Oh we have a few of them. And, Dohn as usual is right on it as he is looking beyond our shiny 6-0 record, which can be quiet deceptive:
The euphoria of fourth-quarter comebacks overshadowed everything else the past few weeks, but after needing a third straight last-minute score to offset a terrible start UCLA knows the situation is problematic.
Even as players made the long walk from Martin Stadium to the visitor's locker room after Saturday's stunning 44-41 come-from-way-behind overtime victory at Washington State, several shook their heads in disgust about needing to rally from 17 points down in the fourth quarter.
At some point, the magic will run out. It always does.
UCLA (6-0, 3-0 Pac-10), which moved up four spots to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll, trailed Washington by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, but won 21-17. The Bruins were 12 points behind California in the final 15 minutes, and won 47-40.
And the Bruins spotted WSU a pair of 21-point leads in the first half, then trailed 38-21 in the fourth quarter before rallying to force overtime, and eventually win on tailback Maurice Drew's 1-yard plunge.
It makes for great theater, and has created a buzz around Westwood not felt since 2001, when the Bruins were ranked as high as fourth.
But it doesn't conceal the fact UCLA needed to outscore its past three opponents 50-3 in the fourth quarter, and that was to squeak past two bad teams, and what is shaping up to be an average Cal squad.
During the three-game span, UCLA was outgained 1,248-819 yards in the first three quarters, but held a 418-192 advantage in the fourth.
If the defense is playing that well in the fourth quarter of tight games, then something is missing in the first three quarters. The offense, meanwhile, scored seven points in the first three quarters, and 56 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
We are going to need to put together some complete games otherwise we are going to end with the crash and burn scenarios of 98 and 01. Saturday would be a good time to start, and hopefully this time it won't take the offensive coordinator to fire up the defensive unit at half time.Even as players made the long walk from Martin Stadium to the visitor's locker room after Saturday's stunning 44-41 come-from-way-behind overtime victory at Washington State, several shook their heads in disgust about needing to rally from 17 points down in the fourth quarter.
At some point, the magic will run out. It always does.
UCLA (6-0, 3-0 Pac-10), which moved up four spots to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll, trailed Washington by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, but won 21-17. The Bruins were 12 points behind California in the final 15 minutes, and won 47-40.
And the Bruins spotted WSU a pair of 21-point leads in the first half, then trailed 38-21 in the fourth quarter before rallying to force overtime, and eventually win on tailback Maurice Drew's 1-yard plunge.
It makes for great theater, and has created a buzz around Westwood not felt since 2001, when the Bruins were ranked as high as fourth.
But it doesn't conceal the fact UCLA needed to outscore its past three opponents 50-3 in the fourth quarter, and that was to squeak past two bad teams, and what is shaping up to be an average Cal squad.
During the three-game span, UCLA was outgained 1,248-819 yards in the first three quarters, but held a 418-192 advantage in the fourth.
If the defense is playing that well in the fourth quarter of tight games, then something is missing in the first three quarters. The offense, meanwhile, scored seven points in the first three quarters, and 56 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Speaking of the defensive unit, Dohn also notes how it was Tom Cable, our OC, who had to fire up the defensive unit during the half time on Saturday. These guys are just not getting the job done (especially against the run. Lonnie White (LA Times) has more on ourpathetic run defense:
There are 117 schools that play Division I-A football and only three have a worse defense against the run than UCLA, which is giving up 229.7 yards a game.
Eastern Michigan, Kent State and Ball State have given up more yards on the ground than the Bruins but not by much. Ball State is last in the country, giving up 230.2 yards a game.
In UCLA's last 18 games under Dorrell, the Bruins have been responsible for four of the top-10 all-time rushing efforts against them. Washington State's Jerome Harrison, who gained 260 yards Saturday and had 247 against UCLA last year, is on the list twice. Oklahoma State's Vernand Morency (261) and California's J.J. Arrington (205) are the other two backs.
Hmmm, sounds like someone should also be tearing into our DC - Larry "You Are Killing Me" Kerr. Let's hope they come out not snoozing during first half time against Oregon State. They have a qb (who we know a little something about) who will not waste the kind of opportunity Ayoub and Stenbeck did at the Rose Bowl.
Eastern Michigan, Kent State and Ball State have given up more yards on the ground than the Bruins but not by much. Ball State is last in the country, giving up 230.2 yards a game.
In UCLA's last 18 games under Dorrell, the Bruins have been responsible for four of the top-10 all-time rushing efforts against them. Washington State's Jerome Harrison, who gained 260 yards Saturday and had 247 against UCLA last year, is on the list twice. Oklahoma State's Vernand Morency (261) and California's J.J. Arrington (205) are the other two backs.