Brian Price on the defensive playmaking ability:
“I bank on myself making plays; if I make plays, the whole defense will make plays. But we’re all counting on each other to make plays. All camp we’ve been talking about everybody stepping up. It’s not about one guy, but 11 guys working together as a unit.”
On the offensive improvement from 2008 to 2009:
“I can tell a difference. I’ve been blocked a lot of times. In game time, everybody has to flip a switch, but I can tell a difference.”
Defensive Line
Grade: A
High Marks: Let’s make this simple. The UCLA defensive line will be very, very, very good. Brian Price is more than a man among boys. He’s a grandfather among infants. Datone Jones was very impressive, as did David Carter.
Low Marks: The defensive second unit had its fair share of struggles, particularly on run defense, and defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough said he spotted several weaknesses.
After an inconsistent scrimmage, only one thing is painfully obvious: There are going to be fun times and sad times, and they might come one after another. For every breakaway run, there was a tackle-for-loss. There were great individual performances and disappointments.
There were shocking surprises – HEEEEELLLLLLLOOOO DAMIEN THIGPEN! – and there were met expectations – HEEEEELLLLLLLOOOO Brian Price.
Over the next hour or so, I’ll break down the performances by unit, with no delineation between first-, second- and third-strings.
Stay tuned…
Chiming in real quick from Hawaii, but it looks like UCLA has landed three players on the Bednarik Award watch list.
With Brian Price, Reggie Carter and Alterraun Verner on the list, the Bruins tie Penn State for tops in the country.
The Bednarik Award is essentially the top defensive honor in college football, and three Nittany Lions have won the award a total of four times – Paul Posluszny (twice), Dan Connor and Lavar Arrington.
USC’s Rey Maualuga won last season.
Brian Price on being named to the Outland Trophy watch list:
“This is a team sport. There are 10 guys lining up next to me on that field who are working hard, and I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. I’m just the won getting the awards. And I didn’t even get nothing yet. My name is on a list. I’ll use it as motivation to just work harder.”
On the importance of winning awards:
“Coach was talking before camp that we’ve got to get to more black tie events. The award shows, the bowl games, we’ve got to get back to them. We have to get UCLA back on the map.
On competing for national awards:
“That’s everybody’s motivation to get back out here. Every single person out here wants to win an award, and everyone out here wants to win games. UCLA is not represented by 4-8; 4-8 isn’t good enough. That’s not UCLA. You look back and go into the Hall of Fame room, and it’s just incredible, what everyone has done. We have to live up to that standard.”