Spaulding Roundup - Welcome to the Brehaut Era
by freesia39 on Sep 21, 2011 5:01 AM PDT
in Football
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PrintThe UCLA football team returned to the practice field on Tuesday to prepare for the beginning of conference play. It was also the official beginning of the Richard Brehaut era, as he took the field as the undisputed starting quarterback for the Bruins.
Brehaut took 70 percent of the snaps on Tuesday, with Kevin Prince and Brett Hundley splitting the remaining 30%.
"It felt good," Brehaut said. "I felt like this is where I belong and I’ve been waiting for this opportunity since the day I stepped on campus here. I’m ready for it, I relish the opportunity to be the guy that takes this team and does what everyone doesn’t think we can do."
Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson was happy that Brehaut was named the starter, and expects the passing game to improve this weekend.
"It helps when you have one guy as far as the timing and the reps, especially from a passing standpoint," Johnson said. "You can focus on one guy and say this guy is going to be the guy and you start developing some sense of timing."
Improvement is always welcome.
More from practice...
On the injury front:
- Kip Smith did not practice, and he will most likely be a game time decision. No worries, Jeff Locke, Kicker of All Trades, will be ready to step in.
- Andrew Abbott is still out from his concussion, so we're screwed at CB. Walk-on Librado Baracio is inching up the depth chart. Jamie Graham is still out, his return delayed by two weeks after having surgery on a torn meniscus.
- Tony Dye sat out of practice according to Peter Yoon of ESPN, but Jon Gold says he wore a red (no contact) jersey.
- Get well soon, Sean Sheller.
As for the issues with tackling, Jon Gold noted that the players were taking ownership of their tackling issues. I hope to see the improvement this weekend. I think I hoped the same last week also. Fool me once..
However, the defense may be showing signs of coming together:
The maligned UCLA defense showed a sign of solidarity when, after Iuta Tepa intercepted a pass during team drills, they all chased after him and cheered around him in celebration. "We loved him up," defensive end Datone Jones said.
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Practice Reports
are nice and all…now show us you can do it in a game. Until you do, you’re just good practice players…that is all. Go Bruins!
Not sure 'loving up' a guy is the same as tackling.
The most confounding thing about our defense is how many times it’s the 3rd or 4th hit that takes a guy down. 1st contact with our opponent should either bring him down or stop him in his tracks. No further progress up field.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
I saw some pure, rough tackling
from the Stanford defense against Arizona. I mean, those guys went down after the first hit, it was delicious.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I was a linebacker in High School
Coaches harped on us two things…
1. Stick – Wrap – Drive (Bumpercar hitting will bump your azz on the bench)
2. Act like you’re the last man and there’s nobody behind you to make the tackle if you eff up.
Our head coach was Dennis Crane: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Crane
My linebacker coach was a dude named Hall (can’t recall his first name, we just called him “That M.F.” Good coach. Our team sucked (little scoring). But our games were mostly low scoring. (Back then we played football to eff people up on D. I wrote Dr. Death on all my gear. Different motivation, I know). But Stick-Wrap-Drive is what I call fundamental tackling. Not bumpercars “hope-they-go-down”.
U-C-L-A Fight, Fight, Fight! Go Bruins!
Go Lakers! Go Dodgers! Go Angels!
Pretty Much The Same What I Was Drilled In Junior High
Our coach would SCREAM at us if we did some of the stuff our “D” has been doing lately.
Los Angeles Rams and the UCLA Bruins!!!!!
by Minnesota Bruinfan on Sep 21, 2011 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Our football coach would run you till you puked
if you got your fingers on the ball and didn’t come away with a reception.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Our football coach
lets you celebrate for making a tackle after the player made a first down and you’re down by 21.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Competition Tuesdays
were the best practice days of the week. Any player could ask to compete head to head against the guy above him in the depth chart. Guys would go at it hard and it made us a better team.
Also, on Monday’s and Tuesday’s we went “live” the entire practice – both game situations and drills. Slack off once, and your ass is moving down the depth chart. We had a few injuries, but we never had issues with the speed or with tackling come game time.
by bornagainbruin on Sep 21, 2011 9:59 PM PDT up reply actions
I still wonder
how many of our problems are still related to the lack of depth. There’s no excuse for the way they’ve been playing and the coaching failures, but I do believe that this is the first year where there is actually a little bit of talent on the scout team/second string.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
LOL
The problem is some of our “second stringers” are more talented and the agony/concern is why they are not getting deployed during games. Dantone Jones has not been getting it done. Well then let’s bring in Owa.
But...But
Datone practices better than Owa. Yes, practice….
Right
I just mean that we have more quality. Whether the right guys are being played is a whole other issue.
I don’t know what’s up with Datone, but my gut feeling is that they can game plan around him because the guy on the other end is not good so they can easily contain him with one guy. I don’t know if Datone is getting double-teamed, if they’re just playing away from him, or what. For example, if Westgate is on the other side, Datone won’t see many plays coming his way. You need a threat on the other side that needs to be accounted for. That’s where Owa should go.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
While the talent level(i.e., lack of speed) may be a contributing factor,
the major factor is a coach who determines playing time based upon years in program, personal favoritism and not talent. This is why his team shows little heart or improvement…
Unless you're a sadistic s.o.b...
you want Brehaut to git er done. I hope this move helps the offense become a more cohesive unit for sure, BUT what concerns me is that the “Brehaut era” begins not by merit or performance…but by default.
Now that’s not overly negative but it certainly isn’t the way you’d like things to happen. I mean we all hope timing and offensive offsides improve because of cadence famliarilty…but getting the job because there is no one left isn’t all that positive either.
Luckily OSU is on the menu next!!! I can’t think of a better way to start the BR era. One small step at a time i guess is how things are done in Westwood these days.
by GogetemBruins on Sep 21, 2011 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
"Luckily OSU is on the menu next"
OSU is probably thinking the same…OH good…we get UCLA next.
by GogetemBruins on Sep 21, 2011 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Brehaut only won by "default"
because of CRN’s stubbornness and conservatism.
The two QBs were on equal footing until the very end of fall camp. Prince got the start only because he was the starter before (and other RN-related reasons). Dude plays one series in the first game, then nothing, then gets to start against Texas, only to botch his chance? Brehaut deserves to start just as much, he was just held back by his coach.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Understood...
that actually makes it worse IMHO. I am hoping that FINALLY something good falls into place. Even if it is by accident and not a conscience coaches decision.
by GogetemBruins on Sep 21, 2011 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
In fairness
it was probably a tough decision, as neither QB did much to put some distance between himself and other guy. We have some of the benefit of hindsight, but the decision-making process is shaky at best.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I hear ya...
Well the decision was made FOR Neuheisal instead of BY RN. Let’s hope it works.Do you buy there is discontent by players regarding coaching decisions?
by GogetemBruins on Sep 21, 2011 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't buy it
I know it. Saw it with my own eyes. Up close.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
WOW!!! that does NOT bode well...
for the remainder of the season, a house divided and all that. % of it getting positively dealt with or resolved is…
by GogetemBruins on Sep 21, 2011 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions
yup,
it’s visible through their body language…also some quotes. Randall Carroll had an interesting one, “Honestly, sometimes I do think we’re not used right. We have a lot of potential, we just have to cut it loose like we should. They do it at Oregon. They have all these athletes, everybody is cutting loose. We need to find a way to get the playmakers involved here.”
Brehaut Era?
While we all agree that this should be the start of the Brehaut Era (esp since it seems like Hundley’s gonna sit)… I’m still looking around the web for indications that Rick signaled that, this, in fact, is Brehaut’s time. Brehaut definately moves the chains… throws vertically… brings enthusiasm… but he also audiblizes at the line, ignores vapid play-calls & signals from the sidelines, and basically, well, takes charge. Frankly, I believe Bre is but one or two audiblized, dropped “I-hit-you-square-in-the-numbers” catch away from getting the hook… in favor of a limping, shoulder-favoring, concussed, yet gutty “yes-sir-coach” Prince of Great Effort. Please let me be wrong.
U-C-L-A Fight, Fight, Fight! Go Bruins!
Go Lakers! Go Dodgers! Go Angels!
If Neuheisel
wants a yes-man in his QB and in his coordinators, then he is truly done and there is no hope.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I'd venture to guess thena if Brehaut gets the hook, RN
is more likely to put Hundley to the test before he give Prince another chance.
Uh
I doubt it…he’s already said he’s not ready to give up on Prince.
Think Hundley might be put in at all at OSU
in certain situations? I agree, though, RN is not going to give up on Prince.
It depends
I think it would be too early for CRN to go back to Prince this week if RB needs to get pulled (which I don’t see happening). Yesterdays practice reports had RB taking about 70 percent of the snaps and Hundley/Prince splitting the other 30 percent.
I don’t think they’re practicing with the intention of using him right now. I think it all depends on practice performance for CRN so it will be important to see how that develops.
If Locke is to be our all in all kicker/punter
I hope it has been clearly told to him to get off the field as soon as he can after his kicks and punts. I still have visions of our sole kicker/punter, Frank Corral, being knocked out of a road game, and suffering a broken jaw, on a tackle he made on a KO or punt return, with no sound back up available. Early season ’77 road game against Houston if I recall.
The San Diego Chargers
lost Nate Kaeding for the season – on the first kickoff of the game – he had to make a tackle on a run back… tore his ACL.
Ouch! I can understand the kickers being game enough to
want to stay in and stop returns, and are often the last players between the returner and the goal line, still they , for the most part aren’t suited to be tackles and the risk of injury to a crucial special teams player should outweigh the benefit of keeping the kicker in as the tackle of last resort on a return. Just my opinion.
Tough Luck Chargers
They just can’t get a break.
However, they used to have a punter who was a former Australian Rules football player. That guy would run people down and tackle the crap out of them. Then they would get up with a bewildered look and say to themselves, seriously? the punter got me? It was awesome.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I remember him. Aussie football players know no fear and love to
put the hurt on the opposition. Isn’t it a bit easier for an NFL team to replace an injured kicker put out for the seaon than it is for a college team?
A guy in my fantasy league took Kaeding in the 8th round
He defended himself by saying that the Chargers’ offense was incredible and that Nate would easily lead the league in kicker points.
Seems like wishful thinking now, to say the least.
Librido Baricio??
I thought you jest… but you didn’t. WOW!
Well, I watched Neuheisel
on his show Monday night, IIRC, and he is definitely O.K. with the idea of two quarterbacks, which he likened to having two running backs such as Franklin and Coleman. This seems like a poor analogy to me, since QB is decidedly different. However, hje did at least give some lip service to the idea that those who have performed the best in actual game situations, as opposed to those who merely grade out best in practice, should play. So we’ll see. He did not exclude the possibility of playing Hundley, but he does not want to “waste” his redshirt, so that eliminates mere token appearances, seems to me. CB situation is troublesome. Oregon State can pass some, and Riley is no fool.
beware
CRN only said it’s week to week. He’s dying to try to get Prince back into it. He even said many times recently that he hasn’t given up on KP. I think he’s hoping Brehaut is bad so he has the excuse to get the miserable KP back in.
No need to bash the kid
I don’t appreciate the reference to KP. You can call his play miserable, but no needs for jabs like that at a Bruin.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Brehaut should start, to prevent us from falling behind early.
We all know, we give up scores on opening drives constantly, but can we take an early lead with 7points, instead of 3 points? RB gives us a better chance through the air. CRN’s play calling is the other reason for us not scoring early! If it’s gonna be predominantly a passing drive= Brehaut. If it’s going to be mostly a running drive, then Prince has the edge. If the Coaches don’t call smart plays, it doesn’t matter. However, Mike Johnson is right, one guy has to be the guy, for timing and continuity purposes. CRN can’t afford to keep playing musical chairs or fantasy football with our QB’s. Stability asap….
help up obi-brehaut, ur our only hope
a star wars-esque call out.
Basically, I think that our season hinges on his abilities. If he can takeover this team then we have a chance. If not…
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