From the diaries. If you haven't read the whole series yet here is Part I and Part 2. GO BRUINS. -N

The Confidence Report rolls on.

*Recap: If you have read the Part 1 and 2 then you will see that I have UCLA Undeafeted and their Confidence couldn't be higher after a great win off of the Cal Golden Bears.

In 2005 UCLA didn't have any defense and a QB coming back from major knee surgery but, their Confidence grew stronger after some amazing wins. That season you saw the Bruins begin to believe that they could win and it led to 10 wins.

(They didn't have the talent but they had the Confidence,they should have BOTH this year. "No Excuses"- DE Bruce Davis)

UCLA @ Washington State

For Washington State Confidence doesn't apply. Yes, thats what I said. When was the last time "WAZZU" had any expectations to be confident about? This a "Spoiler Team" a team that thrives off of making an upset. They have "Nothing to Lose" and "Everything to Gain",thats enough cliches'. But if they had any Confidence it would be very low.

1. Bill Doba. If Pat Cowan wasn't the worst QB in UCLA history(Talent wise)Bill Doba would've lost this game last year easily. Did anyone watch him at the PAC 10 conference?? I wouldn't have 1 ounce of Confidence as a player fan or alum if this guy was my head coach.
2. Schedule is BRUTAL: @ Wisconsin @ SUC @ Arizona @ Oregon plus an improved Arizona State will be a tough match. All of these loses/tough games are befeore Wazzu plays UCLA.
3. No running game. The last time UCLA went up to the Palouse they faced this guy.
   
   
   
   Washington State has yet to replace him, and they won't this year.*I've said it over and over you must run the ball to beat this UCLA defense.
4. Defense. Average to Below average at every level of thier defense. The Bruins should run and pass all over this team.
   
   
5. Wide out Jason Hill is gone to the NFL,1 less thing for Dewayne Walker to deal with.

UCLA wins

UCLA @ Arizona

This is 1 of the BIG 3 games this season imo. Cal was #1 Arizona is #2 and I think we all know whos #3.Why is Arizona in my BIG 3? Because UCLA will face only 3 good/great defenses ALL Year/its the only time UCLA will have back to back road games/Arizona has screwed UCLA the last 2 seasons they ended UCLA's perfect season in 2005 and ended QB Ben Olson's year with a Late hit.

How Confident will this team be? Arizona is very similiar to UCLA: Really good Defense/New OC that are unproven/Talented QBs that have yet to break out. The bruins have a much more reliable Rushing attack with RB Markey and co.

The Confidence of the Wildcats will be meduim but, I doubt it will ever be low.

1. O-line was horrible last year in pass protection:
   
   
   
   Now the Wildcats turn to an offensive system that is pass happy? They rushed the ball well last season with the big, fast RB Chris Henry um he bolted to the NFL leaving...
2. Running Back as a big question going into the season. RB Chris Jennings and Xavier Smith are expected to replace Henry but are either of them going to effective in the Spread Offense which leads me to...
3. The Spread Offense, the most popular offense to hit college football in a long time. I don't believe that Arizona had the pieces to make that Offense work against the Bruins. AZ has to break in new wide outs but they're talented.
4. Schedule is loaded with tough road games: @ Cal(Very tough to beat in berkley)@ Oregon State( Good test for developing quad but, I think Arizona wins)@ SUC (This will get ugly)@ Washington( Home Crowd will make the passing game very difficult)
5. Confidence usually comes from your leaders. Who are the Leaders for Arizona?Who can inspire this team on cusp of breaking out to reach the next level? Who can look at the rest of the team and say "I know we can beat these guys"? Arizona will not have the confidence to say we can beat a top 10 team. 2005 wasn't a Preseason ranked club that was expected to be really good, this is.

UCLA wins.  

thats 9-0

I will post more soon.

Link to Part 1

Link to Part 2

Go Bruins!!

*Side Note

UCLA's Passing game will be very good this season imo. UCLA will only face 3 elite defenses all year, everyone else is average or worse(Stanford,Utah,BYU and Notre Dame). Momentum will be gained early because the 1st 3 defenses are all worse than this defense:

Jay Norvell will  exploit these defenses for example Nebraska put up huge numbers on Offfense against average to below average defenses:

<<p> The only question mark about Norvell is the Big 3, was it Norvell who decided to play scared like Nebraska did at the Collisium or was it Bill Callahan?

Jay Norvell will look great as an OC most of the season just like Dewayne Walker did. UCLA's defense will still have to make big plays to help them win all of the Big 3(Cal/@Arizona/@SUC)