Weekly Q&A: Arizona State

UCLA has a critical home game against Arizona State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. as a loss will almost certainly erase any hopes for bowl eligibility with its rivalry game against USC waiting next weekend. If you have questions about UCLA football, leave them below — or shoot me an email at thnguyen(at)scng(dot)com — and I’ll post answers THURSDAY.

Weekly Q&A: Utah answers

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It seems like Keisean Lucier-South is doing as well or better than we could have hoped while filling in at linebacker, do you think he is working his way into a full time outside linebacker position next year?

I have been impressed with Keisean Lucier-South’s move to linebacker. When he tried it out at different points of training camp, the reporters saw it and we said to each other, “They’re just trying crazy things in camp, they’re not going to do this in a real game.” Then all the injuries came.

I think being at linebacker is good for him at this point because he hasn’t quite filled out his frame yet. He’s still listed at 235 and that’s about 15-20 pounds off of what he said his target was last year. At linebacker he doesn’t have to engage with much bigger offensive linemen all the time so his speed and athleticism are more evident when he’s playing in more space.

He was recruited to UCLA as an Anthony Barr linebacker type. That was a different time because the Bruins ran a 3-4 scheme then. So I don’t know what next year will hold, but perhaps Lucier-South’s move to linebacker is just a step toward fulfilling his Barr-like destiny. Continue reading “Weekly Q&A: Utah answers” »

Weekly Q&A: Utah

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One struggling team meets another Friday in Salt Lake City. UCLA still has the worst rushing defense in the country while Utah is on a four-game losing streak. If you have questions about UCLA football, leave them below — or email me at thnguyen(at)scng(dot)com — and I’ll post answers THURSDAY.

Weekly Q&A: Washington answers

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Based on what you have seen from Washington this season, how might UCLA keep this game close?

Washington has lost three games in the past two years: USC at home last year, Alabama in the College Football Playoff and Arizona State two weeks ago. Jake Browning was sacked 13 times in those games (4.33 sacks per loss). In the team’s 18 wins during that span the Huskies have given up only 24 sacks (1.33 per win). It seems like an effective pass rush that creates chaos in backfield is a key to stopping the Huskies. UCLA has struggled with getting sacks this year and are dealing with defensive line injuries, but is coming off a four-sack game last weekend. So it does have a little bit of confidence.

Of note: The Huskies are without starting left tackle Trey Adams, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Arizona. He was a first-team All-Pac-12 player last year and a second-team All-American. That’s a big loss. Continue reading “Weekly Q&A: Washington answers” »

Weekly Q&A: Washington

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With the momentum from a home win against Oregon, UCLA now has to face the Pac-12’s top-ranked team on the road. No. 12 Washington is coming off a bye week after their first loss of the season.

Leave your UCLA football questions in the comments — or shoot me an email at thnguyen(at)scng(dot)com — and I’ll post answers THURSDAY.