Tuesday News & Notes: We Are In "Great Shape"!

by Nestor on Oct 16, 2007 4:43 AM PDT in Football

The lead in today’s roundup will once again start with uncertain situation at QB. As of right now Dorrell is planning to start Cowan, but nothing is etched in stone yet. Dohn reports:

"If everything goes as planned, we will use (Cowan) as our starter," UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said Monday. "If it doesn't go as planned, we have (McLeod Bethel-Thompson) and also we have Osaar Rasshan that we're looking at, and Chris Forcier, who we're also looking at.

"That's the scenario at quarterback."

Cowan was cleared to practice last week, but Dorrell decided to hold him out and give the medial collateral ligament more time to heal.

However, part of Cowan's game is predicated on the ability to avoid the rush and make plays out of the pocket. Dorrell said the coaching staff will pay close attention to Cowan's maneuverability the next three days.

"We'll get a chance to evaluate him during the week," Dorrell said. "That's why if everything goes according to plan, he'll be the guy to start the game.

"If not, then (Bethel-Thompson) has been our most experienced player that has played, so he'll have the opportunity to be the backup and then we'll continue to work with Osaar and Chris Forcier to get give them opportunities to play, if need be.

"All of those scenarios will work themselves out by the end of the week. The bottom line is we have to see how Pat is, from a health standpoint, and we'll make some determinations later in the week about the rest of them."

Well Pat or no Pat, Dorrell will have to win this game. Because apparently he has been out talking about winning a Pac-10 championship (emphasis mine):

"It has been a crazy football season so far," said Dorrell, laughing in disbelief about the recent tumbling acts of national title contenders USC, Cal and LSU and the unpredictable ascension of a program like South Florida. "We've hit our bumps but we're still in great shape for what we want to accomplish, which is win the Pac-10 title."

This is a critical week for Dorrell and the Bruins, who emerge from a bye week to arrive at their midseason crossroads. They are an equidistant six games from either winning a conference title or exposing a more serious crisis.

Where the Bruins go depends first upon where Dorrell points them and what Dorrell inspires them to accomplish. They should have been 6-0 now instead nursing a 4-2 mark with a blowout loss to No. 11 Utah (44-6) on Sept. 15 and an implosion defeat to the Fighting Irish.

Ok Karl. We will take you at your word and assume our team is in "great shape." If that is the case, UCLA should have no problem disposing of Cal this weekend at the Rose Bowl, and then go on to win the Pac-10. As simple as that.

Meanwhile, Chris Foster in the LA Times has a Cowan v. Olson comparison article with human interest angle, which doesn’t have to do with actual game stats, production, and record. The tone of the article is predictable depicting Olson as the reserved/older/mature guy while Cowan being the loosy/goosy/people person. None of this comparison really means much to me. I don’t really buy all that much into demeanor and how it impacts a QB’s play. From what I heard Cade McNowne was a huge pr!ck to his team-mates at times. However, it never impacted their performances during games. So spare me if I don’t get swayed by the sentiment that Cowan just may be the better option because he is more popular with his team-mates. I think given the doofus they are playing for, our entire offense is doomed no matter who is in charge. I loved this note about Cowan though:

"Pat is just the leader of weird," wide receiver Brandon Breazell said, smiling. "I mean, he goes to basketball games with a painted face."

Uhm Brandon there is nothing "weird" about going to UCLA basketball games with a painted face. You should try it sometime and find out how UCLA fans respond to a well coached team that only cares about winning, instead of spouting like an idiot about "dominating" even after losing. Anyway, going back to this weekend’s game, Dorrell had this to say about Cal’s dynamic WRs:

Cal has what might be the best group of outside receivers in the nation in DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan, who have combined to catch 90 passes for 1,065 yards.

But Dorrell is confident in the Bruins' secondary, led by senior cornerback Trey Brown, the national leader in passes defended.

"They have experience at wide receiver. We have a great deal of experience in our back end, too," he said. "We had a little bit of a rough start coverage-wise, but those things have been shored up the last couple of games and our team is playing very confident on the defensive side right now. They're excited about this challenge that's in front of them – this offense that we have to defend, that has tremendous balance. They know about those three guys in particular, so it's something that we're looking forward to."

And we are looking forward to a UCLA victory Karl. After all you have already said the team is "in great shape" to win the "Pac-10." Add to that our defense is now all "shored up." So I'd say it's a "slam dunk" (paging Mr. Tenet) we are going to win this Saturday.

As always no pressure Karl.

GO BRUINS.

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Will The Real Football Mind Please Speak Up?

If you go to Perelman's "What's Bruin" blog you'll have an opportunity to compare the Press Day statements of CTS and Christian Taylor.

Guess which one sounds more like a coach?

CTS always finds a way to look bad. But, I wonder if Perelman has deliberately set him up by allowing us to compare and contrast his inane remarks to those of the thoughtful Taylor.

If I knew how, I'd post some of Taylor, here. Best I can do is give you the URL: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bruin/

I've always liked Christian Taylor and this interview explains why.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Oct 16, 2007 6:44 AM PDT reply actions

Utterly moronic KD statement!

"I'm not ready to comment about this year until we're at the end of this year, for us to make a fair assessment on what this team is capable of doing."

This moron doesn't know what this team is capable of doing?

Isn't it his job to know?

In order to win games, isn't KD supposed to know RIGHT NOW what this team is capable of? At the end of the year, wouldn't that be little bit too late?

And at the end of the year, with the W/L record in, everybody -- we don't need this joker -- to assess what the team is capable of doing.

by bluegold on Oct 16, 2007 7:21 AM PDT reply actions

Where did you hear that stupid quote?

I haven't seen it...and I'm tempted to put it as my footer.

by bornagainbruin on Oct 16, 2007 8:06 AM PDT up reply actions

More BS from Dorrell

From today's LAT:

"There is nothing really to comment about," Dorrell said when asked about struggles in previous seasons. "I don't look at it that way. It's more us playing better each week. We got to continue to do that. The latter end of last year, we won three games at the end, so that kind of defeats what you just said."

Riiiiiight. Did Dorrell forget about Florida State? Nevermind that we don't play better each week.

Dorrell's teams have historically played well in the first part of the year only to slump at the end (just like his team this year generally plays crappy in the first half and better in the second half). These patterns are fair game for questioning.

Maybe Dorrell should take another look at his little rubber bracelet that says, "Finish."

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 16, 2007 8:03 AM PDT reply actions

Barnes

You should highlight that in a separate diary man.

I think you man want to include the quote bluegold reference above too.

BN moderators can only do so much. We should chip in every way we can. Thanks!

by bluestreet on Oct 16, 2007 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Good suggestion--will do

I just found the bluegold quote--I couldn't find it at first.

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 16, 2007 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Did Dorrell forget about Florida State?

Yes. Obviously. He always does. That's why the Bruins were so unprepared to play them.

by Chandler on Oct 16, 2007 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

"Most experienced player"

"If not, then (Bethel-Thompson) has been our most experienced player that has played, so he'll have the opportunity to be the backup and then we'll continue to work with Osaar and Chris Forcier to get give them opportunities to play, if need be."

So playing part of ONE game and throwing a bunch of interceptions elevates a freshaman walk-on over a scholarship player who not only has been learning the system for two years but is supposedly one of the best athletes on the team?

Can Dorrell actually be that idiotic?

by Chandler on Oct 16, 2007 1:10 PM PDT reply actions

Short answer - yes

But CTS can be much more idiotic when he gets going. Just wait.

by Fox 71 on Oct 16, 2007 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Amazing.

Raashan is supposedly one of the best athletes on the team, a scrambling quarteback would go a long way towards making our offense marginally functional, he's had two years to learn the so-called system and THAT'S not the coach's first choice if Cowan can't play?

This is a no-brainer. So I think what we have in Dorrell isn't just someone who is brainless but someone who has minus brain. Anti-intelligence.

by Chandler on Oct 16, 2007 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions