Nowhere to Hide (From Expectations)

by Nestor on Aug 20, 2007 3:12 PM PDT in Football Comment 11 comments

The WWL shines the spotlight on the worst UCLA head coach since World War II. He has nowhere to hide this season:

Pat Forde pens what I think is one of the best national Dorrell profile yet opining on the expectations facing one of the worst coaches in college football.

Forde starts with a perfect zinger against Dorrell’s ~~golf game~~ coaching ability (emphasis mine throughout):

[I]f Karl's golf game is anything like his head-coaching career to date, he cards a bogey for every birdie.

Dorrell's first four years with the Bruins were characterized by a step back for nearly every stride forward. The record went from 6-7 to 6-6 to 10-2, then backslid to 7-6 last season.

Forde on the expectations this coming season:

Now comes a season in which progress is expected to be measured in miles, not inches. With 20 returning starters and a bunch of winnable road games, the time is now for UCLA to win back a share of Los Angeles and make a push into the national elite. The Bruins begin the season ranked 14th in the AP poll, highest they've been in August since 1998.

What Dorrell has been unable to accomplish after four years in Westwood:

"We're more mature," All-America defensive end Bruce Davis said. "We know what it takes to win football games. There's nothing in college football we haven't seen."

Oh, there is one thing, at least. These Bruins have never seen a Pac-10 title up-close and personal. And everyone knows who they have to go through to get there.

And how everything is set up perfectly in his fifth season with 20 returning starters and a favorable schedule:

The support system is certainly in place for Olson. He'll have a veteran line in front of him and a multitude of weapons at his disposal, from running back Chris Markey (1,107 yards rushing, 35 receptions) to receivers Marcus Everett, Joe Cowan, Brandon Breazell and Logan Paulsen.

The defense has a chance to be tremendous -- something not often said in Westwood. Last year was the first time since 1997 that UCLA didn't allow a single regular-season opponent to score 40 points in a game, and this year it should only get better. Walker's all-pressure, all-the-time scheme produced 40 sacks in 2006, tied for sixth nationally, and 10 starters return. […]

In terms of schedule, this season sets up nicely.

The Bruins' first five road games -- Stanford, Utah, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona -- are against teams with an un-threatening 2006 average Sagarin rating of 50th. If UCLA takes care of business in the Rose Bowl and is ready to live up to its ranking, it could be 11-0 when bussing across town to play USC on Dec. 1.

Forde must be reading uclabruins05's confidence reports.

Forde ends with this:

Plenty of birdie opportunities for the Bruins -- but plenty of potential bogeys, too.

So in other words Karl has nowhere to hide. But then again if he comes up short in meeting our expectations, he will always be able to hit the local links working hard on his mediocre golf game, while UCLA has hopefully moved on with its Ben Howland (or John Savage) of college football.

GO BRUINS.

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Just saw this a few minutes ago...

... and boom, you found it.

Anyone else want to say that we were being completely unrealistic back in May?

<url> http://www.bruinsnation.com/story/2007/5/12/173728/991 </url>

Gotta love it.

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Aug 20, 2007 3:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeap

You've got to chuckle at the fact how a number of outsiders (and I won't mention names) posted all those snarky reactions (one called my post a 'fatwa') to that post labeling it as unreasonable. Whatever.

by Nestor on Aug 20, 2007 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great article

He made many valid points and supported them with facts just as we've done here. He also did mention that KD has had his moments (which he has) and provided a fair arguement from both sides. He emphasized the fact that KD has built to this year and it is this year that he will define himself as a good coach or nothing better than mediocre. Definately the best KD article I've read not on this site or DD.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Aug 20, 2007 4:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Great great article

Now this is a FAIR assessment of Karl Dorrell, and of course, not unlike much of what is written here and on DD. I really can't see anything here than anyone on either side the Dorrell divide can argue with. Forde speaks the truth ... he uses facts, and he gives credit, praise, and criticism.

I know there are the 2010 cultists out there that think year 8 is THE year for Dorrell to prove he can do the job he was hired to do - after we pay him a cool $8 million - but Forde puts the onus squarely on this Dorrell to perform THIS year, when everything is aligned for him to do so.

No Excuses!

editor, DumpDorrell.com ... formerly posted as DumpDorrell

by BruinCore on Aug 20, 2007 5:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This is THE year

This is THE year that all the Dorrell zombies were pointing to. And not that it's here, they're all backing off and talking about how 8 wins is good enough. 20 starters back and a favorable schedule. If we don't go to a BCS game now, then when? Probably never under Dorrell

by BillyZoom on Aug 20, 2007 6:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come on, Billy...

just wait until Dorrell has a little experience under his belt and finally has his own players!

by bornagainbruin on Aug 21, 2007 8:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You hear that sound?

That was the Romper Room apologists' heads exploding in unison. Sure it's easy to dismiss a bunch of racists and haters like all of us here on BN, but what about Forde? Guess he's a racist hater too. How dare he fairly assess our talent and prospects for the season?

by Tydides on Aug 20, 2007 5:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs