Weekly Answers, Pt. 9

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers…

1) What is the deal with all the dropped passes? You mentioned at one point that it’s a rhythm thing, which is understandable. Where do you draw the line though? Should Reggie Moore be getting some of the heat for this? – Anonymous
UCLA was much better on Thursday than the rest of the year, but it has certainly been an issue. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it now, and I’m sure I’ll say it again: When rhythm and timing are off, everything is off. Everything. Focus droops, crispness falls, everything. Moore has definitely got to be under some heat for the issues, but he’s not the only one.

2) How do you think the o-line will be next year due to the VCR that basically the whole line is graduating? – Vvv
I think it will be better than this year. Potentially having a line of Sheller/Baca/Maiva/Ward/Harris is not bad, and then you gotta wonder how Stan Hasiak improves. If it clicks for him, which I’ve seen it happen 100 times, that’s six legit linemen. Even if Sheller doesn’t get a sixth year, I think they’ll have at least six solid guys, with either Wade Yandall, Casey Griffiths, Greg Capella or Brett Downey emerging.

3) I’m seriously afraid that after landing 2 stellar recruiting classes built upon the promise of a growing program, if we don’t grow/win this year we’re not going to get a third stellar recruiting class. What’s your feeling? – UCLA Dynasty
It’s definitely something to worry about at this point. The fact that they’re recruiting the trenches so well makes me think that they’re getting a solid base, but aside from Hundley, they don’t really have a marquee guy yet. They’ll need a couple to jump in the rankings.

4) First, how much of the performance of the offense(or lack thereof) so far this season can you attribute to the fact that it is an entirely new offense to the coaches as well as the players? Please, I DO NOT want to start an “it’s the coaches/it’s the players” debate. But I have to think that, because it is an entirely new offense for these coaches to run, they have to have a learning curve as well, no? – JJA42
Absolutely, 100 percent, no doubt. The learning curve has been pretty steep the last couple of weeks, but that should be taken into account. At the same time, they’re paid a heck of a lot of money, and it’s looked really, really bad recently.

5) Second, why is Prince still the starting QB when RN has the following uncontroverted facts at his disposal: (a) Prince was the last person seen with Amelia Earhart before she took off; (b) Prince was seen in the neighborhood of the Lindberg’s the night of the kidnapping; and (c) if you REALLY slow down the Zapruder film, it is clearly Prince on the grassy knoll. Whereas, Brehaut just got back from Chile where he personally went underground to pull each one of those miners out – without missing a class. Stated differently, are you tired of answering questions of why Prince is still the starter? – JJA42
JJA42, email me at jon.gold@dailynews.com for 2 free tickets to either UCLA/Arizona or UCLA/Oregon State, simply for making me actually laugh out loud. The answer is yes, I’m tired of it.