Bruins Nation - Oregon Prep: UCLA Practice Notes & Ducks' NewsBlog Of The Bruins, By The Bruins, For The Bruinshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48017/bruinsnation_f.png2014-10-10T15:43:05-07:00http://www.bruinsnation.com/rss/stream/67127622014-10-10T15:43:05-07:002014-10-10T15:43:05-07:00A Must Win for Mora and Staff
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After the last week's loss to Utah, Coach Mora and his coaching staff need to find a way to beat the Ducks. Anything less is unacceptable.</p> <p>We've spent so much time analyzing last week's loss to Utah that one very important detail has been forgotten: The loss to Utah now means that this week's game (and every week going forward) is now a MUST WIN game.</p>
<p>Let me say this as clearly as possible. There is NO margin for error.</p>
<p>Yesterday, <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla-oregon-bruins-ducks/2014/10/9/6953415/spaulding-report-comparing-expectations-and-quarterbacks" target="_blank">gbruin pointed out what Coach Mora said after last year's Oregon loss and compared it to the weak statements he's been giving to the media all week this year</a>.</p>
<p>Today, we're going to turn back the clock on our Offensive Coordinator Mazzne. How far back should we go? We're going to all the way back to Mazzne's first public statements to UCLA fans at the National Signing Day event in 2012.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"It finally hit me a couple of years ago. I came to a realization that I am really a good offensive coach...coordinator...when I have a really good quarterback." - N. Mazzne, UCLA NSD event 2012</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With apologies for the overall fuzziness of the video, here's the video from that event. The quote starts at the 38 second mark.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LlYE1Us3LkA?rel=0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><br>Ummm....OK.</p>
<p>Now, we all know that Mora thinks that Brett Hundley is "special." He has proven to be a really good quarterback. That means, that it is up to Mazzne to call the game of his life tomorrow and prove how good of an offensive coordinator he is, at least, this week.</p>
<p>(Note: For the record, of the two "really good" quarterbacks Mazzne recruited that year, neither one is playing quarterback at UCLA. Devin Fuller was obviously moved to WR and TJ Millweard transferred to Kansas.)</p>
<p>It is up to Mazzne and Klemm to have worked together to create a protection scheme that gives Hundley the time to throw and be, well, Brett Hundley. It is up to them to have crafted a game plan that takes advantage of the deficiencies in the Duck defense.</p>
<p>Make no mistake. There are definite deficiencies in the Duck defense. But, that's another story. For now, let's take another look at Klemm. As pointed out by <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/2014/10/10/6959115/media-taking-klemm-to-task" target="_blank">Bruin Bro's fanshot</a>, <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/klemm-638012-ucla-line.html" target="_blank">Ryan Kartje of the OC Register has a great article</a> that takes Klemm to task for the play of the offensive line.</p>
<p>Kartje points out that Klemm can potentially take home $823,000 this season alone. It positions Klemm "to potentially earn nearly $100,000 more annually than UCLA's next-highest-paid assistant...." And, who is that next highest paid assistant? Of course, it's Mazzne. That means the UCLA has more than $1.5 million invested into these two guys.</p>
<p>No wonder season ticket prices went through the roof this year.</p>
<p>So what has Klemm done to earn such a huge payday? Kartje quotes Coach Mora:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He's too important to what we're doing here. He's too good of a coach, too good of a recruiter. I wasn't going to let go of him.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Too good of a coach? Really? Let's see how true that is. When he took over as Offensive Line coach at SMU, he improved their pass blocking some. They went from 105th in the country in sacks to 85th over three years. In his first season, UCLA went from 81st (under Neuheisel) to 123rd which was second to last. Only Washington State allowed more sacks that year. Ouch.</p>
<p>In 2013, UCLA tied for 109th, better but still worse than under Neuheisel. This year, they are 124th of 128 so far having allowed 22 sacks in just 5 games. In fact, under Klemm, sacks have increased 60% in just 2 1/2 seasons compared to the previous 3 seasons. From '09-'11, UCLA allowed 84 sacks in 39 games. That's 2.15 sacks per game and 514 yards lost. Since 2012, UCLA has allowed 110 sacks in 32 games. That's 3.44 sacks per game and 636 yards lost.</p>
<p>When you consider the pummelling Kevin Craft took in those years, it's a miracle that Brett Hundley didn't get hurt until he hurt his elbow against Texas.</p>
<p>Klemm's final quote in Kartje's article is this:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There will come a time one day when I'll have the opportunity to look at this line and these guys will be seniors and they'll be dominant. And the next year, you bring in another guy who has been there.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I have a better idea. How about next year we bring in a guy from a school that throws the ball a lot and whose team averages fewer than a sack per game?</p>
<p>In the meantime, we are stuck with both Mora, Mazzne and Klemm. So, what are we to do?</p>
<p>We start by recognizing that tomorrow is a MUST WIN game. The loser is almost certainly out of the Playoff Picture. Failure is not an option. We do not stand by wringing our hands if Oregon wins. We demand accountability.</p>
<p>Mora may conveniently have forgotten how he felt after last year's loss. We haven't. Mazzne may have forgotten how he claimed to be "a really good offensive coordinator when he has a really good quarterback." We haven't. Klemm's fat contract may have "made [him] want to do better." So far, he hasn't and we will not forget about the size of that paycheck.</p>
<p>After last week's loss, this week is definitely the most important game of the season, because whomever loses it will definitely end up falling short of their goal: a National Championship.</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla-oregon-bruins-ducks/2014/10/10/6960077/ucla-bruins-vs-oregon-ducks-a-must-win-for-mora-and-staffJoe Piechowski2014-10-09T14:12:58-07:002014-10-09T14:12:58-07:00Comparing Expectations and Quarterbacks
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<img alt="The Bruins will need to do this to Marcus Mariota a lot on Saturday." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/u1WmtzNvmBfr5dmpxh9KBb15qts=/0x159:4000x2826/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41397786/456661470.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The Bruins will need to do this to Marcus Mariota a lot on Saturday. | Kevork Djansezian</figcaption>
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<p>UCLA Football Head Caoch Jim Mora spoke to reporters after practice today, and it's interesting to compare his remarks prior to this weekend's Oregon game with his remarks after last year's Oregon game. </p> <blockquote>
<p>Do you beat Oregon?</p>
<p>That's why we play the games. We'll find out.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jim Mora <a href="https://ucla.rivals.com/default.asp?type=1">met the media after Thursday's practice </a>and there wasn't much new from the head coach. Given the relative ups and downs of the season, we're hearing the coaching staff go further into coach speak lately and we aren't getting as much of the insight as we have in the past during the days in San Bernardino or when things were going as expected. I don't know if that means the staff is more insecure in answering things or they're just more focused on internal issues and aren't sharing as much with the public, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qey27WyJQyM">here's a look at today's questions and answers</a> after practice.</p>
<p>Thank you to <a href="https://ucla.rivals.com/default.asp?type=1">Ed Lewis with Bruin Sports Report</a> for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qey27WyJQyM">video</a>.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Qey27WyJQyM" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This stuck out to me.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Reporter: You were pretty emotional after last year's loss to Oregon in saying that UCLA needs to turn the page and get those kinds of wins. Is that still the place that these kind of high profile games stand in your mind?</p>
<p>Mora: I don't remember last year how I felt, how I reacted, I remember how I felt.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, I remember. Here, let me help jog everyone's memory.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QVn5ZOkhWr8" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Thanks again to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVn5ZOkhWr8">Ed Lewis and BSR TV for the video.</a> You can watch the whole thing, or you can just skip ahead to 3:11</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We're so close but it doesn't matter. We're not after being close. Heck with being close! Losers can be close! We wanna win those games. The coulda, the woulda, the shoulda, all that cra... we don't want that. I'm tired of that. It's time for UCLA to turn the frickin page. And be something different. And win those games. That's what it's time to be.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Coach Mora pounded the table as he passionately reacted with frustration and disappointment that the Bruins hadn't reached the lofty expectations that <i>he himself</i> set for this program.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I recognize I'm not exactly comparing apples to apples here. It's not entirely fair to compare an emotional post game presser from last year with the tedium of a post practice interview today. But just taken on the surface, which of those videos gives you more faith that things will fixed and our football program will finally take the next step? Utah was a real punch in the gut, but if the Bruins can take actually take that next step and beat Oregon this weekend and win out the rest of the season, which would include beating Stanford and the teams we will be expected to beat, then we can look at the Utes as our one flub on the season, and even great teams will have that.</p>
<p>But my worry is that the coach may be scaling back his goals. Last year, losing to Oregon wasn't good enough. But if you take <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qey27WyJQyM">today's comments </a>for anything, it sounds a bit to me like the bar is being lowered.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We've won a lot of high profile games. We beat Nebraska twice. We went on the road and beat Texas. We've beaten Southern Cal twice. So for people to say we haven't won high profile games, I would absolutely dispute that. We've won a lot of high profile games. But this is another one that we're going to go try to win.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Gone is the implication that we've moved past the Nebraskas and Texases and Southern Cals and that our sights are now set on a higher target like Oregon and Stanford, the two perennially successful conference teams that Mora hasn't beaten, or really hasn't even come close to by the end of those games.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm just reading too much into Mora's comments today. But being a fan, that's my only cue right now, and it's not inspiring a lot of confidence this afternoon.</p>
<p>Mora said <span>Alex Redmond</span> is still a game time decision, but he still seems a longshot to make it back. <span>Kenny Lacy</span> actually played pretty well in his absence as noted by <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_bruin_football/2014/10/8/6945403/who-is-to-blame-brett-hundley-against-utah">IEAngel in his incredible analysis of last week's game</a>. I'm really gonna miss IE when he gets a coaching job somewhere soon. I'd offer do the Eye Test in his place, but I lack both the eyesight (geezerdom coming) and intellect (geezerdom arrived) to adequately fill those shoes. But no matter whose eyes we're talking about, there will be a plenty of them aimed at the U.C.L.A. offensive line this week after last Saturday's disaster.</p>
<p>Speaking of bad offensive lines, Hello, Oregon! The Ducks have given up a measly <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ucla-637886-offensive-time.html">12 sacks in their last 2 games</a> and have been starting a walk-on at each tackle position for I believe at least a couple weeks, so, like <span>Brett Hundley</span>, their embattled Heisman candidate QB Marcus Mariota hasn't had an easy go this season. <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ucla-637886-offensive-time.html">Ryan Kartje with the OC Register</a> had a very good, or very ugly, or both, <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ucla-637886-offensive-time.html">look at the two OLines</a> going into this game. There may be some light for the Ducks as <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Kartje">Kartje</a> retweeted <a href="https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/520295679747690496">this</a> just a bit ago:</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>I'm told <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oregon?src=hash">#Oregon</a> LT Jake Fisher will be a game-time decision Saturday at UCLA. The Ducks have allowed 12 sacks last two games w/o him</p>
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) <a href="https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/520295679747690496">October 9, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
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<p>Mora gave the usual well deserved platitudes to Mariota today, and noted that while the Bruins need to be able to successfully bring pressure against the patchwork Oregon OL, it's even more critical to keep Mariota contained in the pocket.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The key thing to do is keep him in the pocket and not let him extend the play, because he is so great at extending the play when he gets out of the pocket. He's tremendous and one of the best we'll see at doing that.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mora complimented Mariota's leadership, arm strength, and mobility, and we all saw both his <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/marcus-mariota-earns-ucla-respect-asks-refs-not-172236283--ncaaf.html">toughness and competitive spirit</a> last season when he <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/marcus-mariota-earns-ucla-respect-asks-refs-not-172236283--ncaaf.html">took a big hit from LB Jordan Zumwalt right on the sideline</a> and just said "Play on!". I have enjoyed and respected the young man's play as he has torched Pac-12 defenses for what seems like about 5 years now, but now the Bruins will get one more chance at keeping him in check and it would be nice to see them step up and do it.</p>
<p>Mora finished today by talking about the great contribution from CB/S <span>Anthony Jefferson</span>, praising his ability to fight through a series of injuries to become a leader and valuable player at either safety or corner this season. Jefferson will need to be at his best this weekend, because a struggling Oregon offense is still an Oregon offense. We saw how the defense has struggled against the likes of <span>Mike Bercovici</span> and <span>Kendal Thompson</span> the last two weeks. Enter Marcus Mariota. Our DB's are going to have to be tight and the front 7 absolutely positively have to stay responsible to their assignments. If they continue to run themselves too far upfield or overrun their assigned gaps, then Mariota and the Ducks receivers and running backs will be running and running plenty on their own. We know the talent is there. Let's see if the players' discipline and the Bruins coaching schemes get things right this weekend.</p>
<p>GO BRUINS!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla-oregon-bruins-ducks/2014/10/9/6953415/spaulding-report-comparing-expectations-and-quarterbacksgbruin2014-10-08T17:17:05-07:002014-10-08T17:17:05-07:00Coaches Ulbrich, Klemm & Mazzone Address Issues
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<figcaption>Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After practice today, Offensive Coordinator Mazzone, Offensive Line Coach Klemm, and Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich faced the media, discussing UCLA's issues against Utah and how they are preparing for Oregon. Plus a few added bites from around the Bruin-verse.</p> <p>Today Coaches Jeff Ulbrich, Noel Mazzone, and Adrian Klemm met with the media after practice. Here's what the each had to say (sans editorializing).</p>
<p>First, on defense <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ucla/oregon-637784-ucla-ulbrich.html">Coach Jeff Ulbrich:</a></p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5JsOcUBX31Y" height="315" width="560"></iframe></span></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>On the last drive: "obviously we would have like to have played better, no doubt... We have to learn from it....They all want to be that guy....I felt it in a good way....Guys abandoned their responsibility....Not because they were trying to be selfish but just because they wanted to be the guy to stop it....Be your best when your best is required"....He is relying more on the fundamentals (my word), especially in critical situations. He says the scheme was to have a lot of guys in the box. It came down to execution. "Guys just lost their mind, they wanted it so badly." At the same time, I could always do something different... It's always on everyone's shoulders." He adds he could have mixed things up a little more and that they like it when he does that.</span></li>
<li><span>On Mariota: What concerns him? What doesn't? He can extend plays. He can find the guys that get open late in the play. "It's a perfect game for where we're at right now...obviously we're very disappointed with what happened in the game....We want a worthy opponent and that's defininitely what they are." " We have to be great at containing this kid." The D gets to face this kind of quarterback on a daily basis in Brett Hundley and that has hopefully prepared them. </span></li>
<li><span>He responds that the injuries on Oregon's O-line will might create some opportunities for the pass rush, but he says their guys are getting better every week. He said our players were really close at least 9 times to get a sack.</span></li>
<li> <span>On Oregon's passing the ball more: they're going to give you what you give them. They run a spread and you don't think of a running game coming out of the spread. It still makes Ulbrich sick that they ran over 240 yards on them last year. [Just to clarify it was </span><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=332992483">actually 325 yards,</a><span> ugh!]</span> </li>
<li><span>On Deon Hollins: Coach Ulbrich says he (coach) needs to be better at rolling guys more. He says the tempo doesn't allow people to sub. He wants to keep Deon fresher. Does Deon get too aggressive? "He has an exceptional get-off." There needs to be a balance but..."we don't want him to lose his edge." Part of it is having improved situational awareness.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Next, on <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ucla/struggles-637785-ucla-video.html">the offensive line and it's struggles</a> to this point, Coach Adrian Klemm:</p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fMfgM50NVOo" height="315" width="560"></iframe></span></p>
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/sections/sports/ucla/">Ryan Kartje</a> of the Orange County Register for making the Ulbrich and Klemm videos available.</p>
<p>Notes:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>On 10 sacks: He says the coaches are addressing the issue in many ways and have addressed it a number of times. He says it obviously starts with the offensive line and there are some things they can do differently in terms of technique as well as focus and carrying things over from practice to the games. Klemm says sometimes the guys get down when they're not succeeding and it is difficult for them to come out of that, that things kind of "snowballed" against Utah. He says that our tackles had been really solid and he wants them to remember who they are and how they've been. They came in early with the coaches to go over the tape. He says that Noel put together "a really good game plan" and that "we just need to go out there and execute". He offered some more details, but he speaks really fast and the noise in the background made it difficult for me to dissect. He also said you could see at the end of the game what can happen when they got it rolling.</span></li>
<li><span>On Kenny Lacy: He did a pretty good job of "answering the call" against ASU. He is getting better. He talked about how Utah sent everyone and sent a free guy and how that was difficult for them to handle. </span></li>
<li><span>On switching <span>Malcolm Bunche</span> and <span>Caleb Benenoch</span> from guard to tackle: he thought that until this game they had done well. They had been the strength of the team. But they did have problems this game and it was in crucial situations. He also says it is difficult to find good tackles in the country with all the spreads that are being run. He says he hears people complaining about having one freshman or when someone gets injured on the line and kind of laughs about those complaints. He says this has been common over here. "It is out of necessity" that they are playing tackle, not out of "messing around". Klemm says he teaches and takes pride in helping them to develop. "They are kids" and he has to get them comfortable out there with reps and by watching film. When asked about <span>Simon Goines</span>, Klemm said they have to focus on the players they have and that Malcolm and Caleb have been working really hard and getting better each week, despite the set-back last week.</span></li>
<li><span>Klemm is working on helping them get their confidence back this week. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span>David Woods from BRO provides us with the</span><a href="http://ucla.scout.com/story/1461365-video-mazzone-on-sacks?s=12"> video of Coach Mazzone's </a><span>take on what is happening on offense (not behind firewall):</span></p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ajIktiQTRmg" height="340" width="610"></iframe></span></p>
<p>Here is a summary of Mazzone's comments:</p>
<ul>
<li> <span>On sacks: "Poor techniques and just getting beat on one on one blocks. It wasn't a pressure situation", like it was with ASU. There is a need to do a better job on the ends. The inside guys have been doing a really good job. When there are issues on the edge it does factor in the next game, but "you didn't know that's going to happen" before the game. He was surprised: "</span><span>but it surprised me like it surprised probably you guys." </span><span>It hadn't been a problem (the edges). "It's like one of those deals like after the fact." We had a play in there for the situation but it hadn't been an issue. Mazzone refers to a Jets example. He'll add something to the package in case this happens again. "That makes sense doesn't it?" </span> </li>
<li><span>On the receiving corps: <span>Eldridge Massington</span> and <span>Jordan Payton</span> have played well. <span>Thomas Duarte</span> kind of got lost. (I can't tell if he means Duarte got lost, or he wasn't being found?) Mazzone is really happy with the receivers play and with <span>Brett Hundley's</span> play. On the run, he says they've always worked hard to get the run going, but sometimes we got a little conservative (referring to this last game). Brett comes out and takes things on his shoulders. He brought us back. "He did a great job on the two-minute." You would like to obviously not have to go through "the sack deal, which is crazy". Says many of the previous games' sacks were coverage sacks. He felt they had been making really good progress regarding sacks until this last game. </span></li>
<li><span>Touchdowns from long plays are fun. It's hard when every play you draw up has to be a touchdown play. It's fun for the outside guys, <span>Devin Fuller</span>, Payton, TD, Massington and allows them to create the explosive plays.</span></li>
<li><span>About extending drives: He doesn't really think about how many plays it takes. He just wants to score.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Paul Perkins</span> was sick on Saturday and has done a good job "grinding out tough yards for us". He'd like to see Perkins take that next step and get more big plays by turning 5 and 10 yard gains into longer gains.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Here are some more direct quotes:</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Noel Mazzone on accounting for OL: "It makes you go back & think. I’m going to have something in a package if it ever rears its head again"</p>
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Kartje/status/519928881688498177">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span>
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<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>UCLA OC Noel Mazzone didn't pull any punches on O-line's performance last week. "Good thing there’s no place to go but up," he said.</p>
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Kartje/status/519929760298704896">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span>
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<div><span><br></span></div>
<p>On the injury front, we are starting to hear about Simon Goines again:</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>UCLA OG Alex Redmond was again limited at practice. Left at same time as Simon Goines during today's session. Can't imagine he'll play Sat.</p>
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Kartje/status/519871390631997441">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span>
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<p>Let's hope that these sightings are good news and mean Simon and Alex will be back soon. Also,</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ucla?src=hash">#ucla</a> LB jayon brown left practice early, escorted by trainer</p>
— chris foster (@cfosterlatimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/cfosterlatimes/status/519865132860837888">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span>
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<p>Let's hope this is something minor.</p>
<p>A few other things:</p>
<p>"Take off those red pants", Jordan Payton brought a Trojan to practice today:</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Former USC wideout Keyshawn Johnson out at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLA?src=hash">#UCLA</a> practice today with his former 7-on-7 wideout Jordan Payton. <a href="http://t.co/CqrVRaE13U">pic.twitter.com/CqrVRaE13U</a></p>
— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdwardLewisBSR/status/519889325341683712">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span>
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<p>One of the really great things about Saturday's game was the play of <span>Marcus Rios</span>. As you know, Marcus had a <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/04/5622599/rios-standing-tall-after-life.html"></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-ucla-football-20140806-story.html">life threatening experience</a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-ucla-football-20140806-story.html"> </a>two years ago. Saturday he made a significant impact for the Bruins with six solo tackles. He played the nickel and was really happy to be out there for significant minutes. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-positives-loss-marcus-rios-20141006-story.html">From Everett Cook:</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-positives-loss-marcus-rios-20141006-story.html"></a><span>With what I went through and stuff, it felt good to be back on the field with my team and my brothers," Rios said after the game Saturday. </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jason Fray<a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2223888-ucla-football-4-startling-statistics-through-five-weeks/page/2"> spotted some statistics</a> that are worth some conversation. Two, in particular, demonstrate that the concern people are having about the defense have real merit:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>UCLA ranks No. 114 nationally in third-down conversions allowed per contest. Teams have averaged 7.6 third-down conversions a game through the first five. Last year, UCLA allowed only 5.2 a game...</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>UCLA ranks </span><a href="http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/22/p2" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #003366; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">No. 85 in total defense</a><span>. The unit allows 429.0 yards per game and 5.27 yards per play. Although the 4-2-5 alignment appears to play with a "bend-but-don't-break" approach, generating pressure on the opposing signal-callers has been a major problem. </span></p>
<div><span><br></span></div>
</blockquote>
<p>So we will see on Saturday how the Bruins have adjusted and as far as I am concerned, I am really looking forward to de-feathering those Ducks.</p>
<p>Go Bruins!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_bruin_football/2014/10/8/6946721/ucla-bruins-football-spaulding-roundup-coaches-ulbrich-klemm-and-mazzone-address-uclasuclaluv2014-10-07T19:07:16-07:002014-10-07T19:07:16-07:00Media Pushes Mora For Answers About Utah
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-zYxfccX7cvYnEuw6eQY2GsidnA=/400x0:3960x2373/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41229910/456661470.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevork Djansezian</figcaption>
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<p>We hear from Coach Mora, Myles Jack, and Malcolm Bunche as UCLA prepares to meet the Oregon Ducks on Saturday. Most of the talk is about the Utah game.</p> <p>A warning: most of the post-practice discussion today focused on the problems UCLA had against Utah. This was difficult for me to listen to, but I would love to hear if you hear it the way I do. While it seemed that the players were looking at their own mistakes and how to improve, it also seemed like too much of Coach Mora's focus for improvement was on the mistakes of the players. While he did mention, repeatedly, the role the coaching staff has in improving the team, it seemed like his comments focused more on individual player improvement. In several instances Mora had the opportunity to address schemes, for instance on Utah's last drive, but instead spoke in generalities. Chris Foster and others tried to push Mora to be more specific but he wouldn't go there. While I appreciate not wanting to criticize one's coaching staff publicly, I think Mora missed an opportunity to demonstrate that he really saw the problems as something that needed to be seriously addressed as a coaching staff. I am still upset about Saturday's game and the coaching and scheming that seems to be taking place, thus I am listening through a very strong filter. I suggest watching the video before reading the notes that follow and make your own decisions.</p>
<p><a href="http://youtu.be/ulxbJF3lnnw">Jim Mora spoke</a> with the media today:</p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ulxbJF3lnnw" height="315" width="560"></iframe></span></p>
<p><i>Thanks to Jack Wang, Inside UCLA for the video.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>"I think everything's fixable..."</span></li>
<li><span>On the O Line:" it's just a matter of coming out here and working hard during the week....Staff putting them in the right position." He talked about the following things needing to be better: individuals, staff putting players in a better position and giving help, staying out of difficult situations, receivers getting open earlier, qb getting rid of the ball quicker. "It's all those things." "It's never one thing... ". He mentions the youth and inexperience of the o-line. He then does shift to coaches and the job of the coaches which is to coach them up and put them in a position where they can succeed. Chris Foster tries to push for some specifics, Mora thinks Chris is asking him to give away the game plan. After repeating the things coaches can do he finishes by saying that they do these things and then hope that they [the players] don't repeat mistakes. I wish this statement about repeating mistakes was directed at the coach decisions. I wish I came away knowing that Mora was as focused on the will and mistakes of the coaches as it sounds like he is on that of the players.</span></li>
<li><span>"Every team has flaws....Who is undefeated?": "Arizona." Sorry, but I had to laugh at the tone of the answer by the reporter. The press is getting on Mora. It seems so much is about "will". What do you think? He told them [the team] that the defeat was was "self-imposed". What does Mora mean by them, the players or the coaches? He uses the word mindset? Again, is he talking coaches or players? He loves the grit and toughness of the team, of the players and says that "They're impossible to discourage". So it is not the will of the players I guess. He agrees that this is the most competitive team he has had here. It should give everyone hope. Some of us are losing the ability to have hope when some of the coaches seem to continually put the players not in positions to succeed. If not for the will, girt, and talent of the players, this year would be a total disaster IMHO. "Hope that they don't repeat mistakes." Again, Coach Mora, who is the "they" to which you refer? I think the reporters did a really good job, socratically speaking, of asking questions about weakness, hearing Mora refer to the will of the players, and then getting him to praise that very same will.</span></li>
<li><span>I do wish they would move away from the gosh darn construction site.</span></li>
<li>
<span>Mora gushes over </span><span>Marcus Mariota</span><span> and agrees that playing against </span><span>Kendall Thompson</span><span> probably helped the team prepare a bit for Mariota "possibly the best player in the nation."</span> </li>
<li><span>On Kenny Young: Mora has seen a lot of progress. Mora says he takes things really seriously, he is affected, and he comes out and works.</span></li>
<li> <span>On Utah's last drive and if UCLA should have handled it differently: "The very first thing you do after every game is you look at yourself....How can we put them in a better position to make plays". "The calls were fine, but you always go could they have been better?" The question asked for something more specific and I think without throwing anyone under the bus, he could have used this opportunity to educate the fans on how they could have handled it differently, rather than sure we could have done better. You can always do better. Previously, Mora had</span><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ucla-637440-run-yards.html"> said this </a><span>about the drive:</span> </li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p><span>"In the second half, we really struggled to stop the run," UCLA coach Jim Mora said. "It’s positioning. It’s tackling. It’s trying to do too much sometimes. I certainly wouldn’t criticize their effort at all. They were able to put a drive together when they needed to put a drive together. We weren’t able to get them off the field."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I love that he is backing the effort of the players. I don't think anyone is criticizing that.<span> </span> We are concerned about the related issues of the coaches. I get frustrated not hearing these issues not being more central to his discussion.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li> <span>On defensive tackles Kenny Clark and </span><span>Eddie Vanderdoes</span><span>: They are really special and will do well at the next level.</span> </li>
<li><span>On Oregon RB's: They are all so productive. It doesn't matter who's in there, "they all make plays". On Freshman RB Bryce Freeman, he's a powerful guy, has excellent vision. He has burst. "We're definitely prepared for all those guys."</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Next we hear from <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ucla/malcolm-637591-offensive-video.html">Offensive Tackle Malcolm Bunche on o-line play</a>:</p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z1dpRj_TKNs" height="315" width="560"></iframe></span></p>
<p><i>Thanks to Ryan Kartje, OC Register for the video.</i></p>
<p>Malcolm attributes a lot of the problems to poor communication on the line. "We needed better communication". When asked about this, Bunche said that it was really loud and "people weren't speaking up" and that sometimes people weren't getting the calls through to the whole line. He also said that they watched film for 6 or 7 hours and had a great practice today with fast tempo and good communication. He said they worked on protection and that they change the protection every week depending on the team coming in..."that's why we practice". "It's redemption time." I am glad the o-line players are taking responsibility. Malcolm also spoke about Adrian Klemm and changes he was making. Again, nothing specific about the scheming or coaching but said that they had been progressing since the Virginia game, but hit this "bump in the road". He said Coach Klemm is positive and a grinder. I really like that about Klemm. And there is more to coaching than motivation. I would love to hear more about those other things.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ucla/oregon-637593-sophomore-video.html">Myles Jack on the defense:</a></p>
<p><span><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CP2SiPCwPRY" height="315" width="560"></iframe></span></p>
<p><i>Again, thank you Ryan Kartje for the video.</i></p>
<p>Against the run Myles says: "It was all on us." He says <span>Devontae Booker</span> is one of the best running backs he's played against and that now with conference play "Every loss stings." The truth. Jack is asked a lot of questions comparing his performance this year to last to which Jack responds that he's young and is still figuring it out. "Superman is Ishmael over there." He thinks the other guys are better than him at pass rushing so he's not the one assigned to that. Last year it was anything goes, so there was more opportunity for great defensive, flashy plays. This year, Myles is staying in the defense and staying in the gap like he's told to do. He says the focus all year has been staying in the gap and trusting. "I'm playing within the system." About Oregon, Jack says that "in order to get national respect we have to beat big-time teams like Oregon." He praises this year's d-line, saying they are much better this year than last year, adding, they were good last year, but this year they're better. They're doing their job. With Eddie and Kenny playing so well, it makes it easier for Myles and others to stay in their gaps. Myles is really impressed with <span>Royce Freeman</span>, "Wow, he's good for a freshman." saying he's quick and powerful. Jack made a point of telling Utah RB Devontae Booker how good he was after the game.</p>
<p>All that said, I do hope that what is being said publicly by Coach Mora is different than what is being addressed behind the scenes.</p>
<p>Go Bruins!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_bruin_football/2014/10/7/6943177/UCLA-bruins-football-spaulding-roundup-mora-is-pushed-myles-jack-and-malcolm-bunche-acceptuclaluv2014-10-06T19:17:00-07:002014-10-06T19:17:00-07:00Recovering from Utah and Looking to Oregon
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<figcaption>Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Several of the Bruins players, but none of the coaching staff, met with the media after practice today. After a disappointing weekend, it appears to be business as usual for the UCLA Football team.</p> <p>Quarterback <span>Brett Hundley</span> was one of five players who met with the media after practice today. Good news, none of the reporters sacked him.</p>
<p>Thank you to <a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/ucla/2014/10/06/video-brett-hundley-reviews-uclas-loss-looks-to-oregon/">Jack Wang from InsideUCLA</a> for the <a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/ucla/2014/10/06/video-brett-hundley-reviews-uclas-loss-looks-to-oregon/">video</a>.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GxYrlP7UHNo" height="480" width="610"></iframe></p>
<p>Hundley, as always, was mature and poised and even keeled, and the interview doesn't really offer any great answers as to what went wrong on Saturday. There was actually relatively little talk about the Utah game, but then, what more really needs to be said? I think the problems on Saturday were pretty obvious, and the quarterback agreed that after watching the film that there weren't really any surprises.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We just shot ourself in the foot and that's sort of what we can take out of this game. We're such a great team when we stay positive on what we do, when we don't have negative plays and stuff like that. When we hurt ourselves is when we have self imposed things.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On all the sacks...</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's a combination of everything. I take a lot of accountability for that. I can help get the ball out of my hands faster and move around and stuff like that. The offensive line played a great game, but we just gotta be on better terms with all of that.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, at least that's a good team leader move by Brett. Of course the offensive line did NOT play a great game, and the play calling sure didn't give Brett and the offense in the best situations to succeed. I'm sure that the conversations in the meeting room didn't sound like that, but even though it can be frustrating to us fans who want explanations and some closure, it's a goofs thing that Hundley took the high road.</p>
<p>Hundley spoke a lot more about Oregon, recollecting their meeting last year and saying he was frustrated by the lack of offensive production in that game and how it slipped away in the second half. He said he did watch the Arizona - Oregon game from last weekend and that he may have seen some things there but ultimately the Bruins will have to play their own game. Brett spoke highly of Oregon's Heisman candidate QB <span>Marcus Mariota</span> who has found himself under fire in much the same way as Hundley has recently. Brett feels the Oregon defense has played really well this season and that it will be a great challenge going against them. He did note that this is a chance for the team to show the nation what UCLA football is really about:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's a big game for us, but like I said, this game isn't any bigger than any other game previously. This is another game that obviously the whole nation will be watching and we can go out and show the country what U.C.L.A. is really about.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span>Kenny Clark</span> was another player who spoke after practice. The video is behind firewall on BruinSportsReport but Ryan Kartje of the OC Register tweeted a few quotes including this one:</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Clark on Oregon's offensive line: "They’ve been shaky a little bit, but they’re a great offense. They still can put up 50 at any time."</p>
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryan_Kartje/status/519218542277697537">October 6, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<p>Clark, along with D linemates <span>Eddie Vanderdoes</span> and <span>Owamagbe Odighizuwa</span> should be looking at the Oregon O line the way the Utes must have looked at ours. While the Bruins are #123, third from last in sacks given up, Oregon isn't that far ahead of us. The Ducks are at #110 and have given up 15 sacks in their first 5 games.</p>
<p><span>Eric Kendricks</span>, <span>Anthony Jefferson</span>, and <span>Jordan Payton</span> also spoke after practice, but all that material is behind firewall. What is notable to me is that those five players are all leaders and/or captains on this team, so I wonder if this was an intentional move by the program or whether it was a decision of the players themselves to come speak on behalf of the team. Coach Mora didn't speak on Monday last week and that was after a 5 touchdown win, so I don't think we can read anything specific into his absence after practice today. I'd just as well he and the coaches spend their time identifying and correcting the problems that were exposed in Pasadena on Saturday. We'll see if the coordinators appear during the week as they typically have before. That could be interesting.</p>
<p>There were some <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-gap-issues-plague-defense-20141006-story.html">quotes from Kendricks in the LA Times</a> discussing some of the pitfalls of the gap defense system (where each defensive player is responsible for a particular spot along the line) that the Bruins are playing. If a player sees the play going one way and chases it, it leaves his assigned gap empty and creates a hole. If the ball gets to that hole, then look out. Sometimes, the speed and athleticism of the Bruins front seven hurts them, and Oregon is exactly the kind of team to exploit any mistakes.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"It's always extremely hard, especially when there are double teams up front and things like that. They're game planning for it, but staying in your gap isn't an easy thing, always. That's a key on this defense and that's what we need to maintain."</p>
<p>The task doesn't get much easier this week in Oregon. The Ducks have been ravaged by injuries on the offensive line and were taken to task by Arizona last week, but they also have one of the fastest quarterbacks in the nation, Marcus Mariota and are averaging 209 yards per game on the ground.</p>
<p>"Everyone thinks they do all this crazy stuff, but at the end of the day, they're a run-first team," Kendricks sad. "They run zone read, run stretches and like to get to the perimeter and get blocks downfield. It's going to be a challenge. I'm excited."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There was a <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-positives-loss-marcus-rios-20141006-story.html">spot of good news</a> from Saturday however. <span>Marcus Rios</span> saw the most playing time he's had since his return from a near fatal fungal infection that sidelined him all of last season.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>But there were also some positives, one of the biggest being the play of redshirt sophomore Marcus Rios. The defensive back spent most of the first month of the season on the bench, but played a significant amount of snaps at nickel against the Utes. He took the place of sophomore <span>Priest Willis</span>, and got the most playing time of his young career.</p>
<p><span>"I think that Marcus is really developing, and that's great to see considering all that he's been through," Coach Jim Mora said Sunday. "He played well, he's getting better, getting more confidence, and to have him develop the way he's been developing, along with the way Priest is developing, is something we need here down the stretch."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Unfortunately, the defensive secondary, which was supposed to be one of our real strengths this season, is currently <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-receivers-big-test-oregon-20141006-story.html">ranked #107 in the country</a>. Some of that falls on the defensive front which has produced three fewer sacks all season than Utah produced on Saturday night alone. Randall Goforth's injury changed the depth chart, but we have also seen a ton of personnel shuffling in and out of the secondary and in and out of different positions. Part of me wishes that DB Coach Demetrice Martin would just stick with two corners, two safeties, and a nickel and dime back and develop some consistency back there, but that's just one in a list of issues the coaches are facing right now.</p>
<p>The Bruins will be back on the field tomorrow morning for practice.</p>
<p>GO BRUINS!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla-oregon-bruins-ducks/2014/10/6/6925383/spaulding-roundup-recovering-from-utah-and-looking-to-oregongbruin