STEVE WATERS
UCLA Football:  Perspective On The 2009 Season
By Steve "BruinMBA" Waters
Football Columnist

Where were we?

When last we spoke (circa 2004), Ucla football (and its fans) was coming to grips with its reality: in a world dominated by fast, dangerous, carnivorous dinosaurs (sc = raptor, Florida = TRex, etc.), Ucla was a plodding, slow-moving herbivore protected by its size (tradtion) and abundant source of food (recruiting base).

But faster than you can say "Wait....did you hear something move?", Ucla football found itself trapped in a Arroyo Seco tar pit that it has been unable to extract itself from since 1999, with just a few hopeful moments of escaping the goo, while said carnivores carved into its flanks for tasty morsels of program-promoting sustenance.

Let's review the evolutionary arc:

In a cosmic alignment that rivals the emergence of life on Earth, Ucla found itself essentially atop the world of college football in 1998. The BCS had emerged from the primordial ooze, and with it brought a degree of objectivity (ie, statistical data component) and transparency heretofore unheard of in the Oort Belt of old school Poll-Driven determination of Mythical National Championships.

The ancient menace, sc, was lying dormant...no doubt gorged on some episode of excess.

The rest of the residents of the menagerie were more content to dominate their local regions of influence (Southeast, Midwest, etc.) than to pursue dreams of global domination, since EVERYBODY knew that football in the Southeast/Midwest/Texas (take your pick) was the best in the world, if not the nation.

And Ucla was blessed with the right QB playing in the right system at the right moment in history.

Was the herbivore about to acquire, in a Lamarkian miracle, fangs, claws, and fast twitch muscles? Would the hunted become the hunter?

Not so fast, my friend.

The herbivore (Toledicus footballcalis) had developed a bad case of underbelly. The key symptoms were:

1. Lazy and arrogant recruiting attitudes leading to an unwillingness to compete for recruits (especially those from the inner city or urban schools)

2. Poor strength & conditioning practices (especially during off-season) that led to undersized and underpowered players

3. Inability to land high quality QBs or DTs for years at a time, leaving huge gaps in talent diffusion and minimal depth

4. Moral laxity and undiscplined behavior that led to numerous PR nightmares (handicap parking, fights, academic ineligibilities, more fights, etc.)

Even as a new species of the Ucla football herbivore arose (Dorrellian unpithy-cus), and some of the underbelly was partially addressed, other aspects remained:

1. Mind-numbing offensive system and play-calling, squandering the talent that was available

2. Dubious decisions regarding granting of playing time, squandering the talent that was available

3. Calcified academic entrance requirements, leading to a general paucity of elite talent required to win league championships

Additionally, once a friend to Ucla for one brief moment, the BCS had now become a climate-changing meteor impact that spurred the carnivores to extreme measures in an effort to best each other.

Finally, the latest species has evolved: NeuAge-ius HopeSpringsEternal-cum

So what are the prospects for this species findings its niche and avoiding going the way of the dreaded Do-Domer (Weisus widecullatus)?

There are mixed signs.

On one hand, the herbivore only tends to beat those it is expected to beat, and rarely beats those teams that are favored to beat it. Take away wins against Washington, Washington State and Tennessee, and Ucla football is only 4-14 in the Rick Neuheisel Era, including two losses each to Arizona, Oregon and Oregon State...not to mention sc.

More troubling are the expected evolutions that have failed to materialize:

1. Evolutionary adaptive play-calling and game planning

2. QBs that can even take care of the ball, much less perform like Heisman candidates

3. Physical development via S&C that allows moderate talent to compensate with size, power and straight ahead speed

On the other hand, the herbivore is starting to attract recruit talent at a level that is beyond commensurate with its won/loss record.

There are still two months to NLI signing day. So nothing is written in stone.

But at this moment, most of the hope for the survival of this species rests on the hope that an influx of talent will eventually pull our friendly, neighborhood herbivore out of the not so friendly, neighborhood tar pit.

Let's look at the microcosm of the sc game to see that the turning points in the game mirror the challenges of the programs going forward:

Turning Point #1: The Pick for Six

Situation: On Ucla's second possession, on a crucial 3rd down play inside sc territory, Bruin QB Kevin Prince drops back to pass, locking onto H-Back Ryan Moya running a slant from a flanker position.

Outcome: sc LB Malcolm Smith reads Prince's eyes all the way, times the throw, steps cleanly in front of Moya, and outraces Prince to the end zone.

Ramifications: After struggling on its first two possessions, sc found itself gifted seven easy points that did much to ease the anxiety level in Troy.

Also, it established that all the talk about Prince improving and progressing during the three game win streak was largely wishful thinking.

The reality is that teams (and players) should be expected to post good numbers against inferior opponents, and produce paltry numbers against superior opponents.

Time and time again, we saw this pattern throughout the season.

The Bruins (and its players) didn't change. What was the variable that changed? The opponent.

Another season-long issue this play brought into focus was Prince's discomfort throwing the ball over the middle. QBs MUST be able to throw the ball over the middle (anywhere from slants to "deep ins" and seam passes in the 10 to 20 yard range) to lead an offense to huge production.

In Prince's first game of the season, vs. SDSU, he threw two picks. On slant patterns. To the right. Where he locked his eyes on his target both times.

And in the team's 12th game of the season, his first pick was on a slant pattern. To the right. Where he locked his eyes on his target.

Prince didn't change. The opponent did, from week to week.

Turning Point #2: The Jump

Situation: Early 2nd Quarter, down 7-0, Ucla ball near midfield, 3rd and 4.

Outcome: As Prince calls signals, Xavier Sua-Filo jumps offside, turning a makeable 3rd and 4 play into a "uh oh, here comes the blitz" 3rd and 9 play. Furthermore, on the next play Prince makes a dubious decision to try to squeeze a slant pass in to Nelson Rosario who is tightly covered, but Rosario is unable to make the play, killing the drive.

Ramifications: Ucla needed to play a mentally perfect game to beat a two touchdown favorite in sc at the Coliseum.

And nothing says "mentally weak" like a false start penalty. The false start penalty is the most avoidable penalty in all of football. Show us a team that commits false start penalties, and we'll show you teams that find innovative ways to lose.

The false start penalty has been a bane to the Rick Neuheisel program since he took over.

Turning Point #3: The Dump

Situation: Late 2nd Quarter, about 30 seconds left, down 7-0, Ucla ball, 1st and 10 on the Trojan 43. But the Bruins are driving: a PI call on sc (finally) for mugging a Bruin receiver over the middle (this time Logan Paulsen, but Chane Moline deserved a call earlier as well), followed by a 14-yard completion to Rosario over the middle.

Outcome: Prince his Rosario on the left side, and Nelson surges forward for 12 yards (close to the 30-yard line, well inside Kai Forbath's range), but before he can get to the ground, sc cornerback Josh Pinkard completely snaps Rosario's chain and rips a fumble out of Rosario's arms.

Initially called down, the play goes to the booth for review, and sc is awarded the ball.

Ramifications: whoooooooooooosh. No, that's not Uncle Ernie processing his brat and brew you heard....that's the air going out of Ucla's emotional balloon.

One second, Ucla is in scoring position in a tight game with its bitter rival, going toe to toe with the schoolyard bully. The next...sc has the ball, and all the momentum.

To add insult to injury, sc and its true FR QB proceed to work the clock expertly and manipulate the levers of its offense just enough to run four plays and get a crack at a FG, even though it only had 25 seconds to work with. The FG was missed, but the meta-message was "We know what we're doing...do you?"

Again, Ucla needed to play a mentally perfect game to beat a two touchdown favorite sc at the Coliseum. And this was the third critical mistake made by the Ucla offense.

Nelson Rosario did not have a good game by any definition. In addition to the fumble, Rosario had a couple of dropped passes, a problem that has beset Ucla since Neuheisel took over (and to be fair, even before).

If there's one statistic we'd like to see tracked like fumbles and INTs are, it is dropped passes. Dropped passes are mini-turnovers. They kill drives, and force the O to "turn over" possession to the other team....albeit without the loss of field position, perhaps.

But in an age where guys can take it to the house at anytime, field position ain't what it used to be. Possessions are what matter. Keeping the ball means a good probability of being able to score. And it means their O doesn't have the ball.

Turning Point #4: The Thump

Situation: Start of the 3rd Quarter, Ucla's first possession of the half. Still down 7-0, 3rd and 21 on the Bruin 29.

Outcome: Prince is flushed from the pocket, starts to run right, but Everson Griffen quickly runs him down, so much so that he's able to drive Prince's right shoulder into the turf, essentially separating his throwing shoulder.

Ramifications: Good-bye, 1st string QB....hello, single season record holder for INTs thrown.

While Kevin Prince wasn't a world beater this season, the coaches and fans certainly had more trust and confidence in Prince than in last year's QB, Kevin Craft. How did the coaches feel about Craft? He wasn't even allowed to compete for the QB job in spring ball. He went to every practice.....but he never took a snap. Ouch.

But before Prince made his exit, there was time for yet another dubious decision or two. One by Prince...but a bigger one by Rick Neuheisel.

The broadcast caught Prince's physical distress as he left the field, wincing, trying to rotate his right arm, and then buckling in pain as his joint reached a point of impingment.

Now, Neuheisel was a QB. He's been around QBs his whole life. And he knows how essential it is to have every "part" of the throwing apparatus in proper working condition for a QB to have any hope of completing a pass, especially at this level, especially if you are a RS FR QB in your first game v your hated rival.

Hand uninjured? ....Check.
Elbow ok? ....Check.
Ankles, feet, knees, hips??? .....check, check, check, check.
Shoulder? ummmmmmm......

Boom. Right there, the Head Coach should know that his QB is damaged goods and is now effectively useless to the team.

If this were Fall Camp, the cry would be "Move the Drill!"

And the next QB would step in. And life would go on.

But Neuheisel made a critical mistake, if the reporting of Michael Eaves is to be believed.

Apparently, Neuheisel asked Prince if he was ok to go, and Prince gave a less than inspiring answer.

In my opinion, this isn't the player's decision.

It is the coach's, and the coach's alone. It is unfair....and frankly, unwise....to solicit the player's opinion. What do you expect the kid to say? "Coach, I'm not 100% now, and I'm afraid I'd hurt the team. Give the ball to the other guy."

While I would find that answer admirable, remember how savaged Rodney Van was when he took himself out of a game v Cal, where he was being burned to a crisp. Color commentator Tim Brandt was merciless in his skewering of Van, questioning his manhood and competitiveness among other things.

So in the macho culture of football, don't expect to get an unbiased answer to the question, "Are you good to go?"

What do you think, Coach? It's bad enough to watch Prince throw with the faux hawk he was sporting...but watching him grimace in pain as he tossed softballs on the sideline is all anyone paying attention would need to know to make the decision that Prince was no longer in a position to help the team.

Instead, Neuheisel plays Prince for another series, and predictably, it ends disasterously for Ucla, with Prince throwing another INT, and getting roughed up a little more in the process.

Hopefully Prince recovers fully. There are certainly questions about his durability at this point. Torn ACL....broken jaw....concussion....separated shoulder. How much can Ucla count on Prince going forward?

Turning Point #5: The Bomb

Situation: End of the game. sc ball. sc takes a knee, Ucla calls a time out with 52 seconds left to play.

Outcome: sc runs a play action pass, and connects on a post pattern with the Ucla DBs 10 yards behind the receiver.

Ramifications: Where do we start?

In a bitter rivalry like this, where Cade McNown caps his career by running a bootleg for 20+ yards on his final play v sc, ask for no quarter.

Because none will be given. None should be given.

In case anyone wasn't paying attention, Pete Carroll will humiliate Ucla at every turn. Does 66-19 ring a bell?

Because by doing so, it helps him in the recruiting wars.

Complaints of "classlessness" are offset by sc portraying the complainers as crybabies. And in a recruiting battle, would you rather be labeled as "classless" or as a "crybaby"? What program would the elite HS football player prefer to be a part of, the one that maybe goes too far while winning big, or the one that calls time outs but then takes plays off and allows embarrassing end-of-game TDs...and then blames the other guy for trying to score?

So sc's image with its core constituency (HS football players) improves, while Ucla's regresses.

We will see if there are near-term recruiting implications of the way Ucla's season came to a close. Because as of this writing, it is unclear if Ucla Football will take the field again this season.

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How does this game reflect the season as a whole, and where Ucla is at as a program?

1. Ucla's QB must be able to throw over the middle for the Ucla offense to be productive. Don't expect Ucla to win more than 50% of its games if the offense is the 100th best or so in the nation.

2. Ucla must be mentally stronger. Penalties of aggression are often a positive. But false starts are the kiss of death.

3. "It's all about the ball," as Pete Carroll likes to say. Pleasingly, Ucla created more turnovers on D than its fans might have predicted before the season started. But the offense continued to turn the ball over at an alarming rate.

Unfortunately, Jonathan Franklin has a ball security problem. Big time. Which is too bad, because he is one of the players most capable of making plays on Ucla's roster.

4. Injuries haunt Ucla's program. So much in football depends on the QB. But just look at Ucla's QBs since 1999, and reflect upon how durable they've been over their career:

Cory Paus
Matt Moore
Drew Olson
Ben Olson
Pat Cowan
Kevin Prince

Drew Olson had a clean 2005, and Pat Cowan a clean 2006 (although Ben Olson didn't), but almost every other season saw musical chairs at QB.

Probably the best way to stay healthy is to sign guys who are intrinsically more durable and robust than the guys Ucla has been getting over the years. We'll see how successful Neuheisel is on this front going forward.

5. If you're going to play the game, you better love to play the game.

This means loving to play the game even if you've already lost a couple of games.

Or you're losing a game.

Or there is little chance of winning the next game.

Because football is a brutal game if you don't love to play it. And that inherent brutality can lead guys to play with less than reckless abandon if they're not into it, and teams that don't play with reckless abandon don't win 75 or 80% of their games.

For the most part, Ucla acquitted itself well in the sc game. But the savvy observer will continue to monitor how willing Ucla players are to compete and play even in very adverse situations (which will continue to emerge for at least a couple more years). The program's competitiveness will ultimately determine whether NeuAge-ius HopeSpringsEternal-cum goes the way of the Do-Domer or not.