CFN's Pete Fiutak has a preview up on our football team. Pete's expectations for UCLA football is kind of pathetic going into fourth season of Karl Dorrell's football program:
This year's UCLA team has to replace the entire linebacking corps, is still smallish up front for a national power program, loses top playmakers Olson, Maurice Drew and TE Marcedes Lewis from the offense, and lacks proven playmakers on both sides of the ball. Factor all that into a better Pac 10 and it'll be a stunner if UCLA can even dream about double-digit wins at some point this year.
Expect more high scoring games and several young players to quickly grow into Pac 10 household names, after all, this is an athletic team, but also consider this a stepping stone season to 2007 when the team will be loaded with experience. The Bruins just hope the road to rebuilding isn't too rocky.
Well we are certainly not dreaming about double digit wins. But we do want a team that will at least win 9 games and beat a rebuilding SC program. Sure we want them to contend for the Pac-10 title and perhaps win it, but those are not unreasonable expectations from alums. of an university of the caliber of UCLA. Again remember - Howland turns a 11 win team into a legit NC contender in just 3 seasons, while KD is rebuilding in his fourth season.Expect more high scoring games and several young players to quickly grow into Pac 10 household names, after all, this is an athletic team, but also consider this a stepping stone season to 2007 when the team will be loaded with experience. The Bruins just hope the road to rebuilding isn't too rocky.
It's not like UCLA will be lacking a lot of experience. The team is returning 24 lettermen in offense, 22 in defense, while losing 15 from last year's team. Sure we lost the 2LiveDrew. But remember KD and his supporters have built up Ben Olson as one of the greatest QBs ever to step into Westwood, and they couldn't stop talking about how Markey and Bell will be able to fill in for MJD. So that excuse will not really be available.
Also another excuse KD and his minions will not be able to make is lack of talent at our DL. From the CFN's preview of our defensive unit:
The line has potential even without a lot of bulk on the inside. It's not a light line on the outside, but there's not a 300-pound rock who eats everything up against the run, even though Kevin Brown, who returns from an ankle injury, comes close. Rotation will be the key to being better against the run since it's a line full of slightly undersized, but quick tackles and big ends who aren't all that physical. Even with all the problems, the possibility exists for a turnaround year as long as Brown plays well on the inside and potential pass rushing terror Nikola Dragovich's knee is healthy. This will be an active group that has to avoid getting shoved around.
Here is more on rest of our defensive unit and the loaded offense as well. Here is the final word from CFN in their further analysis:
Last season's ten wins should've provided more answers than questions about head coach Karl Dorrell and his tenure in Westwood; however, after the exodus of talent on offense and graduation on defense, you have to wonder if Dorrell has enough in the cupboard to keep stocking up nine and ten win seasons on a regular basis. On the flip side, there were only two losses last year, but the Bruins sent their JV team to those games, subsequently stoking the fires under the seat Dorrell occupies. How much was that bowl win worth? We'll find out soon. Dorrell has had a number of coaching changes the past two years, and as mentioned above, the offensive firepower that generated those ten victories is about to collect a paycheck. This might be THE season for Dorrell - win with a group of youngsters and the foundation may finally be in place for the UCLA alum to put pressure on that team across town. Struggle early and it could get nasty.
So you can see lack of talent will not be a legit excuse (notwithstanding departure of 2LiveDrew, Lewis, Havner, and London) if Dorrell fails to deliver 9 wins and a victory over USC. We still have more than enough talent on our roster to win 9 games and a beat a SC team breaking in brand new backfield. This is Karl Dorrell's fourth season and still UCLA is being projected nowhere close to being competitive for a Pac-10 title. That in itself is pathetic, inexcusable, and an indictment against the mediocrity of Karl Dorrell.Put up or shut time for the spectacularly mediocre coach running the show out at Spalding Field. Perhaps he should schedule a session with the Coach from UCLA's other major revenue sport and learn a thing or two about how to build a program with a winning attitude, not just a "winning" record (Lavin's program had a "winning" record but of course no one mistook him for being a "winner").
GO BRUINS.