First, Charles Chiccoa destroys the notion that Arizona game was just another loss:
After that unwonted feast in Tucson, we could all probably use a kind of mass-Heimlich maneuver. When you consider what a complete atrocity this thing was (offensive/defensive/special teams/coaching) you can only conclude it was in a class with Miami. All the rationalizations, and eight claps, and stiff upper lips completely pale next to this mastodon in the living room. Does anyone seriously think this feels like your ordinary 8-1? How you win or lose is always critical; this isn't the silly season of pre-season prognostications. This loss cannot be minimized; it was a horror-show, as bad as it gets. This wasn't SC; it was 2-6 Arizona! We all witnessed the spectacle of an 18-year old, true freshman force feeding the Bruins their lunch. Well, he didn't do it by himself; he had help. Unfortunately, the players across from him didn't have as much.
Well, so much for Karl Dorrell turning the corner as the administrator of the same website/message board where CC posted his column, breathless proclaimed, the day after his win over Mike Stoop's big bro's mediocre Oklahoma team.It is obvious after Saturday night that this Dorrell program still hasn't turned the corner. It's smoke and mirror acts of last few weeks was concealing the fact this was one of the softest 8-0 team in the country fattening up on the heroics of 2LiveDrew and an easy schedule. It concealed the fact that this was a team that was coming into most of its games unprepared and unfocused at the outset of almost every games, despite talking a huge game leading up to those games about how hard they were working in practice. Right now it doesn't feel like we have an 8-1 football team which has a defense, which will probably have hard time stopping high powered offenses of De La Salle or Mater Dei, or other legendary California prep. Programs.
The only way Dorrell and co will be able to wash away the bitter and disgusting taste of last Saturday is if they either win the game on December 3rd or go 10-2. Settle down Dorrell lovers, I am not asking for your boy wonder to coach to get fired at the end of this season if he doesn't beat SC or go 10-2. I am only saying the reality is that it will be very hard for Dorrell to validate this season as a successful one, given the way this team has played if he doesn't finish it on a good note. And the only he will be able to objectively say that the program finished on a good note if the can either beat USC or win 2 out of his last three games. Losing 2 out of 3 games (unless that win comes against SC) will mean this team lost 3 out its last 4 games, and that's uhm ... not good and doesn't signal this program turning any kind of corner. And, this football program of his will able to either beat SC or go 10-2 if it actually features an offense in next three games that is not maddeningly predictable complimented by a defense that shows some willingness to ... er ... tackle. So Saturday would be a good start. Again, want to turn the corner KD? Just beat SC or win 10 games (in your third season in Westwood).
GO BRUINS.