Spaulding Report: UCLA QB Josh Rosen Sets the Internet Aflame

One of my favorite things about the way Josh Rosen gives interviews is his full conviction to player-speak. When some players say the same ol’ same ol’ about taking "one game at a time" or "no one game is more important than another," they feel like quarter-truths designed to avoid the bulletin board.

Josh Rosen actually believes the things players are supposed to say though and can't believe why you even need to ask him about it.

Rosen has repeated a certain line twice recently. Last week, in response to a question about if going up against Mazzone would provide more motivation against Texas A&M, and this afternoon after practice, when a reporter asked if being in his second year would give him the ability to focus more.

"I was as focused as I could possibly be last year. It’s like when people say, are you going to try extra hard on this game?" Rosen began before landing on the Rosen-ism:

"If you’re not trying as hard as you can, you got issues."

His parlance can contain a tinge of "you guys just don't get it" condescension.

But it wasn’t his "you got issues" posture that got our quarterback with the beautiful, brash mind in trouble on Tuesday afternoon with Aggies who had nothing better to do on Twitter. Rosen was being pretty measured and respectful in response to a question about the crowd noise he was anticipating at Kyle Field on Saturday.

Here is the full question and full response after practice on Tuesday.

Ben Bolch, LA Times:

As a quarterback, how do you counteract the noise of a 100,000 people? Do you guys use silent counts and all that kind of stuff?

Rosen:

I mean, after like 50,000 it all sounds the same or doesn’t sound the same. Because you really don’t hear anything. I mean, best example is against Utah. We scored on the first drive and it got a lot quieter after that. So if we can open with a statement or get up on them early, then the crowd won’t really be a factor. But we’re more focused on what’s in front of us as opposed to behind us.

Meaning, loud is loud. Once it gets to a point where you can't hear, you just can't hear. Silent counts, whisper counts (still don't know what that is), and all that. Nothing to see here, Ags.

Of course, it wasn't really Rosen's words, but this tweet from Lindsey Thiry of the LA Times, that started the kerfuffle:

"After about 50k people, it all sounds about the same," UCLA QB Josh Rosen says about anticipating crowd noise at Kyle Field.

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 30, 2016

Oh boy.

Aggies--a charmingly unhinged fanbase that has the arrogance and entitlement of Alabama, but not the rings--were pissed that Josh Rosen might compare mighty 100,000+ seat Kyle Field to the lowly 50,000 seaters we have out West.

An internet article was written. Another internet article was written. And I'm sure there were more.

But, that's clearly not what he meant. To her credit, Thiry later attempted to clarify what Rosen was trying to say...

Think this Rosen thing is a little overblown. He was saying that once it's loud and you can't hear, it's just that: Loud and you can't hear.

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 30, 2016

... and then reflected on her first experience with Aggies.

First. Seemed a fair enough comment when he made it. Once it hits loud and can't hear, what other level is there? https://t.co/yhnIXLEjLq

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 30, 2016

Coach Mora even chimed in to elucidate Rosen's comments from his new twitter account.

Accurate, unedited J Rosen quote "After like 50,000 people, it sounds the same, or doesn't sound the same." So...after 50K you can't hear!

— Jim Mora (@Jim_MoraUCLA) August 30, 2016

Not that having 100,000+ fans in the seats has helped the Aggies, who are 2-5 against Power 5 opponents at home in the newly expanded stadium.

If you ask me, the outcome of the game will depend more on things like who can establish the run and who wins the turnover margin than how many screaming Aggies there are in Aggieland on Saturday.

Rosen will treat it the same as any other game, though, I bet.

Repeat after me, "If you’re not trying as hard as you can, you got issues."

That's Not All Josh Said

Rosen also talked about being more comfortable with the game week routine his second year in the program and gushed about Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk, a prospect he was trying to get to UCLA.

"He really had a feel for how to move a DB off his ground, how to get certain windows. Once he had the ball in his hands he's just a running back. He's just incredibly physical and explosive."

He also talked a little bit about his mustache.

Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley, QB Coach/Passing Coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo, and DL Eli Ankou also spoke to the media after practice on Tuesday, albeit much less controversially.

Check out more of them and Josh Rosen in the videos below thanks to Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the LA Daily News.

QB Josh Rosen:

DC Tom Bradley:

QB/Passing Coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo:

DL Eli Ankou:

GO BRUINS.