Let’s start our Thursday round up with the Thinker’s take on Oregon State defense:
Dorrell said that Oregon State's defense was "definitely the best we have played against to this point."
And what makes the Beavers so tough?
"They're good," Dorrell said.
In what areas?
"Well, they're good everywhere," Dorrell said. "They're good against the run. They're good against the pass. . . . They are very good."
Our sleeping beauty. He is so smart! Apparently when reporters pressed him for more specific take on this he said:
And what makes the Beavers so tough?
"They're good," Dorrell said.
In what areas?
"Well, they're good everywhere," Dorrell said. "They're good against the run. They're good against the pass. . . . They are very good."
''Like you guys really know?'' he said. ''That's football 101.''
Someone needs to tell the Thinker given his track record he really doesn't have a lot of room for sounding like such a condescending a**hole. If antyhing it is him who seems have grasp of football 101 given his record as one of the worst (of not the worst) coach in the history of UCLA football.Meanwhile, four games into the season our much hyped defensive coordinator is still trying to straighten out his over hyped defense:
Walker had a team meeting Wednesday and sent a message that there will be changes in the starting positions for Saturday's game at Oregon State. Korey Bosworth is expected to start at defensive end and Kyle Bosworth is expected to start at strongside linebacker.
"I want these guys to be hungry," Walker said. "I'm not going to make it easy. We have 10 starters back, and everybody thought we were going to have a good defense just because we have 10starters back. We have to prove we're a better defense. Some of that has been because of injuries, adversity and a little bit of under achieving. The best players are going to play, and some of the younger players will play.
"There's some underclassmen who've stepped up and are going to play. Some of the seniors maybe thought their positions were solid, and they may not be."
As for the younger players that have impressed him recently, Walker named the Bosworths, Alterraun Verner, Jerzy Siewierski and Jess Ward. Kyle Bosworth had four tackles against Washington.
"(Kyle) Bosworth has done a great job, so we're not going to punish him because Aaron (Whittington) has returned," Walker said. "We're happy to have Whitt back, but Bosworth deserves to play. Both of them will play anyway."
Someone tell me this. In Dorrell’s early years we constantly had to hear about the "underbelly" from the Toledo era which was a veiled reference by Dorrell supporters towards talented Toledo recruits who were perceived as not having the work ethic Dorrell demanded. Yet, here we are four years into Dorrell era, reading stories about how Dorrell recruited seniors are having a hard time holding on to their starting positions because of not playing up to their potential (presumably for not working hard enough at practice). So basically what Walker is admitting that despite all the BS hype we read during off season, seniors were not really all that motivated, and are now being pushed by (not very highly recruited) underclassmen? Lovely."I want these guys to be hungry," Walker said. "I'm not going to make it easy. We have 10 starters back, and everybody thought we were going to have a good defense just because we have 10starters back. We have to prove we're a better defense. Some of that has been because of injuries, adversity and a little bit of under achieving. The best players are going to play, and some of the younger players will play.
"There's some underclassmen who've stepped up and are going to play. Some of the seniors maybe thought their positions were solid, and they may not be."
As for the younger players that have impressed him recently, Walker named the Bosworths, Alterraun Verner, Jerzy Siewierski and Jess Ward. Kyle Bosworth had four tackles against Washington.
"(Kyle) Bosworth has done a great job, so we're not going to punish him because Aaron (Whittington) has returned," Walker said. "We're happy to have Whitt back, but Bosworth deserves to play. Both of them will play anyway."
Speaking of defense Dohn has a profile on profile on Kevin Brown. These types of articles are much more fun to read when they feature a Bruin athlete coming from a championship level program.
Anyways, going back to the Thinker, he had some comments on the WR rotation since some of our guys (Everett, Breazell, and Ketchum) are a little dinged up. Reporters asked him whether kids like Osaar will get some time this weekend (a question that has been on the mind of lot of folks here on BN). Well here was CTS’s response (emphasis mine) (from LA report linked above):
"We will be traveling seven receivers and all those guys are getting ready to play," Dorrell said. "So we're going to let all those guys play in their own specific roles, playing on certain plays."
That would seem to work against Rasshan, who plays the same spot as Cowan and Johnson. Cowan has seven receptions, two for touchdowns. Johnson has six receptions, two for touchdowns.
"Dominique has done a nice job," Dorrell said. "Osaar is behind a couple of guys at the X position. He will get a chance to play. Now his role in terms of what he will be doing, and as much as he will be doing, is not as much as what Joe and Dominique are doing."
What can you say? At first I used to wonder if the reporters are misquoting him to make him sound like such an illiterate tool. But given what we have heard from this clown for last five years, I think we know the answer to that.That would seem to work against Rasshan, who plays the same spot as Cowan and Johnson. Cowan has seven receptions, two for touchdowns. Johnson has six receptions, two for touchdowns.
"Dominique has done a nice job," Dorrell said. "Osaar is behind a couple of guys at the X position. He will get a chance to play. Now his role in terms of what he will be doing, and as much as he will be doing, is not as much as what Joe and Dominique are doing."
Lastly, I will end with this amusing note from yesterday (from DN report linked above):
UCLA had a welcome-back gathering for its athletes at Spaulding Field after Wednesday's football practice. Once players and coaches left the field, the public address announcer for the event apologized to the crowd of athletes, saying he was sorry for getting started late but that it was because football practice ran late. Dorrell, who was just outside the practice field conducting interviews with a group of reporters, turned and said: "Hey, we're trying to win a football game here. Sorry."
Guess who was that public address announced the Thinker got annoyed at? Per OC Register’s notes it was Dan Guerrero.GO BRUINS.