Today's stuff
I spent some time on Washington's campus Friday talking to folks about the Montlake return of UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, and here is the notebook I wrote for today's paper.
I also talked to Andrew Preston, a 22-year-old who worked in one of the stores next to campus, and he said he was recruited by Neuheisel out of high school.
"I think he should get cheers and not jeers," said Preston, who played at Shorewood High. "You hear different reactions about his return, but I haven't heard that much about him because (students) here don't know him."
Also, here is the preview capsule that ran in today's paper:
UCLA WINS IF ...The Bruins actually think this will be a contest and just don't walk in expecting the win to be handed to them. ...The awful offense turns out to be better than U-dub's ugly defense. The Huskies rank near the bottom in the nation in every significant category. ...QB Kevin Craft throws the ball to the correct team. Turnovers are UCLA's only potential undoing.
TOP UCLA PERFORMERS
PASSING
Cmp.
Kevin Craft
RUSHING
Car.
Kahlil Bell
Derrick Coleman
RECEIVING
Rec.
Terrence Austin
Taylor Embree
DEFENSE
LB Reggie Carter - 67 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss.
DE Korey Bosworth - 42 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss
UCLA INJURY UPDATE
OUT
TE Logan Paulsen (foot), QB Patrick Cowan (knee), FB Trevor Therior (knee), DE Tom Blake (abdominal strain), LB Kyle Bosworth (knee), DE Chinonso Anyanwu (stomach), OL Sonny Tevaga (forced leave of absence)
DOUBTFUL
QB Ben Olson (foot)
PROBABLE
WR Nelson Rosario (ankle)
Washington WINS IF ...The Huskies forget they have a lame duck coach and are playing their last home game of the season in front of a depleted fan base anxious to move one. ...ND coach Charlie Weis delivers the pregame talk and reminds U-dub how UCLA has made a habit of losing these games. ...The atrocious defense and even worse offense aren't looking ahead to next week's rotten Apple Cup matchup with even more woeful Washington State.
TOP Washington PERFORMERS
PASSING
Cmp.
Ronnie Fouch
RUSHING
Car.
Terrance Dailey
RECEIVING
Rec.
D'Andre Goodwin
Jermaine Kearse
DEFENSE
LB Mason Foster - 75 tackles, 1 INT, 8 tackles for loss
S Nate Williams - 56 tackles, 3 PBUs
Washington INJURY UPDATE
Out
QB Jake Locker (thumb), TB David Freeman (ankle), CB Byron Davenport (knee), S Victor Aiyewa (groing)
Questionable
WR/KR Jordan Polk (concussion)
DT Senio Kelemete (knee)
Probable
Mesphin Forrester (knee)
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.
Leave a comment