Bruins Nation

Spaulding Roundup: Relaxed Barkley Calls Bruin Defense "Beatable," Calls Preparation For UCLA Not "Too Tough Mentally"

2009-11-25T16:12:48Z

He is really relaxed folks.

Yesterday we found out Trojan safety Taylor Mays doesn't think all that much about the UCLA-U$C* football game. It's "not that big a deal" for him apparently as he cares more about the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State. Well today we are finding out Mays teammate Heisman Barkley is not all that worried about taking on the Bruin defense (emphasis added):

"They play a pretty base defense, which is not going to be hard to see," Barkley said. "They're just going to play hard and get after you.

"So it's not going to be too tough mentally. . . . They're secondary is very impressive but, again, they're beatable at times."

All he left out was mentioning how he envisioned the Trojan offense slicing right through Price, Carter and Ayers. Barkley is feeling confident and good about himself because he will have Damien Williams and Anthony McCoy back in the lineup:

It was difficult to tell who was happier Tuesday -- USC receiver Damian Williams or quarterback Matt Barkley.

Williams went from doubtful to probable for Saturday's game against UCLA at the Coliseum, doctors clearing the junior to play after he tested his injured right ankle in practice.

"I didn't do anything totally crazy, just try to see if I can cut and move and how fast I can run," said Williams, who did not play in the Trojans' 55-21 loss to Stanford. "Straight ahead, I'm fine. There's a little discomfort cutting but not too much."

The return of Williams, coupled with tight end Anthony McCoy's progression toward a return to full strength, would help Barkley and the Trojans offense immensely against a surging Bruins team that ranks first in the Pacific 10 Conference in scoring defense and turnover margin.

Well, no doubt the Trojan offense will have an upper hand IMO if Williams and McCoy are 100 percent. They can give them that balance to complement the threats posed by McKnight and Bradford. Given what we have seen from our defense since the Tennessee game, I am still weary about our front-7 going up against their running attack. Although Barkley's comments about UCLA playing a "pretty base defense" is a little funny given what we saw last weekend at the Rose Bowl. The kid has a point since we have been voicing frustrations about it the whole season, but it's kind of odd to make that statement so publicly as an opponent after UCLA is coming off couple of games in which they mixed it up a little. Whatever, I am sure our guys will take note of Mr. Barkley's relaxed mindset.

Speaking of our guys, CRN and Brian Price are not discounting Trojans despite their recent struggles:

Despite the recent struggles, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel was quick to assert that the Trojans remain as physically talented as any team in the country.

"They aren't impostors wearing that uniform," he said. "We will have to play our best to stay close and hopefully get the game into the fourth quarter."

That's a big reason why Price, while willing to talk about how much USC annoys him, isn't willing to trash talk the Trojans as a program.

"They're still dangerous," he said. "We can't take them lightly because they lost a couple of games. They're not the same as they were a couple of years ago, but they are still 'SC."

They are still '$C* indeed. More on those clowns and other notes around this game after the jump.

Brian Price also noted what Taylor Mays apparently had to say during their bonfire in South Central:

"They had a bonfire I guess and he was saying that just because they lost a couple of games that they're still 'SC and we're still UCLA so they're going to beat us," Price said. "Something like that. Something disrespectful. I found it funny, but we're going to use it to our advantage."

Price then observed:

"You can't talk trash after getting dominated by Stanford and Oregon like that," he said.

LOL, and he also added:

"As the years go by, you grow to dislike them even more and more," he said. "They're so cocky and arrogant."

Man. I am going to miss the Big Bear. I don't know about but right now I am having a hard time sitting still till Saturday night to see the kind of emotion Price comes out with in (our home uniform) at the Mosoleum. You can sense the emotion that is already roiling up within him for this game.

As for this team-mates on the other side, the OL is looking to build on the performance from last weekend when they wore down the number 15 ranked defense in the country. Although the Bruins didn't rack up the explosive numbers from preview 9 quarters, they were grinding it out throughout the second half. It appeared Palcic's boys were softening up the ASU defensive front by pounding them away, and opening up holes for Chane the Train Moline. More importantly they were caught behind the line just 5 times. Not too shabby for the rebuilt OL that has been developing throughout this 09 season. From Jon Gold in the Daily News:

"Our defense allowed us to play more conservatively, and then our O-line did a great job protecting," Moline said. "At first there weren't too many holes, but the offensive line wore them down a little bit. As (senior fullback) Trevor Theriot said, it was old-style, power football."

If Tuesday's practice was any indication, it will continue to be.

Moline appears to be the Bruins' man of the moment this week as well after his first start following a three-carry, three-touchdown performance against Washington State in Week 10.

"Chane's been the man these past couple weeks," Maiava said. "His ability to read the holes and read the blocks is probably the best on our team.

"He's a senior and this means the most to him. Coach talks about keeping drives alive, and if we can keep just getting first downs all the way to a touchdown I'm OK with that."

While the conservative approached worked against ASU, especially after our defense gave us a cushion with 2 TDs, we can't count on that for Saturday. We will need lot more than Chane (as dependable as he can be) and CRN knows it:

UCLA used a safe-and-sane offensive approach in a 23-13 victory over Arizona State on Saturday. The Bruins had fullback Chane Moline at tailback and ground out yardage.

"That remains to be seen," Coach Rick Neuheisel said when asked if a similar game plan would work against USC. "I don't think we can do it wholesale. I think we have to mix things up. I just think we're going to need more explosive plays. That's going to require more than just having our 'bigs' on the field."

I am going to guess CRN and Chow will mix in substantial doses of JetSki, Franklin, Coleman and perhaps Thigpen from Saturday. I really hope this will be the weekend when the penalties will be minmized and all aspects of offensive execution will come together. If there is a game to make that happen this is it.

We have talked about defense and offense in this roundup. So, I will end with the special team which can potentially play a huge part this Sat. So far (except for kickoff coverage and returns) they have been solid:

An edge that UCLA appears to have over USC is on special teams.

The Bruins have the top field-goal kicker in the nation (Kai Forbath) and the nation's ninth-ranked punter (Jeff Locke).

They also excel in the ability to change momentum with blocked kicks.

The special teams, under coach Frank Gansz Jr., have blocked five kicks this season, three field goals and two punts, with two resulting in points. A blocked field goal by defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski was returned for a touchdown by Alterraun Verner against San Diego State. Linebacker Sean Westgate blocked a punt for a safety against Washington State.

"I love the man-on-man part of it," Westgate said about his punt blocking success. "You have to find a way to beat that guy any way you can. Then I get up and get to where the guy is kicking."

Well let's hope the Bruins can use the edge offered up Sean Westgate and rest of our special teams. Foster actually has a solid write up today on our kicking game featuring Fortbath, Locke, Reese (holder) and Younter (long snapper). Those guys have been money all season and we are going to need them in a huge way on Saturday, if it shapes up to be a classic nailbiting game.

I think the key will be for our team to keep it close early on. If we can slug it out in the trenches early on and turn this into a street fight at half time, we will have a shot. We need our defense to come out and attack the Trojans just like they went after it against Hardesty and Tennessee. They need to play out of their minds while on offense Prince and co. need to keep building on the confidence they have gained in recent weeks. Again, just gotta keep it close at half time and then look for the opportunity to pounce. We will have the mental edge as the pressure right now despite all the talk from South Central is all on Pom Pom.

GO BRUINS.

Beat $C* Week: Recap From The Bonfire Rally!

2009-11-24T23:35:49Z

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

So the bonfire worked out really well! A lot of alumni came out to the IM fields after the Pepperdine game. There was a pretty large crowd consisting of WAY too many freshman and sophomores (I was one of the few seniors out there). But the atmosphere was great nonetheless.

Anyway, after a few performances the lights went off and an amazing highlight video of UCLA football came on. I really wish I could find it for you guys because it was AMAZING. Unfortunately, most of the students weren't watching the video. Everyone turned their backs to the stage to look at the bonfire that they thought was going to happen right then. I tried to yell at everyone: "the bonfire is gonna happen after the football team comes on stage!!!" But many students stupidly pointed their cameras at the stack of wood waiting for something to burn. I am SO DISAPPOINTED by my fellow bruin students. At a time when we should be excited about the bright future of a growing football team, they just cared about watching things burn.

So shortly after the video, CRN came on stage with almost the entire football team. I am SO impressed by CRN. I remember my freshman year, the year we won 13-9, that KD came to the bonfire with a small handful of players. He said a few boring words and left. This year however, practically the whole team came out in full force.

We heard from ATV, Terrence Austin, Chane Moline, Reggie Carter, and Brian Price. When ATV got the mic, CRN asked him if he was getting two pick-sixes on Saturday, to which he responded "yes". Reggie Carter got really nervous on stage, but once he felt more comfortable speaking, he proceeded to mention the Landfair couch burning that happened after 13-9, and how he wanted to see more couch burning Saturday night (couch burning Reggie? Really?). He also ALMOST trash talked to '$C* safety Taylor Mays. Luckily, CRN ripped the mic out of his hand before he could provide any bulletin board material (phew!). Chane Moline said some encouraging words as well. Interestingly, I'm not sure "the train" is his nickname on the team. CRN called him something else but unfortunately I can't remember exactly what it was. Finally Brian Price came on stage and I helped lead the student body in chanting "one more year!". Apparently no one at UCLA knows or cares that Brian Price may leave this year (again very disappointing).

I got goosebumps as CRN spoke to us students. The football team led an 8-clap, did their pre-game chant, and sang the fight song. Then CRN talked about how our team gathered in their hotel before the Tennessee game and listened to "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. (Much better song selection than "Lean on me", in my opinion.)

So finally, they lit the huge stack of wood and we all stood there watching it burn. I began to reminisce on my four years here at UCLA. I remembered my first quarter at UCLA, ending in a heartstopping victory over Booty and the Trojans. I remebered Kevin Love's ridiculous outlet passes to RW. Or even better, RW's dunk on Longmire(too bad Steve Lavin was commentating). ATV's game ending interceptions, Eric McNeal, camping out in the rain for Arizona and Notre Dame, Harangody getting absolutely stuffed, and the goal line stand in Knoxville. But then I realized that one thing was missing. One more memory left to put it all together.

I can't wait to go to the Coliseum on Saturday, and we're gonna stick it to the Trojans.

See you guys there! Go Bruins!!!!

(This is my first FanPost. I have a feeling I didn't make this as polished as some of the great stuff here on BN, but I'll get better I promise!)

76 Classic Preview Basketball Podcast (Wed., 6 pm PST)

2009-11-25T10:27:56Z

The young Bruins are coming along, but they'll have to giddy up on the growth machine if they want to compete this weekend in the 76 Classic. Arguably the nation's deepest preseason tournament, the 76 Classic will be a major test for the Bruins with major tournament implications for UCLA, as unfair as it may be. #8 West Virginia, #10 Butler, #16 Minnesota and #19 Clemson will all join UCLA in the tournament to go along with Texas A&M, Long Beach St. and Portland.

On top of that extremely difficult tournament to preview, we will also take a look at UCLA's past two games and the strides the Bruins have made. Where are the Bruins still deficient and how quickly should we expect those things to be fixed? All of that will be taken care of in the podcast.

We'll also take any calls you have. You just need to follow these four steps:

1) Call (724) 444-7444

2) Enter the Call ID 68618 and press # afterward

3) When asked for your PIN, press 1#

4) Talk to us!

Call on in and share your thoughts and questions. If you can't call in, there will be an open thread to share any thoughts or questions and we'll work them in as well. You can listen to the show live beginning at 6 pm PST by clicking play in the box above and can listen to it anytime after the show by clicking that same play button or by heading over to iTunes. All of that tomorrow, 6 pm PST.

Pictures from the Rally

2009-11-24T19:52:39Z

Pictures from the Rally

The rally last night was actually really good (with some minor exceptions) in my opinion. CRN was absolutely hilarious and it seemed like there was a good crowd turn out.

66-19: Only 2 Numbers Our Players Should Be Thinking About This Saturday

2009-11-24T19:43:47Z

Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

If you don't know what those 2 numbers mean, allow me to paint you a picture of the last time I entered $UC's football penitentiary. The Bruins entered the U$C game in December 2005 ranked 11th in the country. We were (9-1) and 6-1 in the Pac-10. Everything was pointing to a potentially close and exciting game in Los Angeles. A few friends of mine decided to tailgate at U$C before the game. And the excitement really began to build as our bbq'ing went under way. We noticed some toddlers carrying their teddy bears. It wasn't until we looked more closely that we noticed the long strings attached around the Teddy's bears necks. And soon after, the triad of children began to taunt UCLA football, as they dragged those bears across the ground, one of them approached us and said, "You shouldn't have come here".

And with that omen, I began to assess our time in South Central. I will say, that I'm not exactly sure what kind of parents, poison their children against teddy bears. But I will also say that I pitied them, because my favorite stuffed animal as a child was a bear, and I could only imagine them worshipping some sort of Trojan Horse. Perhaps one that was widdled out of wood and represented the complete cluster F#@% of a crippled empire...I digress. Regardless of what these horrible children were saying, we trusted our team to show up on game day, and deliver a fight.

And with that, we entered a penetentiary that could only be up to $UC's standards. The seats were terrible as I could only imagine being in that stadium. We were surrounded by angry, drunk and bitter Trojan Bandwagoning fans. And as we were stuffed in to a corner of the stadium, for a brief moment I pondered an exit route...(just in case).

The game kicked off, and we were locked in to the moment. the UCLA fans started strong. After $UC's first drive ended in a field goal, a sense of security began to overwhelm me. And that is when the omen I had witnessed earlier began to rear its ugly head. "I shouldn't have come here" I thought, as $UC stuffed us at our 36 yard line,and we were forced to punt. Punt to survive seemed to be the tagline that day. The tagline of a Dorrelian coached team, that seemed soft, weak, and definitely didn't seem hungry for a win.

UCLA football showed up that day, but the players must have stayed on the busses, because the offense was stagnant, and our star Running Back MJD, had a mild presence (14 carries, 84 yards, 1 TD...Not bad). But it would be overshadowed by Bush's (260 yards, and 2 TD). What would eventually leave the distaste in my mouth was a combination of watching our team self destruct, and watching first hand, the cheap, and dirty play calling by Pete the Cheat, Carrol. It was clear in my mind that $UC wanted to pour salt onto UCLA's wounds. And with that, the few times we were able to stop their offense that day, Cheaty refused to punt and kick off the ball like an honest head coach. (For fear that MJD, would run it back for a TD and the UCLA football team would begin to gain momentum). If anyone else remembers this game, you can remember being frustrated in seeing a vanilla offense that ran up the middle EVERY FIRST DOWN. And kept our defense on the field way too long. Beyond that, I have forced myself to forget the rest of our offensive play that would eventually set up the following 3 years of Dorrel football.

That saturday became a blur of emotion, and disgust. But I will say, that in the 4th quarter, our Bruins began to fight. Unfortunately the combined 42 points that $UC scored in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, put us at a severe disadvantage.

And the rest is history...

So why am I asking that the players think of 66-19 going in to this week's game in penetentiary hell? Well, leading up to that 2005 game, I recall a lot discussions about UCLA being competitive and a team on a winning-streak-to beat. Our players seemed confident, maybe a little cocky, before that game. And what I saw translate into that game was a complete train wreck that I could not take my eyes away from. My hope is that with our 3 game winning streak, our team views this as an opportunity to redeem a 5-game losing streak. To break out of a 3 game winning streak, and to just forget about being on a streak in general. because if there is anything we learned from success, its that pride come before the fall.

UCLA needs to be hungry on saturday. To destroy any semblence of hope that $UC has for regaining momentum at the end of its disheartening season. I want to see our Bruins fight, scramble, and roll over U$C. That doesn't necessarily need to translate into a blow out victory. But I will not tolerate a team showing up on game day and leaving their desire to win behind. $UC will be coming out guns blazing, and our team needs to be ready to fight for every yard along those chains.

So 66-19 is in essence 2 numbers I want our players to be thinking about, when they come up against a team, that is going to want a "W" badly; to get the ringing in their ears, out, and the sour taste that was left from getting blown out by Oregon and Stanford behind. I hope our bruins make it to the field this saturday night and go straight for Tommy the Trojan's Jugular. No mercy.

BEAT $C, GO BRUINS!

Spaulding Roundup: UCLA-U$C* = "Not That Big A Deal" For Trojan Safety Taylor Mays

2009-11-24T13:52:01Z

More photos » by Matt Sayles - AP

Apparently this weekend's game is "not that a big a deal" for ~~Thorpe award finalist~~ Taylor Mays

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So it sounds like the Beat $C* bonfire (despite the poorly planned timing) turned out all right. Some good comments on the experience here, here and here. If you were there and took pictures and video, would love to see via fanposts or fanshots. It will get rest of us - who are away from LA - even more jacked up for Saturday.

Apparently all of this emotion and build up around this game don't mean all that much for marquee defensive player from cross town Mr. Taylor Mays. Found it in the Trojan beat report in today's LA Times (emphasis added):

Mays said the Trojans were "where we need to be" as they resumed practice. This will be Mays' fourth USC-UCLA game, but the Seattle native and son of a former Washington lineman remains more familiar with the Washington-Washington State rivalry.

"I didn't grow up a fan of USC or UCLA so it's not that big a deal to me. I know more about the Apple Cup," he said.

Well then. Not sure what to say in response to Mr. Mays. Apparently even though this game or the history around is "not that big a deal" to Mr. Mays, per the LAT report he might have "extra motivation" this weekend because he wasn't name as one of the finalist for the Thorpe Award, presented annually to college football's top defensive back. Apparently just because someone is a superstar from Chetey's program, it automatically entitles them to get slotted as one of the finalists for prestigious post-season awards.

Well we have no doubt Mays and his team-mates are going to come out (head) hunting on Saturday. They are going to come out breathing fire despite the typical Trojan bites they are serving up in the press this game week. Chetey knows that he cannot afford to lose this game because if he chokes on Saturday ... well the picture will not be pretty (plus who knows those NCAA "inspectors" enjoying the campus cafetaria in South Central might just feel a tad bit emboldended if their beloved Trojans look a little more vulnerable). So yeah, they are going to be in a desperate state of mind. As for our guys, our seniors know how special this game can be (remembering 13-9) and they are channeling in different approaches to get the young pups ready for hopefully what will be the game of their lives. More on the mindset of our seniors and our head coach after the jump.

Chane Moline remembers what it felt like when he was at the Rose Bowl in 2006:

"I thought I knew how huge it was, then I played at the Rose Bowl that day," Moline said. "That was an eye-opening experience."

Reggie Carter had his special moments from the waning moments of the game:

"That was probably the first time I've cried because I was happy," Carter said. "It was a minute left, we got the pick and the game wasn't over yet and we're at the game crying. I couldn't stop. I'm thinking, `It's not over yet,' then once that clock set zero, it was unbelievable. I started to breathe again."

Most importantly ATV recalls what it took for the Bruins to actually win that game:

We didn't turn the ball over, we played sound defense, they went for it a couple times and we came up with big stops," Verner recalls. "As a whole, we played smart. We did enough to win that game."

Bruins will have to replicate that formual again this Saturday if they want to compete and pull out a huge upset (which I believe they are capable of). As discussed yesterday we will need our defensive guys to stiffen up early. We can't be in the feeling out mode we have been in to start games all season. I really hope Chuck Bullough instead of waiting to adjust against the Trojan offense, will come out and attack early with throwing different looks from our base defense.

We can't allow Barkely to get comfortable. Just can't do that. I'd also like to continue to see us bringing Akeem around the edge and perhaps do the same with Price at the end as well, so that we can contain McKnight explosions to the outside. Also, speaking of containing Trojan weapons, Klein (from the LAT) has the following update on Trojan receiver Damien Williams:

Receiver Damian Williams tested his injured right ankle with some light jogging, but remains doubtful for UCLA.

Williams, who sat out against Stanford, spent the weekend watching TV, icing his ankle and stretching during commercials. He said he felt pain Monday, "but it wasn't, like, excruciating."

"I don't want to get my hopes up and not play," said Williams, USC's leading receiver and punt returner. "I'd rather say I'm not playing and then play. . . . You never know."

Coach Pete Carroll wants to believe that Williams will be on the field against the Bruins. The junior played through a hamstring strain against Oregon and Arizona State before suffering a high ankle sprain against the Sun Devils.

"He's the kind of guy that will find a way," Carroll said, comparing Williams to NFL veterans. "It takes experience and a kind of wherewithal to realize you don't have to be 100% to play. Damian's a little bit like that."

So to translate Chetey's sweet talk - Damien is going to play. He will be in there (even if he is not feeling healthy). Petey wants him in because after all it's a must win game for Pom Pom.

Meanwhile, CRN sounds pretty relaxed heading into Saturday. He knows he has already met the baseline expectations for this season that will help him to close out on a strong on the recruiting trail. He also knows he and his team doesn't have much to lose this Saturday:

"You talk about signature wins after you have them. Those are things you go back to," he said. "I don't think you ever talk about that on the front side. You're working your tail off to do your best every game. Who knows what will happen?

"All I know is we're going to play our best. We're going to prepare our best. Hopefully, it will be good enough. If it's not, we'll get ready the next chance. Some other game will have to be the signature win."

Sounds about right. An upset in this game will of course will more than just a rocket boost for the UCLA football program. It will effectively turn the table on recruiting dynamic for a while. Yet the heat is really on Southern Cal because if they cannot hold serve in this game after the kind of season they have had ... well as I said we will leave the Trojies to imagine those consequences.

Lastly, just in case there was any doubt, here is the report from Jon Gold on UCLA wearing its home uniforms this weekend:

UCLA will wear its home jerseys at the Coliseum on Saturday, part of an agreement USC head coach Pete Carroll made before last season's game that led to a rule change by the NCAA.

Last season, the Trojans wore their cardinal and gold jerseys in the Rose Bowl and were penalized with one stripped time out, while Neuheisel quickly evened the score by calling a timeout of his own.

After the season, the NCAA decided to lift the rule that required visiting teams to wear white, making it a game-by-game decision by individual conferences.

Carter, though, remains color-blind.

"Cardinal, blue, red orange, I don't care what I'm wearing," Carter said with a smile. "It's great to be wearing our home jerseys. But if we wear yellow jerseys, I'd be OK as long as I could hit somebody."

Gotta love Reggie's passion. It is going to be something special watching the UCLA play in that setting in Bruin blue. Then again apparently all of this "not that big a deal" for Mr. Taylor Mays.

GO BRUINS.

Pepperdine at UCLA 2nd Half Highlights. First half highlights here.

2009-11-24T06:47:44Z

Pepperdine at UCLA 2nd Half Highlights. First half highlights here.

UCLA Beats Up Pepperdine 71-52, Takes Another Step Forward

2009-11-24T06:25:02Z

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

Pepperdine's Taylor Darby getting a little taste of Ben Ball

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So the Ben Ball warriors did exactly what they needed to get done tonight against Pepperdine Waves. Coming into this game they need to play a game in which they got off to a decent start in the first half, played solid defense for the entire game, hit their FTs, and be selective with their shots in a classic Ben Ball game. Well they did just that against an inspired Wave bunch (who must have been reading press thinking our guys are vulnerable) by putting together their most improved performance of the season to date.

Bruins win by a final score of 71-52. Here is the box score. The player of the game tonight was MR, who had his best game as a senior with 17 pts, 5 assists, 2 rebounts, 1 block and 1 steal. Hopefully this is just the beginning for MR in what was his most fluid performance of the season. In addition to MR, Coach Howland got another solid effort from DG who led all scorers with 18 points, 9 boards and 3 blocks. I wrote in the comment thread how DG has been bringing it with his sheer tenacity and hustle every game (emerging as early candidate to claim himself to be the heart and soul of the team). ML also looked good today as he contributed with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and an assist.

The Bruins throttled Pepperdine to 19 of 46 shooting (41.3%) giving us glimpses of the Ben Ball warriors we have seen in previous years. Our on ball defense looked a little better and our rotation has certainly improved from our previous outings. We also shot better making 54.3% of our shots (25 of 46) as we did a decent job of with our shot selection and also benefitd from some great interior passing (MR gets a lot of credit for that). Oh and we were solid from the FT line today making 13 out of our 15 freebies. So can't really complain there. Of course as always, we have to keep this performance in perspective. More on that after the jump.

We after all just beat Pepperdine who haven't done much this season that's worth noting. We will have a better idea of our team when they take on Portland Pilots, a team that has started the season 3-0 which includes a victory over Oregon Ducks. We will have to wait to get updates on JA who went out with cramps and wasn't able to return in the game. Replacing JA, Abdul Hamid did all right, scoring 10 points (4 of 6 shooting including 2-4 from the 3), 3 assists and 2 TOs. However, I don't think he is the long term answer when we take on tougher competition. I really hope Coach Howland thinks about using more of MM, who I thought looked comfortable out there, even though he is still a raw freshman.

Bruins also have to do a better job of rebounding. The final stat sheet showed a tie in the rebounding department (26 a piece). I don't think that's good enough given the size we have in our front court. We also need to cut down on sloppy possessions. JK had two really bad possessions on back to back occasions turning the ball over with lazy passing. We can't afford that kind of plays from our senior starter. As a team though we turned the ball over 11 times, which wasn't too shabby.

Still I would consider tonight's game a positive step forward. It will give our guys something more to build on after getting encouraging results against Bakersfield the game before. Now if we can get JA fully healthy and come back out on Thursday and show the same hustle and intensity on both ends of the court to get us another victory, we will be in decent shape given where we were at to star the season. This is all part of the growing process with this young team. Lot of us are enjoying it because we knew it was going to be a long journey. If you don't want to be on our trip right now, don't try to jump back on the bandwagon when the engine starts clicking on all cylinders.

With that ... I will turn this court back to you. Fire away.

GO BRUINS.

Center Court: Ben Ball (Pepperdine) Open Thread

2009-11-24T03:00:12Z

by Lori Shepler - AP

Coach Howland will be looking for sharper defensive effort from his underclassmen tonight

View full size photo »

Lost amidst all the drama around Nikola Dragovic, we have some Ben Ball action tonight. It's the third regular game of the season for 1-1 UCLA Bruins against 1-2 Pepperdine Wavers. Given the inexperience of our Ben Ball warriors, everyone of these pre-season games take on a certain sense of urgency because they are all invaluable for Coach Howland to prep our guys for a tough conference season.

Since Dragovic is going to be out for the second straight game, JK is going to get the start. He had a great game in his last outing as many thought he was our MVP in Bruins' first win of the season. We are going to need JK more than ever (along with MR) to bring some senior leadership in our team and settle down the underclassmen by playing steady on both ends of the court. Speaking of steady, we will also be looking for improvements from both JA and ML in our backcourt. If you want to read up on some more game day notes you can read a roundup here.

Tip off is scheduled for 8:00 pm PST (which means if you are on campus and want to make it to the Beat $C* bonfire which starts at 9:30 pm PST ... well I don't know what to tell you). It will broadcast live on FS West. You can also follow the game via official game tracker over here. For those who are following the game along this open thread, as always please free to share updates and scores so that other BNers across the nation who might not be fortunate enough to get live broadcast can follow along the fun. Here is to our guys building on what they showed in (sustained) flashes during second half of our last game.

So let's get this party started. Fire away.

GO BRUINS.

Kai Forbath Named One of Top 3 Finalists for Lou Groza Award

2009-11-24T01:46:50Z

Kai Forbath Named One of Top 3 Finalists for Lou Groza Award

Kai Forbath is one of the top 3 finalists for this year's Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, which goes to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker. Can you think of anyone who deserves it more?

Beat SC Football Podcast Open Thread (5 pm PST)

2009-11-24T00:00:15Z

It's the City Championship and with it, beloved Beat SC week. What better way to get the UCLA juices flowing than with a good UCLA football podcast. The Bruins are bowl eligible thanks to their win over Arizona St. last weekend and we'll recap everything from that win at the Rose Bowl. We'll also spend plenty of the time previewing the Bruins clash with the Trojans. Where do the Bruins hold an edge and where do the Trojans hold an edge? How do the two teams matchup and what are the keys to a UCLA victory. We'll even dabble in what is an unbelievably complicated possible bowl scenario for UCLA.

We'll also take any calls you have. You just need to follow these four steps:

1) Call (724) 444-7444

2) Enter the Call ID 65238 and press # afterward

3) When asked for your PIN, press 1#

4) Talk to us!

The USC game is always a special one so if you want to contribute with your favorite stories from the UCLA-SC rivalry, have at it. You can call in or you can use this, your open thread, to share with us.

Kicker Kip Smith commits to Bruins

2009-11-23T21:01:17Z

Kicker Kip Smith commits to Bruins

This link doesn't have the news, but scout.com shows him as a UCLA commit. He is a former Minnesota commit who has blasted a 67-yard FG, so he obviousloy has a huge leg. Since Forbath is a junior this is a great pickup. Hopefully he will continue the tradition of great UCLA kickers.

BN Pac-10 Power Poll: Week 12

2009-11-23T20:15:14Z

It's all down to one game. Too bad we have to wait a week for it. Oregon's thrilling overtime win over Arizona in Tucson has set up a Civil War game for the conference and Rose Bowl berth. It's amazing what a single week of games can do. From unbelievably complicated scenarios for the conference title to a simple, winner take all contest. Elsewhere, we had Stanford falling at home to Cal in The Big Game despite Toby Gerhart's huge game because Shane Vereen had a bigger one. UCLA's win over Arizona St. also gave the conference seven bowl eligible teams.

Player of the Week: Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon- Shane Vereen had an outstanding game on a ridiculous 42 carries, but Masoli topped him in the Ducks' win over Arizona. Masoli ran for only 61 yards, but threw for 284. Most importantly though, Masoli threw for three touchdowns and ran for three more to account for every Oregon touchdown.

Stat of the Week: 7- UCLA's win over Arizona St. made them bowl eligible with six wins, the first time since 2006 that the Pac-10 had seven bowl eligible teams.

Game of the Week: UCLA at USC, 7:00 pm, FSN- It's the Los Angeles City Championship as the Bruins and Trojans square off at the Coliseum. UCLA has won three straight and have their arrow pointing up. USC has lost two of three and their arrow is pointing down. No matter the records though, the arrow goes in whatever direction this game does.

Pac-10 Power Poll

1) Oregon Ducks, 9-2- You don't win the Pac-10 just by being good. You need to get a little lucky too and Oregon got a bit lucky in their win over Arizona. When you combine a little luck with a lot of talent, you've got yourself a conference title contender and that's what the Ducks are. They'll take on Oregon St. in a game that's not your ordinary Civil War. That will determine the conference champion and lucky for the Ducks, it's at Autzen. Unlucky for us, it's in two weeks. Last Week: 1

2) Oregon St. Beavers, 8-3- Yet another dominating offensive performance by Oregon St., but because it was against Washington St., it wasn't nearly as impressive as the previous ones. The best thing that happened to the Beavers was Oregon and Stanford beating, taking any of the other variables away and giving them a win and you're in shot at the Rose Bowl. It should be interesting as Sean Canfield is completing over 70% of his passes and Jacquizz Rodgers ran for another 100+. Last Week: 3

3) Arizona Wildcats, 6-4- The Wildcats are good. In fact, they're very good, but they've yet to take the next step and don't quite know how to finish games. That was evident in their heartbreaking loss to Oregon that knocked them out of Rose Bowl contention. Nick Foles looked back to his old self, slinging the ball around like a pro, but the defense couldn't hold and the Wildcats are back in familiar territory, wondering, "what if?" With Arizona St. on Saturday though, they can't afford to sulk. Last Week: 4

4) California Golden Bears, 8-3- Stanford had stolen Cal's thunder in becoming the top team in the Bay Area. All the talk was about Toby Gerhart and the Cardinal. Well, the Bears couldn't stop Gerhart, but they did have a running back of their own to answer. Shane Vereen carried the ball a mind-numbing 42 times, rushed for almost 200 yards and found the end zone three times as the Bears topped the Cardinal 34-28 to reclaim their spot as the Bay Area's best. Now, they rest for a week. Last Week: 6

5) Stanford Cardinal, 7-4- Maybe they're not ready for the top of the Pac-10. Coming off of a pair of great wins over Oregon and USC, the Cardinal were poised to continue their run and take control of the Bay, but they couldn't stop the run. Despite Gerhart running for 136 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries, Stanford threw the ball 30 times, completing only ten of them. You have to wonder why Gerhart didn't see more of the ball and Jim Harbaugh is thinking the same as Notre Dame comes to town. Last Week: 2

6) USC Trojans, 7-3- If you're USC, you have to love the bye week. After being waxed in two of their past three games, the Trojans have plenty to fix. The bye game gives them that opportunity, even if it means they have to think about their losses for a little while longer. If they think the heat they caught after being drubbed by Stanford was bad, it's nothing compared to what they would face if they lose to UCLA. This is a team that will come out playing with fire Saturday, but they will need more than fire. Last Week: 5

7) UCLA Bruins, 6-5- Up three, down five, up three. It's been a rocky year for UCLA, but after beating Arizona St. thanks to two defensive touchdowns, the Bruins are definitely trending up. A win over USC on Saturday would send this team from trending up to catapulting up though in what could be a program defining win for Rick Neuheisel. It won't be easy though and the Bruins, despite their wins, still have plenty of kinks to work out if they want to contemplate topping the Trojans. Last Week: 7

8) Washington Huskies, 3-7- When you have to look to bye weeks for positives, you're usually in trouble. That's not the case for Washington. Yes, they are a bad team, but they're better than last year and recruiting is going well so there is hope. A win in the Apple Cup on Saturday will seal what must be considered a positive season when you consider they were win-less just a year ago. Winning a rivalry game is never as easy as it seems though. Last Week: 9

9) Arizona St. Sun Devils, 4-7- It's five straight losses and counting now for Arizona St. Dennis Erickson has to start feeling some heat soon and a loss to rival Arizona on Saturday will really put the pressure on the ASU head coach. If they want to beat the Wildcats, they'll need a quarterback who can throw the ball. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as if they have one, while another six turnover game like they had in their loss to UCLA will eliminate all hope of coming out on top. Last Week: 8

10) Washington St. Cougars, 1-10- The tradition. The intensity. The drama. All great things about rivalry games, but when you're Washington St., the ability to salvage a season is tops on the list of the best things about them. It has been a dreadful year for the Cougars and it's unclear how much better things will be in the future, but a second consecutive win over rivals Washington will give the Cougar faithful something to hang their hat on. Finding a healthy QB is step one to winning. Last Week: 10

Spaulding Roundup: Trojans Open As 13 Point Favorites, Team Stats And Other Beat $C* Notes

2009-11-23T13:46:06Z

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

Bruin defense has been pretty opportunistic last two games (+9 in TO margin). Here is to them staying on that torrid pace on Sat.

Browse more photos »

We will not link to any kind of online sports betting websites here. However, for those who are wondering the opening line for Saturday's game has the Trojans has 13 points favorites. It will be interesting to see which way the line moves this week. Our side has the momentum heading in with a 3 game win streak but I kind of agree with this line because we are still taking on (at least on paper) the most talented team in the conference (and one of the best in college football). The Bruins might be feeling good about themselves right now. Before they get a little to carried away though, they just need to think back to how they are feeling and had theirs chests all puffed up heading into Stanford game with a record of 3-0.

I expect UCLA to win every time we take on Southern Cal no matter what the circumstances are and who is coaching or quarterbacking the team. That's the lesson I took after watching that Barnes2JJ magic (I will not call it miracle because this kind of stuff seems to happen a lot in this game) in person. If folks want to go back through BN archives they can read up the posts leading up to the games last four years. No matter what the situation were we always expected our team to win. This year more of us have a little confidence because it seems like our defense is getting a little stronger and our offense is showing signs of maturity. For the first time in four years we are going into a game with a team which has a little something on both sides of the ball. In prior years we would have one or the other (we had strong defenses in 08, 07, and 06, while went in with a strong offense in 05). We will see what transpires on the field on Saturday. I think if we can put together the best practice of the entire season and translate that into an amazing effort of smart football, we are going to have a great shot.

Here are the numbers at quick glance between the two teams:

NCAA Stats	UCLA	U$C*
Offense Pts Scored	22.6	27.5
Defense Pts Allowed	20.6	21.7
Total Offense Yds PG	341	400
Rush Yds/G	115	181
Pass Yds/G	226	219
Rush Yds Allowed/G	146	136
Pass Yds Allowed/G	193	212
Turover Margin	0.73	-0.31

So what's the deal? Let's talk some more about it with other football notes after the jump.

I think the biggest worry I have heading into Saturday is how the heck will our defense contain Allen Bradford and Joe McKnight. All season our defense has taken a while to get it going in every game. We saw just last weekend how our defensive front 7 made the ASU RB look like an All Pac-10 back in the early going before settling down and making adjustments. I am not sure if we are going to have that luxury aganst Bradford and especially Knight.

I am already having nightmares thinking about McKnight coming around that edge and exploding through our LBs and DBs. CRN is saying that UCLA will try to take a balanced approach in facing U$C*'s defense (despite Heisman Barkley's recent slump):

USC freshman quarterback Matt Barkley's recent struggles — he had thrown three interceptions in the Trojans' loss to Stanford — will not change UCLA's game plan, Neuheisel said.

The Bruins will not become blitz-happy, but attempt to maintain a balanced attack.

"I don't think you can be ever just one thing," Neuheisel said. "You have to be diversified and give different looks. Barkley is obviously a huge talent, but they can't manufacture more experience for them. We can't give them one look that allows them to be comfortable."

That sounds right. However, I'd like to see our defense bring the pressure early from different directions and mix up our looks. Obviously everyone is excited about Ayers lining up at the end deviating from his base 4-3 look he has been using most of the season. I also liked having Brian Price coming off the edge last weekend (which led to the fumble recover for TD late in the first half). I think against this Trojan offense we will have to do some of the same things to rattle the freshman QB. What we cannot afford do is what we did against Cal when we let Kevin Riley getting in rhythm early. If we let Barkely get in same kind of rhythm early on like we allowed Riley to get in, it might be a long night at the Mosoleum.

Keep an eye out on the injury report for the Trojans this week. Damien Williams has been nursing an ankle injury. He didn't play against Stanford and per Gary Klein of the LAT he is scheduled to do some "running" today. He is obviously a huge weapon for them adding more balance to the explosive threats out of the backfield.

There wasn't much news coming out of Spauling yesterday. Sounds like the coaches (very prudently) are keeping a very low profile. So the reporters were resorted to asking boring questions about whether Brehaut is going to see any more action and latest of Hester's injury status. If you care about reading them you can check out the beat reports here and here. I am honestly not all that worried about Brehaut. His situation will work out. I know his red shirt season got burned this year. I am honestly not all that worried about it and we have another great QB recruit coming in next year. Given how CRN has handle situations such as Hasiak, kept Craft completely committed to the program, I have no doubt he and Chow will sit down with Brehaut to figure out the best course for his development (which might include the option of redshirting his sophomore or junior season).

Going back to Kevin Prince, I am excited for him on Saturday. I think Saturday presents a big opportunity for him. While he has gained some obvious confidence in his throws downfield, I think he has also added another dimension to his game in terms of sharpening his pocket presence. His decisions in terms of when to throw away the ball or when to take off for a scramble has been great. That 68 yard run against Washington State didn't look like all that much of an aberration given how he picked two huge first downs with his feet against a defense like ASU. It will be fun to see what kind of package Chow schemes up for him on Saturday.

With that, I'd love to hear your early thoughts on Saturday in terms of game planning and strategery. What do you think we should be looking for? Let's use this thread to get that discussion going this Monday. Of course if you have detailed thought you want to throw up put them in FanPost. It is going to be a loooooong week to wait for this kickoff. Might as well enjoy it.

GO BRUINS.

Non-Revenue Sports Bruin Review and Calendar

2009-11-23T09:04:15Z

Freshman Chandler Hoffman scored the game-winning goal in his first NCAA Tournament match (Photo Credit: Official Site)

Women's Soccer

The first-seeded Bruins were all set to face Virginia in what has become an every other year NCAA Tournament game. After beating the Cavaliers in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Tournaments, the two took to the field again last Friday night with a spot in the NCAA Quarterfinals on the line. It only took until the fourth minute for the Bruins to get on the board when Dea Cook scored off of an inch perfect corner played in by Lauren Barnes. After that, Sydney Leroux tallied twice to beat the Cavs, 3-0. Leroux's two goals gave her eight on the postseason, a UCLA record just three matches in and it also gave her 23 goals on the year, tying the single season mark set by Lauren Cheney as a sophomore. Cheney, now a senior, picked up an assist on Leroux's first goal and is now tied for the school record for points in a career. UCLA will now play second-seeded Portland in the Quarterfinals on Saturday at 5 pm PST. The match-up has become the west coast's top rivalry that has produces a series of intense and ultra-competitive matches. This edition of the rivalry will be hosted by UCLA at Drake Stadium and the winner will advance to the College Cup.

Men's Soccer

Since advancing to the National Championship Match in 2006, the Bruins had not made it out of the NCAA Tournament's second round. That changed when UCLA, seeded sixth and recipients of a first round bye, defeated Sacramento St. at Drake Stadium, 2-1. The scoring started in the 31st minute when David Estrada was brought down in the box and earned a penalty kick, which was converted by Kyle Nakazawa. In the 75th minue, Sacramento St. equalized, but it took only five more before Hoffman Chandler got on the end of a cross and finished for the game-winning goal. Next up for the Bruins is a Round of 16 match-up versus unseeded UC Santa Barbara in a rematch of the 2006 title game. That match is scheduled for Sunday at 5 pm PST at Drake Stadium.

Former UCLA keeper Nick Rimando won MLS Cup MVP honors as his Real Salt Lake team beat the LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup. The match, which went to penalty kicks, was the second consecutive penalty kick win for Rimando after he was victorious a week earlier in the conference championship match that went to penalties.

Women's Volleyball

#7 UCLA entered the weekend just a half game out of the Pac-10 lead, but following the weekend, might as well kiss their conference title hopes good bye. The weekend began with an easy win at Oregon St., 25-20, 25-23, 25-16. The weekend's next match, the Bruins' final road match of the regular season, went much longer, was much tougher and had a much different result. #18 Oregon battled back from a UCLA 2-0 set advantage to defeat the Bruins in five sets and drop UCLA to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in the Pac-10. Now, the Bruins must win both of their matches versus the Arizona schools this weekend at home, while also getting a Cal win over Stanford and at least one win from one of the Oregon schools over Washington. That would put the Bruins into a tie, with tiebreakers I don't feel like figuring out right now.

Women's Basketball

After a rocky start to open the year, coach Nikki Caldwell's team got back on the winning track last week. A school-tying record 12 three-pointers paced the Bruins as they thrashed Hawai'i, 98-52, in a game where freshman Markel Walker's 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight steals left her just two steals shy of a triple-double. In their next game, it was all defense as UCLA held Utah to 24% shooting and 33 points in the Bruins' 69-33 win. Now 3-1, UCLA will host Princeton on Wednesday, then play at #5 Tennessee on Saturday in a game that will be shown on Fox Sports South.

Women's Swimming and Diving

At the Toshiba Classic, the Bruins finished third overall, behind Cal and Stanford.

Cross Country

Shannon Murakami and Marco Anzures received berths to the NCAA Championships and will be the lone Bruins in competition on Monday.

Men's Volleyball

In the SAC Tournament, hosted by UCLA, the Bruins took two of their three matches. The Bruins lost to UC Santa Barbara, but beat Cal Baptist and Cal St. Northridge.

Men's Water Polo

The MPSF Tournament begins on Friday at USC with the Bruins playing Pepperdine. Because only four teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament, UCLA will need at least a MPSF Tournament Final appearance to have a chance at a NCAA Tournament bid and may need to win it.

Softball

A pair of victories, one over Biola and one over College of the Canyons, ended the Bruins' fall slate.

Baseball

The Blue team swept the Gold in the Blue-Gold World Series. I'll have a couple pieces that include quotes from Coach Savage in the next couple weeks.

Calendar (all times pacific)
Monday, November 23
Cross Country, NCAA Championships, All Day- Terre Haute, IN
Wednesday, November 25
Women's Basketball vs. Princeton, 7:00 pm- Pauley Pavilion
Friday, November 27
Men's Water Polo vs. Pepperdine (MPSF Tourney), 3:00 pm- Los Angeles, CA
Women's Volleyball vs. Arizona, 3:00 pm- Pauley Pavilion
Saturday, November 28
Women's Basketball at Tennessee, 12:00 pm- Knoxville, TN, TV: Fox Sports South
Women's Volleyball vs. Arizona St., 3:00 pm- Pauley Pavilion
Women's Soccer vs. Portland (NCAA Quarters), 5:00 pm- Drake Stadium
Men's Water Polo vs. TBA (MPSF Tourney Semis), TBA- Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, November 29
Men's Soccer vs. UCSB (NCAA Round of 16), 5:00 pm- Drake Stadium
Men's Water Polo vs. TBA (MPSF Tourney Final), TBA- Los Angeles, CA

Ticket information for all sports can be found here while facility information and directions for all sports can be found here. GO BRUINS!!!

Beat SC Football Podcast (5 pm PST)

2009-11-23T05:34:15Z

We'll also take any calls you have. You just need to follow these four steps:

1) Call (724) 444-7444

2) Enter the Call ID 65238 and press # afterward

3) When asked for your PIN, press 1#

4) Talk to us!

All of that tomorrow at 5 pm PST, giving you guys your chance to listen and call in. The USC game is always a special one so if you want to contribute with your favorite stories from the UCLA-SC rivalry, have at it. Don't forget, there will be an open thread too so chime in with your questions, thoughts and stories there as well.

Clear Signs Of Progress: Rick Neuheisel Has Our Bruins Marching Forward (And Meeting Expectations)

2009-11-22T18:23:54Z

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

Jerzy, Westgate ("Special Teams Zealot" as dubbed by Petros), and Dye getting ready for another huge game week

Browse more photos »

Let's do another quick reset on this Sunday. Rick Neuheisel's UCLA football team is entering the last game of the regular season (the Holy one) with a record of 6-5, riding a 3 game winning streak. Obviously if you look around here and among other hard core UCLA communities you will get a sense of giddiness and optimism we haven't experienced in a long time. However, no one should mistake that with the notion that we think somehow 6 wins are the standards of success in Westwood. Anyone doing that (like the moronic beat reporter from the Trojan Times) is missing the big picture about where UCLA program was when Rick Neuheisel took it over and how long the journey is going to be before we finally get the program to where it belongs (regularly competing for Pac-10 championships).

During the pre-season, consensus emerged re. expectations heading into this year projecting UCLA to win either 6 or 7 regular season games making itself bowl eligible. Getting to that stage after suffering through a 4-8 season (marked by a talent and experience void all over the team) would amount to same accomplishment for Neuehisel, as what Howland did during his second year in Westwood when he got us into the first round of NCAA tournament. Well with just one game left in this season, I think CRN can make a good argument that he has gotten it done. This year Bruins have won every game they were supposed to (which wasn't the case during previous regimes). They came short in games they were underdogs except for the one in Tennessee and if not for a dropped interception (which would probably turn into pick-6) in Corvallis they would probably looking at a pretty solid 7-4 record at this point in CRN's second season in Westwood. In other words, despite what some blowhards in the media tried to tell us earlier this year (writing nonsense like Neuheisel's team "falling apart") the UCLA football program is showing clear signs of progress and taking step towards right direction.

Those signs of progress were pretty evident yesterday on both sides of the ball. I will start with the defense. Chuck Bullough has gotten a lot of critcism this year (and I though it was deserved). However, it was his defense that really set the tone and won the game for us against ASU. I thought it was huge, especially going into the game, knowing how tough the ASU defense was we were looking at our defense to win the game for us. Well they came through in a big way, destroying the Sun Devil's offense (which seems to have found its own QB) with 6 TOs, returning two for TDs, and limiting them to 315 total yards. Price and Ayers were the defensive terror mongers:

Price had four tackles for a loss, including two sacks.

"It's just hard to block him," defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough said. "He's a powerful guy."

Ayers had two tackles for a loss, one of which was a sack. Bullough used him at defensive end at times, as Korey Bosworth was hampered by a sprained ankle.

"Sometimes he gives you that burst off the edge," Bullough said. "You want to put in him in spots like that because he can be successful."

We have already talked a little about how cool it is to see Ayers coming off the edge. The player he reminds me most of is the late great Derrick Thomas. He seems to have found his natural place in our defense. It's not dropping back in coverage but to find a way to get to the quarterback or just hang out in backfield. It's just fun to watch and he has now emerge as the clear front runner to take share the leadership role with Rahim Moore for next year's defense.

As for Brian Price, what else is there to say. I am going to miss the Big Bear next season. He was classic BP. However, the play that will give Chetey Petey something to think about is the one leading to the second TD. Someone needs to review the tape but IIRC in that sequence BP had lined up at the edge bringing pressure from the outside. That was a new wrinkle Bullough through at Arizona State, which caught them flatfooted. Loved it.

The rest of the defense did all right. Seemed like we had our classic slow start at the beginning when Dimitri Nance kept gashing us for chunks of yardage in that first drive. He was just slicing through the front-7 at the beginning before ATV took it to the House. The defense did make some adjustments though and as a result after Nance racked up some solid yardage at the beginning, he didn't do much rest of the game. Both of the ASU TDs seem to come in broken plays when their QB basically made something out of nothing. Heading into next weekend the Bruin defense will obviously take on an offense with surreal talent. However, I think if they can generate the same kind of heat on Heisman Barkley, and contain McKnight around 120-140 yard rushing yards for the day, I think we will have a shot. More after the jump.

Moving over to the offense, I actually was all right with what I saw from our offense yesterday. We knew we were taking on the best defense in the conference and one of the better ones in the nation. ASU's front-7 is really good and they are vicious hitters. Their secondary also played well. This was one of those games we needed Prince to manage the game and he did exactly that. Our offense didn't turn the ball over once, helping UCLA to win the TO margin by 6-0.

Of course the penalties were killers. Probably cost a TD here and there as we racked up 11 penalties for 100 yards. We will have to clean that up especially among our OL. On the other hand, I thought our OL did ok as they gave Kevin Prince time and most importantly, help wear down the ASU defense in second half, by opening up holes for Chane - The Train - Moline. Here is CRN talking about his game script:

"We learned how not to lose a game," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We hung in there and protected a lead. That doesn't mean you can afford to not stay aggressive. Penalties kept us from getting a little momentum down the field. But by not turning the ball over and playing sound field-position football, we kept ourselves ahead."

Norm Chow emphasized the point about winning the TO battle to win the game:

"We gave it away last year," UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "They gained 120 yards on offense, and we gave it to them. We couldn't do that. You get to the end and you try to win the game. At this point in the season, all you have to (do is) win. However you win, you have to win."

And his field general - Kevin Prince - talked about making it happen with ball control on the field:

"We weren't trying to do anything too big," said Prince, who added 42 yards on the ground. "That's a good way to describe it, a mature performance. It's important to go in there and execute a game-plan. The coaches just wanted to make sure we didn't turn it over. That's the story of the game - five to zero in turnover margin."

Actually it was better than 5 to 0 Kevin (it was 6-0). A huge reason we were able to win that battle was because of dependable and productive carries from Chane. CRN was impressed:

Senior Chane Moline came to UCLA as a tailback and scored five touchdowns as a short-yardage back as a freshman. He has played fullback this season, but Saturday he was back at tailback, grinding out 84 yards in 25 carries.

The move was made after the Bruins had trouble with fumbles in recent weeks.

"We have been using Chane in bits and pieces and decided maybe we should do it on an every-down basis," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "It was fun to watch us slug it out."

It was definitely fun to see our OL opening holes against a solid DL and Chane just blast through it. I wonder if we are going to see some of the identical packages next weekened (mixed in with doses of Jet Ski and Knox)

In terms of next week, Reggie Carter as always is just a little excited:

"I love being underdogs. I hope they think we can't win at all. Hopefully, we're 50-point underdogs," he said. "Then they'll be surprised if we win."

Prince is glad that we don't have to go through a bye week to wait for the Trojans:

"I'd prefer doing it this way; I hate bye weeks," Prince said. "I feel like it kind of takes you off your rhythm. It's good for getting guys healthy, but we're healthy enough. We needed to come out here and play and continue to get our confidence going."

And I will end with this from CRN:

"As a program, you've got to learn to crawl, then walk," Neuheisel said. "Next week, let's see if we can't run a little bit."

Well we are glad that our team is standing and walking after all the cat calls about it "falling apart" earlier this season coach. It is going to be fun to read about these guys prepare for next Sat. Hopefully our coaches will have our boys locked in and focused for their best game week of practice. I think it will a matter of which guys are the most prepared next Saturday.

I feel confident though that Rick Neuheisel and his staff will do whatever possible to get our boys focused and ready. As mentioned above, given what we have seen this month (and actually the whole season) it's clear our guys are fighting together every game. They have already done their part for showing progress.

GO BRUINS.

Shame On UCLA Students/Alums/Fans Who Didn't Show Up Yesterday

2009-11-22T17:09:41Z

Shame On UCLA Students/Alums/Fans Who Didn't Show Up Yesterday

Shame on current UCLA students who consider themselves Bruin sports fan. Saturday's announced attendance was at 46,151. The Rose Bowl looked sad on television and our student section looked like a total joke. Embarrassing really. Any one who considers himself or herself a UCLA sports fan (especially the clowns who live on or around campus) ought to feel humiliated today. This also goes for the alums and so called fans in Southern California who can be found after moments like Gonzaga tournament game jumping around and claiming to bleed blue and gold. Way to show up and support the team on Senior Day on what was one of the biggest win for the program in recent years. Just pathetic. GO BRUINS.

Announced Attendance For Senior Day: 46,151

No Room For Bill Splashme - The Trojan Lapdog - On UCLA's Bandwagon

2009-11-22T16:33:31Z

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

Bill Plashcke will never be part of this crowd

Browse more photos »

It is happening again. If you open the LA Times sports section today you will find LA's resident village idiot trying desperately to jump on UCLA's bandwagon again. Let's make it simple. We don't want to see any link to Splashme's latest drivel anywhere on Bruins Nation and here is why.

Here is another another reminder who was to blame was screwing with our mojo when we started the season 3-0. The blame falls squarely on the shoulder of Bill Splashme who tried to jump on UCLA's bandwagon after we beat KSU. Does everyone here also remember what happened following Splashme's epic effort jump on our bandwagon back in 2001 right before the Stanford game?

So not this time. Not now. Here is to breaking the Splashme Curse next Saturday. We will definitely be the underdogs next weekend at the Mosoleum. However, the pressure of the entire world is going to be on Chetey Petey and his showboating bunch who will be looking to salvage another underachieving season.I am glad Splashme thinks we have some momentum but we don't want him anywhere near our team. That Trojan lapdog needs to stick with his Trojan overlords, he has been busy defending for almost a decade. Screw Splashme. Beat '$C*.

GO BRUINS.

ASU @ UCLA Highlights

2009-11-22T10:05:54Z

Happen to catch the team as they arrived at the Rose Bowl. Only got a couple of shots off.

Coach Rick Neuheisel looks confident before the game

Terrence Austin is loose before his last Rose Bowl game

Logan Paulsen waves to the fans

More after the jump.

Last chance to see the best marching band in the land at home this year.

Former offensive guard Andy Meyers was Saturday's honorary captain

The start of the game had an uneasy and familiar feel: ASU's supposedly anemic offense moved the ball easily against our defense. Then, another familiar, but welcome event occurred: senior Alterraun Verner's record 4th career pick-6.

Do it to me one more time, ATV!

The first half might have ended with the Bruins holding a small lead and the Bruin faithful grumbling, but another defensive touchdown, this time by Akeem Ayers, gave us breathing room.

Nice to have Mr. Ayers for two more years!

The halftime activities are so much more enjoyable when we have a reasonable lead. The student section shows what untrained labor can accomplish and then there's the last halftime show of the season by the band.

Card Stunts!

The second half was all about ball control and senior Chane Moline provided it on offense, while the defense held up their end.
Chane Moline gained a career high 84 yards

Nelson Rosario had a quiet day, still managing 5 catches for 74 yards

Korey Bosworth puts the heat on ASU QB Samson Szakacsy

Alterraun Verner won't let go

Jerzy Siewierski wraps up Szakacsy

ASU's sixth turnover allows the Bruins to run out the game

Coach Neuheisel addresses the fans

Six and five. We're making progress.

More photos here.

Go Bruins!