Play Within Yourself

There is an expression that you need to "play within yourself". I used to think that was just mindless coach speak. But when it comes to Kevin Craft, it's 100% appropriate.

Craft can't make long passes. He doesn't have the arm strength. But on short to medium routes, he's pretty good.

Craft can't carry the team to victory. He's a game manager. He gets into trouble when he tries to make something out of nothing. He forces passes into coverage, or just flat out makes throws he shouldn't.

When Kevin relaxes and plays calm, he's actually pretty good. He just gets worked up at times and starts making bone-headed mistakes.

This is why Prince is our future. His total numbers aren't much better than Craft, but he has the arm to throw the long ball and he doesn't try and force passes into bad situations.

I thought Craft did OK last night. I want Prince back ASAP, but Craft played decent. He was about 50-50. Half the game was good, the other half wasn't. That was better than mos of the games from last year.

Second Scrimmage of the Spring

So I finally got out to Spaulding field today. I was standing in the south parking lot with a number of other Bruin fans and we had a front-and-center view of the action. It was a tough evening for the offense and probably our best lineman went down with injury. A sign of things to come or merely growing pains for a young team? I sure hope it is the later.

I saw Kevin Prince for the first time tonight and came away impressed. During the warm-ups and 7-7's he definitely had the most "zip" to his passes. His passes got to the receiver fast, were accurate, and he has the best throwing motion of all the guys out there. He can throw the ball down field too as his arm strength is better than any UCLA quarterback in recent memory.

Brehaut looks like he has a lot of potential as well. He isn't as polished as Prince, but I think he can scramble better and is a bit more athletic. He was mainly running with the second team during the scrimmage so it is hard to judge how well he would preform against a tougher defense. But I liked the way he played and he's a real competitor.

Kevin Craft had a tough day. After Prince and Breahaut took the first two series, Craft was given a chance to run the offense. His first throw was picked off. This of course elicited a round of groans from us fans standing on the parking structure. He was immediately yanked from the field but got back out there later in the scrimmage. Right away, his second pass was almost picked off and would have been intercepted if the defender had hung onto the ball. I think Kevin pretty much confirmed that he won't be seeing the field this season.

The passing game was not good today. Not good at all. There were three or four balls batted down. Receivers were dropping passes. The quarterbacks, as a group, were really struggling. Prince, who looked really sharp in the warm-ups and 7-7's, ended up throwing two late interceptions. The pass protection was poor and that surely didn't help. I counted at least 5 sacks.

On the other side was the running game. Which I thought was pretty good. What really impressed me was the three freshman: Knox, Dean, and Franklin.

Franklin, who got reps with the 1st and 2nd string offense, is a quick dude. He cranked out a couple of really nice runs and he looked explosive getting through the holes. He really fights hard for those extra yards and I like him a lot. I think he could see some significant minutes this season.

Dean really showed some of that raw talent that intrigued us fans during his recruitment. He was a tough runner tonight as he bulldozed his way through the line. He carried the team forward during one of his series and punched the ball into the end zone for touch down. It was good to see him get some success on the field.

I finally got to see Knox play in a UCLA uniform. Man, it is hard not to think of Mo Drew when you see him. He looks so much like him. He even runs like Maurice, and he pin-balled out of a pile on one play and bounced it to the outside for a gain instead of a loss. He was tough to bring down, all be it with the 3rd string defense, and he had probably the flashiest runs of the day.

The receivers didn't have too many great plays tonight. Seeing Presely for the first time was fun. That guy is skinny as a rake but you can see that he has huge upside. He was running with the 1st string for much of the practice and had some nice receptions during the 7-on7's. Chris Forcier got out there a bit and even caught a TD pass from Craft; he made a nice move and juked the defender out of his socks. He has great speed and it would be great to see him out on the field in some way. The players must feel the same way as everyone went out of their way to congratulate him after the TD reception.

I have to say I didn't focus much on the defense. They played well, as you would expect. One interesting thing was Andrew Abbott(#26) ended up getting two late interceptions on Prince. I had to go look him up because I didn't recognize his number. He played well today as I think he broke up at least one other play. Maybe he'll see the field this season?

Another interesting play was on a run by Knox. He ran into a pile, bounced around, and ran back a few yards and to his left. He had nothing but open field in the flat and some blockers to guide the way. Knox is a fast dude and I thought for sure he was going to take it to the house. But he was caught from behind, after just a few yards, by Courtney Viney. It was a really nice defensive play.

The biggest news of the day was Kai Maiava getting injured. He went down on a run near the end of the scrimmage. He was in a lot of pain and the trainers came out to check on him. He sat on the ground for a long time, grimacing. He was helped off the field and didn't put any weight on his left foot. It looked like an ankle sprain. Not good.

So, all in all, it was a fun time out at Spaulding. The running game looked better than I expected but I left disappointed about how the quarterbacks played. I'm sure it is a combination of a lot of things, including the defense being familiar with our play book, but this offense still has a long ways to go before the start of the season.

Can't wait for the spring game next Saturday!

A Time for Change?

Should Kevin Craft get the hook next week? Will Chris Forcier be any better? After a dismal performance tonight against the Bears, including 4 picks and 12 points for the Cal defense, it is hard to imagine Forcier being any worse. Giving C-Force a few more snaps might not be such a bad idea.

I've been a Craft supporter this season. He's been madeningly inconsistant, but at times he puts together some amazing drives. But I think his luck (and my patience) are starting to run out. That's right... luck. He was lucky that he didn't have 4 picks and a blow-out loss against Oregon. Even against Stanford it was feast or famine for Kevin. His tendency to throw interceptions is really hurting this team and this week was another example of that.

I think getting Forcier into the mix is a good idea. He might not be the best QB... he might even be worse than Craft. But we're losing games with Kevin behind center. Trying to dig out of early deficiets and putting our defense in bad field position is killing this team. If Forcier can at least manage the game and use his feet to keep drives alive... then that would be a big improvement. I say we give Chris a few extra snaps during the bye week and get him ready to play against the Beavers.

Which Craft

The improvement of Kevin Craft is undeniable. In the first three games he was pretty bad, behind a bad offensive line. But as the line improved, Craft's numbers have gone from bad to pretty darn good. Here is his NCAA calculated QB ratings:

Tenneesee: 97.8
BYU: 103.4
Arizona: 70.3
Fresno: 134.5
WSU: 134.7

So the question is which Craft will show up in Eugene? Will it be the Kevin Craft from the begining of the season who threw 5 interceptions or the Kevin Craft who has thrown 4 straight touchdowns in two games. The Bruins are going to need another great performance this Saturday and continued improvement from Craft as the season progresses.

Craft vs C-Force

It was an interesting night at the Rose Bowl last Saturday. You don't want to draw too many conclusions from a spring scrimmage simply because the offense and defense are so vanilla. But hey, that's not going to stop me from comparing the two quarterbacks who took the most snaps... Forcier and Craft. Both had some nice moments and some missteps. I don't know if either really made a strong case for being the starter this fall but I think both could be serviceable quarterbacks in the future.

Kevin Pearson had these statistics and comments from Craft after the practice,

UCLA QB Kevin Craft finished 11-of-24 for 95 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He said it was tough to jump in with the first unit on such short notice and that his timing was a little bit off, partly because he has not gotten a lot of reps lately, and was largely indifferent about his performance Saturday.

"I don't think I helped or hurt myself at all," Craft said. "I just had to come out today with what I had and I feel like I have a lot of room for improvement. There is a lot of work that I have to do in the off-season."

I think it is important to note that Craft was also going up against the second team defense and he was playing with the first string offense. His competition percentage looks a bit low at first glance. Less than 50%. Some of that isn't on Kevin, though. A number of times he had to throw a very quick pass to avoid a sack. There were also a hand full of incomplete passes where the receiver went one way and Craft threw the ball another way. Those might very well be from him not working with that unit much before the scrimmage.

What I will say about Craft is that he seems fairly mobile. He's not exactly quick and not a scrambler like C-Force, but he can avoid pressure fairly well. He reminds me of Pat Cowan with the way he runs. He looked good on his bootlegs and he looked very comfortable stepping up in the pocket. Kevin definitely looked more comfortable with the pressure than Olson has looked in the past. That probably comes from the playing time he's notched over the last few years. Another thing with Craft is that he helped keep drives alive. They kept moving the ball with him under center, even if it was just barely getting 10 yards and a first down.

Forcier

Person gave these statistics and comments about Forcier

UCLA's Chris Forcier finished 4-for-6 for 52 yards in the spring game and looked more like a passer. He has shown a tendency to tuck the ball and run too quickly but looked more like he wanted to be in the pocket instead of being a run-first quarterback.

"I had a couple of good series in there and the one series we drove down the field I had a couple good passes and it boosted my confidence," Forcier said. "That's the biggest thing for me is staying confident."

Just as I noted with Craft, it's important to know that Chris was running with the twos against the first team defense. So we're grading on a curve with his results. That being said, the statistics above are misleading. Very misleading. Forcier may have only attempted 6 passes but the coaches called in far more passing plays than that. What happened was that Chris would take off running when the pressure came. Sometimes that would result in short 2-3 yard gains and other times it would result in a sack. In fact, he was sacked somewhere around 3-4 times during the scrimmage.

Forcier also had an interception on a head scratching pass. He tossed the ball deep but nobody was within 20-yards; well nobody besides the safety who promptly picked the ball off as it came his way. That may have been nerves as it came pretty early in the scrimmage. There was also a fumble with him at the helm but I couldn't tell if it was his fault or the running back. There were some bumbled snaps as well and that could be a problem with the 2nd string center.

In contrast to those misteps, Forcier did have a very nice series in the middle of the game. Probably the best of the night. He moved the ball quickly down field with some very nice passes that were crisp and right on the money. The team picked up 3 first downs on 4 plays and then a Ramirez run capped the drive with a touchdown. It was impressive.

If I had to choose

If I had to pick one to be my starting quarterback right now, I would choose Craft. He just looked more comfortable with the offense and he made fewer mistakes. I think Forcier, as a red-shirt freshman, has some good potential. If he can settle down in the pocket more and not take off scrambling at the first sign of pressure then he'll be a very good QB. His best drive came when he had his best protection and if he can just stick it out in the pocket longer, he'll have fewer sacks and short-yardage runs.

They didn't really air the ball out much, so I can't tell who has the better arm. In the 7-on-7 drills before the scrimmage, Craft looked like he zipped the ball in quicker and was more precise. I also think he makes better reads. He doesn't try to force the ball as much as Chris and I think that comes from his experience.

Neither of them, at this point, look ready to play in a real game. That's understandable given the lack of reps they've received with Cowan and Olson ahead of them on the depth chart. But with both of those guys on the mend, maybe the extra practice will give Craft and C-Force a little more polish on their games. With injuries plaguing Ben his entire career, I think we'll need both of them to stay sharp this season.

(photo credit: BeatSC.com)

Spring Scrimmage

Just got back from the Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl. All in all, it was a really fun time. The defense dominated but the offense looked better than I expected. I came away feeling pretty good about Kevin Craft and Chris Forcier as quarterbacks. Even Rashaan had some memorable moments.


When I rolled into the old Arroyo Seco, the team was just starting the "Bruin Walk". Good timing! It was cool to see the players make their way down to the stadium. The sad part was seeing Pat Cowan and Ben Olson limping along behind the team. One of the fans asked if Pat needed surgery and he said yes. Bummer. Looks like he is officially done. Coach Neuheisel stopped the scrimmage, near the end, and had Ben and Pat take a standing ovation from the crowd. It must be tough for these guys as Seniors.

The scrimmage started out kind of slow. The offense struggled in the first few series. It was ones vs twos, so Craft and the first string had a bit of an easier time. He put together a nice series on his second (or third, I can't remember) time out. Hitting Logan Paulson across the middle for a big gain. He finished that drive with a Theriot touchdown on a draw. Nice to see the FB and TE getting into the mix. Craft hit Ketchum for a TD on a drive that started in the red zone and he also threw one interception. All in all, a pretty solid performance. I think he'll be a serviceable QB.

Forcier and Rashaan had a harder time. Both had fumbles and some missed snaps. Forcier put together a nice drive, starting at mid field, that ended in a Ramierez touchdown run. He had some crisp passes and he has some speed when he's running. It was a no-hit scrimmage for the quarterbacks, so we really couldn't see how well these two would perform when scrambling. Chris also threw a terrible pick early in the scrimmage that was thrown downfield without an offensive blue jersey in sight. It was sort of a mixed bag from him tonight.

Rashaan struggled the most of the three. He had some problems with the snaps, as you might expect from someone who really hasn't played much at the position this spring. But he did have two "wow" passes. One went to Taylor Embree on a long pass to the far side. That kid made a great catch and I see why people talk about him. The other was a scrimmage ending toss to a walk-on (Pearlman, or something, I forget) that was a perfectly placed ball right over the middle for six. The rest of the time he had "happy feet" and he would take off running before he really needed to.

On defense, Brian Price and Reggie Carter both had good nights. The name that really stood out for me was Courtney Viney. He was involved in a lot of plays and I saw him on the field for a big chunk of the game. He picked off a Kevin Craft pass and broke up some others. He reminds me of Trey Brown. He isn't the biggest kid but he's good at keeping position and getting involved in plays that come his way. He might get picked on early this season, but I think he can handle it.

On the injury front, John Hale was on crutches. Guess he got hurt this last week. Craig Sheppard was pulled from the game early when he got hurt on a play and I guess Glen Love also went out late in the scrimmage. We'll see what happened to those guys tomorrow.

Anyways, enjoy the pictures (sorry, they were taken hastily with my cell phone). The announced attendance was 15K. It was a fun atmosphere and they tried to make it feel as close to a real game as possible. The only difference was that I had great seats on the 50 and got in and out of the Rose Bowl in less than 10 minutes. Ah, if only it could be like that during the season.

(Photo credit: CPBruinFan)

Who to Watch this Spring

Amidst all the madness that is college basketball, you may have forgotten that spring practice begins this Thursday. This is always an interesting time for college football teams. Last season's seniors are gone and the incoming freshman have yet to enroll. That leaves some players with a chance to step-up and stand-out before things really get serious in the fall.

Here is my list of players to watch this April. None of them played much, if at all, last season. If they impress the coaches in the next few weeks, however, you could see them on the field come September:

Kevin Craft (QB). Anytime you get a new candidate at quarterback, he is going to spark a lot of interest from the fans. Especially at UCLA, where our QB play has been a real sore spot in the offense. It was originally announced that Craft wouldn't be able to participate in drills and scrimmages this spring because of NCAA transfer rules. But it looks like that all got ironed out and he'll be throwing around the pig skin this April. I'm not sure if Craft will really push Olson or Cowan for the starting spot. He wasn't that highly recruited out of high school or junior college but some observers think he's a good prospect. He played some during his time at SDSU and Mt. San Antonio (his Dad, Tom Craft, was the head coach at both schools), so he should hit the ground running with Chow's offense at UCLA. How quickly he picks up the scheme compared to the incumbents and how quickly he gels with his new team will go a long way toward determining if Craft is a legit contender for playing time in '08.

Courtney Viney (CB). UCLA has a lot to replace in the secondary. Alteraun Verner is the only returning corner who started last season. With a lot of open spots, Courtney Vinney has an opportunity to step-up and claim one for himself. He impressed the bleacher bums with his play on the scout team last season. He was named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year and along with those honors come some big expectations for 2008. He'll still have to fight for playing time with Michael Norris and some of the incoming freshman this fall. If he has a big spring then it could be his position to lose.

Glen Love (FS). Glen Love spent a good chunk of last season recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in high school. Now the highly regarded red-shirt freshman is ready to compete for playing time at free safety. This is a position that's wide open and it likely won't get settled until sometime in the fall. Love is tall and big, standing tall at 6'4" and weighing close to 210 lbs. He has the physical skills to be a great safety but he'll have to battle for time with junior Aaron Ware.

Akeem Ayers (LB). Linebacker is another position with some slots to fill. Akeem Ayers looks to be one of the leading contenders for the job. He's a very athletic guy and he has a good frame for this position. He's making the move from defensive end into the linebacker spot and he could really excel here. Josh Edwards is hurt and that gives Ayers a chance to play with the first team this spring.

Steve Sloan (LB). I don't know if Sloan will overtake Reggie Carter for the starting spot middle linebacker role, but the Bruins really could use some depth at this position. I'm sure coach Howard is ready to start grooming someone to take over the position once Carter graduates after the 2009 season. Patrick Larimore is coming in this fall and the two will likely jokey for the Mike spot into the future.

Raymond Carter (RB). Big things were expected of Cater in the fall of 2007. All of those expectations came to a sudden halt when he tore his ACL on the second day of camp. Raymond likely won't participate in contact drills this spring. He hasn't completely recovered from knee surgery but assessing how well he has progressed will be important. He is expected to be 100% by fall camp, which will be just in time for him to fight for playing time against the talented freshman.

Sonny Tevaga (OG). It seems like the starting spots at offensive tackle and center are set with Kia, Lanis and Reed back. But the offensive guard spot is up in the air. It will be interesting to see if Sonny Tevaga, the younger brother of All PAC-10 guard Shannon Tevaga, can follow in his brother's footsteps. He's listed behind Nick Ekbatani on the depth chart, but Nick has been bumped from the starting spot a number of times through out his career. Tevaga could really push him for playing time.

Darius Savage (OG). He's in a similar boat. With the OG spot wide open, the big 335 lb Savage definitely has the size for the position. He's a strong guy with great upper body strength from competing in track and field. I like him on the o-line and I think the move was a good one from the defensive tackle spot. It seems like he was in the dog house with Dorrell's staff, so with a fresh start this might be his time to really shine.

Air Craft

Kevin Craft, a highly regarded juco quarterback, has given a verbal commitment to the Bruins. He was thought to be a lock to SMU (He was following June Jones from Hawaii) but apparently Norm Chow and Rick Neuheisel convinced him to come to Westwood. Craft is 22 years old and he has two years of eligibility remaining. He'll add some depth to the quarterback position that will lose two seniors after the 2008 season.

Craft is coming to UCLA from Mt. San Antonio College where he was the California Junior College Player of the year. He completed 60% of his passes while throwing for 4,231 yards and 44 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions. He played his high school ball down in San Diego and he spent a season at San Diego State University. His father, Tom Craft, was the coach for the Aztecs when Kevin committed. When Tom was fired, the younger Craft followed his Dad to Mt. SAC.

Craft could be a good substitute at QB for the next two years. If we, as Bruin fans, learned anything this past season, its that you can't have two many experienced quarterbacks. In the 2009 year, he could have a shot at starting. At that time, he'll be one of the only quarterbacks who has some on-field experience at the collegiate level.

I'm not going to get too excited about Craft until we see him in practice. He was given 5-stars by Scout, but that doesn't mean a whole lot for juco guys. Rivals only gives him 3-stars but they do put him on their juco top-100. He only had a few schools on his radar (Hawii, SMU, and UCLA) this year and, when coming out of high school, he signed with San Diego State. Not exactly an impressive list, but maybe this kid has just flown under the radar. His numbers at Mt. SAC and in high school were very impressive. At the very least, I think he'll be an adequate backup and he could play his senior year.

(photo credit: AP)