UCLA
Bruins
Preview 2007
By
Richard Cirminiello
-
2007 UCLA Offense Preview |
2007 UCLA Defense Preview
-
2007 UCLA Depth Chart
|
2006 CFN UCLA Preview
Every so often, things line up perfectly for good programs giving them a
rare opportunity to have a great season when everything comes together
at once. UCLA is staring at just such a convergence for the upcoming
season.
Head
coach: Karl Dorrell
5th year: 29-21
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 24, Def. 24, ST 1
Lettermen Lost: 12 |
Ten
Best UCLA Players
1. DE Bruce Davis, Sr.
2. G Shannon Tevaga, Sr.
3. SS Chris Horton, Sr.
4. CB Trey Brown, Sr.
5. RB Chris Markey, Sr.
6. LB Christian Taylor, Sr.
7. QB Ben Olson, Jr.
8. DT Brighan Harwell, Sr.
9. DT Kevin Brown, Sr.
10. LB Reggie Carter, Soph. |
|
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
10-2 |
|
Sept. 1 |
at Stanford |
|
Sept.8 |
BYU |
|
Sept. 15 |
at Utah |
|
Sept. 22 |
Washington |
|
Sept. 29 |
at Oregon State |
|
Oct. 6 |
Notre Dame |
|
Oct. 20 |
California |
|
Oct. 27 |
at Washington St |
|
Nov. 3 |
at Arizona |
|
Nov. 10 |
Arizona State |
|
Nov. 24 |
Oregon |
|
Dec. 1 |
at USC |
|
|
2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
5-7
2006 Record:
7-6
Preview
2006 predicted wins |
| 9/2 |
Utah
W 31-10 |
| 9/9 |
Rice
W 26-16 |
| 9/23 |
at Washington L 29-19 |
|
9/30 |
Stanford
W 31-0 |
| 10/7 |
Arizona
W 27-7 |
| 10/14 |
at Oregon L 30-20 |
| 10/21 |
at Notre Dame L 20-17 |
| 10/28 |
Washington St
L 37-15 |
| 11/4 |
at California L 38-24 |
| 11/11 |
Oregon State W 25-7 |
| 11/18 |
at Arizona St W 24-12 |
| 12/2 |
USC W 13-9 |
| 12/27 |
Emerald Bowl
Florida State L 44-27 |
|
Although
the Bruins have lived in the long shadow of cross-town rival USC ever
since Pete Carroll arrived in 2001, they’ve fostered a little momentum,
courtesy of last year’s landscape-altering upset of the Trojans and the
return of all but two starters from that team. There were highs and
lows in 2006, but last year was more about setting the table for 2007
and a possible run at a BCS bowl game than anything else. Of course,
that raises the stakes for Karl Dorrell, who’ll either quiet his critics
or energize them if the Bruins disappoint and wallow in the middle of
the Pac-10 pack.
While the well-stocked UCLA defense will be the anchor, the offense must
locate some more firepower if this is going to be more than a
schizophrenic team that can beat USC, yet still lose to Washington and
Washington State in the same year. Part of the problem in Westwood has
been a lack of continuity in the coaching staff under Dorrell, who is
now on his fourth coordinator in five years. Jay Norvell was pried away
from Nebraska in the off-season to dispense his knowledge of the West
Coast offense and call plays for the first time in his career. His
first big call, however, will involve the tight battle at quarterback
between Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, which could rage on through the
summer.
In the land of stars, they might be lining up for UCLA to make a run at
a ten-win season and a possible home game in January. The schedule and
the depth chart point to a big year, but now the Bruins have to prove
they’ve got the mental toughness to deal with elevated expectations for
a change.
What to watch for on offense: There’s just too much talent on
UCLA for it to finish seventh in the league again in total and scoring
offense. Former coordinator Jim Svoboda was knocked for being too
conservative with his play calling, something Norvell hopes to address,
while maintaining the Bruins’ signature offensive balance. The Shannon
Tevaga-led line returns four starters that’ll open holes for versatile
Chris Markey to burst through. Whichever quarterback gets the ball will
benefit from the competition and the return of Joe Cowan, a big,
sure-handed flanker that missed 2006 with a knee injury.
What to watch for on defense: In his debut as a defensive
coordinator, DeWayne Walker whipped the Bruins into a very quick and
very tough unit that attacked the line of scrimmage and created
turnovers. He also proved to be a solid Xs and Os guy, who’ll only get
better with experience. Lighting quick end Bruce Davis headlines the
defense, but he’ll get plenty of help. The back seven is deep and
talented, highlighted by the safety duo of Chris Horton and Dennis Keyes
and cornerback Alterraun Verner, the budding star of the secondary.
The team will be far better if …it improves its efficiency in the
red zone. Only Penn State settled for more field goals than UCLA in
2006, which won’t cut it against the upper half of the Pac-10. Plus, in
place of rock steady kicker Justin Medlock steps freshman Kai Forbath,
so even three points is no longer a lock.
The Schedule:
It’s not
easy. There’s not a breather in the non-conference schedule playing BYU,
Utah (who’ll each join TCU as the Mountain West superstars) to go along
with Notre Dame. On the plus side, there are five Pac 10 home games
including Oregon and Cal, but the Bruins have to go on the road to face
Oregon State and USC. The only back-to-back road trips are to Washington
State and Arizona, who didn’t go bowling last year.
Best Offensive Player: Senior RB Chris Markey. Markey has seen his role increase
each fall at UCLA, capped by last year’s 1,000-yard, 35-catch season,
his first out of Maurice Jones-Drew’s shadow and as a full-time
starter. A patient runner with good vision, he’ll wait behind Bruin
linemen before hitting the hole and popping a six or seven yard
gain.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Bruce Davis. It took a couple
of years of tinkering, but Davis, a virtually unblockable blur coming
off the edge, has finally found a home at defensive end. The NFL can
worry about him being a tweener when he gets there, but for now, the
6-3, 240-pound senior is one of the quickest and most disruptive pass
rushers in the country.
Key player to a successful season: Redshirt freshman PK Kai
Forbath and/or junior Jimmy Rotstein. All Justin Medlock did was hit 28
of 32 field goals as a weapon that always came through when the offense
bogged down. Forbath was a star recruit with a strong leg able to hit
from well beyond 50 yards. Just connecting in the clutch would be good
enough for the Bruins.
The season will be a
success if
... the Bruins go to the Rose Bowl. That might be setting the bar a bit
high considering that team from the other side of town will be cranked
up more than ever after the way the 2006 regular season ended, but UCLA
has the talent to be among the best teams in America right from the
start. With three of the other top Pac 10 contenders, Cal, Arizona State
and Oregon, all coming to L.A., the schedule, as nasty as it might be,
works out just well enough to hope for a Rose Bowl shot going into the
December showdown with the Trojans.
Key game:
Sept. 29 at Oregon
State. Of course the trip down the freeway to USC is the key game on the
schedule, but in order for that to have much meaning for the Bruins in
the Pac 10 race, they have to get by the Beavers early on. This should
be the toughest road game until USC, so if they can win in Corvallis and
go unbeaten at home, the title might be there for the taking.
2006 Fun Stats:
- Sacks: UCLA 40 for 270 yards – Opponents 21 for 151 yards
- Fumbles: UCLA 29 (lost 9) – Opponents 19 (lost 14)
- Fourth down conversions: Opponents 14 of 27 (52%) – UCLA 4 of 11 (36%)
Add Topics to My HotList
