLA will perform. Don't take my picks as advice, as I don't want any angry e-mails from you guys if you lose any money after reading my blog. I'll pick the spread and the over/under and bet my fictitious $100 on each.

The latest odds have UCLA at -17 points against the Cardinal with a 46.5 point over/under. We know the defense will be good, so I'm thinking a low scoring game. I'm taking the under. With Stanford breaking in a new west-coast-like offense, the Bruin defense should do very well as they see that each week. Stanford also will run a 4-3 this year, which the Bruin offense sees a lot in practice. That's still a pretty big spread considering that the Bruins are the visiting team. I think the UCLA offense will do well enough to put up a few touchdowns, while our defense smokes Stanford and they might get a TD as well. My final prediction is 31 - 13, which just puts UCLA over the 17 point mark. I'm going to take UCLA minus the points.

And So it Begins

Today the college football season officially kicked off. We still have to wait another two days for the Bruins to take the field but there was some action to help ease the pain and suffering of you die-hard football fans. The most interesting game tonight was Utah vs Oregon State. Both teams are on UCLA's schedule this year, so it is a great opportunity to see two opponents at one time.

Neither offense was particularly impressive but maybe that is a testament to the improved defenses on both teams. Yvenson Bernard had a big game as you might expect. The Beavers are going to rely on him to carry the load while their new quarterbacks gets some experience. Sean Canfield, who took most of the snaps for OSU, looked really shaky. His first pass was intercepted and he had a pretty low competition percentage, going 8 for 19 with 1 touchdown and 1 pick. His backup, Lyle Moevao wasn't any better; he had only 3 connections on 9 passes and an interception. Yikes! It doesn't look like OSU has solved their turn-over problems at the QB spot. The Beavers won the game but it wasn't pretty.

On the other side of the field, Brian Johnson (the Utah quarterback) left the game early with a separated shoulder. When he was in the game, he looked decent but he wasn't the huge threat that he was back in 2005. He threw fairly well but didn't do a lot on the ground. His replacement, Tommy Grady, put together a forgettable effort hitting on only 10 of 24 passes with no touchdowns. Utah had a hard time putting drives together and scored their sole touchdown on a big pass from Johnson to Casteel after an interception gave the Utes great field position. It is still early in the season, but their offense was pretty anemic today and it likely won't be much better if Johnson doesn't return. They couldn't run the ball at all against OSU's defense, only racking up 17 total yards for the entire game.

With the Bruins starting the year in the top-25 for the first time in a long while, other games with ranked teams take on a lot more importance. Not a whole lot on this Thursday, with just LSU(2), Louisville (10), Rutgers(16), and Boise State (24) in action. All of those teams won in almost embarisingly easy games. Louisville scored 73 points and Boise State put almost 50 points in the first half. Ah, college football. Got to love it.

In Bruin news, it sounds like Ben Olson is about as ready as he will ever be for this season. A lot of beat writers have been saying he has looked very good the last two weeks. The decisions are coming quicker and it looks like all the extra reps he got this fall are paying off. We'll get to see the new-and-improved Ben on Saturday up on the Farm.

I can hardly wait! IS IT SATURDAY YET!?!?!

Back to the Future

This year's Stanford game might not be very competitive but the 1956 version was a humdinger!

Depth Chart for Stanford

Not many surprises. Terrance Austin is listed ahead of Kevin Ketchum at flanker. Rasshan is behind Johonson at split end which makes me think he is still feeling the effects of that concussion and probably won't play at the Farm. The starting tailback is listed as Markey OR Bell. Interesting. Not sure what that means, if anything.

OFFENSE

Split End

9 Marcus Everett (6-1, 204, Sr.) (8)
26 Joe Cowan (6-4, 219, Sr.**)
19 Dominique Johnson (6-3, 209, So.)
11 Osaar Rasshan (6-4, 216, So.**)

Left Tackle

73 Micah Kia (6-6, 303, So.)
78 Aleksey Lanis (6-5, 319, So.**) (12)

Left Guard

71 Shannon Tevaga (6-2, 316, Sr.) (13)
67 P.J. Irvin (6-5, 308, Sr.**)
51 Nathaniel Skaggs (6-4, 299, Jr.**)

Center

60 Chris Joseph (6-5, 287, Sr.) (13)
58 Micah Reed (6-4, 307, Jr.**)^
50 Aaron Meyer (6-1, 283, Jr.**)

Right Guard

74 Noah Sutherland (6-4, 295, Sr.**) (13)
75 Nick Ekbatani (6-4, 287, Jr.)
51 Nathaniel Skaggs (6-4, 299, Jr.**)

Right Tackle

68 Brian Abraham (6-6, 298, Sr.) (1)
72 Sean Sheller (6-5, 271, Fr.**)

Tight End

86 Logan Paulsen (6-6, 252, Jr.) (12)
18 William Snead (6-5, 238, Sr.**)
87 Tyler Holland (6-4, 240, Jr.**)^
99 Scott Glicksberg (6-4, 257, Jr.**)
83 Adam Heater (6-5, 250, So.**)

Quarterback

7 Ben Olson (6-4, 227, Jr.**) (5)
14 McLeod Bethel-Thompson (6-4, 224, Fr.**)^
12 Pat Cowan (6-5, 220, Jr.**) (8)

Fullback

31 Trevor Theriot (6-0, 229, So.**)^
32 Michael Pitre (5-11, 226, Sr.**) (9)
49 Fred Holmes (6-2, 231, Sr.)
46 Chad Moline (6-0, 228, Sr.**)^

Tailback

28 Chris Markey (5-10, 210, Sr.) (13) OR
36 Kahlil Bell (6-0, 211, Jr.)
24 Christian Ramirez (6-3, 206, So.)
42 Chane Moline (6-1, 225, So.)

Flanker

1 Brandon Breazell (6-0, 162, Sr.) (10)
4 Terrence Austin (5-10, 164, So.)
10 Gavin Ketchum (6-5, 202, Jr.)
6 Jamil Turner (6-1, 199, So.**)
2 Ryan Graves (6-1, 166, Jr.**)

DEFENSE

Left End

96 Nikola Dragovic (6-4, 263, Sr.**)
56 Tom Blake (6-4, 263, Jr.**)^
91 Reginald Stokes (6-3, 251, Fr.**)
98 Jeff Miller (6-5, 249, Fr.**)

Left Defensive Tackle

93 Brigham Harwell (6-2, 299, Sr.) (12)
52 Jess Ward (6-4, 287, So.**)
85 David Carter (6-5, 259, Fr.**)

Right Defensive Tackle

75 Kevin Brown (6-3, 294, Sr.**) (12)
50 Chase Moline (6-2, 268, Jr.)
90 Jerzy Siewierski (6-2, 290, So.)
97 Darius Savage (6-4, 325, Fr.**)

Right End

44 Bruce Davis (6-3, 234, Sr.**) (13)
55 Korey Bosworth (6-1, 233, So.**)
47 Chinonso Anyanwu (6-4, 219, So.**)

Strong Side Linebacker

42 Aaron Whittington (6-2, 215, Sr.**) (10)
54 Kyle Bosworth (6-1, 222, Jr.) (1)

Middle Linebacker

33 Christian Taylor (6-1, 220, Sr.**) (12)
12 John Hale (6-4, 226, Jr.) (3)
45 Tobi Umodu (6-0, 231, Fr.**)

Weak Side Linebacker

51 Reggie Carter (6-1, 220, So.**) (12)
8 Shawn Oatis (6-0, 218, So.**)
53 Joshua Edwards (6-1, 223, Jr.**)^

Left Corner

23 Trey Brown (5-9, 189, Sr.**) (13)
22 Michael Norris (5-9, 180, Jr.**)
28 Matt Caldwell (6-3, 185, So.**)^

Strong Safety

14 Chris Horton (6-1, 216, Sr.**) (13)
25 Bret Lockett (6-2, 209, Jr.)
35 Matt Culver (6-2, 200, Jr.**)^

Free Safety

11 Dennis Keyes (6-2, 199, Sr.**) (13)
27 Aaron Ware (6-0, 193, So.**)
18 Matthew Slater (6-0, 198, Sr.**)

Right Corner

3 Rodney Van (6-0, 175, Sr.) (13)
1 Alterraun Verner (5-11, 178, So.) (1)
30 Chris Meadows (5-11, 180, Jr.**)^

SPECIALISTS

Place Kicker

15 Kai Forbath (6-0, 192, Fr.**)

Kick Offs

37 Jimmy Rotstein (5-11, 166, So.**)^

Punting

17 Aaron Perez (6-4, 223, Jr.**)

Long Snapper

52 Christian Yount (6-1, 240, Fr.)
64 Brian Rubinstein (6-0, 259, Sr.**)^

Holder
17 Aaron Perez (6-4, 223, Jr.**)
14 McLeod Bethel-Thompson (6-4, 224, Fr.**)^

Punt Return

4 Terrence Austin (5-10, 164, So.) OR
1 Alterraun Verner (5-11, 178, So.)

Kick Off Return

18 Matthew Slater (6-0, 198, Sr.**)
36 Kahlil Bell (6-0, 211, Jr.)

**indicates utilized redshirt year
^ indicates non-scholarship player
( ) indicates number of games started in 2006

2007 Preview, Prediction, and More

Well, six weeks later, I've finally wrapped up the preview of the 2007 season. If you missed any of the articles, are new to the blog, or you just don't like reading all the gory details then this summary should be a good way to catch up before the season starts this Saturday. I think the Bruins are going to win 9 games this year with a trip to the Holiday Bowl. They could go as high as 10 or 11 if the offense really gets cooking or maybe as low as 8 or even 7 if Ben struggles or we have more injuries in our backfield.

Getting Your Feet Wet

The first four games are the relatively easy part of the Bruin's schedule. All four opponents have to replace key members of their teams and two of them have brand new quarterbacks. These teams don't have the most imposing secondaries so Ben Olson should be able to stretch the field and make some big plays if given the opportunity.

9/1: @Stanford Cardinal. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

A Bruin victory is pretty much a no brainer. UCLA returns way to many players and they will hit the ground running in the season opener. Stanford is just beginning to rebuild their team after an atrocious 1-11 season and they will eventually be a much better team... just not this year. The only question that remains is the margin of victory and that will be a barometer of how good this Bruin squad will perform this season.

It is a road game, and UCLA has struggled outside of the Rose Bowl in recent years. It will also be the first game under Norvell's offense, so it is hard to know what to expect from our boys. Considering how well Olson did against Utah in the season opener last year, I think he could have a repeat performance up on the Farm. I'm guessing a comfortable Bruin victory is in the works, but don't expect a blow-out. Stanford has just enough players on offense that if Ostrander starts clicking they could put up some points.

9/8: BYU Cougars. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

BYU looks like a solid team and they have some young, talented players taking over the reigns this season. I'm sure most Bruin fans will write them off as just another team from a non-BCS conference, but I think the Cougars could make some noise this year. They have excellent coaches, an awesome offensive line, and a tradition of winning.

All that being said, I can't see too many scenarios where BYU can beat the Bruins. They just have too many players to replace on offense and special teams and they lost a couple key defensive players as well. If this game was being played at LaVell Edwards Stadium in November it might be a totally different outcome. However, it is being played in September at the Rose Bowl, a place where the Bruins have gone 12-1 over the last two seasons. Considering that UCLA has a large number of returning starters and a formidable defense, I think that's a pretty good recipe for a Bruin victory.

9/15: @Utah Utes. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

There's no doubt this game will be much closer than the last meeting. Utah has some potent offensive weapons, excellent specialists, and they'll be back on their home turf. The Bruins haven't faired well on the road recently, so this game will be a good mental challenge for this team. The Utes have an inexperienced defensive line and the Bruins should run well against this team. The secondary has some holes and Ben and the receiving corp could make some big plays in the passing game as well. Utah's biggest strength, their spread offense, will run smack dab into the Bruins experienced, athletic, and quick defense.

Ultimately, I think the talent gap, an imposing defense, and an improving offense will be too much for a rebuilding Utah team. There are just too many holes in the Utah defense that, even with their star defenders last year, still got lit up by Ben Olson. This one is going UCLA's way, but it probably won't be a run away win.

9/22: Washington Huskies. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

On paper the Huskies don't seem to match up well with UCLA. They lose their big play makers on offense and bring on board some inexperienced, but talented, replacements. The Huskies have an X-factor at quarterback but he'll still be raw when they come to Pasadena and I don't think Locker can carry the team by himself. This is a program that is still rebuilding and they are probably another year away from being a serious threat. This Dawg has some bite, though, and the Bruins better be ready for a gritty opponent.

For whatever reason, this is always a close game and I don't think this year will be any exception. The Bruin defense should suffocate the Husky offense, so it might be a low scoring affair. I'm sure our boys will be licking their chops at the prospect of getting revenge after the tough loss in Seattle a year ago. A thin Husky defense coupled with all the returning talent at UCLA will be too much for Washington to overcome. Throw in home field advantage for good measure and you can chalk this one up in the win column.

Choppy Waters

The next three games will be much more challenging for our boys. Oregon State returns a ton of players, Notre Dame has a lot of young talent, and California is a top-15 team. Two of the three are at home, where the Bruins have been particularly tough the last two seasons. If UCLA gets through this stretch with only one defeat that would be pretty good in my opinion.

9/29: @Oregon State Beavers. Defeat. (Read the entire article...)

This game just smells bad to me. The Beavers have lots of talented players on both sides of the ball and one of the best special teams units in the conference. It will be played on the road, where UCLA has struggled the last few years. The Beavers have defended the Dam well recently including that crazy shoot-out victory over USC last season. Matt Moore probably did more to hurt Oregon State in their last two games against UCLA then help. If his replacement can just hang onto the ball then the rest of the team should be pretty difficult to stop.

With Norvell installing a new offense, I have a feeling we'll struggle at times in some of the early games. The first four opponents have some weaknesses we can exploit and our defense will keep us in those games no matter how poorly the offense performs. In this game the margin of error will be much smaller and a big mistake on special teams or an untimely turnover could cost us a victory. I think we could drop an early road contest and this game looks like it will be the one. If Ben performs well and the offense gets clicking then we absolutely have the potential to win. At this point, however, I have a feeling this is our first defeat of the season.

10/6: Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

This might not be the same Notre Dame program from years past, but any time you play the Irish it is a big game. The Bruins will need to be focused and pumped to take on a team with a lot of young talent and some very good coaches. The Bruins payed the price for being too conservative last year and Norvell, Walker, and the other UCLA coaches hopefully have learned their lessons for this season.

Notre Dame barely managed to squeak out a victory over the Bruins last season and that was with their star-studded lineup. UCLA returns pretty much everyone who made the trip to South Bend last year and the Irish have to replace their top passer, rusher, receiver, and big chunks of their defense. If the Bruins can come into this game with the same confidence, energy, and focus then they should win. You know our guys are eager to get redemption from last season's defeat. With a sold out Rose Bowl cheering them on, I think that's exactly what will happen.

10/13: Bye Week.

10/20: California Golden Bears. Victory (Read the entire article...)

I've gone back and forth in my head on this one so many times I'm dizzy. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses that are the opposite of the other. Cal has a great offense and the Bruins have a stout defense. UCLA has a lot of veterans and Cal has some exciting young players. The Bruins have home field advantage and UCLA has been very tough to beat at home over the last two years. The Bears special teams unit could crank out another big play to push the game in Berkeley's favor.

In the end I'm going to give the nod to the Bruins, but just barely. I think this one comes down to the 4th quarter and I like all of the experienced UCLA seniors in that kind of scenario. I think a more aggressive Bruin defense will slow down Cal's offense and the Bears inexperienced defense will be just slightly less effective at stopping an improved Bruin offense. UCLA also has an extra week to prepare for this game and they were awesome against the Trojans last year with the extra time. Things could change by the time we get to this point in the season and predicting this far in advance is never easy.

One Side or the Other

As we near the end of the season, the Bruins have four opponents that are very good on one side of the ball but not the other. WSU, ASU, and Oregon have dynamic offenses and some very impressive quarterbacks. Their defenses could use some work, however. On the other side of the spectrum is an Arizona squad that will have one of the best defenses in the conference but is breaking in a new spread offense this season.

10/27: @Washington State Cougars. Victory (Read the entire article...)

Every year this is a tough game for the Bruins. The Cougars have had our number recently winning last year in Pasadena and five of the last six meetings. The game is in their backyard and a late October date means cold weather and unfriendly crowds are in store for our guys. Washington State will have another potent passing attack and the Bruin secondary will be tested for the second week in a row.

All that being said, the Bruins have a lot of advantages in this game. The WSU defense is thin and their tailback spot has a lot of holes. If Ben Olson and the offense can stretch the field with their own passing attack then the Cougar secondary has some deficiencies that can be exploited. Couple that with a potent and aggresive Bruin defense and you have a UCLA squad that can win this tough road game. It will likely be another very close call, but I think the Bruins make it back to Pasadena with another notch in the win column.

11/3: @Arizona Wild Cats. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

With two potent defenses, this game will likely turn into a low-scoring, knock-down, drag-out battle. The winner of the game will be the team who's offense can see some improvements over last season. Arizona is breaking in a brand new system and the Bruins are also retooling their offense under Jay Norvell. With a lack of depth on the Wildcats offense, injuries at this point in the season could be devastating to their scoring production. I think UCLA just brings more talent and depth when they posses the ball.

I don't believe the Bruins will get caught off guard on this trip to Tucson. They learned their lesson two years ago that you can never take this gritty team lightly. I fully expect our boys to be eager to atone for the last trip which still burns in the gut of Bruin fans everywhere. I think it will be a close game but UCLA will pull it out in the 4th quarter.

11/10: Arizona State Sun Devils. Defeat. (Read the Entire Article...)

Like the Oregon State match up, this looks like a trap game to me. ASU has a lot of fire power on offense and they could really cause some problems if they get cooking. Unfortunately, UCLA always seems to have a let down game (or two) every year and if this team gets caught napping against Carpenter and company it could result in a defeat.

On paper UCLA should be able to beat this team. We have a great defense and should slow down the Sun Devil offense, our own offense should be clicking by this point in the season, and we have the all important home field advantage. I just have a gut feeling that we won't get enough pressure on Carpenter with his senior offensive line blocking for him. Like the WSU game last season, the Bruins struggled without an effective pass rush. I'm going to go against the conventional wisdom on this game and predict an Arizona State victory.

11/17: Bye Week.

11/24: Oregon Ducks. Victory. (Read the entire article...)

One thing the Bruins need to be careful about is looking ahead one week to the big showdown with USC. Of course, the Ducks are in the same boat, as they play in the Civil War against Oregon State the following week as well. I think both teams will be focused and I'm sure UCLA will benefit from having an extra week to rest, heal, and game plan for the Ducks.

I think Chris Markey could have a big game. He had his first real break-out performance against the Ducks back in 2004. In his final home game, he could leave his mark again. The Bruin defense will have their hands full but I think they should be well prepared for this game. The UCLA offense should also be gelled by this point in the season and firing on all cylinders. The Bruins have been hard to beat at home (12-1 in the last two years) and if they lose the prior week to ASU, like I predicted, then they'll have even more motivation to perform well against the Ducks. I think a UCLA victory is in the works, but like most games this season, it might come down to the fourth quarter.

The Victory Bell

There is no doubt that the showdown with USC will be the toughest game of the year for the Bruins. If UCLA is playing well they could come into this game with one loss or even undefeated. This game could very well have conference and national championship implications. The Trojans are everyone's #1 pick to win it all this year. We'll see if the Bruins can play spoilers once again.

12/1: @USC Trojans. Defeat. (Read the entire article...)

It is hard to be too optimistic about this game as a Bruin fan. The Trojans have superior talent and a lot of experience. The game will also be played at the Coliseum where UCLA has lost the last 3 games this decade by an average of 33 points! That's not exactly a recipe for success this December. The Trojans also have the extra motivation of getting revenge for last year's stunning upset. Pete Carroll isn't exactly known for going easy on opponents and I'm sure his team will be pumped and well prepared for the Bruins.

There are a few things that could change by the time the game is played. Injuries are always a factor this late in the season and the Trojans always seem to have more than their fair share. They have a lot of depth all over the team but quarterback could be one position where Southern California could see a big drop-off in production. None of Booty's backups have much experience and with a tough schedule this season, they may not see significant minutes before UCLA comes to visit. Of course, that knife cuts both ways as UCLA has been dealing with its own depth issues in the backfield this pre-season.

Another factor is the development of Ben Olson and the UCLA passing attack. If the light-bulb clicks on for Olson then he absolutely has the raw talent to be a Heisman-worthy quarterback himself. If the offense is capable of taking it to the next level then that could produce enough points for Walker's defense to try and keep the game close. Those are two very big if's and not something I would count on.

When it is all said and done, I don't think the Bruins have enough firepower to pull out a win in this game. This Trojan defense is impressive and it will be very, very hard to score on them. Walker's defensive ain't too shabby either so it could be another low scoring affair. I think it will be much closer than prior years, but ultimately this contest will go to the bad guys. Then again, UCLA was a big underdog last year and we all know what happened. Here's hoping I'm wrong and the Bruins make it two-in-a-row... I'm not going to bet the house on it.

2007 Preview: USC Trojans

On December 1st, the annual battle for Los Angeles will play out before a sold-out crowd at the Coliseum. The victory bell will be back up for grabs and this game could carry conference and national championship implications as well. It will definitely be a huge game and both teams likely have the date circled on the calendars here at the start of the season.

Any UCLA fan with half a pulse knows that the Bruins knocked off USC last year in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the rivalry. The Trojans didn't play their best game of the season and John David Booty and the SC offense were stifled by an aggresive, blitzing defense. On the other side of the ball, the Trojan line backing corps couldn't contain Patrick Cowan in the first half and his quick scrambling, timely completions, and all around grit was just enough to propel the Bruin to victory.

This year both teams return a lot of experience, with the Trojans bringing back one of the best defenses in the country. Like usual, Pete Carroll has amassed a host of young talent that is unequaled in the conference or in the nation. With the game in unfriendly territory, the Bruins will likely be big underdogs once again this year. Don't expect the Trojans to be caught napping this time around as payback and revenge are on the minds of Pete Carroll and company.

Offense

While USC is everybody's pre-season favorite to make it to New Orleans for the National Championship game, there are some question marks on offense. Steve Sarkistian will be taking over the offensive coordinator spot from Lane Kiffin, but the two worked closely on the play calling last year so the change shouldn't be huge. A true star has not emerged at tailback or receiver, but that issue will likely be resolved come December as well. No matter who steps into those starting position, the Trojans will have one of the best offenses in the conference and the country.

The key cog in the Trojan offense machine this season will be senior quarterback John David Booty. Booty had a great 2006 campaign earning all PAC-10 honors. With his near perfect blend of mobility, arm strength, and experience, he is the odds on favorite to win the Heisman this season . Of course, Booty's worst performance in 2006 came against the Bruins as DeWayne Walker pressured him from every conceivable angle. Reacting to outside pressure was noted as a weakness during the USC training camp this fall, so expect Walker to try and bring as much heat as possible.

The amount of talent that Southern California has at tailback is ridiculous. Going into their training camp they listed 10 players at the tailback position. Those numbers have thinned a bit with transfers and injuries but the Trojans still have a lot of guys looking for playing time. At this point it looks like C.J. Gable and Chauncey Washington are the likely starters. Staffon Johnson is finally out of Pete Carroll's dog house and he impressed this fall. Allen Bradford could also see some minutes and true freshman Joe McKnight is so talented he'll get some carries and some passes as well. Blocking for them will be standout freshman Stanley Havili at full back. The Bruins front seven were very good against the run last year but whoever carries the rock for SC will be difficult to contain.

With the departures of Jarrett and Smith to the NFL, the Trojans lose their two leading receivers from last season. Stepping into the spotlight this season is Patrick Turner who had some big games and tight end Fred Davis. The rest of the receiving corp is undecided at this point and there is bound to be some drop-off at the position. The talent waiting in the wings is impressive and by December they will have almost a full season under their belt as well. There is no doubt that the Bruin secondary will have their hands full again. They did a great job last season slowing down the Trojan passing attack and it will take another inspired effort this time around as well.

The Trojan's otherwise stellar offensive line looked shaky against the Bruin defense last year in Pasadena but they stepped back up in their Rose Bowl win against Michigan. This time around they'll have to absorb the loss of their leader, and all PAC-10 center, Ryan Kalil. This squad does return All-American tackle Sam Baker and starters Chilo Rachal and Drew Radovich. If UCLA is going to win this game then they are going to have to start by winning the battle in the trenches. If Dragovic or Blake can't bring much pressure this season at the end spot then Bruce Davis may see some double teams to slow him down. That could give Harwell and Kevin Brown some opportunities in the middle against Matt Spanos or Nick Howell at center. There is no doubt that this offensive line is very good and they will likely be working well as a unit after 11 games. Not to sound like a broken record but the Bruin front-four are going to have to bring their A-game in this contest.

Defense

While the Trojan offense still has some question marks around a few key positions, there are absolutely no question marks on defense. This is a very scary unit and it will undoubtedly be the most difficult defense Jay Norvell and company face all season long. The Trojans are switching back to a true 4-3 this year and they are absolutely stacked at all three levels of the defense.

UCLA had no answer for Sedrick Ellis last year and they likely won't this year either. Joining him back on the line is All-American candidate Lawrence Jackson at end. Kyle Moore and much-hyped, true-freshman Everson Griffen hold down the other end spot. If the two can stop fighting each other and channel their anger onto opposing tackles, they'll be a very good one-two punch. Chris Markey has managed to gain a total of 78 yards (on 33 carries) against USC over the course of three years. Unless our line really gets a push against this front-four, he may not add much to that number.

The Trojan line backing corp has received so much pre-season hype there is no need to repeat it here. They are fast, strong, aggressive, and a nightmare for opposing offenses. All Three will be competing with each other for the Lombardi award this season. With Ben Olson behind center, UCLA doesn't have the running threat that Pat Cowan brought to last year's contest, so this group can focus more on blitzing and pass rush. It is hard to envision UCLA gaining a lot of yards on the ground with this group backing the line, so Norvell may try and spread out the offense and keep the ball in the air.

Which brings us to the secondary. I think the Bruins have a pretty good safety tandem, but USC's might just be better. Taylor Mays had a fantastic campaign last year and earned some All-American attention as a true freshman. At Strong Safety, Kevin Ellison has been a consistent play maker as well. Senior Terrell Thomas shouldn't be feeling the effects of shoulder surgery this season as is another player looking at post-season conference honors. This group is tall, fast, and athletic, so the Bruins won't get any natural mismatches with their trio of 6'4" receivers. Their secondary also runs a legit 2-deep, so nickle and dime packages will be very good.

Special Teams

The one area where SC has struggled in recent years is on special teams. It won't be any easier this year as the Trojans have to overcome the tragic loss of kicker Mario Dannello. In his place is Junior David Buehler, who only had one attempt last season. Walk-on punter Greg Woidneck will pickup where he left off last season, though he doesn't have the biggest leg in the conference.

It sounds like C.J. Gable is back returning kickoffs and he could be a serious threat with the new kick-off rules. Desmond Reed wasn't nearly as good in punt returns and I'm sure Perez would love to boom another one over Reed's head this season.

The Verdict

It is hard to be too optimistic about this game as a Bruin fan. The Trojans have superior talent and a lot of experience. The game will also be played at the Coliseum where UCLA has lost the last 3 games this decade by an average of 33 points! That's not exactly a recipe for success this December. The Trojans also have the extra motivation of getting revenge for last year's stunning upset. Pete Carroll isn't exactly known for going easy on opponents and I'm sure his team will be pumped and well prepared for the Bruins.

There are a few things that could change by the time the game is played. Injuries are always a factor this late in the season and the Trojans always seem to have more than their fair share. They have a lot of depth all over the team but quarterback could be one position where Southern California could see a big drop-off in production. None of Booty's backups have much experience and with a tough schedule this season, they may not see significant minutes before UCLA comes to visit. Of course, that knife cuts both ways as UCLA has been dealing with its own depth issues in the backfield this pre-season.

Another factor is the development of Ben Olson and the UCLA passing attack. If the light-bulb clicks on for Olson then he absolutely has the raw talent to be a Heisman-worthy quarterback himself. If the offense is capable of taking it to the next level then that could produce enough points for Walker's defense to try and keep the game close. Those are two very big if's and not something I would count on.

When it is all said and done, I don't think the Bruins have enough firepower to pull out a win in this game. This Trojan defense is impressive and it will be very, very hard to score on them. Walker's defensive ain't too shabby either so it could be another low scoring affair. I think it will be much closer than prior years, but ultimately this contest will go to the bad guys. Then again, UCLA was a big underdog last year and we all know what happened. Here's hoping I'm wrong and the Bruins make it two-in-a-row... I'm not going to bet the house on it.

CalPoly's predicition: UCLA defeat. Record: 9-3 (6-3).

(photo credit: Getty Images)

Sammie Stroughter May Miss Season

It looks like Oregon State is being dealt a blow this year. It was recently reported that Sammie Stroughter may miss the season and red-shirt. Stroughter has been dealing with some personal family issues that have kept him out of training camp since August 8th. He was supposed to be a starting wide receiver and punt returner this year for the Beavers. This is a tough loss for OSU as Stroughter returned 3 punt returns for touchdowns last year including a huge one against USC to claim that victory. In fact, he was one of the main reasons why I predicted the Bruins would lose to the Beavers up in Corvallis this year. You always hate to see a player miss time for any reason. We definitely wish him and his family the best.

This does increase UCLA's chances of winning this difficult road test, however. Without Stroughter as a receiving target, new quarterback Sean Canfield will have one less weapon to help in the passing game. It also takes some pressure off of Perez to keep the ball out of Sammie's hands on punts. We'll see how things shake out in the first few months, but I think this game might be back in the win column for me.

One of the Great Ones

From the official UCLA press release:

Burr Baldwin, one of just eight UCLA football players to have his jersey number (38) retired, passed away on Monday night in Bakersfield. He was 85.

Baldwin passed away from cancer, which was diagnosed at Easter. He spent the last 50 years working as an insurance broker, finally retiring in early July.

He was UCLA's first consensus All-American, earning honors in 1946, the same year in which he placed seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. A three-year (1941, 1942 and 1946) letterman, he played in UCLA first two Rose Bowls, following the 1942 and 1946 seasons. As a senior in 1946, he led the Bruins with 18 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns.

He is survived by his two sons, Burr Baldwin Jr. and Michael Baldwin. Funeral services are scheduled for next Tuesday, August 28 at 9:30 am at St. Phillip the Apostle Church in Bakersfield (7100 Stockdale).

(photo credit: cstv.com)

Bit by the Injury Bug

A few months ago I wrote up an article talking about how deep UCLA was this season. Well, some of that depth is being challenged by injuries during training camp. In particular the backfield is taking more than its fair share of hits this pre-season.

Injuries are always a part of football and developing quality backups is important for any program. However, if you lose a lot of guys at one position then even the most well stocked team could exhaust it's depth. To compensate, you end up switching players in from other positions. That doesn't help UCLA much because of the complex WCO that is utilized. It will take a new player longer than average to learn the new position and, unfortunately, limits how Norvell can use them during a game.

Here is the injury parade so far:

Tailback

• Derrick Williams (3rd string): medical retirement, gone for career.
• Raymond Carter (3rd string): ACL, gone for the season.
• Chane Moline (3rd-string/specialist): broken hand, limited action 6 weeks.

The injuries to Williams, Carter, and Moline aren't the end of the world. Chane could be back and playing in the 5th week of the season and UCLA should be able to manage without him. Williams and Carter were going to see limited minutes anyways this year. We still have Markey and Bell and both look good going into the season. If one of them gets hurt, however, then we're digging deep at tailback. Ryen Carew and Craig Sheppard are next in line. Both are untested in games though they have been seeing more snaps during camp. Christian Ramirez has also been moved from safety to TB to help fill in some depth.

Fullback

• Michael Pitre (1st string): knee. Under observation. Out until further notice. Another MRI today. Could miss significant time.
• Trevor Theriot (2nd string): hamstring. Missed practices. Limited in practice today.

This is where things start to concern me. Pitre had knee surgery in the off season and now his knee isn't looking good. I was at the practice where he got hurt and he went down hard and stayed down for a while. His first MRI came back negative but he has been pulled out of practice and the knee is still bothering him.

Behind him is Tever Theriot, who has played well in place of Pitre during camp. Unfortunately, he came up gimpy the other day with a hamstring injury. It sounds like he is back in practice today, so let's just hope this doesn't turn into a nagging problem. Deeper down the chart is Dylan Rush, who did well in the fall scrimmage. Coach Dorrell has also moved over backup linebacker Fred Holmes to full back. Let's hope he isn't need during the games this season.

Quarterback

• Pat Cowan (2nd string): hamstring. Under observation. Out until further notice. MRI today. Could miss significant time.

This is really scary news. Not because I don't have confidence in Ben, but because UCLA is now just one injury way from having to start walk-on red-shirt freshman MacBeth Thompson. With Rasshan moving to WR this off season, UCLA doesn't have much depth after Ben and Pat. Thompson says he has learned some of the playbook but we all know how hard this offense is for QB's to pickup. Behind him is Chris Forcier who is nowhere near ready to play. Only in an absolutely catastrophic scenario would he be conscripted into action and his red-shirt burned.

It isn't panic time yet. We still have our first string at TB and QB and the FB probably wasn't going to be used as much this season anyways. If Pitre isn't available then maybe Norvell will call up more multiple-receiver sets to compenstate. However, this team is becoming dangerously thin at some of these positions and the Bruins really can't afford any more injuries this early in the campaign.

(photo credit: Kevin Curtis, curtke@gmail.com)

The Bruin Show!

I wanted to let everyone know about a new UCLA sports podcast that will be broadcasting live every Wedensday night throughout the football season. It is called the Bruin Show and you can read more about it at the website:

www.bruinshow.com

What's cool about the format is that fans can join the broadcast and listen live, chat, and even call-in like a radio talk show. It is all done from your computer using Voice Over IP software (VOIP). Each week there will be topics to discuss and a panel of UCLA sports bloggers will give their take on the latest happenings on and off the field.

Here is the list of participants:

• Bob who runs the UCLA forum and news site Bruinville.com.
• Yours truly here at Bruin Roar.
• Roger who runs the Coach Karl Dorell fan site Dump Dorrell.
• Trevor the moderator of Bruinville.com and UCLA contributer to Deadspin.com.

After the broadcast, you can download the podcast and listen to it anytime from your computer or iPod. Should be a lot of fun and great chance for fans to get together and discuss UCLA sports with other Bruin fanatics.

The first show is this Wednesday at 6pm pacific time. See you there!

More Vanilla than Vanilla

Well, the fall scrimmage is in the books. As expected, the offense didn't show much beyond some basic sets and formations. Jay Norvell and Karl Dorrell are playing it close to the vest this season and we'll have to wait a few more weeks to really see what this offense can do. Even then, the Bruins will probably keep things simple against Stanford so as not to use up all their tricks and surprises.

Ben Olson had this take on the scrimage, “We didn’t really do a whole lot out here today; it was pretty vanilla. It was just for the offense to build continuity and get some confidence out there. It’s a fall scrimmage; we just wanted to get better today. The main emphasis is not to beat our defense. We’re not playing against them on Saturdays.”

Public scrimmages are more like glorified practice sessions, so you want to take the results with a grain of salt. The defense always performs better than the offense, simply because they see their counterparts in practice each day and because of the vanilla play calling. That was definitely the case on Saturday as the defense smothered drives, sacked Ben and Pat multiple times (3 each), and were in the backfield a lot.

All of that being said, there were some good things that came out of the scrimmage from the offensive side of the ball. Ben was a solid 7 of 10 against the first string defense. It was reported that he still looks a bit hesitant but at least he isn't making bad decisions or forcing passes. Pat Cowan went 5 of 10 but was lucky to not have some balls intercepted. He's a little wilder and willing to take more chances. He also looks much more mobile than Ben, which should come as no surprise to anyone who watched the games last season.

The running game had a surprising amount of success on Drake Field. Both Markey and Bell had some good solid runs behind an offensive line that has been criticized for lack of production during the fall. Bell in particular looked good, which is important given the lack of depth that has developed in the running game. Chane Moline's broken hand may keep him out of the first four games, so Ryen Carew and Craig Sheppard got a lot of carriers on Saturday. They put up some good numbers, but they were primarily against the second and third string defenses. They also managed to do well with Michael Pitre out, so the running game could be even better when Pitre's knee heals enough for him to suit up.

Overall the big positive on offense was just the increased comfort and improvement over last season. Players, coaches, reporters, and fans were all saying that the team looks sharper than it did during the last fall camp. That improvement looks even better considering that that the defense has likely improved from last season as well. We won't know exactly how much this team has grown until after a few games, but I'm cautiously optimistic at this point in the season.

A couple of interesting notes on special teams. Alteraun Verner saw a lot of reps and he made the most of his time, recording some tackles and a blocked field goal. Kai Forbath showed some strength in his leg, hitting multiple attempts from beyond the 40. Matt Slater had a very impressive kick return and he should be leading candidate for those duties this season. He possess break-away speed and some big play making ability.

Saturday's practice was the last time we'll see the team until September 1st. Fall camp will continue for another week but it will be behind closed doors and away from the public. After that the team will go into regular game-week perpetrations as they get ready for the trip up to Palo Alto.

2007 Preview: Oregon Ducks

UCLA will get a much needed bye week before the Oregon Ducks come to pay a late November visit to Pasadena. Last year the Oregon offense jumped out to a quick start and our boys found themselves playing catchup the rest of the game. In was a tough loss, on the road, in Pat Cowan’s first start behind center. This time around things should be very different. With home field advantage and the edge in experience, UCLA should be the favorite to come out with a victory. It will also be last home game of the season and I'm sure this senior-heavy team will want to wrap up their careers with a big victory at the Rose Bowl.

Like many teams in the conference this season, the Ducks are an offensive powerhouse. They ranked 9th in the nation in total yards last year and the core of that unit returns this season as well. Unfortunately for Oregon fans, those numbers didn’t translate into a lot of wins. A ton of turnovers and bad decisions cost them victories at the end of the 2006 campaign. They’ll need to hang onto the ball and get all the production they can get from their offense this season as their defense has a lot of new faces and some big holes to fill.

Offense

The discussion about the Oregon offense has to start with Dennis Dixon. He was a bit of an enigma last season. Full of athletic ability, good speed, and a solid arm, Dixon has the potential to be one of the best signal callers in the conference. The problem comes with his decision-making. He threw 14 interceptions in 2006, to only 12 touchdowns, and he can’t afford to give the ball away against the Bruins. Coach Walker will have his hands full planning for Dixon. The good news is he has an extra week to prepare for the Duck’s spread attack.

The running game looks potent again with Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson as a one-two combination. Both could be thousand yard rushers this season and new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will likely put the ball in their hands often. The Bruins run defense was impressive last season but they got knocked for a loop up at Autzen stadium. I think Walker will really bring a lot of blitzes and stack against the run this time around. That will force Dixon to throw against man coverage from the Bruin secondary.

Blocking for the Oregon backfield will be an offensive line that is anchored by junior Max Unger. Max is a versatile lineman who could find himself moved to center to replace Enoka Lucas. Geoff Schwartz is back for his third season as a starter. He's a huge obstacle at 6-7, 340-pound but he could have a hard time with the smaller, quicker Bruin ends. The rest of the line is solid and the two new replacements should be comfortable in their starting roles. It should be a battle all day long with a blitzing Bruin defense coming from all angles at this unit.

When these Ducks take to the air, they have go-to junior receiver Jaison Williams as a key target. Brian Paysinger made some big plays last season and he’ll contribute as well. The other receivers and tight ends are a bit of a mystery. How this unit performs this year, and at the Rose Bowl in particular, will be a major factor in Oregon’s success this season. The Bruin secondary should be a tough machup for this unit. Trey Brown and Rodney Van will have a lot of pressure to halt the passing attack so Walker can free up Horton to help stop the Ducks explosive backfield. Alteraun Verner has proven to be a great nickel back and I think the Bruin's secondary should do just fine against the spread.

Defense

The flipside of Oregon’s experienced and powerful offense is a defense full of new starters and a lot of question marks. Injuries hurt this squad in 2006 and that could be a problem again by the time this game rolls around. They had a hard time stopping the run last season and Bruin running backs could have big games.

The front four have been dinged by a lot of injuries over the years. They also lose their top two defensive lineman from last season. Senior David Faaeteete and junior Nick Reed return and the Ducks get back end Victor Filipe and tackle Cole Linehan from injuries. If the UCLA offensive line can make some holes up front then our running backs can exploit a rather weak linebacking corps. I'm sure the Bruins will look to run a lot of traps and screens to suck in the front seven and give the backs some room to run.

The biggest loss on defense was linebacker Blair Phillips who easily lead this team with 105 tackles last season. A.J. Tuitelle is undersized and John Bacon is starting for the first time but both have been in the program for a long time. Bellotti might have to press some in-coming freshman into immediate service to help out. Oregon wants to blitz more this season, so this unit will have a lot of pressure to perform.

The one squad with some real depth and talent is the secondary. They are led by three-year starter Patrick Chung. The corners were young last season but with a year under their belts they should be much improved. This group could cause some problems for UCLA as Jay Norvell will be looking to pass a lot more this season. If the running game gets going then that could open up some opportunities for some play action passes and some deep strikes from strong armed Ben Olson.

Special Teams

The Ducks lose both their starting kicker and punter. Transfer Josh Syria will take on punting duties and Daniel Padilla will be the place kicker. Oregon's special teams coverage was very poor last season but the return of coach Tom Osborne, this group should be much improved. Jonathan Stewart will be back taking kick returns and he could be deadly with the new rules. Good news is the Bruins have spent a lot of time focused on kick coverage this fall and they should be well prepared by the end of November.

The Verdict

One thing the Bruins need to be careful about is looking ahead one week to the big showdown with USC. Of course, the Ducks are in the same boat, as they play in the Civil War against Oregon State the following week as well. I think both teams will be focused and I'm sure UCLA will benefit from having an extra week to rest, heal, and game plan for the Ducks.

I think Chris Markey could have a big game. He had his first real break-out performance against the Ducks back in 2004. In his final home game, he could leave his mark again. The Bruin defense will have their hands full but I think they should be well prepared for this game. The UCLA offense should also be gelled by this point in the season and firing on all cylinders. The Bruins have been hard to beat at home (12-1 in the last two years) and if they lose the prior week to ASU, like I predicted, then they'll have even more motivation to perform well against the Ducks. I think a UCLA victory is in the works, but like most games this season, it might come down to the fourth quarter.

CalPoly's Predicition: UCLA victory. Record: 9-2 (6-2).

(photo credit: Ghetty Images)

Moving on up

The preseason AP poll came out this morning. The Bruins come in at a surprising #14. I thought they would be ranked lower, maybe in the high teens low twenties. Obviously the writers are giving this team a lot of respect, despite the poor record from last season.

USC was, of course, #1 garnering all but 3 of the 65 first place votes. Cal is just outside the top-10 with the #12 slot. Other Bruin opponents that received votes, but just missed the top-25 are: Oregon, Oregon State, BYU, and Arizona State.

This is the first time the Bruins have started ranked in the top-25 in the Karl Dorrell era. The last time they achieved that feet was back in 2001. More importantly, though, UCLA has only finished ranked in the top-25 once this decade.

Training Camp - Week 2

If the theme from the first week of training camp was injuries then the theme for the second week was progress and fatigue. By all accounts, the offense showed some improvements as the week went along. Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell stopped installing plays by Tuesday and now the offense is just working on burning the playbook into memory through repetition. The two-a-days were taking there toll and players were sore, tired, and sluggish at times. The team ended the week with the fall scrimmage at Drake Stadium on Saturday.

Offense

In any training camp, the defensive is going to look better than the offense. That was definitely the case this week as Walker's unit continued to dominate. The offense did get the upper hand a few times including a very good performance last Sunday. The defense didn't waste any time regaining the upper hand on Tuesday and a very poor offensive performance saw Norvell's unit doing up-downs as punishment. Wedensday and Thursday saw the pendilum swing a little back toward the offense with some nice plays in goal line and red zone situations.

Ben Olson has been getting the lion's share of the snaps this camp, with probably close to 75% to 80% of the plays with him under center. He's been drinking from the fire hose, if you will, but the extra experience and practice has really helped him. He's been making quicker decisions, which has been a major criticism of his play in the past. He's also looked very sharp throwing the ball on both short and longer routes.

Fatigue has set in and Olson has said that his entire body was sore and aching from all the plays. It sounds like the extra time is paying off and Ben said he feels much improved over where he was at this time last year.

Jay Norvell had these comments about Ben's performance on Wedensday, "Ben is really growing. He has never had this many reps in his life. He's working like he's never worked before, and I'm really proud of him today. He was tired and sore and beat up a little bit, and really pushed through it. He's starting to feel comfortable with the pass schemes. When a guy's feet is slow, he's not sure. And when he feet quicken up, he's more comfortable, and today was a real positive day. He was much quicker, much more decisive with his footwork and it showed in his reads and his execution.''

In addition to Ben getting a lot of reps, Kalil Bell has also been giving more carries in practice. Part of that was a concious decision by the coaches to try and keep Markey fresh and avoid injuries to the starting tailback. The other side is that Bell has been working on his receiving skills and rounding out his game. He has put on about 15 lbs since last season and he looks more powerful.

In the injury parade, Shannon Tevaga has been limited in practice because of shoulder and wrist injuries. His MRI came back negative. Likewise, Michael Pitre's knee injury came back negative and he hasn't participated much in practice either. Backup center Micah Reed injured his ankle but the injury doesn't look like it was serious. Ossarr Rashan had a mild concussion after getting hit during a scrimmage and he spent a few practices in a no-hit red jersey. Chris Joseph also missed a practice because of a hip flexor. All five players were expected to be ready by the start of the season next month.

Defense

A scary injury occurred earlier with Kevin Brown. He hurt the quadriceps on his leg and missed a few practices. Later in the week he was wearing a large pad above his knees to protect that sensitive area. It slowed him down a bit but the big tackle should be ready to play against Stanford.

Coach Walker said that line backing depth was developing and he felt really good about backups Bosworth, Oatis, and Hale if they are needed this season. Likewise the depth in the secondary is filling out with Aaron Ware and Brett Lockett impressing the coaches at safety. Alteraun Verner continues to stand out.

Rodney Van and Chris Horton were back practicing in the scrimmages after injuries limited their time last week. Walker said that Van looked good on the field and he still has a hold on the starting corner spot opposite Trey Brown. I still think Verner and even Norris will continue to push for minutes this year.

The list of minor injuries continued on defense as well. Christian Taylor suffered a minor ankle sprain this week but he continued to practice. There is some concern with Taylor's injury as an ankle sprain hindered him last season.

Special Teams

Kai Forbath had some big kicks this week and the talented red-shirt freshman was definitely living up to the hype he had coming out of high school. He's improved immensely since the spring where he left a lot of coaches, and fans, questioning how good the kicking game would be this season.

Kick off coverage and returns were a focus this week. With the new NCAA rules moving back kickoffs to the 30-yard line, that phase of the game will take on a bigger importance. Coach Dorrell said that the team was spending 20 to 25 percent more time practicing special teams this fall. It is also an area, along with punt returns, where open auditions were still being conducted.

Terrance Austin and Alteraun Verner were leading contenders for punt returns. Though Coach Dorrell said freshman Courtney Vinney would be in the mix in the future. Vinney could find a spot on a special teams unit this year and he looks to be the only player from the 2007 recruiting class to not red shirt.

Mike Norris, Matthew Slater, Kahlil Bell and Brett Lockett will compete for the starting nod on kickoffs. This could be an area of concern as last year's returners, Derrick Williams and Jeremy McGee, both left the team this summer.

Price Check

At the beginning of the fall, only two in-coming freshman were being considered for playing time this season: Raymond Carter and Brian Price. When Carter tore his ACL on the second day of camp, that ended any chances of him suiting up for a game this season. Brian Price, it seems, may not be suiting up for any games either... at least not any time soon. The defense tackle from Crenshaw has been held out of practice for weeks now and the latest news makes it sound like a ruling is still a ways off. Price was expected to add some depth to the defensive line and also gain some experience for a possible starting role in 2008. If he isn't cleared in the next few weeks then a red shirt season may be likely for the talented defender.

(photo credit: scout.com)

2007 Preview: Arizona State Sun Devils

Ed Note: Well, the last few weeks I've been spending more time with my family and relaxing. Both were good for my soul but, unfortunately, reduced the time I could spend writing up these season previews. This will be the abridged version.

Heading into the home stretch, the Bruins get a pair of games at the Rose Bowl before the big cross town show-down with the Trojans. In week 10 of the season, coach Dennis Erickson will bring along the Arizona State Sun Devils on one of their few road trips this year. This is a very talented team with some explosive fire power on offense. Throw in a head coach who knows how to win and this will be a dangerous game for the Bruins

Offense

Rudy Carpenter had the typical sophomore slump last season. The talented signal caller should be back to form this time around and he should be one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the conference. Protecting him will be a senior-laden offensive line. Senior center Mike Pollak will lead this group with six returning experienced players. The Bruin front four will have their hands full and I don't know how much pressure they'll bring. The tackles, including Zach Krula, are very talented and should match up well with Bruce Davis and our speedy ends.

One overlooked element of the Sun Devil's offense last season was the running back tandem of Ryan Torain and Keegan Herring. Despite not starting the first five games of 2006, Torain ran for 1,229 yards, caught 18 passes, and scored 10 touchdowns. He is an aggresive north-south runner and he can punish defenses. Herring brings a nice alternative to Torain's power running with some great speed and agility. This one-two punch at tailback will be a bear for the Bruin front seven to handle.

The only area with some question marks is the receiving corps. One known quantity is senior Rudy Burgess who is switching back to WR from DB. He's elusive and has great speed and the UCLA corners will definitely will be challenged by this experienced receiver. Brent Miller takes over for his brother, Zach Miller, who went to the NFL after a stellar junior season. Brent will have some big shoes to fill as Zach was a crucial part of the Sun Devil offense last year. The other receivers will be taking on bigger roles, but by the 10th week they should be pretty comfortable in their positions. The UCLA secondary is excellent but will likely be left on islands as Walker blitzes Horton and the line backers to get pressure on Carpenter. If that tactic fails it could be a long day for Trey Brown and Rodney Van.

Defense

Nobody would call ASU's defensive potent the last few years but it hasn't been terrible either. This season looks like more of the same with some holes to fill and some question marks at all three levels. There is also some talented players mixed in there as well. The Sun Devils run a typical 4-3 configuration which UCLA will see a lot of this season.

Michael Marquardt and Dexter Davis are play makers but the rest of the defensive line is full of unknowns. The UCLA tackles should be well prepared for Dexter as they face Bruce Davis every day in practice. If UCLA's offensive lineman are comfortable in their new positions then they should provide some holes for the running game. There isn't a lot of depth here for ASU either and injuries could be a factor at this point in the fall.

The line backing corps is young with two true sophomores, but talented and athletic. Travis Goethel and Mike Nixon both had outstanding freshman seasons and they'll be called upon a lot to help fill any gaps in the front four. They're not the most experienced unit so traps, screens, and other misdirection could cause this group some trouble. UCLA also brings a lot of new formations and looks this season, but there should be lots of game film on both teams by November.

Josh Barrett is the star of a secondary that will rely on some juco transfers to bring some experience to this unit. They bring a lot of speed, quickness and some height, so there won't be many mismatches for 6'5" receivers Joe Cowan, Ossarr Rashan, and Dominique Johnson to exploit. If the Bruin run game is moving then it could open up some passing opportunities here. I think Norvell will direct Olson to throw away from defensive back Justin Tryon and pick on his inexperienced counter part on the other side of the field.

Special Teams

Arizona State has a very similar special teams situation to UCLA. The Sun Devil's lose 4-year starter Jesse Ainsworth to graduation. Taking over the kicking duties will be former walk-on Thomas Weber. He's an unknown quantity at this point. Jonathan Johnson was solid on punts last year and the senior should only improve in his final season at Tempe. The kick and punt return games are still up in the air.

The Verdict

Like the Oregon State matchp, this looks like a trap game to me. ASU has a lot of fire power on offense and they could really cause some problems if they get cooking. Unfortunately, UCLA always seems to have a let down game (or two) every year and if this team gets caught napping against Carpenter and company it could result in a defeat.

On paper UCLA should be able to beat this team. We have a great defense and should slow down the Sun Devil offense, our own offense should be clicking by this point in the season, and we have the all important home field advantage. I just have a gut feeling that we won't get enough pressure on Carpenter with his senior offensive line blocking for him. Like the WSU game last season, the Bruins struggled without an effective pass rush. I'm going to go against the conventional wisdom on this game and predict an Arizona State victory.

CalPoly's prediction: UCLA defeat. Record: 8-2 (5-2).

Staying in the Family

Kevan Walker, son of current defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, switched his commitment from Minnesota to UCLA today. The Bruins have been actively pursuing Walker for a few months and it was no secret that Kevan might change his allegiance. Walker is listed as a wide receiver but he could also play as a defensive back in the blue and gold. He'll join a very talented class coming to Westwood in 2008.

You have to like a kid who's father is a coach. You know he'll have a great understanding of the game and approach the gridiron like a field general. With that kind of background I'm sure he'll blossom into a vocal leader on this team when he gets settled into D1 football.

Here is the latest recruiting snap shot (PDF). Walker's commitment takes UCLA to 24 players in the 2008 class.

2007 Preview: Arizona Wildcats

In many ways, the showdown in Tucson this year will be about revenge, retribution, and rebirth. The Bruins will be looking for revenge for losing Ben Olson to a late tackle last year in Pasadena. Arizona will also want a little pay back for losing quarterback Willie Tuitama to a concussion in that same game. UCLA will be seeking retribution for 2005 and the "debacle in the desert" loss that ended their perfect season. The Wildcats are hoping they can finally prove worthy of a bowl game and a position among the conference heavy weights.

It seems like Arizona has been in a perpetual state of rebuilding their program for the last decade. Mike Stoops is entering his 4th year and the program has seen some improvement but not enough to push it into a winning season. This year's team looks to be one of the best in his tenure at Tucson and the Wildcats always seem to pull a big upset victory at home late in the season. The Bruins were the victims of that in 2005 and Cal got bit last year. The Bruins are going to have to stay focused and really come out with guns blazing in this early November matchup.

Offense

One of the biggest changes for the Wildcats is the addition of offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes. Dykes helped design and build Texas Tech’s awesome passing attack the last two seasons and the hope in Tucson is he can inject a little life into a stagnant offense. He'll employ multiple wideout sets in a spread offense and really put a lot of emphasis on the pass this season.

One of the big question marks this season is quarterback Willie Tuitama. He showed signs of brilliance in his career as the Wildcat signal caller but he also struggled mightily at other times. The big question, though, is his health. Can he stay healthy all year long or will a history of concussions end his career? At this point in the season, the Bruins could be facing backup quarterback, Tyler Lyon. Lyon is a prototypical quarterback standing tall at 6'5" with a big arm and bright future. He hasn't played a down yet at the collegiate level and the red-shirt freshman will likely still be pretty raw in Dyke's new spread offense.

The running game suffered a setback when tailback Chris Henry departed early for the NFL. Chris Jennings will get the nod and the big, 220 lb, power back brings some nice speed and good athleticism. He'll have to adjust to being a receiving target in the spread offense. UCLA's aggresive run defense held the Cats to negative yards last year in Pasadena. I'm sure the results will be better this time around, but don't expect Arizona to run the ball at will over the Bruins. This will likely force more pressure on the quarterback and the passing game.

The Wildcats lose go-to receiver Sedric Steptoe but Mike Thomas is back and the sure-handed target will be asked to play a big role in the new offense. The other receivers are new and untested and the experienced and deep Bruin secondary shouldn't have too many problems with this group. With a multiple receiver set, expect Alteraun Verner and Brett Lockett to find time in nickel packages.

The Arizona offensive line was complete garbage last year in the Rose Bowl. They left Tuitama scrambling for his life on most downs and would often miss blocks outright. They gave up 31 sacks for the season and the Arizona offense struggled because of it. The silver lining to last year's campaign is this group gained some much needed experience and they do return all five lineman this season. This squad is going to have to grow by leaps and bounds if Arizona is going to move the ball against the Bruins. UCLA's D-line matches up very well and the speedy defensive ends should wreck havoc in the wildcat backfield.

Defense

Like UCLA, the strength of this team is on the defensive side of the ball. This looks to be one of the strongest defenses in the conference with an excellent back seven and one of the best corners in the country. This is a group that has steadily improved under Stoops and now this senior laden squad is ready to really dominate opponents. The Wildcats run a traditional 4-3.

The secondary for Arizona is anchored by All American corner Antoine Cason. He'll lock down his side of the field and the Bruins will likely try and pick on senior Wilrey Fontenot. He's very experienced but only reaches the 5'9" mark. He's a lot like Trey Brown and the chiseled veteran knows how to play bigger than his size. Still, expect Joe Cowan and Dominque Johnson to try and exploit the 8 inch height advantage. Senior Dominic Patrick is back at free safety and he was a tackling machine last season.

The linebacking corps at Tucson is very solid. Spencer Larsen headlines the unit and he'll fill holes quickly against UCLA. Ronnie Palmer had a great spring and he's poised to have a huge year. Senior Dane Krogstand doesn't set the world on fire but he brings a lot of experience to help round out this squad. The Wildcats got almost no pressure on Olson or Cowan last year, so I think we might see some more blitzing from this group.

The big boys up front return all four starters from last season and they'll be asked to take-on the Bruin's revamped offensive line. This group under achieved last year so I'm sure the coaches are working them hard to improve their performance. Louis Holmes, who was the nation's highest rated juco transfer last season, is expected to have a big year. The other end, Johnathan Turner brings some speed. I think our quick and physical line can clear some lanes for Markey and Bell, but they'll have to continue to improve at their new positions. At this point in the season, they'll either be gelled as a unit or the Bruin's offense will be in trouble.

Special Teams

The Cats are remaking their special teams unit. They lose Nick Folk, who lead the conference in net punting average, and was the place kicker. Those jobs will fall to Jason Bondzino and Keenyn Crier. Both will have big shoes to fill. If the game in Tucson is a defensive battle then it might come down to some inexperienced kicker for both teams to win the game.

The Verdict

With two potent defenses, this game will likely turn into a low-scoring, knock-down, drag-out battle. The winner of the game will be the team who's offense can see some improvements over last season. Arizona is breaking in a brand new system and the Bruins are also retooling their offense under Jay Norvell. With a lack of depth on the Wildcats offense, injuries at this point in the season could be devastating to their scoring production. I think UCLA just brings more talent and depth when they posses the ball.

I don't believe the Bruins will get caught off guard on this trip to Tucson. They learned their lesson two years ago that you can never take this gritty team lightly. I fully expect our boys to be eager to atone for the last trip which still burns in the gut of Bruin fans everywhere. I think it will be a close game but UCLA will pull it out in the 4th quarter.

CalPoly's Prediction: UCLA victory. Record 8-1 (5-1).

More Reading

• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Guide.
• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Wrap Up.
• USA Today Wildcat Inside Slant.
• MSN 2007 Preview of Arizona.
• Arizona 2006 NCAA Stats.
  
• Arizona 2006 Bruin Roar football Stats.
  

(photo credit: Ghetty Images)

Training Camp - Week 1

Now that we're hot and heavy into the fall practices, I thought I would spend a little time to summarize some of the news coming out of the first week of training camp. Injuries were, unfortunately, the main story with the Bruins seeing a number of players suffering knee and foot injuries on the first few days. It only took two days to lose Raymond Carter for the year and every practice seemed to end with somebody getting carted off the field.

On a positive note, the offense started camp looking good with multiple receivers standing out and Ben Olson looking sharp and strong. That news comes as a big relief, considering how poorly the offense performed back in April. There were some up and down moments later in the week but overall it sounds like Ben and the offense are moving in the right direction. We'll have to wait and see if the improvements continue next week when the team really picks up the intensity; but so far so good.

Here is Tuesday's Practice report from DeconBlue at BruinGold, and another account after Wednesday's practice. This is Rich Perelman's entry on Thursday's practice with some quotes from coach Dorrell. Here is my very own account of Friday's practice, which was the first one in full pads. Here are some other reports from DeaconBlue and JeffIsSmilling from Bruin Gold. Jeff also has a report from Saturday's practice.

Offense

Freshman tail back Raymond Carter started off the camp with a bad case of the fumbles. After dropping the ball twice on the first day, he had to carry around the football until 11:30 that night. The second day saw him come up limping with a knee injury late in the practice. It was originally thought to be a minor injury but he hopped to the locker room and wasn't able to put much weight on his right knee. He went for an MRI and it came back with an ACL tear. Carter will have season-ending surgery and use a medical red-shirt for the 2007 season.

With Carter out of action, Ryan Carew got some more reps in practice. He had a very good spring and is the fastest player among the returning starters. So far this fall camp he has looked quick and powerful. He'll be the third back in the Bruins lineup for the season.

It was reported that Ben Olson looked very strong on the second day of practice. He made quick reads and delivered some nice passes over the middle and along the sideline. Coach Dorrell said that Olson was learning and executing the play book very well. On Friday and Saturday Ben had some very nice moments but there were also some times when the offense as a whole really struggled. It looks like this group is still feeling it's was through everything Norvell installed in the spring.

Joe Cowan looked very good during the first week as well. He has recovered from his knee injury and has no ill effects. During Tuesday's practice, Cowan ran seamless patterns over the middle, showed good hands and used his size to shield defenders. Karl Dorrell, in the Tuesday press conference, said that Joe was a "stabilizing force" for the receivers and that he has emerged as a leader.

Brandon Breazell removed his knee brace and said he felt no pain. He said his explosiveness was better, he could run faster and he thought less about his knee once he shed the brace. Terrance Austin was also looking quick and made some very nice catches during the scrimmages.

Osaar Rasshan, who made the move to receiver this spring, was also impressing onlookers. He is aggressive, runs great routes, and has some great hands. A natural athlete, Rasshan could find his way into some games this season. When I saw him I was impressed by how big he plays. He's the same height as Joe Cowan but Rasshan, with his leaping ability, just seems like a huge target.

Backup lineman Scott Glicksberg had a stomach virus and was limited in action due to the illness. Red-shirt freshmen offensive linemen Sonny Tevaga and Brandon Bennett, both reserves, have slimed down this summer. Tevaga lost 28 pounds and now weighs 323. Bennett went from 352 to 318 pounds.

In the cavalcade of injuries, Pitre hurt his knee on Friday and didn't dress for practice on Saturday. Starting lineman Shannon Tevaga hurt his shoulder and sat out practice recuperating. Backup tight end Travis Martin hurt his knee and was on crutches. He isn't expected to be back until later in the season. Chane Moline is limited because of an injury to his wrist/thumb.

Defense

Freshman defensive tackle Brian Price sat out the first few days of the camp waiting for the NCAA clearing house to give him their stamp of approval. Apparently some more paperwork needed to be filed. The rest of the defensive line was awesome during practice and absolutely shutdown the running game during scrimmages.

Shawn Oatis, who had a huge spring, went down with a knee injury on Thursday. His MRI came back negative and he was back on the field the next day.

Rodney Van injured his left foot on Monday and was walking around in a boot. The initial reports were that the injury was not serious and the boot was used as a precautionary measure. His MRI came back negative and he is expected to be back in action in the second week of camp. On Friday he was limiting his action to not put too much stress on his leg.

Chris Horton pulled a hamstring and sat out practice on the second day. The injury wasn't serious and he returned to practice later in the week.

By all accounts Alteraun Verner was having a huge training camp, making a lot of great plays. Michael Norris also looked good and the Bruin's backup defensive backs will add some very talented and experienced depth to this unit.

Special Teams

After a rough spring, it looks like Kai Forbath has settled down and had a great first week of camp. He hit his field goals and was very consistent. It sounds like Forbath might only be used for field goals and extra points this season. Walk-on Jimmy Rotstein is being considered for kick-off duties.

Friday Practice Report

Hey, hey, my first ever practice report! In fact, this is my first ever UCLA practice. It was a great time and my brother and cousin joined me for the day up in Westwood. On a side note, I met Deja Blue out on Spaulding field. I knew it was him as soon as he walked by the stands. Let’s just say that Deja has a very unique writing style and the free spirit and joyus attitude that you see in his posts is a reflection of his personality and style in the real world. We chit-chatted for a few minutes on the bleachers while the squads were running through their drills. He told me the most important thing was to have a good time during the practice and I definitely did.

Anyways down to the details. Like I said, I’ve never been to a practice before so I couldn’t tell you if it was slow or fast or if the players were more or less energized. To me it seemed like things zipped by at a whirlwind pace; especially during the scrimmages. By the time a play completed and I jotted down a few notes they were lined up again and running the next play. I scribbled like mad, and filled a few pages in my notebook, so hopefully it all makes sense.

We got to practice kind of early and I was really surprised to see nobody (and I mean nobody) on Spaulding field at about 9:00am. Only the camera guys were setting up on the big scaffolding lifts so they can film the practice. My brother and I decided to hit the bookstore and stock up on some more Bruin gear. By the time we got back to the field at 9:30 a few players were on the field including Raymond Carter in crutches. He looked in good spirits and he has such a radiant smile, but you could tell he was disappointed to not be on the field.

Some good news was seeing Rodney Van and Chris Horton walk into the practice field with no braces or boots. Horton had a pretty big wrap about his right leg. The two of them spent most of the first hour just running back and forth on the field. They were easing themselves back into practice but they didn’t seem to limp or have any other noticeable problems. Which was good news.

I scanned all over the field with my binoculars but I couldn’t find #95 Brian Price. I got confirmation from Dohn’s blog that Price is still not cleared to practice; too bad because I was hoping to see the big tackle from Crenshaw in action. Speaking of tackles, Darius Savage looked slimmed down form the pictures I saw in the spring. He looked leaner and fit. He’s still 4^th on the depth chart but hopefully he can work his way up the ladder.

When the practice started and the players broke up into squads, I mainly watched the quarterbacks. I saw Norvell doing this drill with them that was interesting. He had a large broom in his hands and he was swiping the broom at the QB’s as they threw passes into their target nets. I guess that was to simulate defenders swating at them during a game.

When the offense got together, they ran a number of single back sets. Lots of 3 and 4 receiver packages and they spent a number of reps throwing screen passes and swing passes to Markey. Coach Dorrell spent a good chunk of time with the receivers and Eric Scott is not back with the program yet.

The defensive backs were in front of us by the bleachers so I got to watch Walker put them through their paces. It was great to see them up close. I have to say, I was impressed with the quickness and acceleration of Michael Norris and Alteraun Verner. They really stood out in the drills and that translated into the scrimmage (more on that later).

While all the action was going on around Spaulding, there was a nice little moment with Raymond Carter. He was standing on the side and his older lady (maybe his mom or an auntie?) came by and gave him a really big hug. He gave this great big smile and the two talked for a while. It was a nice exchange and you could tell she was giving him some encouragement. Hopefully Carter’s surgery is a success and this enthusiastic and talented young man can get back on the field as soon as possible.

They started scrimmaging about an hour and half into practice. We could hardly see from the bleachers, so we moved over to the parking structure to get a better view. Because of that, I missed the first few series. Here is a log of the action once we got into a better position. They would blow the whistle almost as soon as there was contact so the yards gained are up until the whistle is sounded. I wasn’t always 100% sure on the yards, so most are guestimates…

Olson at QB.

• Run. Kalil Bell in the middle hit about 2 yards past the line of scrimmages.
• Pass. Play action handoff the play was whistled dead.
• Run. Chris Markey to the left for a 4 yard loss. Play was totally blown up.
• Run. Craig Sheppard left hit about 3 yards past the line of scrimmage.

Cown at QB.

• Run. Justin Fareed up the middle hit at the line of scrimmage.
• Run. Craig Sheppard up the middle hit at the line of scrimmage.

After that they switched to 7-on-7s. I was impressed by the number shot gun formations and the misdirection and different looks they put together.

Olson at QB.

• Shot gun formation. Complete to Markey underneath.
• Shot gun formation. 15 yard pass to Brandon Breazell bounced off his hands. Doh! Should have had that one.
• 4-wide outs short pass underneath that was picked off by Alteraun Verner.
• This was an interesting set where Paulsen moved from the TE spot and lined up as a wide out. He looked like the primary target but was well covered and Ben ended up going through the progression and just tucking and running the ball.
• Slant pass out to Rasshan. Nice catch and good throw.

Cowan at QB.

• Cowan to Cowan connection. Beautiful catch in coverage about 10-15 yards out.
• Shot gun formation. Kahlil Bell catch underneath and slips past the defender to the house!
• Shotgun formation. pick by Kyle Bosworth! Not sure who Pat was throwing to on that play. Wasn’t a white jersey anywhere near by.

Olson at QB.

• Shotgun formation. Good coverage, no pass.
• Shotgun formation. Alteraun Verner steps in front of the pass and knocks it down. Great play
• 10 yard complete to Jamil Turner on the left.
• Hit Marcus Everett underneath about 2 yards.
• Connects with Chris Markey for 3 yards
• Nice pass to Joe Cowan for 5 yards
• 4 wideouts. Connects with Chad Moline for 3 yards.
• Beautiful pass to Marcus Evertt for 15 yards.
• Pass to Rashan about 20 yards down field. Ossar falls down and Verner makes this spectacular pick while diving to the ground himself.
• Complete to Jamil Turner for 5 yards.
• 3 receivers clustered on the right side of the line. Connect to Kalil Bell for 5 yards.
• Shot gun formation. Ben throws an ill advised ball into double coverage. Lucky that wasn’t picked.
• Markey goes in motion to the left. Pass to Sneed on the right and he drops it. Saw him doing pushups for that one.
• Great pass and grab by Terrance Austin over the middle around 20 yards.
• Hit Craig Sheppard as an outlet receiver in the backfield and he was met by a group of defenders before he got back to the line of scrimmage.
• Pass is high to Terence Austin and it goes off his finger tips. He looks frustrated that he missed it but I thought it was too high for him to catch. Anyways, he was doing pushups for that so I guess the coaches didn’t agree with me.

Back to full 11-11 scrimmage in the middle of the field

Olson at QB

• Run. Reverse to Ossarr Rashan that fools nobody. He gets hit for 6 yard loss.
• Pass. Ben hesitates on a quick pass and fumbles the ball. Not pretty.
• Run. Chris Markey to the left side and the line collapses for a 2 yard loss.
• Run. Kahlil Bell up the middle hit about 2 yards past the line of scrimmage.
• Pass. Shot gun formation. Throws the ball into the ground instead of taking the sack.

Cowan at QB

• Run. Up the middle for a loss. Not sure who had the ball.
• False Start.
• Run. Pitch to Chane Moline on the left hit around the line of scrimmage.
• Run. Somebody, missed it, ran into a big pile in the middle for no gain.
  

Olson at QB

• Pass. Throws it into the dirt instead of taking the sack.
• Pass. Pocket starts to collapse and Olson slipped past the rush and dropped a nice little dink pass to a jumping Ossarr Rashan.
• Run. Up the middle for about an 8 yard gain.
• Run. Kahlil Bell hit around the line of scrimmage.

At this point the offense huddled up and had a pep talk. They started woofing and jumping around to get themselves more fired up.

• Run. Kalil Bell up the middle hit about 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
• Pass. Ben tossed a nice pass to Markey but he was already touched in the backfield for a sack. Bruce Davis was whooping and shouting after that play. He looked pumped.
• Run Kalil Bell right hit back about 2 yards.

Cowan at QB.

• Run. Chane Moline right for no gain.

Michael Pitre is down on the play and is laying flat on the ground pounding the turf with his hand. He is down for a few minutes and the trainers are attending to him. He eventually gets up and walks it off. Hopefully nothing serious, it didn’t look too bad after he got back up but it was scary there for a few minutes.

• Run. Chane Moline up the middle and he goes about 2-4 yards before being touched. The defensive coaches yell out “too slow! Too slow!” about how fast the defense reacted and closed on the ball

At this point they switched to a goal line situation and ran a few plays from about the 2 yard line.

Olson at QB.

• Run Kahlil Bell up the middle. Hit about 1 yard behind the line of scrimmage.
• Pass to Trevor Theroit to the left and he gets tackled about an inch outside of the goal line.
• Run. Chane Moline to the left for a 2 yard loss

Cowan at QB.

• At this point my wife is on the phone and I have no idea what’s going on and I miss a few plays
• Run. Chane Moline up the middle for a touch down!

They move back to the middle of the field and run a few more series in full scrimmage.

Olson at QB.

• He starts out under center and they switch to a shot gun. He delivers a nice pass to Joe Cowan who makes this great sliding reception.
• Michael Norris deflects the ball and really should have had a pick. The ball was intended for Ketchum about 10 yards down field.
• The next ball goes high to Everett on the near sideline.

Cowan at QB.

• Michael Norris makes another great play, steps in front of Breazell and knocks down the pass.
• Pass. One of the few deep passes all day. The ball is a bit under thrown and Austin doesn’t adjust enough to get it. Incomplete.
• Pass. Craig Sheppard nice catch 4 yards.

Olson at QB.

• Pass. Olson throws the ball into the dirt
• Run. Lots of motion and it looks like some kind of pitch-gone-run and the play is whistled dead before it gets too far.
• Pass. Left side of the line to Breazell for 6 yards.

Cowan at QB.

• Run. Chane Moline pitch hit for loss of 2 yards.
• Pass. Cowan rolls left but nobody is open. He tucks and scrambles.
• Pass. Brian Bozworth knocks down a pass over the middle. Nice play.

That’s it. It was a lot of plays in a short period and things were zipping by pretty quick. Overall, the offense seemed to struggle for most of the scrimmage. I came away with a feeling of being under whelmed by their performance. Maybe I my expectations were a little high for the first day of pads, but I was hoping for a little more progress.

In the 7-on-7’s Olson looked very sharp and was placing the ball very well. They ran a lot of shotgun and different sets and there were a lot of new looks. When the 11-on-11’s came around it seemed like they were using a more conservative set of plays. There were more 2-back sets and not nearly as much shotgun. Ben had a hard time in the full scrimmage. Some of that might be the great defensive effort and it is always hard to tell when your playing yourself in practice. They didn’t throw hardly any deep passes and I’m not sure if that was by design or if the coverage was just that good.

If you don’t think Alteraun Verner is going to be a huge star in the blue and gold then you’re crazy! That guy was all over the field. He had two interceptions including that ridiculous leaping catch while on the ground. Michael Norris also looked very good and I think our secondary is in very good shape this year.

The Running Game

So, I picked a bad day to take off from bloging. Not only did Eric Scott get cleared from his little incident, but Raymond Carter's MRI showed he had a season-ending ACL tear. Ouch! Carter was just coming off another knee injury from his senior year at Crenshaw. Hopefully this isn't a trend for the speedster. With Carter out of the rotation, and Williams and McGee no long in the program, it leads me to wonder how our running game is going to look this season?

In many ways, the Carter injury doesn't have a big impact on this season. He was likely the #3 back with a chance of getting some more minutes as the season progressed. It will set back the running game next season, however, as Carter was supposed to make a big move for playing time in 2008. Now, he'll be in the same boat as Milton Knox and Aundre Dean and the tailback spot will have scant little experience.

For this season, it looks like Carter's slot will be filled by Ryen Carew. He actually had a similar story to Carter, injuring his knee back in 2005 and missing his freshman year. Last year he worked on the scout squad and was very impressive, winning Charles Pike Memorial Award for Outstanding Scout Team Player. He also had a good spring and showed that he might be ready to breakout at UCLA.

Obviously Markey is still the go-to guy with Kalil Bell in the second slot. I'm sure Chane Moline will continue in his short-yardage role. After that, though, there isn't much with Carew holding the third slot. If Markey were to go down with injury then UCLA could be hurting at the tailback slot. Kalil Bell hasn't really proved to me that he can be the primary back and I don't know if Moline can carry the running game either. Unless one of his backups improves dramatically this fall, we're going to have to hope Markey stays in one piece through January.

2007 Preview: WSU Cougars

The Bruins will take a trip up to chilly Pullman Washington in the 8th week of the season to play the pesky Washington State Cougars. This team always causes UCLA fits and last year Alex Brink put on a passing clinic at the Rose Bowl. The Cougars ran into some depth issues after injuries decimated their defense last year and they'll face some similar issues this season. This will likely be another nail bitter as the Bruins march their way toward the end of the season.

Last seasons match in Pasadena was the low point of the Bruin's 2006 campaign. The corners got torched by Alex Brink who was throwing the ball absolutely perfect all game long. His 405 yards and 3 touchdowns were the worst the UCLA secondary gave up all season. This time around, the Bruin corners and safeties will be looking for revenge and the front four will try and make their jobs easier by getting into Brinks face a lot more regularly.

Offense

The Cougars will again run a single back set this season with multiple receiver sets. This will likely force UCLA into some nickel packages and the Bruins benefit from the return of Michael Norris at DB. Brent Lockett and Alteraun Verner have also proven to be excellent personnel in nickel and dime packages and they'll be called upon often in this game.

The key to the WSU offense is senior quarterback Alex Brink. He's had a choppy history during his tenure in Pullman, but this four-year starter is a dangerous weapon who has produced some big game as well. The Bruins got very little pressure on him last season and he delivered some strikes from the pocket. Expect Walker to bring a lot more heat and let his senior corners and talented safeties handle the Cougar receivers man on man.

Dwight Tardy was the lone back last season and he'll be asked to bring a lot more to the table this year if the Cougars are going to make a bowl game appearance. He had a decent effort in 2006, gaining almost 700 yards for the season with 67 of those yards coming against the Bruins. He's not a threat to knock off a lot of big runs, but he could develop into a steady back for this team. He had a poor spring, however, which is a serious problem because of the lack of depth at tailback. DeMaundray Woolridge and Derrell Hutsona could be academic casualties for the year and sophomore Chris Ivory missed spring practice with personal issues. If Tardy struggles against the stiff Bruin run defense then all the pressure will be on Brink and the receivers to move the ball.

Jason Hill will be playing on Sunday's this season, much to the chagrin of WSU fans everywhere (and they are everywhere!). Despite that lose, the Cougars do have a very talented set of returning receivers including Michael Bumpus and Brandon Gibson who had 8 receptions and 2 TDs last year in Pasadena. The new face is Charles Dillon who had a great effort despite WSU's loss to Washington in the apple cup last season. Jed Collins will take on the TE spot and this jack-of-all-trades will again be asked to make big plays at a new position. The Bruin secondary will be tested by this group again and they're going to have to prove that they are worthy of their pre-season hype.

The big uglies at WSU will be asked to shoulder the responsibility of protecting Alex Brink at all costs this season. They return 3 starters, with a bit of shuffling along the line as well. Talented sophomore Kenny Alfred will be the big man in the middle. To his left, senior Bobby Byrd will make the move form tackle to guard. Andy Roof will also make the move to guard as it better fits his size and ability. Vaughn Lesuma is one of the new faces and the massive 340 lb juco transfer will be asked to immediately step into a starting position. This group as a whole should be pretty well gelled by the 8th week of season, baring a rash of injuries. The Bruin defensive line should matchup here pretty well and I expect Walker to bring a lot of blitzes from all over the field to help out. Bruce Davis is going to have to really make his presence felt and setup camp in the WSU backfield.

Defense

The Cougs lose defensive coordinator Robb Akey to Idaho and head coach Bill Doba will take on those duties this season. He's switching this squad back to a 4-3 for the 2007 campaign. This defense limped its way to the finish line last season and depth and injuries could be an issue by the time the Bruins come-a-calling in the middle of October. They'll also have to compete without star defensive lineman Mkristo Bruce, who has graduated and moved-on from the Pallouse.

The defense line has some talent, but again, injuries could cause some pain here for WSU fans. Ropati Pitoitua is a key senior tackle for this team but he has missed 12 games in three years due to a whole host of leg, knee, and ankle injuries. The other tackle, Fevaea'i Ahmu, has also been bit by the injury bug and defensive end Lance Broadus was injured this spring. Washington State does get back Matt Mullennix, who missed all of 2006 due to injury, and the senior end will help in the rotation. The other ends, Lance Broadus and sophomore Kevin Kooyman could give the line a real spark. The veteran Bruin line will have to really make there presence felt here by giving Ben time to pick apart a thin secondary.

The linebackers are young but there is some talent and depth in this squad. Greg Trent is the starting middle linebacker and he'll anchor the linebacking corps. Cory Evans got some experience as the 4th linebacker last season but more will be asked of him this season. The Cougs also get Jason Stripling back from an injury that sidelined him last season. They'll be asked to fill some holes if the line struggles and also have to cover for some deficiencies behind them in the defense.

The secondary is a major concern on this team. They return only one starter and will ask a number of junior college transfers to try and fill the voids. Husain Abdullah is back at free safety and he's had some up-and-down performances for WSU over the years. The senior will have to help out the other new faces and carry this unit. By this time in the season the UCLA offense should be comfortable in Norvell's pass-first offensive style. Ben definitely has the arm and Joe Cowan, Marcus Everett, Brandon Breazell, and Terance Austin have more than enough talent to compete with this unit.

Special Teams

The Cougars special teams units over the last few years haven't been particularly good. Unfortunately for the fans up on the Pallouse, this year doesn't look to be much better. Loren Langley was the kicker for years but hitting only 3 of 8 from beyond the 30-yard line didn't sit too well with the coaches. Romeen Abdollmohammadi ( who officially wins the award for the name least likely to fit on the back of a jersey) got the nod when Langley was benched but the kicking game as a whole still remains a sore spot on this team. Junior Darryl Blunt returns as the punter and the former walk-on needs to work on his consistency and his hang time this season. The punt and kick return were awful as well, ranking this team dead last in the conference during 2006.

The Verdict

Every year this is a tough game for the Bruins. The Cougars have had our number recently winning last year in Pasadena and five of the last six meetings. The game is in their backyard and a late October date means cold weather and unfriendly crowds are in store for our guys. Washington State will have another potent passing attack and the Bruin secondary will be tested for the second week in a row.

All that being said, the Bruins have a lot of advantages in this game. The WSU defense is thin and their tailback spot has a lot of holes. If Ben Olson and the offense can stretch the field with their own passing attack then the Cougar secondary has some deficiencies that can be exploited. Couple that with a potent and aggresive Bruin defense and you have a UCLA squad that can win this tough road game. It will likely be another very close call, but I think the Bruins make it back to Pasadena with another notch in the win column.

CalPoly's prediction: UCLA victory. Record: 7-1 (4-1)

More Reading

• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Guide.
• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Wrap Up.
• USA Today WSUInside Slant.
• MSN 2007 Preview of Washington State.
• Cougar 2006 NCAA Stats.
  
• WSU 2006 Bruin Roar football Stats.
  

(photo credit: Ghetty Images)

The Humpty Hump

I was looking though the images from media day yesterday and came across this picture of Jay Norvell. I have to admit, I haven't seen a lot of pictures of our new offensive coordinator. When I saw this one the first thought that jumps into my mind is , "Wow! He looks like Humpty Hump!". Since we give the Trojans a hard time, I thought it only fair that we poke a little fun at our own team. So here is my "look-a-like" for Jay Norvell:

OK, so maybe I'm dating myself with this reference, but you have to agree the similarities are there. Not the best picture of Humpty (aka Shock G) but the nose and glasses are it! No? Well, OK, it made me laugh anyways...

(photo: cstv.com)

Training Camp Ins-and-Outs

The Bruins started training camp today, but the morning was mainly talking to the media about expectations and goals for the season. Here is the complete interview with coach Karl Dorrell. He mentioned the following players are out for training camp and possibly the season:

• Ryan Moya (TE) hasn't not fully recovered from his ankle injury. He also has some personal, family issues that have taken his time this summer. He will red-shirt for the 2007 season.
• Tony Lee (OL) is still recovering from injuries and some off-season surgery and he will miss the fall camp
• Ken Lombard (FB) has nagging issues with the leg surgery he had after last season. He will not participate in the fall camp and will join the team after the first game.
  

Two other players have minor issues that will delay their participation in the camp. Kai Forbath had dental surgery and will start participating in camp on Wedensday. Chase Moline has migraine headaches and they are working with his doctors to find some medication that will help. He'll be held out of camp until that is resolved.

Otherwise everyone else is set and ready to go. Chris Markey was cleared for practice and he says his foot is 100% healed and feeling better than ever. Christian Taylor also says his ankle is feeling great and he has worked on strengthening his ankle this summer. Ben Olson says his knee is totally healed and he doesn't feel any side effects from the injury.

2007 Preview: California Bears

After a bye, the Bruins will return to action in the 7th week of the season against the Cal Bears. Most pre-season magazines and polls have UCLA and Cal in a virtual tie for second place in the conference. This will be an absolutely crucial game for both teams and a likely must-win scenario if either program has dreams of taking the conference crown away from the Trojans. It has been a competitive series over the last decade with the home team coming away with a victory in the last seven meetings.

The Bears had a great 2006 campaign, racking up double digit wins, a conference co-championship, and an impressive Holiday Bowl beat down on Texas A&M. The key to their success was a high-powered offense that was able to compensate for a less-than-stellar defense. They still retain much of that offensive fire power but the other side of the ball will have quite a few new faces this season.

The high flying Bear's offense will match up against a very good UCLA defense. Walker and his squad were, unfortunately, out schemed and out played last year at Strawberry Canyon. I think this year they will come into the game much more aggressive and eager to atone for last season's defeat. The Bruin offense actually put up some big numbers last year, racking up a season high 516 yards against Tedford and company. However, they struggled to get the ball in the end zone and failed to capitalize on some good drives. The big question for this game is who will improve the most, UCLA's offense or the Cal defense? The answer will likely be the winner of the matchup, as well.

Offense

The Bears experimented with a "Ted-Spread" offense last season with some mixed results. This year there might be a little less spread, but the Bears are still focusing their offense through junior quarterback Nate Longshore. They'll also ask a lot form their versatile running backs and receivers as the Bears passing attack will again be very potent. They introduce a new offensive coordinator, Jim Michalczik, but Tedford is still the mastermind of this offense.

Nate Longshore is back behind center. In his first full season for the Bears he put up a very impressive 3,021 yards with 24 touchdowns. He also had the second best pass efficiency rating in he conference and the Bears will rely on Longshore's arm to win a lot of games this year. The one troubling number was the 13 interceptions. The Bruin secondary is going to have to try and take a ball or two away from the Bears and the opportunity is there.

The big loss for Berkeley was the early departure of Marshawn Lynch to the NFL. Lynch was a key component of the offense and he won't be easily replaced. Justin Forsett will step into the starting role for the first time, but he brings a lot of experience and physical ability to the position. The one question mark is his size. He's 5'8" and 185 lbs and he'll take a lot more punishment as the feature back this season. Joining him in the rotation will be two red-shirt freshman. James Montgomery and Tracy Solcum are the top contenders for the second tailback role and both bring a little more size and physical play than Forsett. The Bear's running game may not be as threatening this time, but the Bruin front seven will still have their hands full.

DeSean Jackson is still the headliner for the Bears at receiver and he is getting some pre-season Heisman hype. He is a big play and deep ball threat and his speed and natural ability makes him a very difficult matchup. Joining him is Robert Jordan who has a ton of experience and runs great routes and Lavelle Hawkins who is primed for an All American season. The Bruins tried to give a little more help to the corners last year and the zone matchups they employed were not very effective. Expect a much more aggresive, blitzing attack this year and that's going to leave Trey Brown and Rodney Van in more man-to-man coverage. They're going to have to bring their best game of the whole season if they expect to keep this unit in check.

The Bears have always had very good offensive lines and this season should be no exception. They do have to replace two of last year's starters, but they get back center Alex Mack. Mack was a first team PAC-10 selection and one of the best centers in the country. Despite that, the Berkeley coaches have considered moving him to tackle to allow talented backup Chris Guarnero to get on the field. Senior Mike Gibson and junior Mike Tepper are back. UCLA got almost no pressure on Longshore last year and the Bruin's defensive line is going to have to step-up and put a lot more heat on the Bear's quarterback.

Defense

The Cal defense gave up a lot of yards last year, ranking their total defense 8th in the conference. The flip-side of that number is that the Bears stood strong when required and had a surprisingly good scoring defense, second only to USC in the PAC-10. This bend-don't-break defense will be challenged this season as they need to replace three big stars and the vast majority of their front seven. When they come to Pasadena in the seventh week of the season, those new faces may not be so new anymore, but there still won't be a ton of experience on this side of the ball.

The D-line loses their big play maker and star tackle in Brandon Mebane. This unit will be starting almost from scratch having to replace three of last year's four starters. The sole returning player is the big man in the middle, defense tackle Matt Malele. The big 335 lb senior will be starting for the 3rd season in a row and he'll have to shepherd along the new guys. Mika Kane has played in the rotation the last two years and this will be his opportunity to really step up and prove himself. The ends, Tyson Alualu and Cody Jones, are young but Alualu brings a lot of size and Jones some speed. An experienced Bruin line should be able to provide better running lanes over last season's effort. Chris Markey had some nice holes and even cranked out a big 70-yard run for a TD up in Strawberry Cannon. He'll be asked to gain some yards in big chunks this time as well.

The Bear's lose two linebackers to graduation including Mickey Pimentel and standout Desmond Bishop. That might concern some teams but Cal has such a talented and experienced set of backups that there will likely be little to no drop-off this season. Worrell Williams is the sole returning starter and he'll be moving to the middle linebacker spot in Bear's 4-3. Anthony Felder and Zack Follett will be the new starters, but Follett is hardly a new face. He racked up 62 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles as a reserve last season. That effort was good enough to earn him a spot on the All Pac-10 team.

The biggest loss on defense was the departure of Daymeion Hughes to the NFL. This secondary has some talent but nobody will be able to replace Hughes. Syd'Quan Thompson is back at the other corner spot and Bernard Hicks returns at strong safety. Ben is a much better passer than Pat and he should be able to move the ball through the air in this game as well. We'll have to see how this unit handles the departure of Hughes and if the young blood can gel by week 7. If not then the Bruin passing attack under Norvell's pass-first strategy could garner UCLA some big gains.

Special Teams

Cal has struggled in this area in the past, and big punt returns by Maurice Drew absolutely killed Tedford's team back in 2005. That all changed last season and the Bears return probably the best special teams unit in the PAC-10 in 2007. The kicking game is very good with the return of the consistent Tom Schneider. The Bears also return punter Andrew Larson, who's 42.6 yard average, is almost identical to Aaron Perez.

Desean Jackson had an amazing four punt return touchdowns last year, including that big return against the Bruins that put the game out of reach. Perez will have to work on directing the ball away from Jackson. Forsett could take the kick return role and he's already proven to be a big play maker.


The Verdict

I've gone back and forth in my head on this one so many times I'm dizzy. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses that are the opposite of the other. Cal has a great offense and the Bruins have a stout defense. UCLA has a lot of veterans and Cal has some exciting young players. The Bruins have home field advantage and UCLA has been very tough to beat at home over the last two years. The Bears special teams unit could crank out another big play to push the game in Berkeley's favor.

In the end I'm going to give the nod to the Bruins, but just barely. I think this one comes down to the 4th quarter and I like all of the experienced UCLA seniors in that kind of scenario. I think a more aggressive Bruin defense will slow down Cal's offense and the Bears inexperienced defense will be just slightly less effective at stopping an improved Bruin offense. UCLA also has an extra week to prepare for this game and they were awesome against the Trojans last year with the extra time. Things could change by the time we get to this point in the season and predicting this far in advance is never easy.

CalPoly's Prediction: Bruin victory. (6-1, 3-1)

The Bear Brief

Recruiting rankings for the last 4 years (Scout.com is the first number, Rivals.com is the second):

2007: #12, #22, 25 commits
2006: #23, #19, 20 commits
2005: #09, #09, 24 commits
2004: #29, #23, 19 commits

2006 statistical rankings (National ranking is the first number, PAC-10 rank is the second):

Total Offense : 12, 2.
Scoring Offense: 11, 1.
Rushing Offense: 33, 3.
Passing Offense: 17, 3.
Total Defense : 91, 8.
Scoring Defense: 32, 2.
Rushing Defense: 47, 7.
Passing Defense: 50, 5.

Game info:
September 29. Time and TV package are still TBD.

More Reading

• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Guide.
• ESPN PAC-10 Spring Wrap Up.
• USA Today Cal Inside Slant.
• CFN 2007 Preview of California.
• Cal 2006 NCAA Stats.
  
• California 2006 Bruin Roar football Stats.
  

(photo credit: Ghetty Images)

Number 17 with a Bullet!

So the coaches have released their first set of rankings for the season. The USA today coaches poll came out today and the Bruins come in at respectable #17. That's right about where I thought they should land; high-teens or even low twenties. I have a feeling the AP poll will be a little less generous to this team and place them closer to 2o-22; somewhere in there. There are still some very legitimate, and unanswered, questions about the UCLA offense and how productive they will be under Norvell.

Anyways, it is good to be inside the top-20. You might be inclined to brush off pre-season polls but, as was discussed this spring, a good pre-season ranking has a direct correlation to a BCS appearance. Only two teams, Wake Forrest and Boise State, started outside of the top-25 and made a BCS game in 2006. The eight other teams all started inside the top-25. Here are the pre-season ranks of the last 3-year's worth of BCS teams (teams in bold were at-large selections):

2006

Ohio State (1), USC (3), Notre Dame (3), Oklahoma (5), Florida (8),
LSU (9), Louisville (13), Michigan (15), Boise State (NR), Wake Forest (NR).

2005

USC (1), Texas (2), Ohio State (9), Florida State (12),
Georgia (13), Notre Dame (NR), West Virginia (NR), Penn State (NR).

2004

USC (1), Oklahoma (2), Texas (8), Michigan (7),
Auburn (18), Utah (21), Pittsburgh (NR), Virginia Tech (NR).

If we're following the conventional wisdom that USC will win the PAC-10 this year then an at-large bid could still be a possibility for UCLA. I don't think Notre Dame will play in a BCS bowl this year, they just have to much to replace and have a difficult schedule. That's good news for Bruin fans as the Irish have a sweetheart deal with the BCS and usually get preferential treatment. The bad news is that going all the way back to 1998 only two PAC-10 teams, USC in 2002 and Oregon State in 2000, have gotten an at-large bid.

I'm sure all Bruin fans are eager to get back to the BCS after our first taste 10 years ago. It looks like this is our best chance in a very long time. No at-large team in the past decade has had a record with more than 2 defeats...

• 2006: Notre Dame 10-2, LSU 10-2, Michigan 11-1, Boise Stat 12-0
• 2005: Ohio State 9-2, Notre Dame 9-2
• 2004: Texas 10-1, Utah 11-0
• 2003: Ohio State 10-2, Oklahoma 12-0
• 2002: USC 10-2, Iowa 11-1
• 2001: Florida 9-2, Nebraska 10-2
• 2000: Notre Dame 9-2, Oregon State 10-1
• 1999: Michigan 9-2, Tennessee 9-2
• 1998: Ohio State 10-1, Florida 9-2

... so 10 will have to be our minimum number of wins for the season. Obviously a PAC-10 championship will get us to the BCS but that might not be possible with a loaded Trojan team. I think 10 wins is possible as long as the offense improves a lot this year.

Anywho, Looking back at the current poll, a number of UCLA's opponents find their way in, and around, the top-25.

• #1 USC (45 first place votes) 1481 pts.
• #12 California 763 pts.
• #17 UCLA 454 pts.
• Notre Dame 90 pts.
• Oregon State 52 pts.
• BYU 47 pts.
• Arizona 1 pt.
• WSU 1 pt.

Some of those are head scratchers. Who is giving Arizona and WSU points!?! Maybe Doba and Stoops voted for each other. I think BYU and Oregon State are better than Notre Dame, but they obviously don't have the name recognition. The Coaches Poll is always a bit crazier than the AP Poll and, quite frankly, I think the AP is a much more objective and well informed group of voters. We'll have to wait and see where they place us.

2007 Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

I've had the date, October 6th 2007, circled on my calendar for almost a year now. On that Saturday, the Bruins will step onto the Rose Bowl turf and get a chance to atone for one of the most heart-wrenching defeats in UCLA history. I don't think any fan wearing true Bruin blue will ever forget how our team came within seconds of beating the Fighting Irish in South Bend last season. Notre Dame will be making the trip out west this time and you know our boys will be chomping at the bit to get another shot at Charlie Weis and company.

The Irish had a very good team last year. They finished the season ranked in the top-20, had double digit wins, and were invited to a BCS bowl game. Playing in South Bend is never easy, and a UCLA victory last season would have been a pretty big upset. This time around, everything lines up in UCLA's favor. We return 20 starters and Notre Dame has to replace big chunks of their offense and defense. Gone is Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, and Darius Walker. Gone is most of their defensive front seven. Throw in home field advantage and the Bruins should be favorites to win this rematch.

Offense

No team on UCLA's schedule, besides BYU, has to replace so many offensive personnel this season. The biggest loss is former Heisman Candidate, and now NFL bound quarterback, Brady Quinn. Quinn holds a number of passing records for the Golden Domers and finding someone to fill his shoes has proven to be difficult for coach Weis. The highly touted true freshman, Jimmy Clausen, is in the mix but he struggled during the spring practice and wasn't able to separate himself from the other contenders. Demetrius Jones and Evan Sharpley ( the most experienced of the three) are eying the starting spot themselves and it looks like a decision will have to be made this fall. If the eventual starter struggles, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him replaced at any point during the season, including the game in Pasadena.

Darius Walker had a thousand yard rushing season in 2006, but the stout Bruin defense held him to a measly 53 yards on 21 attempts. His replacement, Travis Thomas, will likely have an even harder time moving the ball at the Rose Bowl. This will, undoubtedly, put even more pressure on the passing game. Thomas, who has bumped around between linebacker and tailback, has big play ability but I don't think he's proven to be an every-down type of back at this point. He'll be teaming up with blocking back, Asaph Schwapp, who returns from injury. Weis has stated that he wants to establish Notre Dame as a running team, so a lot will be asked from this unit.

Jeff Samardzija has hung up his pads and helmet for a career in professional baseball and the Domers will desperately miss his big play making ability. Trying to replace some of Samardzija's receptions will be , 6'6" 259lb senior tight end John Carlson. He is the team's leading returning receiver with 47 catches in 2006 and the tall, athletic tight end will be a key target in this offense. The other receivers aren't particularly imposing, with David Grimes and George West taking on much bigger roles this year. They'll face a very experienced and polished Bruin secondary. UCLA will have faced a much tougher set of receivers the prior week against Oregon State, so I'm sure they'll do just fine this time around.

The Notre Dame offensive line gave up an astonishing 31 sacks last season. They’ll need to improve by leaps and bounds if they’re going to give their new quarterback a moment to breath in the pocket. Bruce Davis and Justin Hickman ran wild in the Irish backfield last year, racking up 5 sacks between the two of them. I think Davis will be pumped and ready to repeat those numbers this October. The Irish offensive line isn't huge, so our guys won't be giving up a lot of size.

Senior John Sullivan will anchor the line and he'll have to shepherd along the new guys. He has 33 career starts under his belt and the 6'4", 290lb center is a smart and experienced leader. Sam Young has also developed into a big contributer and the much-hyped tackle should have a big season. Weis will be replacing 3 of the starters from this unit this fall, which might not be bad thing, as there are some talented players in the wings. By week 6 they should be working fairly well as a unit.

Defense

The Irish are switching to a 3-4, from the 4-3 they ran last year, under new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. He'll have a tough job ahead of him as the defense needs to replace four of its front-seven and two players from the secondary. The Irish had the 65th ranked total defense last season and it is hard to envision them improving much over those numbers this year. The Bruins will need to run the ball much better this time around, only gaining a pathetic 26 yards on the ground in South Bend.

The front three will see a shuffle as senior Trevor Laws moves from tackle to end. He's a big dude at 6'1" 295lbs, but the other lineman could be giving up some size. Pat Kuntz is only 272 lbs and junior Justin Brown comes in at a slim 255. The underclassman bring some more bulk, like 340 lb sophomore Chris Stewart. Stewart is a converted offensive lineman, so we'll have to see if he can make the transition to the other side of the ball. You like to see more size in your down lineman in a 3-4, so maybe those younger guys will be thrown into the mix sooner rather than later. The UCLA offensive line can, and should, open some good sized holes in this line.

Like the Bruins, Notre Dame's linebackers run on the smallish side. Maurice Crum, who hit the century mark in tackles last season, figures to play a big role in this squad. He'll team up with senior Joe Brockington on the inside while two new faces will be asked to take up outside linebacker spots. Morrice Richardson and John Ryan are the leaders at this point for the starting jobs and they bring some speed. The sophomores are still new and raw, but should be settling into the positions by October. With the switch to four linebackers, this squad will be asked to lend support all over the field. The front four as well as the secondary will both need it this season.

Strong safety Tom Zbikowski leads up a secondary that gave up 24 TDs through the air last season. Seniors Terrail Lambert and Ambrose Wooden aren't the most imposing corners and they'll need to improve a lot if the Irish are going to slow down the Bruins. If Norvell can mix in some deep passes then Ben definitely has the arm strength to throw some bombs in this game. Breazell and Austin bring plenty of speed and they should really challenge this squad.

Special Teams

Geoff Price laid some booming punts last season, setting a school record in the process. He is back this season and the Irish punt team should be very strong. The big question mark is at the place kicking spot. Ryan Burkhart is tagged for that role but it could also go to walk-on if he struggles. In either case, the Irish won't want to leave the outcome of the game in their kicker's hands... or should I say leg.

The punt and kickoff returners, Tom Zbikowski and David Grimes, will take on those roles again this season. Grimes did a pretty good job last season, but Zbikowski will need to step up his numbers as the Irish we're ranked #88 in the nation in PR yards last season. With the new kick-return rules, Grimes will be someone that the Bruins need to contain. UCLA's special teams have been excellent the last few years, so I'm confident they'll get the job done this October.

The Verdict

This might not be the same Notre Dame program from years past, but any time you play the Irish it is a big game. The Bruins will need to be focused and pumped to take on a team with a lot of young talent and some very good coaches. The Bruins payed the price for being too conservative last year and Norvell, Walker, and the other UCLA coaches hopefully have learned their lessons for this season.

Notre Dame barely managed to squeak out a victory over the Bruins last season and that was with their star-studded lineup. UCLA returns pretty much everyone who made the trip to South Bend last year and the Irish have to replace their top passer, rusher, receiver, and big chunks of their defense. If the Bruins can come into this game with the same confidence, energy, and focus then they should win. You know our guys are eager to get redemption from last season's defeat. With a sold out Rose Bowl cheering them on, I think that's exactly what will happen.

CalPoly's prediction: UCLA victory. Record: 5-1 (2-1)

Notre Dame Numbers

Recruiting rankings for the last 4 years (Scout.com is the first number, Rivals.com is the second):

2007: #11, #08, 18 commits
2006: #05, #08, 28 commits
2005: #27, #40, 15 commits
2004: #30, #32, 17 commits

2006 statistical rankings (National ranking):

Total Offense : 23 .
Scoring Offense: 16 .
Rushing Offense: 72 .
Passing Offense: 13 .
Total Defense : 65 .
Scoring Defense: 67 .
Rushing Defense: 61 .
Passing Defense: 90 .

Game Info.
October 6. 5:00pm Pacific Time on NBC in HD!

More Reading

• ESPN Blue-Ribbon Notre Dame Preview.
• MSN Notre Dame Preview.
• NCAA Statistics.
  

(Photo credit: National Champs)