Freshman QB with unknown talent and upside…and a VERY young and mixed talent O-line.

I respect and admire everyone of these players for their effort.

Now, if anyone could help me figure out our “D” God bless ya! Talk about Jeykell and Hyde!!!

This post is right on about consistency and the defense. Yesterday, there were some big defensive plays on our part but on the next series our defense imitated the old Bob Toledo “15 yards and cloud of a whole bunch of dust” defense. (Remember those days—we would give up 47 points yet convincingly win by a field goal!). But we cannot be consistent this season given Coach Dorrall’s inability to lead or even manage a competent Division One recruitment program. Greater consistency will come with another year of solid recruitment. Let’s stay positive and fired up—even if we lose the all or most of the rest of our games which is the product of Coach Dorrall’s unsuccessful recruiting program Don’t quit!

I agree that fans calling for CN’s head is way out there. But alot of us are very dissappointed that this team has shown no improvement from last year. D still can’t stop the run & big plays. I know that happens to every team across the country, but the offense never, never responds. With CN and Chow so called QB experiences, our redshirt freshman just doesn’t make any plays. There are several true & reshirt freshman out there getting the job done and our QB is average at best. I’d think that this coaching staff would have better play at the QB position. I’ve just expect some improvement and when I get asked what kind of football team UCLA has this year in my part of the country, my answer is “I don’t have a clue”. You’d think we’d know that after 6 games. I’m sure CN will be here for awhile. I’d just hope to see success begin sooner. Say like at Arizona. We’ll all flying out for the ASU game. Hoping things turn around before then.

In spite of being very critical of this team myself, I agree, there have been clear improvements.
The yield of these improvements is coming painfully slow though. Ty, you are a very patient person, an eloquent defender of reason, and no doubt a good Bruin. For some of us though, because of our defective genetic makeup, are not in possession of your patience and graceful respect. I write that with all sincerity. I have no gridiron pedigree whatsoever, other than being a Bruin spectator for a very long time. So it is from that weak perspective that I say: My sense is that there are deeper issues at play with this team (over and above the to-be-expected heartache over 3 successive losses). There are indeed some exceptionally great individual players on this team, and that is encouraging. However, on the flip side of the coin, I can point to many troubling issues (which you are fully aware of, so I won’t bore you)
One question though, and I ask with all due respect.
This offense has not exactly set the world on fire, but many at Bruin Nation have vigorously advocated patience since game one. The defense, on the other hand, has performed fairly well the whole season, with the exception of the Cal collapse. Yet, many at BN didn’t hesitate to pounce on the D swiftly and severely (not necessarily referring to you) I am not questioning anybody’s integrity, I am just sincerely curious as to what your thoughtful perspective is on this issue.

Thanks for the response. Your take on the situation is perfectly reasonable and I appreciate your time. Here’s to hoping they “jell” enough to put a beat down on an unsuspecting team or two with the remaining time they have. Because if they don’t, the next worry will be that some highly touted recruits may get cold feet. And believe me, I don’t want to see CRN forced into proving how good he is at getting (or not losing) some good HS players.

When speaking of improvement, I’m looking at wins & losses also. We brought in a new and better coaching staff that is graded by W’s., not moral victories. I do see the improvement in the offensive line, without a doubt. The offense’s running game is vastly improved and the running backs should be used to get first downs in short yardage situations and on the goal line. So far, this football has beaten who it was supposed to, SDSU & Kansas St. From what alot of us have seen so far, surpassing the 4 wins from a year ago will be a heck of a challenge. Washington St maybe the only game the Bruins will be favored in. I pray that our Bruins will play inspired football on the road at Arizona & OSU like I personally saw in Rocky Top. That was a different team than what we have now, in my opinion. The teams we defeated are beginning to show signs of improvement, but the Bruins are stuck in neutral. The Cal game did show a glimpse of promise. The D played a much better second half, giving the offense a chance to get back in the game. Yet again, another costly mistake on that important drive drove the final nail in the coffin. I’m just looking for this team to finish against a Pac 10 team. I can’t wait to see the kids laughing and enjoying the game on the sidelines late in the 4th quarter. So far, in this conference race, those smiles are all across the field.
I want these guys to win as bad a you do. It has an effect on my weekends, just ask my wife. And having to watch the Bruins on ESPN360.com each of the past two weekends hopefully showns my passion for the Bruins.

good post Nestor, but I only would quibble with you that I think Jet Ski Franklin is definitely top flight talent. He has speed where it counts: into and out of the hole. A lot of fast guys do way to much dancing at the point of attack, and then waste their speed trying to cut outside or reversing the field. Jet Ski gets it when it comes to running, and he’s only a red shirt freshman. I think he can play on Sundays as a 3rd down back if he continues to improve…

He juked a couple of guys and clearly has MJD-caliber moves (in training).

I know that he and Viney were in the doghouse b/c of the suspension, but when are we going to put speed (Thigpen and Knox) and move them around to create plays??

If CRN has a real issue with MK (or Viney), then he should just suspend them again instead of sitting them. Clearly they both deserve more playing time.