2007 UCLA
Bruins
Recap:
With 20 starters back from a team that beat USC a year ago, the
Bruins 6-7 mark qualified them as one of the biggest underachievers
of the year, costing Karl Dorrell his job. Although injuries to
quarterbacks certainly played a part in UCLA’s disappointing
results, the program often missed its mark even when either Ben
Olson or Patrick Cowan was healthy. The Bruins did finish over .500
in Pac-10 play, feasting on the bottom of the league, and catching
Oregon State and Oregon at opportune times in the season.
Offensive Player of the Year: WR Brandon Breazell
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Bruce Davis
Biggest Surprise: Very little made sense around Westwood this
season. On Oct. 20, the Bruins rebounded from an inexcusable loss
to Notre Dame to hand No. 10 Cal its second straight loss. UCLA got
a big day from RB Kahlil Bell and a 76-yard pick six from CB
Alterraun Verner as the Bears drove for the win that qualified as
the play of the year for the Bruins.
Biggest Disappointment: On national television, UCLA had the
indignity of becoming Notre Dame’s first victim on Oct. 6. In an
utterly hideous performance that began the Bruins’ headaches at
quarterback, they managed just 140 yards and two field goals,
committing more turnovers than points scored with freshman walk-on
McLeod Bethel-Thompson calling signals.
Looking Ahead: It’s the dawn of a new day at UCLA, as former
quarterback and assistant Rick Neuheisel replaces Dorrell. Although
he’s had success at this level before, he’s also inheriting a roster
that’ll be missing a ton of last year’s regulars. If Neuheisel can
get Olson to finally max out his potential, he’ll be off to a nice
start in his return to the Pac-10.
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2007 UCLA Preview
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2006 UCLA Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
10-2
2007 Record:
6-7
Sept. 1
at Stanford
W 45-17
Sept. 8
BYU
W 27-17
Sept. 15
at Utah
L 44-6
Sept. 22
Washington
W 44-31
Sept. 29
at Oregon St W 40-14
Oct. 6
Notre Dame
L 20-6
Oct. 20
California
W 30-21
Oct. 27
at Wash
State
L 27-7
Nov. 3
at Arizona
L 34-27
Nov. 10
Arizona State
L 24-20
Nov. 24
Oregon
W 16-0
Dec. 1
at USC L 24-7
Las Vegas Bowl
Dec. 22 BYU L 17-16 |
Dec. 22
2007 Las Vegas Bowl
BYU 17 ... UCLA 16
UCLA rallied to get in position to win the game with a chip
shot field goal, but BYU's Eathyn Manumaleuna got a hand on the kick
to stop it just enough for it to go barely under the crossbar to
preserve the Cougar win. The UCLA defense dominated for most of the
game, holding BYU to just 265 yards, but a muffed punt led to a
14-yard Austin Collie touchdown catch and Michael Reed caught a
13-yard scoring pass to cap off a 55-yard drive late in the second
quarter. The Bruins capitalized on a Harvey Unga fumble deep in BYU
territory to get a four-yard Brandon Breazell scoring grab as time
ran out in the first half, but they would only manage a 50-yard Kai
Forbath field goal in the second half.
Offensive Player of the
Game:
BYU WR Austin Collie
caught six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown
Defensive Player of the Game: UCLA DE Bruce Davis made seven
tackles and three sacks
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: McLeod Bethel-Thompson,
11-27, 154 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Markey, 27-117. Receiving: Brandon Breazell, 4-44,
1 TD
BYU - Passing: Max Hall, 21-35, 231 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Manase Tonga, 3-21. Receiving: Austin Collie, 6-107, 1 TD
Thoughts and Notes ...
While BYU certainly won't give the win
over UCLA back, but this was hardly a bright shining moment for the
Mountain West. The Bruins were down to an untested third string
quarterback, is dealing with all the coaching turmoil, and it still
came within a an Eathyn Manumaleuna mitt from pulling off the upset. This
might not have been enough of a showing for Dwayne Walker to win the
UCLA head coaching job, but he had the defense playing at a high
level. ... In several ways, this BYU season might have been even
more impressive than last year when it ripped through almost
everyone. Bronco Mendenhall and his staff got 11 wins out of a team
with a less talented offense, and was able to pull off tight wins
over UCLA, New Mexico, Utah and TCU. ... If only UCLA had a healthy
Ben Olson or Pat Cowan. McLeod Bethel-Thompson wasn't always helped
out by his receiving corps, and he did a great job of getting the
team in a position to win the game on a great final drive, but he
was too inconsistent throughout. ... The pass rushing stars didn't
disappoint. UCLA's Bruce Davis played at another level, and BYU's
Jan Jorgensen was terrific.
Dec. 1
USC 24 ... UCLA 7
USC held the Bruins to 168 yards of total offense, didn't
allow a third-down conversion, and only gave up a nine-yard
touchdown catch from Dominique Johnson with seven seconds to play in
the first half. The USC offense wasn't crisp, but it had few
problems taking control of the game and keeping it with Joe McKnight
running for a five-yard score, Chauncey Washington running for a
ten-yard score, and Fred Davis closing out the scoring with a
12-yard Fred Davis catch. UCLA's Dennis Keyes made 19 tackles for
the Bruins.
Player of the game:
USC RBs Joe McKnight and
Stafon Johnson combined for 162 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Patrick Cowan, 13-24, 156 yds,
1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Markey, 17-49. Receiving: Brandon Breazell, 4-53
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 21-36, 206 yds, 1 TD, 1
INT
Rushing: Joe McKnight, 13-89, 1 TD. Receiving: Fred Davis,
6-41, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Even
though the statistics are overwhelmingly in favor of USC, the Bruins
really didn't play all that poorly defensively in the loss. The
offense was another story, but there wasn't any running game thanks
to all the injuries at running back, and Pat Cowan wasn't able to
carry the attack with the passing game. With four losses in the last
five games, this might have been if for the Karl Dorrell era, but
it's not necessarily fair considering all the injuries.
Nov. 24
UCLA 16 ... Oregon 0
Oregon QB Brady Leaf was awful, and then he hurt his ankle,
was out for the game, and his backups were worse. UCLA QB Osaar
Rasshan was miserable, missing on all seven of his passes with an
interception, Ben Olson came in and was awful, but the Bruin defense
dominated and the offense got just enough with a 20-yard Craig
Sheppard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and a Kai Forbath field
goal in each of the first three to get the ugly win. The two teams
combined for just 22 first downs with 22 punts and 368 yards of
total offense.
Player of the
game:
UCLA LB Christian
Taylor made 13 tackles, a sack and four tackles for loss.
Stat Leaders: Oregon - Passing: Cody Kept,
6-23, 52 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart, 13-33. Receiving:
Ed Dickson, 5-31
UCLA - Passing: Ben Olson, 4-10, 64 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Markey, 30-91. Receiving:
Brandon Breazell,
2-50
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Osaar Rasshan can't play quarterback anymore. He might be the only
option, but UCLA can't put him under center and have any prayer of
competing against USC. For all the injuries and all the problems,
the Bruins are somehow bowl eligible after the win against Oregon.
However, the offense got ten first downs, 220 yards of total
offense, and only won because Oregon was more inept. The defense
will have to pull off a gem like last year to even think about
pulling off the upset next week.
Nov. 10
Arizona State 24 ... UCLA 20
Arizona State overcame an early 10-0 deficit and a late
89-yard kickoff return for a score from Matt Slater to hold on for
the win. Rudy Carpenter connected with Kyle Williams for a nine-yard
score, Dimitri Nance ran for an 11-yard touchdown, and Keegan
Herring put the Sun Devils up for good with a 71-yard run midway
through the third quarter. After a Thomas Weber punt pinned the
Bruins deep with time for one last gasp try, a several lateral play
helped get the ball past midfield, but the desperation play
sputtered out and ASU pulled it out.
Player of the game: In a losing cause, UCLA S Chris Horton made
eight tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Osaar Rasshan,
14-27, 181 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Craig Sheppard, 12-56, 1 TD. Receiving:
Brandon Breazell, 5-87
Arizona State - Passing: Rudy Carpenter, 16-31,
200 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Keegan Herring, 22-116, 1 TD. Receiving: Chris
McGaha, 9-123
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... UCLA
isn't giving up without a fight. Karl Dorrell is under intense
pressure, but to be fair, he doesn't have a real quarterback to work
with and his top rushing options are out. Even so, his Bruins
battled hard in the loss to Arizona State, mainly because the
defense kept the game alive. Outside of allowing a big third quarter
touchdown run, the D did a solid overall job. Now it'll have to
generate even more pressure and create more big plays to have a shot
at Oregon next week. With Osaar Rasshan under center, there simply
isn't enough firepower to keep up with the Ducks.
Nov. 3
Arizona 34 ... UCLA 27
UCLA took an early lead with 100-yard kickoff return for a
score from Matt Slater following a 39-yard Jason Bondzio field goal,
and then Willie Tuitama and the Arizona passing game took over with
Chris Jennings taking a pass 55 yards for a score and Rob Gronkoswki
scoring from 27 yard out as part of a 24-point run. UCLA despite
losing QB Pat Cowan to a collapsed lung, came back with Kai Forbath
field goals from 35 and 61 yards out, and a one-yard Chane Moline
touchdown run, but the Wildcats were able to run out the clock late.
Arizona outgained UCLA 469 yards to 288.
Player of the
game:
Arizona QB
Willie Tuitama completed 21 of 36 passes for 341 yards and three
touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Osaar Rasshan,
3-10, 78 yds
Rushing: Chane Moline, 15-62, 1 TD. Receiving:
Dominique Johnson, 4-74
Arizona - Passing: Willie Tuitama, 21-36, 341
yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Nicholas Grigsby, 20-124, 1 TD. Receiving: Rob
Gronkowski, 6-94, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
And now the Bruins are really in
trouble. Losing three of the last four is bad enough, but the
injuries keep on mounting with the big one coming against Arizona
when QB Pat Cowan left with a collapsed lung. Osaar Rasshan simple
can't throw the ball, completing just three of ten passes, so if
he's not running well, or if the Bruins don't have any other passing
options, things could get really ugly with Arizona State, Oregon and
USC up next. The defense and special teams will have to help out
more with the offense too banged up to consistently move the ball
from here on out.
Oct. 27
Washington State 27 ... UCLA 7
The Cougars ran for 247 yards with Dwight Tardy scoring from
one yard out in the first quarter and closing things out with a
51-yard touchdown dash in the final minute. The defense held UCLA to
267 yards of total offense, with 50 of them coming three plays into
the game on a Kahlil Bell touchdown run. The Bruins were inept the
rest of the game, failing to keep the chains moving, while the
Cougars held on to the ball for 38 minutes.
Player of the
game:
Washington State
RB Dwight Tardy ran 37 times for 214 yards and two touchdowns, and
caught two passes for 22 yards.
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Pat Cowan, 17-36,
167 yds
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 4-67, 1 TD. Receiving: Terrence
Austin, 5-45
Washington State - Passing: Alex Brink, 28-46,
271 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Dwight Tardy, 37-214, 2 TD. Receiving: Jed
Collins, 6-71
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... You
know what you're getting out of UCLA, even it you don't really know
from week to week which team will show up. You know you'll get a
home run, but if there aren't several, the offense doesn't produce.
The defense will have its moments, but when things go wrong, they go
really, really, wrong. After running into a buzzsaw against
Washington State, a rebound win over Arizona is now a must. How
quickly could things go south? After the trip to Tucson, the Bruins
play Arizona State, Oregon and USC.
Oct. 20
UCLA 30 ... California 21
Down one late in the fourth quarter, UCLA got a 27-yard Kai
Forbath field goal for a 23-21 lead, but Cal got into instant
scoring range on a big Jahvid Best kickoff return. On third and five
from the UCLA 30, Nate Longshore got picked off by Alterraun Verner
for the second time of the day, but this time it went 76 yards for a
score. In the see-saw game, the Bruins got three Forbath field goals
and a trick touchdown on a 29-yard pass from WR Brandon Breazell to
Dominique Johnson, but the Bears kept pace with three Longshore
touchdown passes including two to DeSean Jackson.
Player of the
game:
UCLA DB Alterraun Verner made 4.5 tackles, two tackles for loss,
broke up three passes, and picked off two passes, taking one for a
game-sealing touchdown.
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate
Longshore, 22-34, 232 yds, 3 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 25-76. Receiving: DeSean
Jackson, 9-136, 2 TD
UCLA - Passing: Pat Cowan, 18-27, 161 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 22-142. Receiving: Joe Cowan, 7-39
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... You want
to try to figure out this goofy Bruin team? Offensively, it's easy.
If Pat Cowan is under center, things are fine, while on defense, the
Bruins are living off of the big play time and again while also
stuffing the running game. The Bears only got 67 rushing yards and
never got into to an offensive groove when the passing game wasn't
working. After all the problems and all the non-conference ugliness,
the Bruins are still unbeaten in conference play with two of the
league's lightweights, Washington State and Arizona, up next. Both
games are on the road, so focus is of the utmost importance with
Arizona State, Oregon and USC still to deal with.
Oct. 6
Notre Dame 20 ... UCLA 6
In a game that might have set back offensive football 50
years, Notre Dame forced seven turnovers to pull off the win despite
amassing just 140 yards. The Irish scored in the third quarter on a
one-yard Jimmy Clausen touchdown run, and 50 seconds later, got a
Maurice Crum 34-yard fumble recovery for a score. UCLA lost starting
quarter Ben Olsen to a knee injury, and was only able to manage two
first half Kai Forbath field goals.
Player of the
game:
Notre Dame LB
Maurice Crum made seven tackles, one sack, forced a fumble,
recovered two fumbles, picked off two passes, and scored a 34-yard
touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Notre Dame - Passing: Jimmy
Clausen, 17-27, 84 yds
Rushing: James Aldridge, 22-52. Receiving: John
Carlson, 6-38
UCLA - Passing: McLeod Bethel-Thompson, 12-28,
139 yds, 4 INT
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 18-64. Receiving: Joe Cowan, 5-69
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
Bruins had better figure out the quarterback situation in a real
hurry. Either Ben Olsen or Pat Cowan have to gut it out, despite not
appearing to be able to late a whole game, or the running game will
have to do a whole bunch more than it did against Notre Dame to have
any shot against Cal in two weeks. McLeon Bethel-Thompson simply
can't play, at least he couldn't against the Irish. The only way the
Bruins could've lost that game was by screwing up. Seven turnovers
and 11 penalties later, Merry Christmas, Notre Dame.
Sept. 29
UCLA 40 ... Oregon State 14
Oregon State appeared to be on its way to an easy win, taking
a 14-0 first quarter lead on an Al Afalavia 33-yard fumble return
for a score, and a one-yard Yvenson Bernard touchdown run. The then
came the self-destruction. UCLA managed two Kai Forbath field goals
in the second quarter, and took advantage of two fumbled kickoff
returns from Gerard Lawson to get two short Kahlil Bell scoring
runs. Brandon Breazell scored from 69 and 30 yards out, with the
first score coming after a personal foul call, and Chris Markey ran
it in from two yards away as part of a 28-0 fourth quarter Bruin
run.
Player of the game:
UCLA CB Trey Brown made eight tackles with two interceptions.
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Ben Olson, 14-25,
220 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 24-80, 2 TD. Receiving: Brandon
Breazell, 2-99, 2 TD
Oregon State - Passing: Sean Canfield, 22-35,
146 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Yvenson Bernard, 27-125, 1 TD. Receiving:
Anthony Brown, 6-34
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... UCLA
wasn't always great against Oregon State, but the defense was. The
talented Beaver offense only gained 248 yards and turned it over
five times, with two coming on special teams, as the Bruin defense
came up with its most complete performance of the year. The offense
took advantage of OSU mistakes, but it wasn't a consistent attack.
Over the last two games, the O has lived by the home run to break
games open, and it has to show it can keep the chains moving when
the big play isn't there. If would be nice if Ben Olson could come
up with a complete game. That might come against Notre Dame.
Sept. 22
UCLA 44 ... Washington 31
In a game of big plays, UCLA came up with a few more. In a
wild second half, UCLA's Dennis Keyes took an Jake Locker pass 60
yards for a 24-10 lead on the way to a seemingly easy fourth
quarter, but the Huskies started off the fourth quarter by turning
an interception into a 20-yard Anthony Russo touchdown. Just when it
seemed like UW was about to take over the momentum, UCLA got it back
as Chris Markey tore off a 72-yard touchdown run. But the Huskies
would respond with a 63-yard Russo score to pull within seven.
Again, it seemed like UW was about to make a big move, but on the
ensuing kickoff, Matt Slater took it 85 yards for a score. Kai
Forbath hit two late field goals, and the Bruins weren't threatened
again.
Player of the game:
UCLA RB Chris Markey ran 14 times for 193 yards
and a touchdown, and caught a pass for five yards.
Stat Leaders: Washington - Passing: Jake
Locker, 17-36, 216 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jake Locker, 15-92. Receiving: Anthony Russo,
5-106, 2 TD
UCLA
- Passing: Patrick Cowan, 17-30, 147 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Markey, 14-193, 1 TD. Receiving: Dominique
Johnson, 5-32, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... How
strange is this team? After a stunningly miserable loss to an awful
Utah team, the offense kicked it into high gear against Washington
with 333 rushing yards and big plays from the defense, but now there
are problems. QB Ben Olson was out with headaches, but he suffered a
knee injury, meaning McLeod Bethel-Thompson, an unheralded third
stringer, had to hand the ball off. The Bruins showed the
explosiveness needed to make a big run in the Pac 10, but a steady,
and healthy, quarterback has to emerge from the pack.
Sept.
15
Utah 44 ... UCLA 6
UCLA turned it over five times, committed ten penalties, and
lost a sure touchdown when WR Marcus Everett lost the ball through
the end zone for a touchback, but it was the opportunistic Utah
offense that made it a blowout. Following a 53-yard Marquis Wilson
touchdown catch on the game's opening drive, the Bruins cut the lead
to one on two Kai Forbath field goals. That would be it for UCLA, as
Utah cranked out 37 unanswered points on two more Tommy Grady
touchdown passes and helped by three Darrell Mack touchdowns. Four
Utah scoring drives went fewer than ten yards.
Player of the
game:
Utah RB Darrell
Mack carried 19 times for 107 yards and a score, and caught three
passes for 34 yards and two more touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: UCLA - Passing: Ben Olson, 20-40,
290 yds, 3 INTs
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 12-59. Receiving: Brandon
Breazell, 6-121
Utah - Passing: Tommy Grady, 17-30, 246 yds, 3
TDs
Rushing: Darrell Mack, 19-107, 1 TD. Receiving: Derrek
Richards, 4-65
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Does
UCLA have a short memory? The Utah loss was as ugly as it gets. The
offense couldn't stop screwing up, and the defense couldn't come up
with a big stop to change the momentum around. With Washington up
next, a win would mean a 2-0 Pac 10 start and should gloss over this
embarrassment, but there's major cause for concern. The offensive
line struggles with the Utah pass rush, allowing five sacks, and Ben
Olson was off. He threw for five touchdown passes against Stanford
in the opener, but he hasn't exactly been consistent. Olson clearly
needs more time and more work, but it'll be interesting to see how
long Pat Cowan can stay on the bench if the results aren't better.
Sept.
8
UCLA 27 ... BYU 17
UCLA jumped out to a 20-0 lead helped by a 56-yard Trey Brown
interception return for a score, two Kai Forbath field goals and a
four-yard Kahlil Bell scoring run, but had to hang on as BYU pulled
within three in the third quarter on two Max Hall to Austin Collie
touchdown passes. The Bruins finally got a little breathing room in
the final minutes on a three-yard Chris Markey run to finish off a
12-play, 45-yard drive that ate up 3:40. BYU outgained UCLA 435
yards to 236 but got timely plays from the defense including two key
sacks and a forced fumble from Bruce Davis.
Player of the game:
UCLA CB Trey Brown had five pass break ups, 4.5 tackles, a fumble
recovery, and a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: BYU - Passing: Max Hall, 30-52, 391
yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Harvey Unga, 5-28. Receiving: Austin
Collie, 7-79, 2 TDs
UCLA - Passing: Ben Olson, 13-28, 126 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 16-79, 1 TD. Receiving:
Marcus Everett, 5-66
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
UCLA's defense showed up when it had to against BYU, but the offense
that was so balanced and so good against Stanford appeared to miss
the bus. It's too much to call Ben Olson's 13-of-28, 126-yard
performance a major step back, but it certainly wasn't a positive,
while the rest of the offense only managed a mere 236 yards total to
BYU's 435. The defense made the plays early and very late, and the
offensive line helped pave the way late, but this was hardly the
type of game Bruin fans are going to feel great about. A bounceback
performance at Utah is a must before dealing with a hot Washington
team.
Sept. 1
UCLA 45 ... Stanford 17
Ben Olsen threw five touchdown passes with Joe Cowan scoring
from 19 and 77 yards out, while Kahlil Bell got the ground game going with 195
yards as the Bruins cranked out 624 yards of total offense. Stanford had its
moments, with Richard Sherman taking a T.C. Ostrander pass 70 yards for a
touchdown and Jim Dray scoring from nine yards out, but the defense didn't do
enough to make it a game. Olsen also connected with Gavin Ketchum for a six-yard
score, Dominique Johnson from four yards out, and Brandon Breazell for a 15-yard
touchdown.
Player of the game ...
UCLA QB Ben Olson
went 16-of-29 for 286 yards and five touchdown passes.
Stat Leaders: UCLA- Passing: Ben Olson, 16-29, 286 yds, 5
TDs
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 19-195 Receiving: Brandon Breazell, 6-111,
1 TD
Stanford - Passing: T.C. Ostrander, 27-59, 331 yds, 2 TDs
Rushing: Anthony Kimble, 14-69 Receiving: Evan Moore, 6-87
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... As
crazy as it might sound considering Ben Olsen just threw five touchdown passes
in the win over Stanford, he needs to be sharper. UCLA could do whatever it
wanted to against the Cardinal defense, helped mostly because the offensive line
was terrific in all phases, especially in the running game, but Olsen still
missed on a few too many passes. However, he didn't make any big mistakes to
turn the tide of the game, and the issues, as slight as they might be, can
likely be chalked up to rust. He'll be tested more against BYU and Utah over the
next two weeks.
Sept. 1 – at Stanford
Offense: Jim Harbaugh wants to attack defenses with an up
tempo offense that’ll feature lots of pre-snap motion and a ball
control element that harkens back to the Bill Walsh days of the West
Coast offense. It worked swimmingly at the University of San Diego
for the past couple of years, but this is Stanford where ten points
and less than 250 yards a game was the norm last year. The Cardinal
is experienced everywhere and pretty deep at the skill positions,
but none of that will matter unless the offensive line does a
complete 180 off last year’s atrocious performance.
Defense: New defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is scrapping
the 3-4 this year in favor of an attacking 4-3 that is designed to
create more turnovers and more plays for negative yards. The
Cardinal is open to suggestions after finishing last in the Pac-10
in just about every defensive category in 2006. There are holes, to
be sure, but Shafer will also inherit some exciting young talent at
each unit, such as sophomore tackle Ekom Udofia, sophomore
linebacker Clinton Snyder and junior cornerback Wopamo Osaisai.
Above all else, the defense has to find some answers against the run
after being humiliated for more than 2,500 yards and nearly five
yards a carry a year ago.
Sept. 8 - BYU
Offense: While the offense won't crank out the big numbers
last year's attack did (finishing fourth in the nation in total
offense and fifth in scoring), it'll be fantastic starting with a
great line that has more talent and depth (though unproven) than the
program has seen in a long time. The receivers have to step up with
the top targets of last year gone, and new starting quarterback Max
Hall has to be efficient from day one. The 1-2 rushing punch of
Manase Tonga and Fui Vakapuna will carry things when it needs to
with an interesting blend of speed and power.
Defense This won't be the best defense in the Mountain West,
but it'll be good enough to win with. The 3-3-5 was replaced by the
3-4 last year with tremendous results. Now the production should be
there again with a big front three, led by end Jan Jorgensen, and a
good linebacking corps that needs Kelly Poppinga to be the main man
in the middle in place of Cameron Jensen. The safeties, Dustin
Gabriel and Quinn Gooch, are as good as any in the conference, but
the corners are nothing special.
Sept. 15 – at Utah
Offense:
Look out. Utah not only gets just about
everyone back with its top six wide receivers, leading rusher Darryl
Poston, and four starting offensive linemen, but it also welcomes
back its superstar, quarterback Brian Johnson, after taking last
year off to recover from a torn ACL. All the problems with
inconsistency throughout last season should be gone thanks to all
the experience. Expect more explosion, a slew of Mountain West
all-stars, and for Johnson to become a national college football
name. There's more than enough depth at the skill positions to
withstand injuries, but there's no development among the backups on
the line.
Defense: There's a ton of athleticism and loads of potential,
but there are also several major concerns on the line and secondary.
The linebacking corps will be fine with four starting-caliber
players returning led by Joe Jianonni in the middle. Martail Burnett
is an all-star waiting to blow up at end, free safety Steve Tate is
good for 100 tackles, and Brice McCain has the kind of speed that
NFL scouts tend to drool over. Everything else is up in the air with
former receiver Sean Smith trying to handle the second corner spot,
no experience to count on at strong safety, and unproven new
starters at tackle and the second defensive end. In the end, the D
will be fine in Mountain West play because of all the talent, but it
might not be good enough to win the league title if the offense
struggles for a game or two.
Sept. 22 - Washington
Offense: All eyes in Seattle will be fixed on the debut of
hot-shot rookie quarterback Jake Locker, but if there’s one priority
for Tyrone Willingham in 2007, it’s to get more consistent on the
ground. Conservative by Pac-10 doctrine, the third-year coach wants
to pound it between the tackles to set up the pass. Top back Louis
Rankin is more of an outside runner, putting the onus on 210-pound
sophomore J.R. Hasty to start realizing his vast potential. While
Locker has all the tools for stardom, he’ll spend most of the
upcoming season adapting to his new role as the face of the
program. His big-play target will be senior Marcel Reece, a Mike
Walker clone poised to make a salary run.
Defense: Even with a slight improvement in 2006, the Husky pass
defense ranked among the nation’s worst for the second straight
year. With no stars and two new starters, expect more of the same
in 2007. The problems in the secondary will again overshadow a
sneaky good front seven that features four returning starters on the
defensive line and a group of young, dynamic linebackers, including
sophomores E.J. Savannah and Donald Butler that could evolve into
playmakers. Defensive ends Greyson Gunheim and Daniel Te’o Nesheim
are a couple of warriors that combined for two dozen tackles for
loss last fall. At 6-5 and 265 pounds, Gunheim runs like a gazelle,
making him a magnet for NFL scouts visiting the Northwest.
Sept. 29 – at Oregon State
Offense: While the Beavers regularly skip using a fullback in
favor of a third receiver, they’re a balanced offense that’ll run it
as much as they throw. When you’ve got a back as talented as senior
Yvenson Bernard, that’s called using your resources wisely. Bernard
has run for more than 1,300 yards in each of the last two seasons
behind a nasty, no-nonsense line that welcomes back all but one
starter. Senior split end Sammie Stroughter is an open field dynamo
coming off a monster season in 2006. What he can do for an encore
depends in large part on how well one of two sophomore quarterbacks
adapts to a full-time gig. Hard-throwing lefty Sean Canfield is the
acknowledged favorite to supplant Matt Moore, but Lyle Moevao sent a
message this spring that he won’t go away quietly.
Defense: Much of the unit that led the Pac-10 in takeaways
and sacks is back in Corvallis for 2007. The front seven, in
particular, is rock solid and made up entirely of seniors. The best
of the bunch is outside linebacker Derrick Doggett, who has the
range and long stride to literally make plays anywhere on the
field. After bagging a team-high nine sacks as a reserve in 2006,
end Dorian Smith is a sleeper with a chance to shed his anonymity
this fall. Whether the Beaver D can get from really good to
impervious in 2007 depends on the development of a suspect secondary
that allowed 223 yards a game a year ago. Junior corners Keenan
Lewis and Brandon Hughes are moving in the right direction, but you
don’t get better by losing long-time patrolman Sabby Piscitelli.
Oct. 6 - Notre Dame
Offense: Yeah, Charlie Weis is a great offensive
coach, but there's some serious rebuilding needing to be done. There
are good prospects, but there are several major concerns and no
proven production. Can the line be better despite losing three
starters? Will the skill players be remotely close to as good as the
Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Rhema McKnight and Darius Walker
foursome of last year? Are the quarterbacks ready? The quarterbacks
appear to be fine, the running backs will be solid in a combination,
and the receivers are fast and decent. The line will be a plus by
the end of the year, but it'll be a problem early on.
Defense: Charlie Weis is trying to improve a defense that was
fine against the mediocre, but lousy when it came to stopping the
better offenses. Gone is defensive coordinator Rick Minter, and in
comes Corwin Brown, who installed a 3-4 scheme to try to generate
more big plays and get more speed and athleticism on the field. The
line will be the issue early on as two steady starters are needed to
help out Trevor Laws. Maurice Crum leads a promising linebacking
corps that should shine in the new defense. The big problem could
again be the secondary. It has experience, but it won't get as much
help from the pass rush, like it did last year, and needs the young
corner prospects to push the unspectacular veterans for time.
Oct. 20 - California
Offense: With Jeff Tedford at the controls, this is basically
a pro-style offense that mixes the run and the pass evenly, and puts
up points as quickly as any program in the country. The head coach
will be calling plays again after a one-year hiatus, meaning trick
plays will be more frequent than a year ago. The job of
distributing the ball to an array of speedy skill position players
belongs to quarterback Nate Longshore, a strong-armed junior that
threw 24 touchdown passes in 2006 and a few too many picks.
Although he has plenty of receivers to choose from, none is more
lethal than DeSean Jackson, a field-stretcher and legit Heisman
candidate. Super sub Justin Forsett takes over for Marshawn Lynch
at running back, where he’ll be running behind an outstanding
veteran line. Center Alex Mack is on the All-American doorstep
after earning first team All-Pac-10 honors as a sophomore.
Defense: There’s plenty of work to be done for a Cal defense
that begins a new era without its signature all-conference player at
each of the three defensive units. Outstanding recruiting by Jeff
Tedford and his staff in recent years ensures that the cupboard is
far from empty, but there’ll be a learning curve early on in 2007.
Of greatest concern is a pass defense that gets modest support up
front and will be relying on a slew of green cornerbacks. Sophomore
Syd’Quan Thompson and redshirt freshman Darian Hagan look the part,
but need to deliver once Pac-10 plays begins. Junior Zack Follett
is the budding star of a linebacker unit that has the potential to
be the next best thing to USC in the conference.
Oct. 27 – at Washington State
Offense: Washington State won’t abandon the run by any means,
but this is an offense that’s traditionally wide-open and run out of
three-wide sets. The engineer of the attack will be fourth-year
starting quarterback Alex Brink, who enters his senior season with a
real nice complement of receivers, led by all-Pac-10 candidates
Brandon Gibson and Michael Bumpus. Although the offensive line
welcomes back four players that started games a year ago, both
tackles will be new, a big concern heading into the season. If
they’re overmatched, the ripple effect will reverberate throughout
the entire offense.
Defense: Expect some subtle changes as head coach Bill
Doba steps in to coordinate the defense in 2007. He’d like to
utilize more man coverages and blitz packages, both of which could
be suicide for a secondary that’s been gutted by graduations and is
in dire need of a couple of reliable cornerbacks. The Cougars are
going to give up plenty of yards and points, but if they can create
turnovers and sack the quarterback, like last year, there’s hope
that the breakdowns can be managed. The defense is loaded with big,
agile bodies up front, but there’s a catch—serious injuries are
mounting and could bleed into the start of the season. While
there’s no quick fix for the pass defense, junior college transfer
Terry Mixon has the potential to be a star from the moment he steps
foot in Pullman.
Nov. 3 – at Arizona
Offense: After averaging a 100th place finish in
total offense over the last three years, Mike Stoops has handed the
unit off to former Texas Tech coordinator Sonny Dykes. Dykes has
learned from the likes of Mike Leach and Hal Mumme over the last
decade, so expect to see a rejuvenated Willie Tuitama in the
shotgun, putting the ball up a ton more than last season. The
Wildcats’ quest to stretch defenses vertically and horizontally in
the spread offense will hinge on their ability to develop dependable
receivers other than junior Mike Thomas. The beleaguered offensive
line is a year older, intact and poised to benefit from a system
that forces the quarterback to make quick passes and even quicker
decisions. Sophomore Eben Britton is on the brink of becoming a
prodigy at right tackle.
Defense: With the return of ten starters and an all-star
caliber player at each unit, Arizona should be even stingier than
2006, when it led the Pac-10 in turnover margin and allowed fewer
than 20 points a game. The headliner once again will be senior
Antoine Cason, one of the smoothest corners in America and a leading
candidate for the Thorpe Award. Led by underrated senior Spencer
Larsen, the linebackers are a no-name crew that just goes out and
makes a bunch of tackles every Saturday. The onus for jump starting
the pass rush falls squarely on the shoulders of senior Louis
Holmes, a massive talent that underachieved in his first season out
of junior college.
Nov. 10 - Arizona State
Offense: Arizona State really wasn’t Arizona State in 2006,
but with ten starters returning, there’s reason to believe that the
Sun Devils will score in bunches this year. Dennis Erickson brings
a balanced and unpredictable system that’ll use multiple formations
and plenty of shotgun, yet still lean heavily on the running game.
The success of the unit hinges on the play of quarterback Rudy
Carpenter, who looked destined for stardom as a freshman before
suffering through a humbling sophomore season marked by turnovers
and lapses in confidence. His supporting cast is headed by Ryan
Torain, one of the nation’s best backs that no one outside the
Pac-10 has seen. With six seasoned linemen back, he’s destined to
become the first Sun Devil in over 30 years to go for more than
1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Although Carpenter’s receivers
did nothing to help him out of his slump in 2006, they’re now awash
with the kind of speed and playmaking potential that’s customary in
Tempe.
Defense: Six starters return to a defense that improved in
2006, yet still allowed more than 40 points in four of the final ten
games. The Sun Devils will continue to run out of a 4-3 base while
asking their linebackers and safeties to freelance and make plays
all over the field. There are building blocks—and question marks—at
each unit heading into 2007. Tackle Michael Marquardt and Dexter
Davis have all-league potential, but both are going to need support
from a couple of new starters. Although the linebackers have
considerable upside, the man in the middle, Morris Wooten, is a
first-year player. And while safety Josh Barrett and corner Justin
Tryon will play on Sundays, the pass defense is in deep trouble if
the other cornerback gets routinely exposed. The net result? A
nice collection of talent that’ll still allow plenty of yards to the
Pac-10’s finer-tuned offenses.
Nov. 24 - Oregon
Offense: As usual, Oregon gobbled up a ton of yards in 2006,
but lacked efficiency most of the year and imploded under the weight
of its turnovers in the second half of the season. So when
offensive coordinator Gary Crowton left for LSU, Mike Bellotti
turned to New Hampshire’s Chip Kelly to get the offense back on
course. A spread offense guru, Kelly will have a few new bells and
whistles in his toolbox, including greater use of the no-huddle and
increased reliance on superstar back Jonathan Stewart. The key for
the offense, and probably the entire team, will be the development
of senior quarterback Dennis Dixon, who became the poster boy for
the Ducks’ collapse late last year. He’ll get adequate protection
from Max Unger and the boys up front, but needs more consistency
from a receiving corps that misplayed too many balls in 2006.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti isn’t shy about
bringing pressure with his wave of good athletes, and now has a
couple of quality corners to marginalize the risk of selling out.
Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond, Freshman All-Americans in 2006,
join standout rover Patrick Chung to give the Ducks their feistiest
secondary in years. The front seven, however, is far less stable.
After finishing ninth in the Pac-10 in run defense, Oregon needs to
shore up the middle of its defense and develop an end or two that
can consistently create pressure. Redshirt freshman Brandon Bair is
one possibility that has the staff cautiously excited about the
defensive end spot. In a league filled with strong-armed hurlers,
that promising secondary will pay the price if opposing passers are
given too much time to throw.
Dec. 1 –
at USC
Offense: Does anyone in the country reload faster than the Trojans?
While there’ll be new faces on the line, at wide receiver, and at offensive
coordinator, the high-powered results that have become commonplace in the Pete
Carroll era aren’t about to change. Of course, it helps to have at the controls
strong-armed senior John David Booty, one of the early favorites to add a fourth
Heisman Trophy to Heritage Hall in the last six years. He’ll be surrounded by
an absolutely decadent amount of skill position talent, but most of the
receivers lack experience at this level. In this case, talent will overcome
inexperience in a rout. At 6-5 and 220 pounds, junior receiver Patrick Turner
has the imposing size and sticky fingers to conjure up images of Mike Williams
and Dwayne Jarrett, and have a breakout year. Although the line is going to
miss the presence of center Ryan Kalil, returning two-time All-American Sam
Baker to protect Booty’s blindside will help cushion the blow.
Defense: The Trojan offense is good. The Trojan defense is scary good.
Backed by a Who’s Who of future first-day NFL Draft choices, USC is ready to
unleash the nastiest and stingiest unit of the Pete Carroll era. Led by Sedrick
Ellis at the nose, Keith Rivers at middle linebacker, and Terrell Thomas at
cornerback, the Trojans boast seven players capable of making a run at
All-America honors in 2007. Yeah, a few more sacks and takeaways would be nice,
but this is as close to a flawless unit that there is in the country. From
front to back, they’re aggressive, experienced and fast enough to create a
swarming effect on the ball carrier. Although the Trojans will give up yards to
teams playing from behind, scoring meaningful points on them in the first three
quarters is going to be a year-long nightmare.
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