Bount Force Trauma

So I was watching a football game and a boxing match broke out. Wow, I've never seen something like what happened last night during the Oregon and Boise State game:



The Ducks got whooped last night. It was embarrassing for a team that was ranked in the top-25 coming into the season. No first downs in the first half. A baffling run call back on their own 2-yard line lead to a safety. Bad coaching, ill prepared, and no heart. I'm excited to play these guys!

Not to mention the post game activities.

I'm guessing Blount gets a 3-game suspension. *

* Editor's Note: Looks like Blount got a year-long suspension. Good for Kelly. Send a message.

Ewe-gene...

I think the final score was a bit misleading. UCLA could have and should have tallied up about 5-6 more interceptions in that game. Craft definitely took a step back tonight after putting up two solid efforts against WSU and FSU.

Overall though, I was pretty happy with the defensive play. Two big plays at the end of each half were back breakers. But for 58 minutes in the middle they played fairly well. Good enough for this team to get a win, that's for sure. The big knock was the poor tackling.

The onside kick call was gutsy and, I have to admit, not a good one. A big risk on a play that has a very small chance to succeed. With the momentum going UCLA's way and the defense playing tough, why take that risk? Not a good call, not at all. Neuheisel messed up on that one.

At the end of the day it was too many bad decisions and too many untimely penalties. That offense needs to figure things out. The inconsistency is killing us.

Let's just hope Austin is OK and gets back to the team very soon.

Opponent Spring Practices

Spring practice wrapped up last week and all our opponents have completed their sessions as well. Here is a look at the news stories coming out of those camps and what our boys might expect to face this fall.

Tennessee

The Vols have spent some time retooling their offense as well this April. Like the Bruins, Tennessee heads into the 2008 season with a new coordinator, three other new offensive assistants, a new scheme, new terminology and a new quarterback. Jonathan Crompton, a red-shirt junior, is the likely starter for the fall. He will be out of action for the next month after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow.

There will be more of an emphasis on the running game this time around and the Volunteers have a good one in Arian Foster. The Vols return all five offensive line starters from last season and they will provide a big front for Foster, who's closing in on Tennessee's all-time rushing record.

BYU

The Cougars return a very potent and experienced offense this season. One area to watch is their offensive line. A big and powerful group last season, they've been dinged by the injury bug this spring. BYU returns a lot of players at the skill positions including QB Max Hall who had good games against UCLA last season. Junior wide receiver Austin Collie had a good spring and he'll challenge the Bruin's inexperienced secondary this fall.

On defense, the Cougars lose standouts Kelly Popinga and Bryan Kehl. Following in their footsteps, junior Matt Bauman has asserted himself as the new leader of the linebacking corps. He had a good spring and the BYU defense is starting to gel despite not returning many players from last year's squad. Their secondary is young and there might be an opportunity for our offense to throw on them this year.


Fresno State

One of the goals of the spring for Fresno State was to add some depth to a team that returns 10 starters on offense. To help fascilitate that, the veterans didn't see a lot of reps during the scrimmage. QB Tom Brandstater only had 5 pass attempts while his backup took most of the snaps behind center. The Bulldogs have a new offensive coordinator his season in Doug Nussmeier and it will be interesting to see if he opens up an FSU offense mainly known for a strong running game. They have a lot of experience along the line, though many of those starters missed time this spring with nagging injuries.

While the offense is mainly set, the defense has some had some holes to fill this spring. The Bulldogs lost Marcus Riley and Trevor Shamblee, two of their best linebackers. In their place, a host of young players are looking to fill those spots. They also have to fill the shoes of Tyler Clutts, one of their best defensive ends. They don't really have any super stars on this side of the ball and they lack a true leader.

Arizona

The Wildcats remind me a lot of our own team. An inconsistent offense. A defense without any big super stars. They're a work in progress that always seems to be rebuilding each and every season and this team is still struggling to learn the air-raid offense installed last season.

One area where the Wildcats will have some experience is at quarterback. Willie Tuitama is back for his third season and he had a decent spring. He threw for 231 yards on 20 completions out of 36 attempts and one touchdown during the spring game. The running game looks decent and their offense could be exciting if it really gets going.

The defensive side is going to struggle this season. They have a lot of new faces and not a lot of a talent. They lose two of the best corners in the league with Antoine Cason and Wilrey Fontenot departing. They do have some guys stepping up in Devin Ross and sophomore Mike Turner; both had good springs. Highly regarded recruit, Robert Golden, is coming in the fall to add some depth in the secondary.

Arizona State

ASU had a break-out season last year, but will they continue with that success in 2008? RB Shaun DeWitty adds some depth to the Sun Devil's running game. Along with Keegan Herring, this team should continue to perform well on the ground. Carpenter was only able to complete 7-of-21 passes for 88 yards in their spring game. They still have a lot of problems with their offensive line and it doesn't look like they've solved those problems yet.

Erickson looks to add more of a spread-element to his offensive strategy. The team practiced with more four and five-receiver sets and tailback screens this spring. ASU might be making a name for itself as a defensive team this season. The defense was impressive throughout spring and dominated the spring game.

USC

Across town, the Trojans are getting ready for another dominating season. They had a battle at quarterback that everyone knew would end in Mark Sanchez getting the starting job. So it was no surprise when he came out of the spring game as the leader. Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp held their own, though, and the Trojans look loaded at the position for the foreseeable future.

One big piece of news was that Joe McKnight ended up missing the last week of practice because of eligibility problems. Those likely won't translate into him missing time this fall but it did give the other running backs a chance to shine. The leaders at running back for next season would be C.J. Gable, Staffon Johnson, and Allen Bradford.

On defense, junior cornerback Kevin Thomas, who missed the 2007 season because of a shoulder injury, has played well during the spring. He's already worked his way into the Trojans' third cornerback spot and he has the potential to take the job from starters Cary Harris and Shareece Wright.

California

The Bears had a lot of questions to answer this spring. The biggest one is who will be the starting quarterback? Nate Longshore has a lot of experience but he struggled mightily in Cal's downward spiral last season. Kevin Riley had his fair share of struggles as well, but he impressed in their bowl victory over Air Force. Unfortunately, Longshore missed the entire spring because of a pectoral injury. The decision, according to coach Tedford, could come as late as the week before their home opener.

Injures have also set back other skill positions on offense. Running back Javid Best is out with a hip injury. Which hurts because the Bears lost James Montgomery this off season when he transfered to WSU. Wide receiver Jeremy Ross is also sidelined with a sprained ankle. That leaves a lot of inexperienced guys getting playing time this spring and a lot of unresolved questions on the depth chart.

On defense, the Bears have been using a three man front during the spring. Redshirt freshman Bryan Anger has been wowing onlookers with his punting ability. He should help their special teams unit this fall.

Stanford

Like so many teams in the conference, the Cardinal are searching for a starting quarterback for the 2008 season. Tavita Pricthard, who lead them to their huge victory over the Trojans in the Coliseum last season, is the front runner at this point. He struggled, however, in their spring scrimmage where he only completed 12 of 28 passes for 106 yards. That leaves an opening for Alex Loukas and transfer Jason Forcier (Chris Forcier's brother).

Oregon

No team in the PAC-10 lost more offensive weapons this past season than the Ducks. The dynamic duo of Dixon and Stewart won't be wearing their Oregon uniforms this season and that has left the Eugene faithful asking a lot of questions about their backfield. They may of gotten at least one answer in LeGarrette Blout. The Duck's running game got a boost from the big, 235 lb running back. He bulldozed his way to 68 yards on just 5 carries during their spring scrimmage and he's drawing high praise and favorable comparisons to Stewart.

Oregon State

Oregon State struggled on offense last year but their defense kept them in a lot of games. Unfortunately for the Beaver Believers, that sturdy defense front seven won't be back this season. They did have some depth at linebacker and it looks like some young talent, including Keaton Kristick, Bryant Cornell, and Dwight Roberson will be an adequate replacement.

On offense, the Orange and Black get back standout receiver and return-man Sammie Stroughter. He'll be a big boost to a passing attack that had it's ups and downs last season under first-year quarterback Sean Canfield. Also back from injury is guard Jeremy Perry who missed all but one game in 2007 because of a broken leg. The rest of the offense was hit pretty hard by graduation, including the loss of running back Yvenson Bernard. They'll have a lot to work out this fall if they want to stay in the top-half of the conference standings.

Washington

The Huskies were delt a tough blow when they lost their best offensive lineman in center Juan Garcia with a foot injury this spring. A 6th year senior, Garcia was a second-team, all-conference selection last year, starting every game at center for the second consecutive year. Their line will be young and inexperienced, so it makes the loss of a seasoned veteran hurt even more.

After missing on hiring DeWayne Walker away from UCLA, the Huskies hired Ed Donatell, who spent 12 of the previous 13 seasons coaching in the NFL. Their defense will likely be a work in progress this season as their defensive line losses many of their starters. The Huskies are hoping to tap into some of their true freshman who enroll this fall at defensive tackle. That's not a good sign for the Dawgs as freshman rarely make an impact on the line.

Washington State

One of the stars of the Cougar's spring scrimmage was Michael Willis. The converted defensive back has been moved to wide receiver for the 2008 season. Willis pulled down 6 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown during the game and he could be a another big target along with talented receiver Bradnon Gibson. Of course the Cougs still need to find a quarterback who can throw to these guys. Fifth year senior Gary Rodgers is the heir apparent to Alex Brink but he could be challenged by junior Kevin Lopina, who had a solid spring.

Head coach Paul Wulff is also introducing a new no-huddle spread offense this season. He'll run that offense behind a veteran line that returns four starters but no stars at running back. Things are so thin at tail back that when the spring session ended, WSU only had one healthy player available. Chris Ivory missed part of the spring with injury and he has also struggled to stay academically eligible. Dwight Tardy also watched the rest of the team from the sidelines due to injury.

Wulff and his staff switched to a new 4-3 defense moving standout linebacker Andy Mattingly to defensive end. This squad has struggled with depth and injuries in the past and they still need to find players in their two deep after the spring. WSU' returns three returning senior starters at linebacker including Greg Trent but their secondary has a lot of holes.

(Photo Credit: AP Photo/Wade Payne. Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Oregon Highlights

Damaged Dixon

Dennis Dixon got hurt in the Ducks game against the Wild Cats tonight. His left leg buckled on a play and he is out for the game. The extent of the injury is not yet know but it looked serious. He might be unavailable for the game against UCLA next week. That could seriously change the dynamic of the game. Brady Leaf has replaced him.

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)