The Return of SPJ

by Nestor on Apr 27, 2007 4:47 AM PDT in Ben Olson

You think KD can hear the Bruins Nation? After saying for last few weeks that he may wait till end of spring (June) to name his starting quaterback, he finally saw the light (relenting to an overwhelming majority in BN?) and named the right guy as UCLA's starting QB:

AP Photo/Danny Moloshok

Jill Painter from the Daily News has the story on Dorrell's "audible":

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell called an audible Thursday and named Ben Olson the starting quarterback.

It was no surprise that Olson won the job, but an announcement wasn't expected until after tonight's spring game. Dorrell and his staff apparently had seen enough from Olson and Patrick Cowan.

"We felt it was a good time to do it," Dorrell said. "We found out all the information we needed. We're really fortunate to have two caliber guys in our program. Ben was more consistent. He had a higher completion percentage and was a little more productive. That's the difference. We're ready to move forward."

At least one player had no idea Dorrell named a starting quarterback, and he was in team meetings Thursday. It was unclear if the team was told of the decision but the quarterbacks found out Thursday.

Dorrell did not make either quarterback available to the media.

Dorrell said Olson's completion percentage — which he wouldn't reveal — was higher than Cowan's but he wouldn't say by how much. The difference is believed to be big, especially because the decision was made before the most important day of spring.

I found the comment about the player who was present in the team meeting not knowing about this decision kind of odd (then again I find lot of things Dorrell does to lead/manage his program odd).

For instance Dorrell wouldn't reveal the completion percentage of his QBs. That is again pretty remarkable contrast from Howland's comments to press, can just dish out whenever asked not only FG% of every one of his players, but any germane statistics to Ben Ball (such as the number of charges they take). Again can't help but notice presence of these two coaches when they talk to the media.

Anyways there are some numbers out there that allows us to discern the performances of SPJ and St. Patrick this spring. SPJ's numbers (the ones that are available) are better:

The Bruins, who will hold their spring game tonight at 7 at Spaulding Field, scrimmaged twice with Olson holding a significant statistical edge. The left-hander completed 6 of 11 passes for 100 yards with one interception in the first and 4 of 9 for 28 yards and two touchdowns in the second. Cowan hit just 2 of 8 passes for 7 yards in the first scrimmage and was 2 of 8 for 40 yards in the second. He did not throw a touchdown pass.

Olson held an edge in seven-on-seven and team periods during the week, as well.

"At this point he's been more accurate as a passer, he's done the things we've asked him to do to run the offense, he's moved the team in scrimmages,'' offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said.

Sounds good to me. Now Olson needs to get majority of reps during practices, stay focused through the summer, and make sure he is totally ready when the team comes back in August to make its expected run to the Pac-10 championship. SPJ can't get too comfortable though. Per LAT apparently KD is leaving himself room to flip flop on his "audible":

Dorrell avoided characterizing the decision as final. Asked whether he might change his mind if Cowan outplays Olson when fall practice begins, Dorrell said, "Let's get to the fall."

So there you have it. SPJ has returned as the starter of the UCLA football program. But it's not a permanent thing yet because KD may just switch his mind after fall practice. Thank goodness for decisive and strong leadership at the top of Bruin football program.

Anyways for now let's enjoy SPJ's return. If you guys are heading out to Spalding field tonight (7pm kickoff) take some pictures, give us some reports. Apparently Morgan Center is renting three additional sets of bleacher seats to accommodate a crowd of 2,000. Have fun guys.

GO BRUINS.

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It's about freakin time

KD needs to put up or shut up. Should've been last year but if we underperform again, he better hit the road or I'm going to explode.

by BlueReign on Apr 27, 2007 8:18 AM PDT 0 recs

Final Non-Final Decision Is Temporarily Permanent

You have got to hand it to our guy Karl. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can fuck up something so simple like Karl.

Why did he name Olson the starter? Because:

"We found out all the information we needed. We're really fortunate to have two caliber guys in our program. Ben was more consistent. He had a higher completion percentage and was a little more productive."

Okay, so Karl made the decision because Ben Olson was more consistent. That actually makes sense. I can get behind that. Name a stater now, instill some certainty, get everybody to rally around one guy. Not sure what it means to say "we have two caliber guys" (did he mean two HIGH caliber guys?), but that is just Karl being Karl. Way to go, Karl. Finally making a decision.

But then, presumably at the same press conference, Karl says:

"The accuracy and completion percentage and those things really didn't matter."

wait, what? He got the job because his completion percentage was superior, but completion percentage doesn't really matter? Now you are starting to lose me a bit.

Then we find out the answer to the age old question, "If you name a starting quarterback without telling any of the players, have you really named a starting quarterback?" Every football coach in America would have called the two guys into his office, informed them both individually of his decision, and then held a team meeting to announce the decision. Not Karl! He tells everyone else, but not the players:

"At least one player had no idea Dorrell named a starting quarterback, and he was in team meetings Thursday. It was unclear if the team was told of the decision but the quarterbacks found out Thursday."

You know what, why tell the team? Sure, there was a team meeting on Thursday where the ENTIRE F'ING TEAM was present. But hey, they will figure it out at some point. Always keep them guessing-it keeps them sharp! This strategy forces the players to focus like laser beams on the structure of the offense/defense. You can tell it is working:

"Oddly enough, neither quarterback was on the same page regarding the offense under new offensive coordinator Jay Norvell. During spring, Olson said the offense was 'completely different' from last year while Cowan said the 'concepts are the same, it's just that the terminology is different."

Then there is the kicker:

"Dorrell avoided characterizing the decision as final. Asked whether he might change his mind if Cowan outplays Olson when fall practice begins, Dorrell said, 'Let's get to the fall.'"

Now that's the Karl we have come to know! Let's take all of the benefits of naming a starter now (e.g., give Olson confidence and allow him to start preparing early to be the man; give the team a chance to build a rhythm; build the playbook to one guy's strengths; etc.) and throw them out the window. C'mon-nothing is permanent! What if Olson has a mediocre fall and Cowan is almost marginally better? You don't want to shut the door on anything. Smart. Keep your options open, Karl.

You evil genius, Karl. You are always thinking. I know what you are doing. This brilliant game of misdirection will no doubt lead to a Pac 10 championship next season!

Either that, or (yet) another 6 win season and a terrible loss in a bowl played in Montana and named after a condiment. Yeah. Definitely one of those two.

by Koach Karl I on Apr 27, 2007 8:25 AM PDT 0 recs

Well ..

IMO, the quotes are likely inaccurate.

Or, they're accurate, but a little out of context.

When I read the article, for example, I assumed he meant that the specific completion percentages didn't matter. As in, he wasn't going to reveal the exact numbers or he didn't recall the exact percentages. I don't at all think he meant to say that he based the decision on the percentages then turned around and said that those percentages didn't matter.

As for the other quote, the Daily Bruin had the quote different:

"We're really fortunate to have two guys of that caliber in our program that we can play with"

Agree with it or not, that quote makes more sense than Painter's.

Go Bruins

by Achilles on Apr 27, 2007 9:56 AM PDT up 0 recs

so true...it's now or never for SPJ

"Now Olson needs to get majority of reps during practices, stay focused through the summer, and make sure he is totally ready when the team comes back in August to make its expected run to the Pac-10 championship."

This is so true. I've been worried that Olson is simply a bust. Nothing against him, but when a player of his high-school greatness can't stand head-and-shoulders above Patrick Cowan, it brings doubt to my mind (and I don't mean to be an ass towards St. P, I think he gives it all that he can and I respect that).

Sure there are a lot of excuses for SPJ: he's rusty from taking so much time off, we have no big play WRs, our running game is weak, our OC was weak, etc...but a player of Ben's purported caliber needs to rise above and find a way.

So let's give Ben all the reps and do everything we can to help him fulfill his immense promise...it really is the best hope we have.

by RealisticBruinFan on Apr 27, 2007 9:36 AM PDT 0 recs

BO

I observed last year that BO had a lot less confidence than I wanted him to have, and conversely, PC had a lot more confidence than I expected him to have. Physical talent is one thing, but confidence is another matter. I sincerely hope BO has developed the confidence with another year in the system (whatever system that turns out to be) and is able to use his physical gifts to dazzle us all.
Bill

BillSouthBay

by BillSouthBay on Apr 27, 2007 12:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

True, BUT

it is very hard to have confidence when the coach is calling plays that negate your abilities and role in an offense. That pervasive feeling of playing not to lose trickles down from above. I hate to say it but BO probably would have been a stud at U$C. PC has nothing to lose, no one was recruiting him out of high school.

by tasser10 on Apr 27, 2007 3:12 PM PDT up 0 recs

Of course the decision isn't final

if BO has a terrible fall practice, and PC has an awesome fall practice, should dorrell stick with BO?

I am glad he's not being stubborn. As long as BO continues to earn the starting QB job, it is his.

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

by silverlakebruin on Apr 27, 2007 10:07 AM PDT 0 recs

I agree with KD....

I actually like the fact that he left the door open for St. P to win the spot back. IMO, if he said "we are going with BO no matter what" it might make BO a bit too comfortable. Leaving the door open makes both of them keep working hard and trying to improve because although the depth chart is set it can still change. This would make my ass motivated.

by king James on Apr 27, 2007 12:27 PM PDT 0 recs

six of one, half-dozen of the other

on the practice field, olson seems to perform slightly better, but i still give cowan credit for his decisive performance against sc.

i would think that the sc performance would be entitled to a lot of weight in the decision as to who starts next year. nonetheless, it could be argued that olson lost his position as a result of injury, and according to Koach Karl's numbers, Olson has done better this spring.

bottom line - olson is on a short chain, and if he doesn't perform, he will get yanked, and quickly. neither one will get cut much slack.

by uclagradscdad on Apr 27, 2007 5:23 PM PDT 0 recs

I don't think spring matters much

With Olson we have a chance at being good.

With Cowan we will be nothing but mediocre.

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 27, 2007 5:41 PM PDT up 0 recs

but wasn't Cowan at the helm against SC?

You have to give him credit for that win. Would the result have been the same with Olson?

by uclagradscdad on Apr 27, 2007 8:37 PM PDT 0 recs

Maybe not

but Olson was 4-1, Cowan was 3-5

And the USC was our season low in points, so it wasn't the offense that won the game.

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 27, 2007 8:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

Spring Practice

Its hard to tell from the limited (maybe 50-60) plays that i saw, but a few general observations:

Ben has to work on being more mobile, there were about four instances where he was sacked because he just didnt throw the ball away or couldn't evade the rush. Soem of it was on the o-line, but i think olson needs to move around a little bit more.

I like there is a shotgun formation in the new system (gives quarterbacks time), but they were using it a lot in the scrimmage for slants and short dump offs, when we should be trying to use it for longer developing plays.

Units that looked good: Defense (1st and 2nd team)
Units that looked shaky: WR's/oline/qb

again, you cant say much from just a scrimmage, but these seemed to be the general trends.

by snksbruin on Apr 27, 2007 8:38 PM PDT 0 recs

otherwise, Mrs. Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?

"Units that looked good:
Defense (1st and 2nd team)
Units that looked shaky: WR's/oline/qb"

by uclagradscdad on Apr 27, 2007 8:51 PM PDT 0 recs

Tom Blake

from Stewart Mandel: "A walk-on transfer from UC-Davis, the junior has emerged as a legitimate contender to fill the starting spot vacated by All-America Justin Hickman."

Anybody know anything about him? I've never heard of him.

BTW Mandel has us at 22

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 27, 2007 9:13 PM PDT 0 recs

Blake

is an absolute stud...i couldn't make it tonight but i went to practice last Saturday and he completely blew the guard right into chane moline when it looked like there was a huge hole. also, when i couldnt make it to fan appreciation day, my buddy kept telling me about this #56 guy and how he looked extremely impressive. regardless of whether he starts or not, he should give us some depth and would probably be a starter in 2008, especially with both davis and drago as seniors...great find for our team!

GO BRUINS

matsumoto class of '05

by matsumoto720 on Apr 27, 2007 11:42 PM PDT 0 recs