Growing Excuses

by Nestor on Sep 26, 2006 5:09 AM PDT in Football Comment 18 comments

Dorrell continues to be in denial about lack of progress into his fourth year of the program, and continues to spew BS excuses. He was at it again yesterday during his weekly press conference when he was making excuses for his first year offensive coordinator who deservedly is under intense pressure for mind bogglingly stupid play calling in his last two games:

Svoboda has play-calling experience. He spent 10 seasons as offensive coordinator at Northwest Missouri State, which led Division II in scoring in 1998 and 2000.

And while Dorrell can overrule play calls, he said he does not like to because it could stunt the long-term growth of his coordinators.

"I did it more in the past, but they have to grow through this," Dorrell said. "I remember games as a coordinator, myself, where I was like, I wish I would have done that,' after the fact. That happens. It happens, but he'll learn from that. He'll get better. He's really bright. He's a smart guy, and he's learning. He's a hard-working guy and he's had success having this responsibility before."

Uh haven't we as a football program had enough "growing" experience during last three mediocre years under Dorrell? After his first mediocre season Dorrell fired his OC Steve Axeman. After last two years of atrocious defensive performances Dorrell then fired his DC Larry Kerr. At what point UCLA will say to Dorrell enough of this firing and hiring coordinators and time for himself to step up and take responsibility?

Dorrell sounds even more clueless in the OC Register's UCLA report today. Here is Robert Kuwada on Dorrell's attempted explanation on what went wrong in Seattle:

"We're learning in that process, too," Dorrell said. "We're learning as we go. I mean, it always gets intensified when you don't win, and I understand that. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed, both from a staff standpoint and a player standpoint, that's got us in this position."

Dorrell defended what Svoboda might have been seeing from the box.

"When you go and replay the first half, we moved the ball pretty well," Dorrell said. "Then we get down there and then we have a couple of formation hiccups, we have guys running the wrong routes and things like that. Then, it looks bad. But up until it got to that point, it wasn't bad at all."

Again I am not sure what planet this guy lives in. We just had two formation "hiccups" in the first half? Bruins should have been up by 28-0 in the first half. And it didn't look it had to as much with formation screwups as it did with woeful playcalls which didn't include a throw into the end zone? I mean how difficult it is to call a freaking fade pattern into the end zone corner? Morons.

One guy who didn't buy any of Dorrell's growing excuses was T.J Simers, who lets the clueless he coach have it in today's LA Times:

[W]hen Bruins safety Chris Horton tells the media, "It happens to every team," no, it just happens to teams that aren't always ready to play.

And that's Karl Dorrell's fault, especially when you take into consideration the importance he placed on conference games this season.

I believed the man when he went giddy on me at Pac-10 media day before the start of the season, telling me the Bruins were going to shock and surprise everyone this season, never dreaming that he meant his team was going to go belly up when everyone least expected it.

He showed me the blue bracelet he was wearing, a reminder to himself and his team that their goal this season was to win the Pac-10 title, and so Saturday the Bruins go out in their first Pac-10 game of the season, against one of the worst teams in the Pac-10, and crumble.

It's inexcusable, and yet when a TV crew asked UCLA defensive lineman Bruce Davis, "What did you learn this past Saturday in Washington?" his telling answer was, "You learn not to take games lightly."

That would suggest the Bruins took Washington lightly, which speaks to not being prepared, and "ultimately it's on me," Dorrell said, and rather than start an argument, I didn't disagree.

"Don't give up on us," Dorrell said. "We still got a chance."

Maybe to finish 6-6.

There is not much you can really add to that.

We will start talking about the Stanford game eventually. Although I am not sure exactly how much time we need to spend on a team that lost to Navy. Yes Stanford got BLOWN OUT by Navy, and lost to San Jose State. A well prepared UCLA scout team should be able to demolish Stanford by the second quarter at the Rose Bowl.

But there is the rub isn't it? After more than three years we are never sure whether a Karl Dorrell coached football team will show up well prepared on any given Saturday. We get to look forward to yet another week of growing experience. Hooray!

GO BRUINS.

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What a freaking clown

he didn't want to overrule Svoboda because it would stunt his "growth." So for the sake of Svoboda's "growth" as an OC he let the game slip away without forcing his OC to make any adjustments.

I lose respect for this clown by the day.

That's the worst BS excuse I have ever heard from a coach. And its too bad Simers is the only scribe who will call out the skullduggery going on in our football programs.

Idiots.

by bluestreet on Sep 26, 2006 7:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Unbelievable.

I suppose we need to explain a basic concept to KD and his staff.

UCLA is an educational institution at which students and players are meant to learn and grow.
Coaching positions at UCLA are jobs for professionals, not a place it grow. And it's not a place for coaches learn on the job. That's what Div. II and lessor Div. I programs are for.

There is simply no excuse for this kind of thinking. A ten year guy shouldn't be given room to grow. He should either get it done or move on, and when he's obviously failing, the HC should step in and right the ship.

by Menelaus on Sep 26, 2006 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Headsets

I mean isn't that what the freaking head sets are for?

Couldn't Dorrell have said something to JS after the third time Bruin drive fizzled after being in 1st and G?

by bluestreet on Sep 26, 2006 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right

And, really, what KD is saying is pretty insulting to Svobada in a way. He's basically saying that he doesn't think Svobada has enough steel in his back to take it if KD disagrees with him on a call. It will "stunt" his growth. The guy's a man, a vetern, and certainly can take it.

Christ, I'd hate to hurt the guys feelings. We'd sure better lose than do that.

by Menelaus on Sep 26, 2006 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

10 years

How much "growth" do you need when you have 10 years coordinator experience.

KD's own words.

by artybruin on Sep 26, 2006 7:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am more cranky

after all the BS garbage excuses I am reading today than I was yesterday.

These guys are clearly over their heads.

Its sad. And I wonder if DG knows what a freaking disgrace this is becoming.

by bluestreet on Sep 26, 2006 7:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great points, guys

I'd much rather have my job "growth" by being shown errors before I make them than having my job "growth" by dealing with the aftermath of having made those errors.
If I'm still making rookie mistakes in my 11th year on a job, I'm fired 7 years ago!!

by bornagainbruin on Sep 26, 2006 7:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question

are you the same again bornagainbruin who posted that kick ass rules of thum for KD and Svo on BRO?

by bluestreet on Sep 26, 2006 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

by bornagainbruin on Sep 26, 2006 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1 more comment

I was hoping that it would lead to a discussion with Dorrell supporters about KD's poor play calling. However, they won't touch any discussion based on facts other than "10-2".

by bornagainbruin on Sep 26, 2006 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well . . .

relative to most folks around here, I guess I am a Dorrell supporter. But no way in hell am I going to try to defend the play-calling on Saturday.

by vanaaron on Sep 26, 2006 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"lightly"

Why do we keep taking teams "lightly"??
Breazell admitted he took Rice "lightly".
Davis admitted he took UW "lightly".

Can't KD at least get his players fired up to pad their stats?

by bornagainbruin on Sep 26, 2006 7:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

exactly

and that's the same sh!t we heard after the Rice game and heard from players how they meant "business" going into Washington game.

by bluestreet on Sep 26, 2006 7:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They'll probably

take southern cal lightly too. KD inspires no one.

by scittles on Sep 26, 2006 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So let me get this straight

Dorrell knew that Svoboda was calling a terrible game, but refused to jump in because he wanted Svoboda to have the growing experience?

4 years in, and still growing.

Is it just me, or does Dorrell say something nonsensical every time he opnes his mouth?

by Ajax on Sep 26, 2006 8:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's really unbelievable

I know I haven't been in my college football happy place lately, but I continue to be amazed by the nonsensical tripe coming out of this guy.

by Menelaus on Sep 26, 2006 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's so strange...

It's almost as if he's trying to force people to turn against him.

by Ajax on Sep 26, 2006 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the job training.

Fuck that. Try hiring people that already know how to do the job. Walker's a good start, but that play calling was a miserable experience. I told my wife the Bruins were in trouble when they hit the 3rd field goal. I guarantee Willingham perked right up when he saw the Bruins couldn't close the deal.

by kauwildman on Sep 26, 2006 10:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs