Records, records, we got records aka Steve Lavin, check your messages...

by McCloskey on Dec 12, 2005 1:03 PM PST Comment 7 comments

From the diaries: Dorrell becoming the football version of Steve Lavin. -N

Bruin football really begins with Coach Spaulding

He's got a field named after him because he's the first "real" football coach.
His predecessors (Cozens, Trotter, & Cline) collectively coached for six years, and went 6-29-4.
So Bruin football really begins in 1925 with Spaulding.

From then through now UCLA has played 856 football games.

Here are all the losses (there are only 9 of them) by 40 or more points:

Spaulding 1925, 82 points (0-82) to Stanford
Spaulding 1929, 76 points (0-76) to USC
Spaulding 1929, 57 points (0-57) to Stanford
Spaulding 1930, 52 points (0-52) to USC
Toledo 1999, 48 points (7-55) to Oregon St.
Dorrell 2005, 47 points (19-66) to USC
Horrell 1940, 41 points (0-41) to Washington
Prothro 1970, 41 points (20-61) to Washington
Horrell 1943, 40 points (7-47) to March Field Army Air Base

The Bruins have played USC 75 times.
This was the third worst beating in the series.

It was the third most points given up from Spaulding (1925) until now, and the worst in 75 seasons.
1925, 82 to Stanford
1929, 76 to USC
2005, 66 to USC

That's KD setting records, in two of his last three games

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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Another interesting thing to research ...

Which coach has the record of giving up most points to USC in his first three years? I am assuming KD leads in that category ... no? Great work M.

by Nestor on Dec 12, 2005 2:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

You're right, it is

I was thinking it would be Spaulding, after the 1929 & 1930 games were so lopsided, the series was suspended until 1936, so I figured he was gonna have the "honor".

But no...
Here is the point total surrendered to USC in each coaches first 3 meetings

Dorrell - 142 points
Spaulding - 135 points
Toledo - 82 points
Donahue - 70 points
Rodgers - 54 points
LaBrucherie - 45 points
Prothro - 44 points
Horrell - 35 points
Barnes - 35 points
Sanders - 28 points

by McCloskey on Dec 12, 2005 2:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But we are still headed in right direction!

So say Dorrell's supporters just because we compiled a deceptive 9-2 record based on one of the easies schedules of last 30 years. Ridiculous.

by Nestor on Dec 12, 2005 2:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dorrell is 21-15

18 of the 21 wins have come against teams with 6 or more losses.

The three other wins (all this year);
7-4 Oklahoma
7-4 Cal
6-5 ASU (I assume they'll beat Rutgers in their bowl game, and stay at "only" five losses)

by McCloskey on Dec 12, 2005 3:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sad thing is ...

As you pointed out below we may actually pull out an 8 win season next year and then DG will use the Rod Stewart excuse ("Forever Young") of BO just starting his first season to bring Dorrell back for two more seasons. By then (considering we have no big time talent lined up to fill Marcedes, Maurice or the key playmakers on our defense such as Havner and Pager) UCLA will be whittled down the same dismal state Lavin left this basketball program. Toledo's firing left UCLA as a 3 year rebuilding project. Dorrell's firing 2 years later will leave UCLA in a 5 year hole, kind of like the one Howland is just digging the basketball program out of.

by Nestor on Dec 12, 2005 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Funny, I just read a blog that compares Lavin to

Dorrell on FoxSports.com. Just a lurker here, but thought I had to post it given your title:

http://blogs.foxsports.com/HighlandBruin

by SCVBruin on Dec 12, 2005 2:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I mostly agree...

with this analysis. There is really not much question about winning records, success against SC or consistency.

I think the component that is mentioned in this article, that isn't mentioned much here, is that Dorrell has managed a pretty good recruiting class this year (team ranking of 9 on scout.com last time I checked).

I think some of the predictions of how UCLA will do next year, and some of the hand-wringing about losing Lewis and others, doesn't adequately take this into account. It's college football. Good players graduate every year. And, though we lose a great tight end (who has good back ups), some talented 'backers and an over-acheiving QB, I like the depth chart next year.

So, if I had to guess, we'll go 8-4 next year, but not because of the schedule- because, whatever you think of Dorrell aside, we'll be pretty good.

by brewinTK on Dec 12, 2005 6:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs