Team Chemistry

by Sideout11 on Oct 25, 2009 1:01 AM PDT

Obviously it has been noted here before, and any fan will currently admit, that this year's struggles seem much graver than years past. The simple explanations I have heard is that we seem to be we are getting worse not better, or we are too inconsistent, or we are not playing to our potential. These are all true, but I think this season's issues go deeper. What concerns me is that the team chemistry and identity is falling apart.

"It hurts. I'm just lost right now. I'm confused." -Brian Price

"Three losses in a row is something that you're definitely not expecting with the talent that you have on this team." -Alterraun Verner

(OC Register and LA Times)

Quotes like these, in combination with things like the Randall Carroll twitter fiasco, have me wondering if our team still thinks that they are one team. Last year, we heard a lot of "there is no offense or defense, there is just team." Not so much this year. I for one do not know what is going on. I don't know if it's a rift between the young guns and the upperclassmen, or between the offense and defense, or between the coaches and the players. Frankly, the thought of any of those scares the crap out of me, because these are problems that no UCLA team in recent memory has had to face. All I know that if team unity is coming unraveled, that would certainly explain the lack of progress, lack of identity, and questionable coaching calls.

As an example, I will use Sheldon Price. I sort of ignored all of the criticism towards him up until now. Not that I thought he should be playing, but I always trusted that the coaches were making the right football decision. However, after watching today's game and seeing Sheldon get driven into the ground over and over again on runs to his side, I can't help but think that the decision to play him was more that an Xs and Os move. There is just no way that Courtney Viney or a converted Tony Dye get taken out of every play the way Price does. Maybe the coaches are using him to send a message or punish some (ie Viney). Again, I don't know, but playing Sheldon because he is our best option doesn't seem true.

I know that all of this may seem like a conspiracy theory, but it could also be entirely possible and I think it is worth debating. If you ask me, everything began falling apart with the suspensions after Tennessee. I'd like to hear everyone else's take on this, because it could have some serious consequences for the program's direction.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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For corners, Pass Coverage>Run Support

Did you see Viney get burned?

There's no one in the world that wants to beat UCLA more than _______.

by ucla13_usc9 on Oct 25, 2009 6:48 AM PDT reply actions

As opposed to the numerous times Price has been burned over the last few weeks?

If both are terrible on pass coverage, at least Viney is tougher and might make a tackle once in awhile. Price, not so much.

by bruinponcho on Oct 25, 2009 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Yep

by Nestor on Oct 25, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Price was at least

REMOTELY close to the guy. Do you seriously think the coaching staff is SO bad that they won’t start their best players

There's no one in the world that wants to beat UCLA more than _______.

by ucla13_usc9 on Oct 25, 2009 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

I didn't used to

but Price just looks so overwhelmed. I understand the Viney got burned bad for like the one play he was in, but that was his first real action in over a month so I think some rust is expected. Fact is he played well in Tennessee and has a year of experience, and Price has shown us nothing. This is what makes me think something else is going on behind the scenes.

Or maybe Bullough truly believes that Price is the future and wants to get his feet wet now. But then that would sort of suggest that the coaches are mailing in this season and preparing for the next couple of years, which doesn’t sit well with me when we are still being serenaded with talks of a bowl game being the goal.

by Sideout11 on Oct 25, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Not to say Price is the better player right now

but I think it’s important that we take into account the teams Viney got to play against. SDSU was, well SDSU. Tennessee couldn’t complete a pass as Crompton played possibly the worst game we’ve seen from an opposing QB this year. Just something I think we need to take into account when comparing the play of Price and Viney.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 25, 2009 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Then why didn't Viney get PT

against Oregon who was starting a backup?

by Nestor on Oct 25, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm not arguing on behalf of Price

All I’m saying is that Viney’s play against two teams who couldn’t throw cannot be directly compared to Price’s play against teams that could throw the ball. The real comparison between the two is made during practice.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 25, 2009 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions