Remembering Utah

by Nestor on Oct 26, 2007 4:34 AM PDT in Football Comment 18 comments

Let me reiterate what I wrote in my last post. Not only I am expecting a UCLA win tomorrow, I am predicting it as well. Right now it is too easy to predict an inevitable loss after the Cal win last Saturday. It will conveniently fit into the convenient narrative that Dorrell team is having a roller coaster season. However, I think all of our players are hearing the conventional wisdom that we are going to lose tomorrow. So, my hunch is they are going to come out on an emotional high with a chip on their shoulder at Pullman, and anxious to prove everyone wrong. They are going to come out and do what they can to show that they haven’t forgotten about Utah. Check out these comments in the LAT today which counters what Trey Brown had been saying earlier in the season about how he had put the Utah loss behind him:

Playing Washington State on Saturday gives the Bruins a familiar feeling. A road game against a weaker opponent that is having all manner of trouble in recent weeks. Utah, anyone?

"The Utah game helps us remember to stay focused on not playing down to anybody's level," wide receiver Brandon Breazell said. "We've got to play like a Bruin."

UCLA faced a winless, injury-depleted Utah team the third week of the season and lost, 44-6. Now the Bruins face a Washington State team that has given up an average of 43 points in losing its last four games.

"We have to remember what happened in Utah," guard Shannon Tevaga said.

It is interesting to me who is talking to the press these days. No Trey Brown and apparently no Bruce Davis (thankfully now under a gag under) either. Regardless, I do believe we are going to pull out a win tomorrow, which will further fuel a faux narrative that somehow Dorrell has figured out how to inspire the team (again conviently sweeping last 4+ years of baggage under the rug).

Another factor that is fueling my expectation/prediction of a win, the health of Cowan. Per Dorrell PC is almost 100%:

Cowan normally wears a knee brace but removed it for the first drills, which were quarterbacks doing light throwing and practicing their hand signals in a hurry-up offense. He replaced the brace for the remainder of practice and Dorrell liked what he saw.

"You watch him running around and he can do all those things," Dorrell said. "He has all of his mobility, but we just want to make sure he's 100% ready to go on Saturday."

And they just has an "excellent practice"!

A day after sending the assistants away from the post-practice huddle and speaking at length with his team about focus during practice, Dorrell said saw the desired results in Thursday's practice.

"Excellent practice," Dorrell said. "Good work (for) special teams, offense, defense. I think our focus is getting where I want it to be, and that's what we discussed (Wednesday) after practice, what we needed to have on a great Thursday, and we did that. I'm really happy with the progress."

We are making progress. Turing that corner. Moreover, judging from Dorrell’s comments in the LAT story we have also thoroughly scouted the Cougs!:

"We're fully anticipating anything and everything in a game like this," he said.

"They've lost four games in a row and I'm sure they're going to try and make some things happen. They're coming off a bye, so there's a lot of things they can do differently that we haven't seen."

See there you go. He sounds ready. Doesn’t he?So the players are keeping Utah in mind. Cowan is healthy. Dorrell is just totally prepared.

We are soooo going to destroy the Cougars tomorrow! These guys have me all fired up.

Come on now. Can’t you feel the excitement around our football program?

GO BRUINS.

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We should win by 20

but, open question for anyone, why are we only favored by 6 against a really down WSU team?

The only answer I can think of is we are not favored by much due to our inconsistency. Or is it because of Cowan's health?

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 26, 2007 6:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It has to be because of our inconsistency. The

oddsmakers just don't trust CTS and the Bruins to come out and do what they are supposed to do based on past performance.

by bruinhawk on Oct 26, 2007 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Excitement like anticipating a car wreck.

The team and staff always say the right things leading up to the games, but until I see which team shows up on game day, I'll have my reservations. There was a lot of talk prior to ND, too, and we all saw what happened there.
I am not a pessimist by nature, but experience is the best teacher, and my experience with this years team leads me to be very ambivalent about each and every game.

Bob O. (Signholder #3)

by TuneMan7 on Oct 26, 2007 6:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

It's midseason in his 5th year, and the focus is "getting to where [he] needs it to be." Just think, maybe by the end of his 9th year, he'll have them totally focused!

GO BRUINS. HOOK 'EM HORNS (well, except on Dec. 2).

by uclawarren on Oct 26, 2007 7:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The WWL ad

One of the ads with the recurring theme of never graduate. The couple playing charades or whatever. She's obviously trying to play out "hook 'em horns" but the guy wearing the TAMU shirt can't bring himself to say it, finally responding "taco meat". One of the best in the series.

Bob O. (Signholder #3)

by TuneMan7 on Oct 26, 2007 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I predict WSU smokes us by 17

KD gets fired, and DW is named interim head coach. This game just has KD choke job written all over it. And afterwords he'll blame the fires and lack of execution and will vow to coach harder.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Oct 26, 2007 8:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I also predict a meltdown.

Just a gut feeling...
I think I'm getting used to kd's non-pattern of erratic wins and losses.

by bruinbunz on Oct 26, 2007 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me too...

I posted elsewhere:

I'm afraid we are set up perfectly to lose this game.
- Doba just seems to have Dorrell's number (as for some reason Dorrell has Tedford's number) and his ass is on the line big time
- Wazzu is coming off a bye
- Our players were not focused this week
- We don't play well against passing attacks
- Every time we are on the brink of being ranked in the top 25, we screw up royally
- Dorrell has taken the fun out of football for the players. It's all about business, which is why they can't be focused week in and week out.

We should completely destroy this team, but I just see us taking a dump at midfield for some reason. This exactly the type of game that we lose, and if it doesn't happen this week, I fear it will happen next week. I hope I'm wrong.

Nestor seems to think that the players are motivated to prove us wrong. He may be right. But if that's the case, I have lost respect for them for not motivating themselves properly every Saturday. If they want to win out of spite, they can kiss my ass.

by tasser10 on Oct 26, 2007 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reverse psychology guys

Since everyone is predicting a meltdown, I think these guys are going to come out and win. And then meltdown in another game this season.

I don't think its happening in this game.

by bluestreet on Oct 26, 2007 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only in Doofus-land

would we all be having a discussion about an upcoming game and predicting who would win based on factors like psychology, motivation, consistency, etc.

We all know that WSU is not a very good team this year. We also all know that talent-wise, UCLA is better than Wazzou, perhaps much better. The line on this game should be UCLA by 20, not UCLA by 6.

But you throw in the Dorrell factor, and suddenly, none of us know which UCLA team will show up. I hope they pack their pretty bracelets.

I say again: Wake me when we get a real coach.

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 26, 2007 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

by bluestreet on Oct 26, 2007 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll put it this way

The last time we had a party was a welcome home party for me, October 6, when we played Notre Dame. We all know what happened that day.

Tomorrow, we have our engagement party. So I fully expect us to take a dump on the field.

And yes, these are the things on which I am now forced to base my analysis and prediction of the games, because NOTHING ELSE MAKES SENSE! I don't remember ever feeling this way about football.

by tasser10 on Oct 26, 2007 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude

You should stop scheduling all these fun parties during the day of a Dorrell coached UCLA football game!

by bluestreet on Oct 26, 2007 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So much

for my glorious return to Cali. Well, at least we should beat U$C if all holds to form (I was 8-0 my 8 years in LA).

by tasser10 on Oct 26, 2007 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good job, Tasser

A lot of people manage to cram four years into eight, but you sure picked the right eight (except for basketball, but I digress.)

by Fox 71 on Oct 26, 2007 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you mean

"make a move" on the field. :)

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 26, 2007 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

When you say, "us"

I hope you mean UCLA and not you and your engagement party guests. :)

Well, I don't really hope UCLA takes a dump on the field, but you know what I mean...

GO BRUINS. HOOK 'EM HORNS (well, except on Dec. 2).

by uclawarren on Oct 26, 2007 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only time

when it is acceptable for fans to say "us" is when referring to his alma mater's sports teams, IMHO. They're Bruins, and we're Bruins. I don't think it is quite as valid for pro teams. They're Cubs but I am not.

As for the dump...well, as Barnes says, I think we'll make a move. I don't really hope we do either, but I know what you mean...sigh...

by tasser10 on Oct 26, 2007 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs