Just in case you thought the K-State game was going to be a walk in the park. Think again.
Prince is out and it looks like Brehaut is the starter. I like Richard and thought he looked good in the spring and fall.
Unlike many, I'm not that worried if Craft gets in there. Kevin is a warrior who will benefit from a much improved line and running game. He still makes bad decisions, but he's also another year wiser and more experienced in the offense; I think he could surprise us.
In addition to our continued bad luck with injuries to quarterback, we have four players suspended for the game on Saturday.
The biggest loss is Courtney Viney. The red-shirt sophomore did a good job filling in for Aaron Hester against Tennessee last Saturday. It looks like Sheldon Price is in the running for the starting spot. We'll see how much the Wildcats throw against him.
The other 3 players were backups on offense. Knox, Presley, and Carroll. All are talented but we have other guys that an take their reps without a problem. Maybe Thigpen will get in there and wow us with some big moves.
All of these players being unavailable might actually have some postive effect on the team. Now we have to play with more urgency and focus. With Prince in there, the team may have coasted a bit after the big win in Knoxville.
Showing posts with label Milton Knox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milton Knox. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Twenty Two Down, One to Go...
It looks like Everyone has signed that was expected to sign with the Bruins... except for one recruit. Milton Knox is still outstanding on his decision. Knox will announce tonight at 6pm on FSN Prime Ticket.
Hamani Stevens announced that he is heading to Oregon.
Once Knox's decisions comes in, I'll post my thoughts on the entire recruiting class.
Hamani Stevens announced that he is heading to Oregon.
Once Knox's decisions comes in, I'll post my thoughts on the entire recruiting class.
National Signing Day
Today is the big day for college recruiting and while there are usually very few surprises, there might be a twist or turn as they day unfolds. The last few hold-outs for UCLA are Milton Knox, Datone Jones, and Hamani Stevens. All three are expected to sign with UCLA but you can never be 100% sure until that letter of intent gets faxed over to Neuheisel's office. Milton Knox won't likely announce his decision until later tonight. Prime Ticket will have a show covering the local recruiting at 6:00 pm PST and it is anticipated that Knox will publicly announce his decision at that time.
On the recruiting front, the Bruins picked up another quarterback last night in Kevin Prince. He was leaning toward UCLA this past summer but he ended up switching his commitment to Washington. I guess with the addition of Norm Chow to the staff, the Bruin Dream Team was too good an opportunity to pass up. So the Crespi High signal caller will be Westwood bound. The only question is when? He may go on a Mormon mission and not enroll for another two years. He is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery after tearing his ACL during the season; so a gray shirt is another possibility with him not enrolling until January 2009 (and thus not counting toward UCLA's 2008 total count).
I'll have more on Signing day later.... stay tuned!
On the recruiting front, the Bruins picked up another quarterback last night in Kevin Prince. He was leaning toward UCLA this past summer but he ended up switching his commitment to Washington. I guess with the addition of Norm Chow to the staff, the Bruin Dream Team was too good an opportunity to pass up. So the Crespi High signal caller will be Westwood bound. The only question is when? He may go on a Mormon mission and not enroll for another two years. He is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery after tearing his ACL during the season; so a gray shirt is another possibility with him not enrolling until January 2009 (and thus not counting toward UCLA's 2008 total count).
I'll have more on Signing day later.... stay tuned!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Parade All Americans
The official list comes out this Sunday, but a few UCLA commits (well... possible commits) are going to get the honor. Parade magazine names 58 kids to their All American list and it is one of the oldest and most distinguished awards given to high school football players.
Milton Knox added the Parade distinction to the long list of honors he has received this off season. He was also named City Section player of the year after setting the all-time leading rusher and scorer marks as a senior. Knox is taking a trip to Notre Dame this weekend and his final decision on where he will be play should come very soon.
Aundre Dean was given the honor for an outstanding season at Katy High School in Texas. He helped lead his team to their 5th straight state championship this past season. Dean racked up nearly 2500 yards and scored 26 touchdowns for the Tigers. Dean still has UCLA high on his list but hasn't made his commitment 100% official.
If both end up at UCLA, which I think they will, then the Bruins will have a very dynamic running back duo for the next four years.
Milton Knox added the Parade distinction to the long list of honors he has received this off season. He was also named City Section player of the year after setting the all-time leading rusher and scorer marks as a senior. Knox is taking a trip to Notre Dame this weekend and his final decision on where he will be play should come very soon.
Aundre Dean was given the honor for an outstanding season at Katy High School in Texas. He helped lead his team to their 5th straight state championship this past season. Dean racked up nearly 2500 yards and scored 26 touchdowns for the Tigers. Dean still has UCLA high on his list but hasn't made his commitment 100% official.
If both end up at UCLA, which I think they will, then the Bruins will have a very dynamic running back duo for the next four years.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Big Recruiting Weekend
Today kicked off UCLA's big recruiting weekend. The program is hosting 18 of the 21 committed players on their "official" visits. They took in the practice today and will get a chance to talk with interim head coach Walker and the position coaches. The three players who won't be there are Milton Knox, Corey Harkey, and E.J. Woods.
Knox is off on a recruiting trip to Florida. Like most of the other Bruin commits for 2008, he is being heavily recruited since Karl Dorrell was fired. Knox has been to Westwood a number of times for unofficial visits, so his absence this weekend isn't something to panic about. But as the cloud of uncertainty hangs over the program, without a permanent head coach, it is hard to be sure if any of the recruits are 100% solid.
Harkey is playing basketball and couldn't attend. Woods went on a trip to Colorado. He said he plans to visit UCLA after a new coach is named.
Aundre Dean looks like he is not going to UCLA next year. All of the recruiting services removed him as a commit and his interest in the program is low. He may not take an official visit and the uncertainty of the coaching staff for next season has him looking elsewhere. The rest of the recruiting class has formed a bond, since they are all from Southern California, but Dean is the sole out-of-state player. I'm not holding my breath on him wearing the blue and gold next season.
For those attending, it will be an important weekend. Most of the players are taking a wait-and-see approach to their decision. If Walker is retained (even as the defensive coordinator) then I think the vast majority of this class will stick. If an exciting head coach is brought in, then it should keep them around. However if Walker is let go, then all bets are off. A number of schools, like Arizona State, having been pushing hard for these kids and I think a fair number would go elsewhere.
I'm sure DeWayne and the rest of the staff have quite a task ahead of them. It would have been easier if a head coach were in place already, but not much can be done about that now. I'm glad Guerrero is taking his time and interviewing a number of candidates. This is an important decision that will impact UCLA football for the next 5 to 10 years. No need to hurry up and rush it.
Knox is off on a recruiting trip to Florida. Like most of the other Bruin commits for 2008, he is being heavily recruited since Karl Dorrell was fired. Knox has been to Westwood a number of times for unofficial visits, so his absence this weekend isn't something to panic about. But as the cloud of uncertainty hangs over the program, without a permanent head coach, it is hard to be sure if any of the recruits are 100% solid.
Harkey is playing basketball and couldn't attend. Woods went on a trip to Colorado. He said he plans to visit UCLA after a new coach is named.
Aundre Dean looks like he is not going to UCLA next year. All of the recruiting services removed him as a commit and his interest in the program is low. He may not take an official visit and the uncertainty of the coaching staff for next season has him looking elsewhere. The rest of the recruiting class has formed a bond, since they are all from Southern California, but Dean is the sole out-of-state player. I'm not holding my breath on him wearing the blue and gold next season.
For those attending, it will be an important weekend. Most of the players are taking a wait-and-see approach to their decision. If Walker is retained (even as the defensive coordinator) then I think the vast majority of this class will stick. If an exciting head coach is brought in, then it should keep them around. However if Walker is let go, then all bets are off. A number of schools, like Arizona State, having been pushing hard for these kids and I think a fair number would go elsewhere.
I'm sure DeWayne and the rest of the staff have quite a task ahead of them. It would have been easier if a head coach were in place already, but not much can be done about that now. I'm glad Guerrero is taking his time and interviewing a number of candidates. This is an important decision that will impact UCLA football for the next 5 to 10 years. No need to hurry up and rush it.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Milton Knox is a Super Star
When Milton Knox committed to the Bruins this summer, everyone knew that UCLA was getting a good running back. As Knox has progressed though his senior season at Birmingham high school, it has become very apparent that everyone was wrong. Knox isn't good. He is a super star.A few weeks ago, the Birmingham running back set the LA city rushing mark against Chatsworth. If you think about that for a second, it is incredibly impressive. No other player in the history of the city of Los Angeles has run for more yards than Knox. There was also LA News story on family support for Knox. He has a lot of people pulling for him and he has definitely made them all proud this season.
This has been a fantastic season for Knox. His Birmingham team beat perenail power Notre Dame in front of a national audience on ESPN 2. He was the star of the game going on to score 3 touchdowns. That was all the more impressive considering how many future D-1 football players were lined up against him. The Patriots also beat Long Beach Poly and they could be headed to the Division 1 State Bowl game at the Home Depot Center. All in a days work for this team which also features future Bruin linebacker Donovan Carter. These two will be making headlines in Westwood in just a few years.
Here are some highlights from game against Notre Dame:
Some more great plays from the game against Long Beach Poly:
(photo credit: Evan Yee/Daily News)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Milton Knox is a Bruin
Well, everyone was saying Knox might commit soon after fellow teammate Carter decided. Carter gave his verbal this weekend and Knox gave his today. I'm very excited about this latest edition. Milton brings a swagger and a toughness that you don't find in all recruits. This is a huge addition to the 2008 and we're looking at the best Bruin class in a decade.I think he could be a game breaker and he is definitely built in the mold of Maurice Drew. He isn't very big, 5'8" 192 lbs, but Knox is a tough running back who can break tackles and bust through a crowd. He is an excellent pass catcher as well and, in almost every way, is like a clone of Drew. He doesn't have the top-end speed that Drew brings, but he's very quick with his direction changes and he's every bit as elusive.
Milton will probably set a number of LA city records this year. He is a 3-year starter at Birmingham and he's racked up a ton of yards in his tenure there. He rushed for 2,374 yards and scored 29 touchdowns last year. That effort earned him the Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year award as well as First Team All-State honors. Both Rivals and Scout list him in their top players for 2008 and he has earned 4 stars from both services.
Knox has, by far, the best YouTube video library of any recruit I have ever seen. There are definitely some prolific posters on the video service that love Birmingham High School. Here is just a sampling:
Here is the latest recruiting snapshot ( PDF ) that includes Harkey and Knox. That brings the total number of players to 21 for the class and the Bruins have only a few rides left to give out. The final targets are probably another lineman and possibly a defensive tackle. I'm sure the staff will keep a few slots available for the final big targets in the class.
(photo credit: Rivals)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
