Another huge game at the Rose Bowl. And before we get to today's pieces in the local rags, we will let one of our BN bloggers set the tone (emphasis yours truly):
Ah, my least favorite time of the year: the release of the first BCS poll. While all the experts and pundits are analyzing bowl scenarios, they fail to recognize UCLA's number one priority: beating the Beavers. It is clear that if our Cinderella story comes true and we go 11-0, having beaten 3 ranked opponents and 2 top 10 opponents including the top ranked University of Spoiled Children, we will be in Pasadena this winter. Our past has shown that by getting too caught up in the polls and the press, we tend to overlook certain lowly teams. If the Bruins play against OSU like they did against the Huskies or the Cougars, their national championship hopes will be over.
STAY FOCUSED BRUINS
Yes, it's Beaver time for Drew and co. at the Rose Bowl:STAY FOCUSED BRUINS
Photo credit: John Biever of CNNSI
Took that picture from a CNNSI piece titled, L. A. Story, looking into the possibilities of what December 3rd could turn out to be. But that's looking way far ahead, and our focus as "Mo drew is god" points out needs to be on the Beavers. So back to the Beavers I go. I linked a story from ESPN from last post, which has the best MSM narrative setup for this game. It's from Ted Miller, Seattle based writer, who covers the Pac-10 beat for the Eastern Sports Programming Network. Ted zeroes in on the DO v. MM angle:
Here's the story that --nudge, nudge -- really isn't a story.
Moore and Olson were both hotshot recruits in 2002. Moore was brash. Olson was mellow. They were roommates on the road. Both saw action as freshmen while senior Cory Paus struggled with injuries, with Olson starting five games and Moore starting one.
Then-coach Bob Toledo was fired. Moore was talked out of transferring by incoming coach Karl Dorrell.
Moore won the job during 2003 preseason camp; then he got hurt. Olson replaced him. From then on, the starting spot bounced back and forth. The pair stopped rooming together, and the Bruins spun into the toilet with five consecutive defeats to end the regular season.
Moore got into a verbal spat with a teammate on the sidelines while committing four turnovers in a loss to Washington State. Dorrell gave Moore a vote of confidence immediately after that game, then decided to go with Olson a day later.
At the time, Dorrell admitted that Moore "was not in agreement" with the move. "No one takes news that you are getting demoted very well," Dorrell said after making the decision two years ago.
Moore, a Southern California native who grew up dreaming about playing for the Bruins, abruptly left the team before the Silicon Valley Classic. He told The Oregonian this week that, after his final benching, he overheard Dorrell tell an assistant coach to get the No. 3 quarterback to warm up when Olson was struggling instead of Moore. Moore felt like he was being buried on the depth chart.
"That was like, definitely, the nail in the coffin," he told the newspaper. "I just heard it right out of his mouth, so it was, 'I'll see you guys later.'"
Anyways, like I wrote before, it's not that big of a deal any more. We's just like Spencer and co. bloody the kid up this afternoon, and then wish him well for rest of the season.Moore and Olson were both hotshot recruits in 2002. Moore was brash. Olson was mellow. They were roommates on the road. Both saw action as freshmen while senior Cory Paus struggled with injuries, with Olson starting five games and Moore starting one.
Then-coach Bob Toledo was fired. Moore was talked out of transferring by incoming coach Karl Dorrell.
Moore won the job during 2003 preseason camp; then he got hurt. Olson replaced him. From then on, the starting spot bounced back and forth. The pair stopped rooming together, and the Bruins spun into the toilet with five consecutive defeats to end the regular season.
Moore got into a verbal spat with a teammate on the sidelines while committing four turnovers in a loss to Washington State. Dorrell gave Moore a vote of confidence immediately after that game, then decided to go with Olson a day later.
At the time, Dorrell admitted that Moore "was not in agreement" with the move. "No one takes news that you are getting demoted very well," Dorrell said after making the decision two years ago.
Moore, a Southern California native who grew up dreaming about playing for the Bruins, abruptly left the team before the Silicon Valley Classic. He told The Oregonian this week that, after his final benching, he overheard Dorrell tell an assistant coach to get the No. 3 quarterback to warm up when Olson was struggling instead of Moore. Moore felt like he was being buried on the depth chart.
"That was like, definitely, the nail in the coffin," he told the newspaper. "I just heard it right out of his mouth, so it was, 'I'll see you guys later.'"
Speaking of the game ... yes, we have said it a million of times before, if the coaches want to show their words are having an impact on our players, then they will have to come out on fire from the get go after talking about it the whole week. Here is Lonnie from the Times:
The Bruins have needed late rallies because of poor execution early against Washington State, California and Washington, an issue Dorrell addressed all week.
"We haven't been having good starts, and when I say that, I mean playing good sound football," Dorrell said. "That doesn't mean scoring a touchdown every time we have the football. It's about being effective and not having as many mental errors."
Last week at Washington State, UCLA fell behind, 21-0. The week before, the Bruins trailed Cal, 27-14, late in the first half. Three weeks ago, Washington led, 10-0, at halftime.
"We just have to come out and execute, it can't be any simpler than that," Olson said. "We have to be more focused on detail early in games."
And Dohn has more on the relationship development between coaches and players - how they have been "bonding" starting from the pre-season, which has carried through this year. Apparently Spencer met with Larry "You Are Killing Me" Kerr and addressed the concerns about our rush defense:
"We haven't been having good starts, and when I say that, I mean playing good sound football," Dorrell said. "That doesn't mean scoring a touchdown every time we have the football. It's about being effective and not having as many mental errors."
Last week at Washington State, UCLA fell behind, 21-0. The week before, the Bruins trailed Cal, 27-14, late in the first half. Three weeks ago, Washington led, 10-0, at halftime.
"We just have to come out and execute, it can't be any simpler than that," Olson said. "We have to be more focused on detail early in games."
After spring Football 101 classes, where players better learned what coaches expected and coaches better learned what players wanted, a close-knit bond formed, and the large gap between the two groups was bridged.
"They talk to us now, and ask us for suggestions on how things should be going (in practice), or what we feel we could do to be better with this and that," senior strong safety Jarrad Page said. "It's because we've earned their respect and their trust by what we've done. It makes you feel like you're all one, like the coaches are almost playing, too."
Bruins linebacker Spencer Havner said the new relationship made it easy for him to meet Monday with defensive coordinator Larry Kerr and suggest how to possibly eliminate slow starts, by establishing a higher tempo at the start of practice to simulate a game.
So, let's see if all the handholding and therapy during those office hours pay of today, when the Bruin D take on yet another prolific Pac-10 running back, Oregon State's Yvenson Bernard, who racked up 194 yards against a good Cal defense last weekend (which may have been in a funk since losing to us), and is the fifth leading rusher in the conference. Let's hope so."They talk to us now, and ask us for suggestions on how things should be going (in practice), or what we feel we could do to be better with this and that," senior strong safety Jarrad Page said. "It's because we've earned their respect and their trust by what we've done. It makes you feel like you're all one, like the coaches are almost playing, too."
Bruins linebacker Spencer Havner said the new relationship made it easy for him to meet Monday with defensive coordinator Larry Kerr and suggest how to possibly eliminate slow starts, by establishing a higher tempo at the start of practice to simulate a game.
Elsewhere, Lonnie White has an update on the other Olson , who is patiently waiting for his turn. If the Bruins come out of gate with full force, blowing the Beavers out from the get go, then hopefully we can see BO making his much anticipated debut in the second half. The Nation is eagerly waiting for the Big Red. Let's make it happen today. Beaver time.
GO BRUINS.