Spaulding Roundup: Game time For San Diego St. & Notes Re. "Rebuilding Process"
by Nestor on Jul 21, 2009 5:04 AM PDT
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PrintLet's start this Tuesday with some news from the official site. We have just 46 days left till the kickoff and we now have a start time for the opener against San Diego State. The September 5 game at the Rose Bowl will kick off at 4:30 pm PT. FS West will televise the game live throughout Southern California, including San Diego. More details over at the official site.
As we get closer and closer to the start of the season and the training camp, team previews keep rolling in from all over the internets. The latest one comes from CPBruinFan over at Bruin Roar, who begins his 2009 UCLA preview by taking a look at our offense. Kevin Prince is CPBruinFan's "key to the season":
What is different this season is that we have some young, skilled guys in key positions.
Most notably red shirt freshman Kevin Prince. Repeat after me: Prince is the key to the season, Prince is the key to the season, Prince is the key to the season. It really can't be stated too many times. Prince's development will go hand-in-hand with the team's ability to win.
Even though Prince is playing his first football game in nearly 3 years (he missed his entire senior season at Crespi due to injury) he brings a lot to the table. Most importantly, he is a smart player who has a firm grasp on Chow's offense. If Prince can avoid the mind-numbingly horrible decisions that Craft made last season then he'll be a huge improvement. He also seems to be a capable game manager, accurate, and mature for his age.
Of course, he's still a freshman who will make freshman mistakes. In particular, an early season game at Neyland Stadium will test his mental toughness. I'm not expecting miracles from this kid, but I do think we'll be pleased with his progress by year end.
The operative word in CPB's rest of excellent preview is "progress" and "experience." He is not expecting anything dramatic in year two of CRN's "rebuilding process":
Let's face it, this is part 2 of Neuheisel's rebuilding process. This team isn't going to win a ton of games this year, even with a more favorable schedule (I'll get to that in future articles about our opponents), and the offense will struggle again.
But the good news is that we've got a lot young guys who will be racking up a ton of experience this season. It wouldn't surprise me if the offense was staring as many as 6 underclassman by the end of the season. All of that is great for the future of the program.
Couldn't agree more. Read rest of the preview here. More UCLA pigskin related notes after the jump.
Meanwhile, we have more notes to sync with the consensus regarding 2009 expectations. As we have noted throughout this off-season, the expectations for this upcoming season across the board is mild given the lack of experience at QB and our line on offense. Al Balderas from the OC Register has more on the lukewarm predictions for our team this coming season:
On the other hand, Surefire Scouting sees the Bruins ending their Pac-10 season in a three-way tie for sixth place (with Arizona and Stanford).
ESPN.com compiled the preseason predictions put forth by Phil Steele, Surefire Scouting, Lindy’s, AthlonSports and The Sporting News to compile a consensus.
Also, Jeff Metcalfe from AZcenteral.com has his own Pac-10 prections out in which he has Bruins finishing 7th in the conference. All of this jives with what we have read throughout this off season. It also comports with the observations with folks here and also Bruin fans who follow the team on a day to day basis.
Again, as we have said over and over again, it's all about the big picture (just like Howland's second season) this year and the key goal for our program this year is going to be to just get into a bowl game before contemplating the next step in the long rebuilding process.
GO BRUINS.
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The key is making a bowl game
Expectations must be kept in check, but as you said, this team needs to be in a bowl game. This is a year where a bowl game isn’t just an expectation, but a must. You’re absolutely correct in this being about the big picture and missing a bowl game this year would really mess with that big picture. Missing out on a bowl game would set CRN’s plan back a couple of years.
The plan has been clear from the day CRN got here. Year one: Turn the program’s attitude around and get some players in the program. Year two: Get into a bowl and keep the recruiting momentum going. Year three: Compete for a top three spot in the Pac 10. Years four and five: Be in competition for a Rose Bowl berth.
The plan is similar to CBH’s, although he went ahead and skipped the year three part, but the key is getting to a bowl game this year, just like CBH got to the NCAA Tourney in year two.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jul 21, 2009 9:49 AM PDT reply actions
Let's show KC some love.
CPBruinFan comments that
If Prince can avoid the mind-numbingly horrible decisions that Craft made last season
I will be the first to admit that multiple 4 interception games last year grew old quick, but let’s give the young man his proper respect. He went into a very tough situation last year with very little protection and he did not have the benefit of studying under Chow as long as Prince has. It is not hard to imagine that Craft would perform much better with the improved OL and an added year under Norm Chow.
I just don’t see the need to heap negativity on a young man that worked his butt off and took the pounding he did so that we can sit in the stands and play armchair QB.
That’s it Rant Is Over
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden
I agree 100%
I think that Craft is an average quarterback, not a superstar, but not the loser so many portray him as. He is a lot better than his stats last year showed, and on top of that he was a stud to stay in the game after all the punishment he took. And he got beat up as much as he did while he is a fairly mobile quarterback. Imagine how bad it would have been with Ben Olson still in there. He is really not very mobile, and, while he may have had a stronger arm, I believe he would have fared much much worse, especially since he always had trouble with shorter throws, which were all he would have had time for.
Thank you Kevin Craft for sacrificing your body and in some cases your pride, and giving it your all. I respect your attitude, your tenacity, and even your skills. I wholeheartedly agree that he would play much better this year than last year, but do feel that Prince will be a fairly sizable improvement. A better offensive line and more time with a good coach can make average quarterbacks fantastic, just look at Carson Palmer, and to a lesser degree Leinart, and (my personal opinion) Tom Brady. These guys only play well when they have a supporting cast who is better than the other team, especially on the O-line. They are not the key.
That said, my only complaint with Craft was that he tried to force too many, he could have stood to throw a few more away, but in most cases he was still in the pocket, so he was screwed either way.
Okay, now my rant is over, too.
Nicely said Mexi
I believe most here feel the same way and acknowledge KC’s sacrifices to the betterment of the program. I can’t imagine any other disposition towards KC, but respect. My hats off to the young man.
Too much is in the Prince basket
I just have this uncomfortable feeling that Prince will not go through the season injury-free, and that we must be mentally prepared to see Craft in there yet again.
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