Seattle Spew
SEATTLE -
UCLA freshman defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa sat on the team bench with just minutes to play, eyes bulging, tears streaming down his face, screaming at his teammates.
"I refuse to give up!" Odighizuwa said. "I refuse to give up. This isn't over! It is not over!"
Maybe not, but UCLA's bowl chances might be.
After a 24-7 loss at Husky Stadium on Thursday night in front of 62,347 and a nationally televised ESPN audience, the Bruins now must win at Arizona State next Friday and at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 4 against USC just to become bowl eligible.
Down to its fifth-string quarterback by the end of the game - walk-on Clayton Tunney - had as much success through the air as the Hindenberg.
After sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut suffered a concussion midway through the third quarter with the Bruins trailing 10-7, sophomore quarterback Darius Bell entered the game and promptly gave Washington a 17-7 lead.
Bell's interception to Quentin Richardson with six minutes, 22 seconds remaining, and Richardson jaunted his way into the end zone, ending Bell's night, and perhaps the Bruins' bowl hopes.
"We knew we had them," said Washington wide receiver Devin Aguilar, who led the team with 29 yards receiving. "Going into halftime, we knew we could make plays. We kept shooting ourselves in the foot, but we knew we were going to break out on offense, and eventually, they weren't playing hard like they were in the beginning."
For one quarter, UCLA looked like it would only need one more win the rest of the way.
The Bruins jumped on top of the Huskies early, riding running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman into the end zone on the team's second drive of the game.
After the teams traded three-and-outs to start the game, UCLA had the ball on its eight-yard line. Thirteen plays and 92 yards later, the Bruins had a 7-0 lead, Franklin breaking off a 31-yard touchdown run.
The UCLA defense responded in kind on Washington's next possession, as Aaron Hester wrestled a Jake Locker pass away from a Husky receiver, coming down with the interception on the Washington 31-yard line.
Two short runs gave UCLA a 3rd-and-5, and a Richard Brehaut incomplete pass left the Bruins on the 26-yard line, ready for a Kai Forbath field goal to stake them a 10-0 lead.
The kick was wide right and woefully short, and that was about as much fun as UCLA would have the rest of the game.
Washington took some time to score, but once the Huskies did, they didn't stop.
After holding Washington and star quarterback Jake Locker - who was medically cleared for the game on Tuesday after suffering a broken rib earlier in the year - to just 33 first-half yards, the Bruins lost the momentum.
They lost it hard, and they lost it fast.
Locker scored from three yards out midway through the second quarter, hurdling UCLA junior safety Rahim Moore into the end zone for the touchdown, and Washington held the Bruins to 11 yards over their next two drives before heading into the lockerroom with the game tied at seven.
Then the Huskies really turned on the pressure, allowing 46 second-half yards to the Bruins.
"We've seen all we can see on defense, nothing can take us by surprise," UCLA junior center Ryan Taylor said. "It wasn't a scheme thing. They ran a regular defense. It was us. I don't know man, it is what it is."
The Bruins hit rock bottom. RN should be looking in the mirror vs. berating his QBs everytime they make a mistake.
1st down - run up the middle
2nd down - run up the middle
3rd down - roll out, Harkey drops pass or 7 yard out pattern(corner jumps the route for pick 6)
Too many penalties, too conservative play calling (there's 8 in the box - throw the ball once in a while on 1st down), poor tackling, defense out of their gaps. It was not as if our defense was dominating - it was more like Washington was shooting themselves in the foot.
2 weeks or preparation for that showing. Wow!
RN better start practicing his speech (apology) to an empty Rose Bowl after another blow out loss to SC.
The team needs positive energy, momentum, big plays, and to have some FUN. The players look miserable.
I'm not an irrational man.
I'm aware that we have had a string of bad injuries this year. And I'm aware that we have a relatively young team this year. And I'm aware that we lost a lot of talent to the NFL, graduation and a Mormon mission in the off-season.
BUT. WHAT. THE. FUCK???
This team lacks leadership, training, discipline and conditioning. I hate to be the "I-told-you-so" guy, but I never really liked the Chow hire and nothing that he has done in his tenure at UCLA has given me reason to think I was wrong.
But don't worry, Rick and Norm - I'll be back next week, ready for you to stomp on my balls some more, because clearly I love to suffer...
"...and eventually, they weren't playing hard like they were in the beginning."
Get rid of Rick NOW! We will NEVER win anything while he is our coach. He allows losing to be accepted by everyone.
I can no longer say I'm embarrassed by this football program. I simply want to run away and hide. This was the most dismal performance I've ever witnessed by a UCLA team. In fact, I go on record as saying it is the most dismal performance by any team I've ever seen anywhere at any time. When an entire football team...offense, defense, special teams, and those riding the pine...look as if they would rather be back in their dorm rooms, sound asleep, rather than playing...then I say, "Enough." This team is a monstrous slight on the memory of what was once a major and proud football program. Troy Aikman, Gary Beban, Marcedes Lewis, Bill Kilmer, Maurice Jones-Drew, Tommy Prothro, Terry Donoghue...I apologize to you on behalf of the players, the coaches, and the UCLA administration that has allowed this travesty to occur. To lose is one thing, but to surrender with such pitiful lack of courage and desire is unforgivable. Respect is something that this program has lost forever, both the respect of the public and their own self-respect. Absolutely deplorable, Coach Rick.
What did I say about smacking you bitches around!
Another 8th place finish in the PAC10 for the Bruins. That would be 3 in a row. Where's Bruin Rob when it's time for him wax prophetically?
Rick N. is not the answer. No leadership, no execution, no heart!
As a USC fan, I am not here to disrespect the Bruin faithful. First, the UCLA defense played very good b/c they held the UW offense on check and UW earned their points via turnovers. Second, I hate to admit it but I thought UCLA was going to pound the ball against UW b/c they have a weak run defense. I was shocked that UW took the running game away from UCLA. Finally, the UCLA WRs are very weak. They gave up on most of their routes and didn't fight for the ball. I was surprised to see the UW secondary make so many plays on the ball. I know that a lot UCLA fans want George Farmer (who doesn't) but if I am a great WR why would I go to a school with no QB? I would put the blame on Neuheisel and Chow for not developing any of the current QBs.
I am A UCLA BRUINS fan...I will ALWAYS be a UCLA BRUINS fan, but that game was embarrassing!
1. I put this pathetic season solely on the coaches. I know there have been some injuries but a good coaching staff should have the backups ready to play when injuries occur.
2. W.T.F was with the play calling last night? Has Chow completely lost it? The offense was extremely predictable with the run. Two weeks ago the offense was scoring with flea flickers and play action passes, last night they did nothing but run until they got behind and had to throw to try and play catch up, by that time Brehaut was out.
3. Corey Harkey should not play another down until he learns how to catch the ball. I have NEVER seen a tight end drop so many passes in one season. Fauria must be just awful to be behind Harkey on the depth chart.
4. I will continue to donate to the Wooden fund but I will not renew my season tickets until either the current coaching staff is replaced or they field a team that can be somewhat competitive each week.
I could go on and on but the bottom line is the BRUINS are not a very good team this year and the coaches should take a step backwards each time they collect a paycheck.
Dear Baby Bear fans,
You guys should be very proud of your team - they showed a lot of heart in keeping that game competitive for 3 quarters. Hey, as RN would say, they didn't lose the first half!
At least the Trojans have a reason for not playing in a bowl. Your team sanctions itself!!
Losers.
I remember the last days of Billy Barnes. and the year after Bob Waterfield graduated, and we were a football school without a competent coach. I cringed when Karl Durrell was hired and kept my fingers crossed at every game we played, hoping I would be proven wrong about my lack of confidence in KD.
But the proof finally set in and I knew all my fears were realized. So I took hope when KD was let go, and my hopes leaped so high when RN was hired. I just knew he would bring with him all of that talent that that ARIZONA high school walkon kid showed when he got to be a senior and lead UCLA to a matchless senior season. It was a chance to see RN return to the success he had at Colorado and Washington.
OK, so it has happened again. I was wrong about what could have been. There just are too many things wrong with this team, and the least of which is emotion. It really looks like the recruits RN has to take are just happy to be on the UCLA football team, and that is the highest these guys are interested in doing. I feel for the really good players that have to live with this program, and it looks like KD's failures will now be visited on RN and we will go another 5 to 10 years looking for a turnaround coach who can leap over the problems of the prior coaching staffs.
It finally appears that Coach Chow's great talent is limited to teaching only 5 star playes. Those who are so easy to teach that the coach can look good without spending long hours with his trainees.
I also remember when Donahue had years with too many injuries, and by bringing in a new trainer, we went a number of years with no significant player injuries, until someone paid our trainer more than our AD would.
Football programs are a lot more them the coaches and the players, and we seem to lack everything. I think now is the time to totally shake up the AD office.
What happened to Chrisman? Have I been on an island with Wilson or something? Injured?
The bRUINs could learn a thing or two about how to deal with adversity from the football team across town...
Someone give Reeves Nelson a WR jersey. The guy catches everything. Let's put Harkey on the BB team. Though he can't catch, he can bang down low when Joshua Smith gets his four first-half fouls.
why yall bitching about how bad this team is, hello!!! been bad most of 10 yrs...where is the news flash.
Dangit Owa, I'm so sick of our Defensive Ends crying when they lose. First Davis and now him. Owa, don't cry, dry your eyes. Then get on the field and make a play. I'M SO FED UP!!!ROAR!!!BEAR GROWL!!!
This is embarassing. The players just have no heart. This bad culture will affect current and upcoming recruits. For example I hear kids in popwarner looking to U$C, why cause they win. We can go n forver how they win, butnot here. But preception... And when a 10 tells me Regie Bush's parents didnt have a house, so.... PLease i almost had a heartattack. Kids see the end result..
Im so sick of this. Patience, yeah Jon. I wish I had it. but when this team looks this bad.. so much with recruits. oh wait forgot we area PUBLIC school in California!! nevermind.....
I would rather UCLA have NO football program than have one that is coached like this. A boycott is necessary. I wonder if we all chipped in for beer money if we could talk one of the houses on Gayley to hang a huge banner that calls for Chow to resign.
It's very simple guys. Stop going to the game. No revenues. Then big ass Dan guerrero gets the message that he needs us and start spending the money on good product. I stop paying for this crap for a while.
Hey, why are you guys so glum? Blah blah 100 NCAA championships blah blah.
Even I can't believe what a terrible job Neuheisel has done at his alma mater. I thought for sure he'd have these guys up and running by his third year. His guys are already juniors. How can the bruins be so bad?
Come on people, the injuries have been ridiculous. And last night, if Brehaut doesn't get knocked out on the cheap shot while sliding feet first, UCLA easily is in the game and maybe even wins and nobody is complaining. Injuries coming out of their ears, three guys kicked out , one who is a major contributor at Arizona, a top 20 team....Mormon mission...Early entry into the draft... Give Neuheisel a break! Two more years and normal luck injury-wise and he will have them in the top ten. At least I hope so. This isn't a repeat of Steve Lavin, is it?
Thanks Smithers for that vote of confidence. Yes, two more years and I'll have us back in the top ten!
ok i goanna say it, what we've all been thinking: chow is an empty suit, living off of a great resume. it is entirely queer and boggling, that after being under Chow-Chow's tutledge for 2 yrs, Brehault cannot execute even the simplest of passes. simply amazing. it challenges the often comical notion of an armchair QB saying "even i could do better than that!!" i honestly think you could pull someone out of the stands, let them practice with the team for a month and they could execute a short 8 yd pass to a wide open receiver.
and i am sick of Neu's bullshit screaming at the QB's...at first i liked that he held them accountable for bonehead plays, but now he screams at them for any mistake, only it is very clear he is the one who is at fault for not preparing them to play.
i was Neu biggest supporter, i wanted him when Toledo got the job and when Dorrell got the job, but he has SUCKED this year. this Hunley better be good enough to start right away becuase neu has one more year to deliver and that's it. i just hope he has the guts to get rid of Chow-Chow and run the offense himself.
and save the "don't attack Chow" crap we all know the only reason we wanted him was to stick it to the trOJies. i just don't see how Chow-CHow is getting such a pass on this mess.
Hey Slick,
With the 36-7 thrashing your Trojies took last night, I'd say it's time to start banging the death knell watch the real sanctions begin. I promise you Rick will have UCLA in the top ten before SC sees those lofty heights. Enjoy your loss hangover.