Re-visiting Coleman
UCLA freshman running back Derrick Coleman is getting attention the last few days for fumbling near the goal line in the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to Fresno State.
My guess is he will have no problem overcoming this, because he has overcome plenty in his life just to get to UCLA.
Here is a story I wrote on Coleman that ran on national signing day in February. I'm posting it again because football isn't on the minds of many folks in February, and I think Coleman's story is uplifting.
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About Inside UCLA
This is Brian Dohn's sixth season covering UCLA after spending 4 1/2 years covering the Dodgers for the Daily News and other Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers. He graduated from Rutgers, where the first college football game was played in 1869. Sure, the Scarlet Knights suffered for a long time, but now RU is doing what Jerseyans always thought was possible. Winning at Rutgers also proves winning is possible everywhere else in the nation, so underachieving coaches better be careful. Now, if only men's hoops can turn it around.
I believe that Coleman has done very well for a freshman. Freshmen fumble the football. I don't pin Saturday's loss on Coleman, any more than I pin it on "coaching decisions" or anything else for that matter. Clearly, UCLA has much more to work on. We'll get there. If not this season, next. If not next, the season after. Sure, it is frustrating to come close against the Raisonettes and still lose, but I saw marked PROGRESS on Saturday. It was nice having Bell back and I do not fault CRN for not having him carry the rock 35 times!
Agreed, UB. Our team is making progress, and we are showing signs of life on offense. I still believe we will be a bowl eligible team this year. We should definitely beat Stanford, WSU and Washington. And I have a feeling we will snap a couple of good times like Cal and USC along the way.
As for Coleman, the guy looked like a stud out there! And we also have Aundre Dean and Milton Knox in the stable for next year. We have great young talent for NeuChoWalker to work with in the years to come.
CAN'T WAIT FOR SATURDAY! Steamed Crab Legs and Filet Mignon for JB's last game before heading to Bootcamp!
GO BRUINS!
Agree with these posts. Even if Coleman carried the ball into the endzone for 6, FSU would have had 8 minutes to drive down the field, like they ultimately did finishing the game with the ball inside the Bruin 5 yard line. If FSU HAD to score at that point they would have as the Bruin defense was gassed.
Brian, Thanks for re running the article. Derrick is an example to everyone, he has a strong character and integrity. He obviously knows how to turn adversity into opportunity, and that will be the case with the fumble. He's a stud who will give us Bruin Fans lots to cheer about the next 4 years.
Great article BD, and seems like a great kid. Agree with the others, while BYU was a rough watch, this team is getting better each week in large part due to the play of underclassmen. Is there another team in the country playing 11 freshman in key roles?
The future is bright, and the passion bucket remains full...