"They were very good at throwing the ball underneath," Neuheisel said. "But truthfully, if we stay where we’re supposed to be and don’t come out of zones and don’t come out of gaps, we’re going to be just fine."

Neuheisel refused to blame a defensive game plan that had cornerbacks Sheldon Price and Aaron Hester playing seven yards off the ball much of the time, instead putting the onus on players who got out of position because they were trying to do too much.

"First game, wanting to make plays, wanting to make somebody else’s play," he said when asked why UCLA defenders they were so often out of their zones. "And it was not something that we saw in practice. First game and wanting to do that. We just have to trust that the offense and defense will work if we stay disciplined."