We all knew this kind of day was coming. We just didn’t have an idea how bad it was going to be:

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac (via WWL)

We talked about the doses of reality we were going to have to deal with this year during the off season with a team with two injured QBs, a ravaged OL and an inexperienced defense with new starters sprinkled all over its lineup.

Then the Tennessee game happened … in which the coaching staff managed to rally this team to a victory with total smoke and mirrors after losing its starting TB, TE and FL in first half of the game. While we were riding high for two weeks … we had a pretty good idea in what we were facing in BYU: one of the best coached team in the country. We have to give them props for putting together an incredible performance. Congrats to them. Here is the box score if anyone cares (for now).

 It’s not a surprise that we took one in the chin. Yes, the loss was lot worse than anyone of us could ever imagined. Yet … it just brought us back to the reality we have been bracing for all of f season.

With that said … the season is not lost.

This will be not be the last time we are going to take it in the chin either. There will be lot more tough moments rest of this season.

Now The question for everyone:  Are we going to stick together just like we did during many dispiriting moments during first two years of Howland in Westwood?

I feel good about that answer from all the community members here in BN. Better days are ahead of us However, if there is any bandwagoner out there who want to get off it … go for it … but don’t bother coming back.

We will have more on the game tomorrow before we quickly shift our focus on the next opponent early next week.

we still have a long way to go.We have three straight games at home. No matter what we are going to stick together and stay with this team.

For now the thread is all yours.

GO BRUINS.

All righty then.

Everyone needs to step back, relax and take a deep breath.

Things couldn't go worse in a game in which we were huge underdogs.

It's only the second game of the season. The season is not lost.

Just think back to Howland's first season ... and see if you can remember that game against St. Johns on National TV at MSG.

Also might not be a bad idea to look up all of our off season posts tagged with "dose of reality."

The only thing our players and all of us can do is to stick with it, stay positve, chip away, and stay positive:

Photo Credit: uclafan11

Hopefully the offense can finish this game with some decent drives. The defense ...  what else can we stay ... hopefully Walker will fire them up to go for broke, take some chances, and show lot more aggression in the second half.

The best thing we can do as a team is to set the tempo and build some momentum, heading into next Saturday.

Now time for the second half thread.

GO BRUINS.

Here we go.

Let’s get this started. Bruins are on the road for the first time under Rick Neuheisel.

As we have discussed all week Bruins are going to be huge underdogs this afternoon going up against one of the best offenses in the nation on their home turf. We are going to need our young QB and the developing offense to show the same poise and maturity they showed in the second half in its first game, and they will need a memorable performance from these guys …

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Gardner (via ESPN)

… DeWayne Walker’s defense.

The kickoff time is scheduled for 12:30 pm PST. Again, if need to get caught up on all of our notes concerning this game from last few weeks/months, you can do so by going here. Also you can click on the links below under "Related Item" for updated game stats and track the game via WWL, CBS Sportsline, and UCLA's official site.

So let's go ladies and gentleman. Let's fill up up the first road game thread of the Rick Neuheisel era with everything we got in our passion buckets.

Fire away.

GO BRUINS.

We have talked a lot about BYU’s current 12 game winning streak, which is the longest in the nation. Today in the Press Enterprise, Kevin Pearson brings up another streak that I think is far more significant relevant to this game. UCLA hasn’t beaten a ranked team on the road since 2001, losing 14 in a row:

UCLA has lost 14 in a row to ranked teams on the road since September 2001. That stretch covers the entire Karl Dorrell era, a statistic that certainly helped lead to his firing and the hiring of Rick Neuhesiel as the head coach.

Since the start of the Bob Toledo era in 1996, the Bruins are 4-19 against ranked teams while on the road.

"That's embarrassing," safety Aaron Ware said. "At UCLA that shouldn't happen. It's pretty pathetic."

To put the streak in perspective, UCLA's freshman class was in sixth grade the last time the Bruins beat a Top 25 team away from the Rose Bowl. But even that Sept. 29, 2001 victory over Oregon State came with a slight caveat.

UCLA was No. 12 in the nation at the time and Oregon State was No. 19. Since 1996, UCLA has won just two road games over higher-ranked teams. One was a victory over No. 3 Texas that started a school-record 20-game win streak. The other was a victory over No. 24 Arizona in 2000, the last time UCLA pulled an upset on the road.

Add to this back drop our pattern of letdowns, following huge emotional wins. Players have been hearing about it from coaches not just during last two weeks, but the entire off season:

"(Strength) coach (Mike) Linn has been hammering it into our heads since the offseason that our mission this year is to change the story," UCLA offensive guard Scott Glicksberg said.

"Anybody who knows UCLA football knows we're up for one game, and then the next game we lay an egg. All of our coaches continue to say they didn't hand out the prizes last week. We really didn't win anything."

Well, one factor that could help this time around is that Bruins have had time to get their head out of clouds. From the same article:

The Bruins had time to relish their triumph, and accept kudos with it, and still regroup for the veteran Cougars. Neuheisel even said a few of UCLA's practices in the aftermath of Tennessee were not good enough.

And Neuheisel, the "relentlessly positive" coach, chose a different manner in which to address the situation with his team. Rather than revisit sore spots, the master spinner came up with a unique spin to let the Bruins know about their history.

He simply told his team, on multiple occasions, he was constantly asked about the UCLA's penchant for not being emotionally ready to play on a regular basis.

Especially after emotional wins.

"If you keep wanting to go back to last year, than we're more likely to repeat it," Neuheisel said. "I have mentioned that I've been asked whether or not this team will lay an egg, as a reminder to them that there are still people that don't believe. There's only one way to cause them to change their minds."

CRN and his coaches are going to stick to the Rick Ball script, that worked in our first game:

The fundamental UCLA plan hasn't changed, and likely won't the entire season. Play with the cards close to the vest on offense and hope the defense and special teams keep things close.

"Hopefully, we'll take a page out of what we did against Tennessee and take the game to the fourth quarter," Neuheisel said.

More on the coaches’ thoughts on this game from Mark Saxon in the OC Register:

"I think we've got the makings of a nice plan," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We've just got to go execute it. It's a very tall hill to climb, because this is a team that is very, very consistent and very, very methodical."

It could help that virtually every coach on Neuheisel's staff is deep in NFL experience. Pro teams face opponents from their conference twice per season. The adjustments and counter-adjustments often dictate who wins.

"I just look at it as, 'Hey, we played them, they know us a little bit, we know them a little bit and we've got to find out who plays best Saturday,' " Walker said. "I think it's going to be a chess match."

Walker might have a stiffer task than offensive coordinator Norm Chow. While Hall and the Cougars' offense have been difficult to derail, the BYU defense has looked shaky. Both Northern Iowa and Washington were able to move the ball.

How UCLA competes might come down once again to quarterback Kevin Craft, who made his college debut at BYU when he was with San Diego State two years ago. Will the Bruins see first-half Craft – four interceptions vs. Tennessee – or second-half Craft: 18-of-25 passing?

"They say you make your biggest improvement from Week 1 to Week 2 and now, it's actually Week 3," Chow said. "Whether we get better, who knows? It's hard to figure all those things out."

It will be very interesting to see how the Bruins start this game. If they can hang in there during first half of this game, I think we will have a shot.

Elsewhere on this game day, Brian Dohn’s game day notes lead off with a look BYU’s Dennis Pitta, a So Cal native who is leading the nation in receiving. Dohn also reports that Moore will get the start over Ware at FS, and Savage over Glicksburg at LG. Also more on the game from the OC Register and the LA Times.

Our game thread will go up about half an hour before the kickoff, around 12:00 pm PST. See you there. Hopefully Rick Ball will give us a shot at busting all those streaks.

GO BRUINS.

It's time for the UCLA-BYU edition of Pregame Guesses.

For those who don't remember how we play -- check this link.

So, here are your Pregame Guesses for UCLA-BYU:

1. Total takeaways for UCLA
2. Total receptions by UCLA Freshman (including Redshirt Freshman)
3. True or False -- UCLA will rush for more yards than BYU

THREAD IS CLOSED

We will start this Friday morning with a look at Max Hall. By now everyone should be well versed on the launch point of a Cougar attack, who is very familiar with the UCLA defense:

The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Hall survived a shaky first half and a physical beating when the BYU lost to the Bruins 27-17 a year ago at the Rose Bowl. In his second career start, Hall rallied the Cougars in the second half and finished with 391 passing yards.

"I was flustered in the first half," Hall said. "They were blitzing like crazy, putting pressure on me. I might have panicked on a few plays and made some bad decisions I shouldn't have made.

"I think in that UCLA game I took some of the hardest shots that I've taken in my college football career. They were fast, they hit hard and they came after me big time."

When the Bruins met up with Hall three months later in the Las Vegas Bowl, a 17-16 BYU win, he was a more seasoned quarterback. Hall handled UCLA's pressure better and completed 21 of 35 passes for 231 yards, and did not throw an interception.

"I think he's got a good touch, I think he's tough, I think he's smarter (than last season)," said third-year UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, who served as interim coach in Las Vegas. "I think he's a helluva player."

In two games this season, Hall completed 78 percent of his passes. His 824 passing yards ranks second in the nation, and he is surrounded by talent and experience.

More from the Salt Lake Tribune on how Hall has the UCLA games "memorized":

BYU quarterback Max Hall said that receiver Austin Collie, his best friend on the team, "finally feels like he is 100 percent back and feeling great, and he's got his legs underneath him and he's back in shape, so [we are] looking good there."
    Hall added Collie will be featured a lot Saturday. "We have a lot of stuff, and we are going to do a lot of stuff with Austin. He could have a big game."
    The quarterback said that he is so familiar with UCLA after having played the Bruins twice last year that "I almost have all their games memorized now."

And you can expect Hall to be looking Michael Norris’s way, who is expecting a non stop pitch battle Saturday afternoon:

UCLA cornerback Michael Norris expects to be busy Saturday when the Bruins play Brigham Young.

Norris is aware teams will come after him this season. The alternative would be throwing at Alterraun Verner, UCLA's top cover cornerback.

Verner was second on the team with four interceptions last season and picked up where he left off with an interception in the season opener against Tennessee.

"That's something I actually like; I welcome it," Norris said about the possibility of being challenged by opposing teams. "I understand that, because if I was in their position I'd do the same thing. It just gives me more opportunities to do some good things."

He'll get that Saturday. Last season, BYU had 622 yards passing in two games against the Bruins, a 27-17 regular-season loss and a 17-16 victory in the Las Vegas Bowl.

And the Cougars rank third nationally in passing through two weeks of this season. Quarterback Max Hall, a returning starter, has quality targets in wide receiver Austin Collie and tight end Dennis Pitta.

Collie and Pitta are deadly weapons. But as heyjoe! pointed out in his game keys we can’t forget about Michael Reed either. In two games Reed has caught 11 passes (1 less than Collie) for 126 yards and 1 TD. Unga also has 11 catches for 86 yards and 1 TD from first two games this season.

So the worry about stopping BYU’s passing attack brings back to another major point we have been making all week: the best way to stop it will be to keep it off the field. And to make that happen Craft and co will have to churn out some clock eating drives in the early going. According to this report in the Salt Lake Tribune, BYU defense might be looking to "gamble" by bringing more pressure on Craft:

The safeties, Fowler and David Tafuna, are seniors, but haven't played much in their careers. Fowler got four starts last year after Quinn Gooch suffered a season-ending injury, and Tafuna got some starts in 2006 but had a foot injury that caused him to miss the entire 2007 season.
    The cornerbacks - Scott Johnson and Brandon Howard - are both juniors who got their first starts in the opener against UNI. Johnson is just 5-foot-11 and Howard is 5-9. UCLA's Embree, Moya and Johnson are all listed at 6-3 and Austin is 5-11. Fowler knows all four players are going to be tested Saturday.
    "I think any time you are playing an NFL-style passing game like they have, I think they are going to try to challenge the secondary," he said. "It is part of their game plan; it is every week. I don't necessarily think there is undue pressure on us. We know that if we perform like we are supposed to - and are assignment-sound . . . we will be just fine back there."
    No playmaker has emerged - BYU doesn't have an interception in two games - but the Cougars should be able to gamble more against Craft, who is not as mobile as Locker.

Well, I am sure coaches have already drilled into Craft that he should expect BYU defense to stack the box and challenge us to beat them via the passing game early in the game. It’s just a matter of Craft settling down (like he did against Tennessee) and figure out a way to keep taking advantage of what the defense might give him. If he keeps moving the chain by completing short passes underneath and if our RBs can step up and average at least 3.5 yards a carry, we will have a shot.

Elsewhere re. the game, Dohn has a report on how freshmen are "ready" for the game and over at the LAT Chris Foster has a boring article bringing up weird comparison between the 1998 team (which was burdened by a leaky defense (to put it kindly)) v. the team from this year (which has questions around the offense). You think Chris would wait at least till we have played few games before making any conclusions about this team. But I guess they have column to waste in a stale sports section. Whatever.

Back to the game …we had a lot of fun when Achilles posted a thread on pre game guesses for the Tennessee game … I hear he is coming back with the BYU installment this afternoon. Stay tuned.

GO BRUINS.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Class of 66 of any other Bruins who might be trying to get out of the way of Ike. So 66 wanted to know what time the game is on Sat. The kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 pm PST and it will be televised nationally by Versus (Channel 603 on DirecTV). You can check out all the official notes on the game over here:

Photo Credit: uclafan11

I am sure many of you will want to join together with the fellow alums/Bruins in your area to watch the game. Here are some locations on Bruin get together across the nation:

• Alums in NYC will be watching Southern Hospitality. Southern Hospitality located at 1460 Second Avenue at 76th street. Go here to RSVP.
• Alums in Washington, DC will be watching the game at Bar Louie, 701 7th St., NW #D (Chinatown-Gallery Place Metro Station). You can RSVP by emailing here.
• In Chicago, the Bruins watch their games at Joe's Bar, located at 940 W. Weed St. Here are the details.
• Bay Area Bruins are putting together three parties. One is going to be at the Stadium Pub in East Bay at 1420 Lincoln Avenue, Walnut Creek. If you want to join this party please RSVP to Rich here. There is going to be another one at Palo Alto at the New Old Pro Sports Bar at 541 Ramona Ave. You can RSVP to Jerry here. And if you are in San Francisco, you can head over to Pete's Tavern at 128 King St. RSVP to Tanya & Henry here or here.
• Down the 101, South Bay Bruins are watching their games at The Tavern on Main St. in El Segundo: 123 Main St. between Grand Ave. and El Segundo Blvd. Game time 12:30pm - get there ealry for best seats in front plasma screens.
• Over at the OC huddle up with other Bruins at Dave & Buster’s at The Block at Orange, 20 City Boulevard West, Orange, CA 92868. RSVP info here.

As usual, those are the get-togethers we know of. For more on alumni club football watching parties visit this site. If you have info on where the alumni group are watching the games in your town, post the info here. Also we will serve up the usual reminder that even though these get togethers are hosted by alums - of course, they are open to every member of Bruin Nation.

For rest of you if you are wondering about game watching info in your area, this would be the thread to post your questions, info or organize parties within your area. Consider this a game watching party organizing open thread.

GO BRUINS.

Picking up from my last post re questions around our football team, looks like we are not the only one wondering about which Craft is going to show up at Provo on Saturday. Here is Chow in the LA Times on what to expect from his young QB following his first game as a Bruin:

"I don't think you could have written a better script," offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "My wife said it was like a movie. The problem is the movie is not over yet. We don't know how it's going to end."

Well the good news according to Chow is that Craft has been steadier in practices since the first game:

"I've seen some real growth in his maturity," Chow said. "He's more confident in the huddle and is understanding the offense better. It's still going to take some time. It's not like he's a polished guy just yet."

Craft's play in practice since that game has been smoother, with fewer interceptions. Craft said he learned "to stick to the game plan and don't try to push the ball up the field. The big plays will happen."

The victory, though, did help Craft in one area.

Said Coach Rick Neuheisel said: "He brought us back in that game, and that will always be there. You can talk until you're blue in the face about stuff like that, but until you've done it, you always wonder."

Craft’s challenge is going to be even tougher on Saturday. And as Dohn notes it will not be Craft’s first appearance in Provo. He got in a game there during his time with San Diego State where the results (in terms of his team’s performance) didn’t go so well:

Craft's previous visit to BYU didn't go so well, despite completing 20 of 32 passes for 216 yards and an interception. The Aztecs trailed 40-3 at the half and lost 47-17.

"It's a good experience playing there. It gets loud up there, and they rock that stadium," Craft said.

"It's one of those things where you have a routine, like we do before games for the Rose Bowl, and you know what to expect and nothing will surprise you. That's kind of nice that I'll have that, but we're a new team. And they have a different team, too.”

Hopefully this time the score will be a little different. To help out Craft, he will have the support of a group of team-mates who are developing under the new coaching staff after going through some incredible adversity last few years at UCLA. He will have team-mates like Ryan Moya to count on:

A pass-catching tight end who's a mismatch for most defenders, Moya was off to a promising start to his sophomore campaign in 2006, catching 12 passes through the first six games.

But Moya broke his left leg early in the game at Oregon and was out for the rest of the season, while the Bruins struggled at his position for the remainder of the season.

Moya missed all of spring practice and more, as the injury did not heal properly. So he opted to sit out last fall and remain home in El Dorado Hills and had surgery to have bone spurs cleaned out of his ankle. He also had personal issues, which he has declined to talk about, that led him to take time off from school.

Moya re-enrolled in the winter, made an instant impact in spring ball and was expected to be used as an H-Back this season, with senior Logan Paulsen starting at tight end.

However, Paulsen broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in UCLA's opener against Tennessee, and he'll be sidelined anywhere from two months to the entire season. That threw Moya into the spotlight in coordinator Norm Chow's offense, which features lots of plays for the tight end.

Moya responded with a career-high seven receptions for 65 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with 27 seconds remaining.

In addition to Ryan, Gavin Ketchum is back in the fold just in time to step up in the absence of Marcus Everett:

"It's great to be back," he said. "I can come to practice with a smile. I hated sitting out, and that's all I had been doing."

Ketchum, who missed most of last season with a broken leg and qualified for a medical redshirt, was sick for the first two weeks of training camp before his family doctor diagnosed him with mono. He was quarantined for a week and did some light individual drills last week before coming back in earnest this week.

A 6-foot-5, 210-pound possession receiver who also makes an impact on special teams, Ketchum has been getting extensive reps with the first-team offensive this week in preparation for BYU.

With Marcus Everett sidelined with a dislocated toe, Ketchum's return comes at an opportune time for the Bruins, who have just two available players with significant game experience at the position.

Earlier in the week, Coach Rick Neuheisel said Ketchum might play only about a dozen snaps because of conditioning, but Ketchum said he's no longer feeling winded.

"I am definitely looking forward to contributing," Ketchum said.

And those three are not the only ones with their own come back stories as Bruin football players. Brian Dohn today has a great piece on OL Scott Glicksburg’s travails in his five years in Westwood. The fifth year senior who came into the program has gone through four position changes and one physical setbacks after another, before settling into his current position as Chow and Palcic’s RG, giving everything he can to help our coaches rebuild this program.

By now it’s not a shock how these kids have been hanging in there through their struggles and doing what they can to contribute to the development of this program, remaining “relentlessly positive.”  Rhiannon Potkey in the Salt Lake Tribune has this on an energized UCLA football team:

   The UCLA players noticed an immediate difference once Neuheisel charged in preaching his "relentlessly positive" message.
    "There is a lot more energy and a lot more excitement," junior cornerback Alterraun Verner said. "He is more interactive and more into it with the players instead of being in the back and letting other people do things. He is more in your face and hands on."
    It was the minor details that impressed UCLA fifth-year senior center Micah Reed.
    "He told us he would have everyone's first and last names memorized by spring ball, and he did," Reed said. "I came here as a walk-on, and the last couple of years I don't know if every coach knew my name. But he made it a point."

Again none of this is a surprise to anyone … we had a good feeling that the original “come back kid” would electrify this program. Let’s hope we can keep building on it on Saturday.

GO BRUINS.

So lot of BYU fans are feeling pretty confident about their games against us on Saturday. They are coming off an emotional win at a tough Pac-10 venue and are now fired up to get over their main obstacle – UCLA – on their road to a BCS bowl game. So can’t really blame them for getting all fired up.

As of Sunday BYU opened up as 9 point favorite over UCLA per the Salt Lake Tribune:

BYU is a nine-point favorite over UCLA in this Saturday's game at LaVell Edwards Stadium, according to this Web site.
I figured the Cougars would be favored between four and six points, but what do I know? I think the betting public will go with UCLA, and wouldn't be surprised to see the point spread drop to around seven by game time.

Not sure where the line is right now. But 7 points seems to be a fairly substantial margin.

Yet according to some BYU fans like byujim, who have been offering some good takes here on BN, Bruins will have a chance to pull out an upset on Saturday:

The way to beat BYU? I’ve been watching long enough that I know how it’s been done. The first is to get them riled up. Emotion works against this Cougar team (they should be more mature due to their age, but a lot of times they aren’t). Get a lot of penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, holding and false starts. Next, get a good defense in there to stop the run. UCLA has good enough cover corners to stack the box with 9 if they wanted to and effectively take away both dimensions of this game. And lastly, get Craft to play like the second half of the Tennessee game instead of the first!

Well, right now there are big question marks IMO on exactly how Craft is going to play. I know lot of folks are hoping Craft’s second half performance will carry over into Saturday. But I think we will have to wait and see. As we have been tracking practice reports, he can be very streaky.

Also as mentioned this am, it would really help if we can put together a semblance of a running game. I know some folks are wondering why Moline is starting (since Bell is looking “doubtful”) in place of some one like Carter who has the speed to break through. Well, Chow alluded to the fact that Moline is a good “zone runner”. I think another factor we might have to consider that coaches probably think Moline is a better blocker within their protection scheme (See tasser's point here). I think this is probably a significant factor into Chow’s game planning.

Anyway, as Tydides pointed out right now there are lot of questions despite the exhilarating win from labor day re. what our Bruins can bring to the table:

If for no other reason than for their opponent, this is the first road test for a very young team. For better or worse, we had quite a bit of experience last year. What kind of experience we had is up for debate, but it was certainly more than what we have currently. Frankly, if we see a repeat performance of the first half from the Tennessee game, that will likely be game over, and there’s no doubt that our defense will be called upon to shoulder more than its share of the burden, as will probably be the case the rest of the season. The UW game showed that BYU knows how to execute. They are the known quantity. What will the Bruins bring to the table? I think that’s the real question, and I don’t think anyone has the answer to it.

Again here are some of the questions swirling around our team:

• Which Craft are we going to see on Saturday: the one from first half or the one who led the glorious comeback in the second?
• Will our offense be able to put together some semblance of a running game giving Craft some room to operate and helping us to sustain some long drives?
• Will the defense be able to put enough pressure on Hall to get him off rhythm?
• Who will win the battle of trenches between BYU's OL v. the UCLA DL (anchored by the Killer B's)?\
• Will our LBs be able to contain Pitta?

I am sure you all can think of few more. But just like Tydides right now I don't have the answers.

So I think once again it’s important for all of us to not lose perspective after first game while we wait to find out some of the answers on Saturday.

GO BRUINS.

Bruins continue to prepare for the Cougars while working through injury issues on a number of fronts. While we lost Paulsen for an extended period of time (possibly the entire season) and Everett for few games, there was some hope re. Bell coming back on Saturday. Dohn reports that right now it is looking very “doubtful” that Bell will be in action against BYU: 

UCLA running back Kahlil Bell was in full practice gear Tuesday, but remained a spectator at practice as the Bruins moved forward in the likely event the senior running back will not play Saturday at No. 18 BYU.

While an official decision on Bell's lack of availability is expected today, running backs coach Wayne Moses said junior Chane Moline would start and redshirt freshman Raymond Carter would be the backup if Bell does not play.

"It's closer to doubtful than it is probable on Kahlil," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "I'll leave it as questionable because I don't want to doubt the kid. He's really trying. But it's a long season, and this is only game two. I don't want to have it be one of those things that hamper him for a long time."

Moline and Carter lack Bell's experience, but the duo combines to give offensive coordinator Norm Chow versatility in the running game.

"I think Chane Moline is a good zone runner," Chow said. "I think Raymond gives us a good burst."

If we are hoping to hang with the Cougars this Saturday, we are going to need better performances from both Chane and Raymond. Neither of them got it going against the Volunteers. I think Chane is one of those physical tailbacks who can be effective in short yardage situations. As for Raymond he needs to do a much better job of recognizing the holes to better make use of his speed. Hopefully it starts coming together this weekend. In addition we would love to see Dean or Franklin get some shots against the Cougar defense.

Meanwhile, the team is working through bumps and bruises:

Bosworth (left ankle injury – BN Ed.) and Harwell (got his left arm examined. – BN Ed) sat out the last part of practice, though Neuheisel said both would be ready to play against Brigham Young on Saturday.

Said Neuheisel: "Knowing the Bosworth boys as I know them, it would have to be an amputation for them not to play."

Harwell, Neuheisel said, "has a bruised elbow. He'll be fine."

The Bruins can absorb injuries more readily on the defensive side, as "our front seven is deep," defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said, adding, "We have some talented young guys. They just don't have experience."

The offensive front is another matter. Glicksberg will play Saturday, but said he tweaked his shoulder. "It's going to be sore. I dislocated it last season. But it's nothing I can't work around."

Well it looks like Glicksberg and his team-mates are doing what they can. Kevin Pearson from the Press Enterprise reported the OL had a good practice on Tuesday along with some positive news re. Ketchum:

Wide receiver Gavin Ketchum, who missed the opener with mono, worked extensively with the first team on Tuesday and will make his season debut this weekend.

After being critical of the effort of the offensive line a day earlier, Neuheisel said he was pleased with the way they practiced on Tuesday.

Shifting our attention on the opponent, there is good article in the Salt Lake Tribune on BYU’s efficiency in converting 3rd downs in first two games of this season. The Cougars converted 12 of 14 3rd downs against Washington and went 7 for 10 against Northern Iowa:

The Cougars have yet to attempt a field goal, and they've punted just five times - three against Northern Iowa and two against Washington.
    Hall has not been sacked, and most of their penalties on offense have been 5-yarders, so they've rarely faced third-and-long. Of the 14 third-down situations they faced against Washington, only two were longer than 8 yards, and on the longest, third-and-14, Hall threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie.
    "It is just what you see out there," Collie said, pointing to BYU's practice field. "It is just execution, and working on it every day, and making that one of our goals. I think a lot of credit has to go to Max and what he is doing behind center."
    The BYU offense will face a much tougher test this week against UCLA (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Versus), however. The Bruins (1-0) held No. 18 Tennessee to 5-for-17 on third down in their 27-24 overtime win on Labor Day.
    BYU was just 5-for-14 on third down in the Las Vegas Bowl last year against UCLA.

I think it is safe to assume that our defensive coaches are all over this stat. If our defense find themselves in constant 2nd and short/3rd and short situations against Hall on Saturday, it could turn out to be a long afternoon. And this also goes back to the need for our offense to put together clock chewing drives against the BYU defense, allowing our boys to stay fresh and mount all out pressure against Hall. More than ever it will require a total team effort on Saturday, if the Bruins are looking to pull off an upset against a team that IMHO will be lot tougher than Tennessee.

GO BRUINS.

We have talked about how BYU and UCLA are very familiar with each other’s schemes given the two matchups from last season (here and here). DeWayne Walker hit the same themes yesterday and emphasized the need for putting in some new wrinkles in the defensive game plan (and adjusting to different looks he may being seeing from the BYU side). From Chris Foster in the LA Times:

"We're getting down to the bare minimum on schemes," he said. "It will be an interesting game in terms of the chess match. I'm sure they are going to look at the things we did well against them, just like we've looked at what they did well to see if we can eliminate it."

The main problem the Bruins have faced against Brigham Young is quarterback Max Hall, who completed 51 of 87 passes for 622 yards and four touchdowns in the two games last season. Hall nearly rallied the Cougars from a 20-0 deficit in the regular-season game, getting them within a field goal before losing, 27-17.

The Bruins did a better job on Hall in the second game, holding him to 231 yards passing by using more blitzes and man-to-man coverage.

"I'm sure they are going to have some wrinkles for us and we may have a few for them," Walker said. "The bottom line is going to be who can adjust the quickest once we find out each other's wrinkles."

The Bruins did have success in both games against the run. BYU had 44 yards rushing in the first game and 34 yards in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"I just don't think you can sit back and defend these guys," Walker said.

Walker probably caught the Washington game from this past weekend when the Husky defense mostly sat back and let Max Hall methodically shred them for the whole afternoon. If the Bruins want to stay competitive in Provo they will need to bring pressure from somewhere not allowing Hall to get in any kind of rhythm.

Meanwhile, over on the offensive side coaches are continuing with their tinkering of the OL:

The tinkering continued with UCLA's offensive line as left guard Darius Savage practiced with the first team and Scott Glicksberg, who started against Tennessee, was with the second unit.

Overall, it was not a stellar practice for the offensive line.

"They weren't terrific (Monday), but I just believe in them," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "They just have to understand that they are not at a place with the luxury of taking a day off. They have to continue to fight, scratch, claw to get better."

Hopefully the OL can build on its performance from Saturday. While their pass protection was adequate, obviously they have no where to go but up in terms of getting the running game going. I think the issues facing the OL are probably correctable. So hopefully the continued tinkering by the coaches will show some dividends against the Cougars this weekend.

At least the one thing players are feeling good about their offense is the calm and poise of our young quarterback:

UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft won more than just a football game last week against Tennessee. He won over his teammates.

“We know we have a guy out there who's going to compete until the last horn,” receiver Dominique Johnson said. “It does a lot for our confidence. We're not worried about it. Confidence is not a factor for us anymore. We know it's there and we all believe Kevin is the leader of this team.”

Kevin is coming along thanks to the coaching of Norm Chow, who coached at BYU for 27 seasons:

Chow, UCLA's offensive coordinator, will return to BYU this weekend when he guides UCLA's offense against the 18th-ranked Cougars. Chow worked on BYU's staff from 1973 to 1999 and during that time helped direct some of college football's most prolific offenses.

But following Monday's practice, Chow was curt when asked about returning to BYU for the second time. He did so once as an assistant at USC.

"There is nothing to it," Chow said. "It's been such a long time that there is a lot of water under that bridge. It's another game, it really is. I don't want nothing more than that."

Chow left BYU for North Carolina State before going on to USC and the Tennessee Titans before coming to Westwood this season. He is one of two UCLA coaches who will be making a return to Provo. UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker coached at BYU in 1994, working alongside Chow.

"Norm is a poker player," Walker said. "He is not going to give in to his true feelings, but I am sure it's going to be rewarding for him to go back into that stadium. I think it's going to be a warm moment for him, but he is like me and wants to go in there and get a 'W.'

"Norm has a lot of respect for that program and I know going back it's going to be special for him. He knows he is a ball coach and he is coaching for UCLA now."

As mentioned above, Walker like Chow also spent time in Provo as an assistant coach. Couple that with his experiences from last season, he knows that program’s past and present as well as anyone at Spaulding. So it’s no surprise when CRN mentioned yesterday that he is going to have Walker address the team about playing BYU on Thursday. These coaches are doing everything they can to get that “W.”

GO BRUINS.