Implosion?

by Nestor on Sep 25, 2006 5:21 AM PDT in Football

If the coaches don't watch it and get this team together this week we may be looking at a total implosion within the Bruin football program. Yesterday A pointed out how DeWayne Walker shamelessly hung the disgraceful Washington loss on the shoulders of Rodney Van, who (unlike his coaches) was making an aggressive effort to win the game. Well Walker tried to backtrack from those shameful remarks, but it could be a little late for that. The boys over at Dump Dorrell notes this is not the first time Dorrell's coaching staff have thrown our players under the bus:

We have to mention the now continuing disgraceful and dishonorable trend of UCLA coaches blaming individual players for losses, or as in the case of Rice, poor play. After the disappointing Rice game, KD called out BO several times on a radio interview for being responsible for UCLA not scoring in the red zone and being confused by the blitzes Rice coaches threw at him. OC Jim Svoboda called out BO as well (we do not have the link). Later, KD admitted that he never practiced BO against the blitz - odd for the obvious reason that opposing coaches are expected to test a "rookie" QB by blitzing him.

Now add erstwhile respected DC DeWayne Walker to the list of UCLA coaches singling out individual players as scapegoats. He called out Rodney Van for the missed tackle late in the first half when Washington had 3rd and long deep in their territory as being the reason for the loss (Ajax at Bruinsnation has a good read on this). That is just unacceptable. This type of blame game is not worthy of UCLA. Take responsibility for the loss coach!! What kind of culture are they breeding there? We have always respected KD for his class, but now we are losing that respect. KD has to stop this. Coaching lost this game, the evidence is clear.

Coaches blaming the players in public for a loss is of course disgusting. It doesn't motivate players to work harder. If anything these kinds of blame game may only demoralize the players even more. And it looks some players may already be losing confidence in their coaches. Check this out from WR senior Junior Taylor, who has worked so hard to make his way back after a devastating injury last year (emphasis mine):

"We just run the plays they (the coaches) want to do," wide receiver Junior Taylor said, clearly irritated over the play-calling.

"I want the ball, the receivers want the ball. In order to make plays, we have to have the ball. You have the receivers; you have to go to them to make plays."

Folks this is not good. We have coaches openly blaming players for a loss. Senior leaders calling out coaches horrible and woeful play calling. This is not a healthy football program. And while the team may be imploding in front of our own eyes, Dorrell still remains aloof (and clueless):

"We're trying to call as good of plays as we can," UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said. "It always looks bad when things don't work. That's easy for us to see.

"But that's one of those things that we have to continue to develop (within) our offensive staff, and our players. We're still working through growing as a football unit on that side of the ball, and we're doing the same thing defensively."

So this team is "growing"? After four freaking years of mediocre football Dorrell's football team is still growing. Let's see how the coaching staff has grown in last two weeks. Recall after the Rice game Dohn gave the coaching staff a much deserved C-. And check out the grade for Saturday's debacle:

Coaching
Walker again had a strong game plan, and if not for a few missed tackles the Bruins could have still won. However, the conservative play calling -- a run on third-and-goal from the 10 late in the third quarter is one of many examples - is impossible to overlook.
Grade: D

From "C-" to a "D." That is "growing" in Dorrell's vast dictionary.

Anyways all is not lost (yet). Luckily we get D-1AA Stanford this Saturday. Bruins need to demolish Stanford if they want to have any hope of stemming the spiraling downward momentum since the Rice game (one can argue since Dorrell's hire). A win over Stanford will not do much to wash away Saturday's disappointment in Seattle. But it will keep some sense of hope afloat that the team will not implode before the midpoint of this season. Otherwise if our team takes one more loss before the next Oregon trip, well God help the Bruins Nation.

GO BRUINS.

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Comments

Lavin Like Excuses

I used to get upset when Lavin, after another unjustifiable loss, would say "We are a work in progress." Of course, we could never see the progress.

KD's excuse: "... growing as a football team ...".

Different words, same excuse.

Inexcusable.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Sep 25, 2006 5:50 AM PDT reply actions

Also

the blaming of players is also a Lavin-esque exercise. If the players are getting disgruntled (as they have every right to be, with the gross mishandling of responsibility for this loss), that's just another sign that it's time for KD to go.

by scittles on Sep 25, 2006 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Growing tired of excuses

I've heard enough bs about growing.

Admittedly, I've been one to hold out hope that KD has been growing as a coach and, though he had an awful two years to start, he might develop into that could take UCLA to the next level. I really hoped he would. I've wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Now, I don't think there is much doubt at all. Almost every single thing that the critics of KD have been saying for a year was born out in that debacle in Seattle and it's aftermath.

I'll try to hold out some hope, but, frankly, I'm having trouble doing so when that hope seems to be contradicted by cold hard facts.

With due respect to Dohn, it doesn't take six years to see what we are going to get with KD. I think it's all too apparent right now.

by Menelaus on Sep 25, 2006 11:41 AM PDT reply actions

Sick and tired

I've tried and tried to support our players throughout the years, but I am just so dissappointed every year with the play-calling, sometime lack of effort/being "flat" in some games, and general acceptance of mediocrity with the football program every year. Last year was a great ride, but it was totally spoiled by an inexcusable loss to Arizona and another blowout to SC. That season could've easily been a 6-6 year and would there have been an extension for that? Again, I think I'm starting to view last year as the anomaly, rather than progress towards the norm. And with UW and UA steadily improving, SC-ASU-CAL-&OR seemingly always at the top - where does that lead a middling UCLA program. I saw Saturday's game as the perfect archetype for Dorrell's program... I'm just sick of watching this for 18 of the past 20 years... ahhhh - the venting is cathartic, even 2 days later when no one is viewing it anymore....

Go Bruins, Go Howland, F-Lavin, and let's get rid of Dorrell....

by BruinManDan97 on Sep 25, 2006 3:09 PM PDT reply actions

minor point....

If we had lost the 4 regular seasons games that we needed miracle comebacks to pull-off, then we would have been 5-6 and not even made it to a bowl game!

by bornagainbruin on Sep 25, 2006 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Respectfully disagree with comments on Walker

Walker has a very close relationship with Van and has given him credit when it was due. He has ALWAYS talked about how Van is an amazing talent but lacks discipline. Walker has made comments about this since the beginning of training camp. I love the fact that he's trying to get a flame under his butt and threatening him with playing time. Of course making an aggressive play on the ball usually isn't a bad thing, but his tackling has been shoddy and costly in every single game and he needs to learn that sometimes he needs to be conservative.

If this had been any other person who Walker did not have a close relationship, I think you'd have more of a point.

I think that Walker's comments WILL put a fire under Van's butt and if I was in Van's position having made the same mental mistakes over and over again, I would definitely begin to get it when I realized that it change the game and when I was being threatened with losing playing time. I just wish Dorrell/Svoboda had the balls to do this on the offense.

I guess we'll find out soon enough. I think a lot of people might disagree with the notion that it was shameless. That would be a good idea for a poll...

by guttylittlebruins on Sep 25, 2006 3:16 PM PDT reply actions

The quote is his

The quote is Walker's. He said if it werent for that one missed takle we would have won the game. He is clearly putting the blame on an individual player, in public. Sorry, no matter the circumstances of each individual player, you just dont do that. Take it to the locker room. Besides, we all know that one play did not cost us the game ... the entire game cost us the game.

I truly hope for a great season, but if we dont have one we must dumpdorrell.com

by DumpDorrell on Sep 25, 2006 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

I don't care how close is Walker with Rodney. It still sets a horrible example of coaches blaming players for losses.

This stuff should be aired in the locker room.

I don't see anything wrong with calling out a player in public for a bad game but to blame a devastating loss on one player, when clearly the stupid head coach and his moron OC is responsible. Disgusting.

by bluestreet on Sep 25, 2006 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions

ditto

why should be Van's job be in jeopardy anyway when he we are short at DB's to begin with. noted verner has played well but he got burned a few times in one on one coverage late in the game as well. van and the rest of the defense played hard and agressive like walker wants it, and when you blitz and play zero or man-to-man coverage behind it every once and a while you'll get burned

by redsand514 on Sep 25, 2006 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Ben the Canadian

Olson looks like he's stuck in pee wee football. Maybe he should have stayed in Canada. Inconsistency is the key word; he does an amazing play and follows up with five horrible ones. I don't know what we should expect. We finally have a defense that can keep up with our offense and we have a kid in a man's body playing quarterback. Makes you think what our backup, Patrick Cowan, can do. We should give him a chance. Maybe that will light a fire under Olson.

And another thing, we should have won the Washington game. Bad coaching period. Dorrell and the offensive coaching staff are not only letting the fans down but their own players. Give Olson a chance to show what he's made of. The thing is I'm afraid they are and it might not be much.

by bruinwalk55 on Sep 30, 2006 8:41 PM PDT reply actions