Post-game notes
MANHATTAN, Kans. -
Up until Saturday, UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel wasn't sure if he'd have his team's best offensive weapon.
That his team's best offensive weapon is a kicker, senior Kai Forbath, is another story.
But Forbath is no ordinary kicker, last season's Lou Groza Award winner, and his nagging groin injury held him out for much of the last two weeks.
When Forbath (Notre Dame High) approached Neuheisel before the game and told him he was good-to-go, Neuheisel breathed a sigh of relief.
He was rewarded.
Forbath had three field goals, 44, 42 and 35 yards, giving him 40 straight field goals under 50 yards.
"That was one of the neat things," Neuheisel said. "I thought when the game got to 17-16, we were going to pin them down, get the ball back, and he was going to be the hero. He's the best kicker in the country, went through the warmups and said, 'I feel good.'"
Forbath, who hit 28 kicks in 31 tries last season, tied the NCAA for most three-field goal games, and now is now just 10 behind John Lee on the UCLA all-time list.
The Good and the Ugly
Junior linebacker Akeem Ayers continued to add to his lofty stat sheet with a standout performance against the Wildcats.
Ayers had 11 tackles, a sack, a tackle-for-loss, a pass break-up and a fumble recovery, a year after finishing with 75 tackles, six sacks and 14.5 TFL.
But the preseason All-American also had a costly late hit on Kansas State's Daniel Thomas.
After Forbath hit a 42-yard field goal with 6 minutes, 28 seconds remaining, bringing UCLA to within one at 17-16, the Wildcats got the ball back at their 20-yard line.
Thomas ran the ball left for 27 yards, and as he was cruising out of bounds, Ayers gave him a shove, and the referees gave Ayers a 15-yard personal foul penalty.
"It was not a very smart play, but it was not a hit," Neuheisel said. "It was a little push on the sideline. It was unnecessary. It was a selfish play, and one that we can't have on defense. Anywhere on the football team."
A timeout too late
Give a good running team the ball at the 1-yard line, and chances are they'll jam it in.
Give them a free play, and you can almost guarantee it.
After Kansas State's first drive brought the ball to the UCLA 1, the Wildcats gave it to Daniel Thomas for no gain. But a heady referee counted 12 defenders on the field, Kansas State gave it to Thomas again, and he was not denied, giving the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.
"We had a young secondary player not see the substitution," Neuheisel said. "I was trying to call timeout, but from the bench where I am, I couldn't get the guy's attention."
Facts and Figures
Six players of UCLA's vaunted freshman recruiting class saw action, with Anthony Barr (Loyola) and Malcolm Jones (Oaks Christian) used most extensively. Barr had a run and a catch - but also a drop - and Jones had three carries for 20 yards, including a 12-yard run. ... UCLA reported no injuries after the game other than the typical bumps and bruises. ... Kansas State's Daniel Thomas' 234 rushing yards were the most for the Wildcats since Darren Sproles had 292 against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 4, 2004, exactly six years ago. UCLA held Thomas to just 54 yards last season in a 23-9, Week 3 win.
Malcom Jones is a players. Too bad he do not choose USC.
Not happy with the UCLA Bruins' performance today.Not good!I've had season tix since Toledo.I wanted Rick N. as head coach before Dorrell!We regressed today&stepped backwards.Prince mediocre at best! 9/26 1TD 2INTs!Brehaut never played!He was #1QB most of camp-Prince was injured until this week!K-State ran for >300 yards against our D! Maybe just a bad day,maybe young players need game time,but after 3 years Rick N.&Chow have to start putting some Ws on the board!NOW!!!
Not happy with the UCLA Bruins' performance today.Not good!I've had season tix since Toledo.I wanted Rick N. as head coach before Dorrell!We regressed today&stepped backwards.Prince mediocre at best! 9/26 1TD 2INTs!Brehaut never played!He was #1QB most of camp-Prince was injured until this week!K-State ran for >300 yards against our D! Maybe just a bad day,maybe young players need game time,but after 3 years Rick N.&Chow have to start putting some Ws on the board!NOW!!!
Norm Chow's best days are past him. CRN needs to repalace him with someone younger and more dynamic. That play he called on the 2-point conversion attempt was pathetic and predictable. Throughout most of the game his play calling was methodical, predictable, and displayed very little imagination. Hawaii ran the pistol better than UCLA did and they gave SC a run for it's money with players 2 - 3 rungs below the talent level we have. CRN and Chow have so many talented players on offense yet they failed to use them effectively. And it wasn't just the passing game. Malcom Jones had 20 yards on 3 carries. With those kind of numbers why was he given just 3 carries? I like CRN but sometimes I wonder if he has the balls to make the tough decisions he needs to make. Is Pat Hill from Fresno State available?? Imagine what Coach Hill could do with the talent UCLA attracts?
I was at the game......I live in Kansas City and did the 4 hour drive to and from Manhattan...3 things stuck out as I watched a team that has talent.
1) way to many dropped passes.
2) way to many yellow flags
3) Kansas State wanted it more than we did
The o line did much better than I thought it would go...it may be a long season if we do not CATCH a pass....very upsetting to watch that game on TV..even more to watch in person, enogh said.
Even though the receivers couldn't catch and Prince looked rusty at best, the O-line performed! A. Ayers was an animal and K State never took a chance and threw a ball in R. Moores area code. CRN & Norm need to give some serious thought about Prince, I like the kid but he's not going to get this team there. Also, as much as I like Franklin & Coleman UCLA needs to really think about geting M. Jones more snaps he's a game breaker!