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Quick Takes: UCLA

Mike Roach

Staff
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
2,021
Who: Texas Longhorns 1-1 (0-0) Vs. UCLA Bruins 2-0 (0-0)

When: Saturday September 13, 2014 7:00 PM

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX

Odds: UCLA -7.5

The Good: UCLA is 2-0 and at this point the Horns would love to be in that position themselves.  Heisman candidate Brett Hundley is also playing pretty well despite close victories over Virginia and Memphis.  Through two games Hundley is completing 68% of his passes for 638 yards and 3 touchdowns against one interception.  Hundley threw for 389 yards in Saturday's 42-35 victory over Memphis.

The Bad: Despite being tabbed as a possible playoff team and conference champion, the Bruins have looked less than impressive in their first two games.  Jim Mora's crew has had to pull houdini like escapes over the likes of Virginia and Memphis.  The defense has not been good allowing 427 yards per game so far.  The offense has moved the ball but has struggled to score and has been shown to be a bit one dimensional.

The Uncertain: For the Bruins this could be a chance to roll over a demoralized Longhorn team or a trap game.  I don't think anyone has any idea how the Longhorns under Charlie Strong will respond to a loss, especially one the magnitude of what they faced Saturday against BYU.  While UCLA looks to be the more talented team, we've seen that anything can happen once the game kicks off.  A slow start could put their team in trouble again.

What's at stake: First and foremost a win over Texas in Texas is always a big thing no matter the current state of the Longhorn team.  UCLA has started to recruit Texas more and more and a good showing in front of those players would be a boost for their recruiting.  UCLA also needs to make a statement early in the season.  Close victories over Virginia and Memphis have Bruins fans a bit worried, and a blowout over a reeling Texas team would go a long way to calm the waters.

 
As I mentioned in my "Glimmer of Hope" thread. . .this is NOT the #12 team in the nation.

They struggled with both UVa (might be better than we think) and Memphis.   Their OL is almost as bad as ours.

Hundley is not as good a runner as Hill.  

Frankly I think today, BYU would beat UCLA .. . 

Our #1 keys to victory are win the turnover battle, eliminate the dumb mistakes and improve our 3rd down conversions (which starts by staying with the chains)

 
As I mentioned in my "Glimmer of Hope" thread. . .this is NOT the #12 team in the nation.

They struggled with both UVa (might be better than we think) and Memphis.   Their OL is almost as bad as ours.

Hundley is not as good a runner as Hill.  

Frankly I think today, BYU would beat UCLA .. . 

Our #1 keys to victory are win the turnover battle, eliminate the dumb mistakes and improve our 3rd down conversions (which starts by staying with the chains)
I agree with all this. 

The thing that I find interesting is that everyone has been hyping the UCLA d-line. They were manhandled against Memphis. 

 
It will be interesting to see how Coach Strong prepares this group for Saturday and how the team responds to adversity.

 
My initial thoughts...

1. Lots of folks underestimating the Memphis offense. What they did against UCLA is more indicative of their capability that a UCLA deficiency, IMO.

2. I'm expecting both OL's to get outmatched by DL talent that is superior. This game might come down to which team's back 7 takes advantage of opportunities created by their defensive front.

 
My initial thoughts...

1. Lots of folks underestimating the Memphis offense. What they did against UCLA is more indicative of their capability that a UCLA deficiency, IMO.

Huh?

Yes, they ran up 63 on Austin Peay. . . . . but what about their offense is overly impressive to you?

 
Huh?

Yes, they ran up 63 on Austin Peay. . . . . but what about their offense is overly impressive to you?
They backed up the Austin Peay performance with almost 500 total yards against UCLA. They even outrushed UCLA by a couple yards.

They also protected the football (0 turnovers). That game was 35-35 in the 4th quarter.

 
They backed up the Austin Peay performance with almost 500 total yards against UCLA. They even outrushed UCLA by a couple yards.

They also protected the football (0 turnovers). That game was 35-35 in the 4th quarter.

UVa hung 400 yards on UCLA. . . . 

Is this Memphis O that is good or UCLA's D being weak?

This isn't Baylor or even TT. 

 
As I mentioned in my "Glimmer of Hope" thread. . .this is NOT the #12 team in the nation.

They struggled with both UVa (might be better than we think) and Memphis. Their OL is almost as bad as ours.

Hundley is not as good a runner as Hill.

Frankly I think today, BYU would beat UCLA .. .

Our #1 keys to victory are win the turnover battle, eliminate the dumb mistakes and improve our 3rd down conversions (which starts by staying with the chains)
Cheese,

I hope and think that our D may well rebound and play a good game.

But unless they score 3 touchdowns I don't see a path to victory.

I don't think our O is a threat even against air. Sad and don't like being negative, but OL is incapable, receivers don't scare people, plus play calling of deepest passes of 5 yards. Mora knows how to take advantage of that. Unless Watson opens up some and Swoopes can deliver on an opened up offense, that is our only hope.

 
from the ESPN piece

http://espn.go.com/blog/colleges/texas/post/_/id/24102/stats-that-matter-ucla-vs-texas

1. 97 

If Texas does have one of the nation's best defensive lines, this is the week to prove it. UCLA's downfall as a College Football Playoff contender could be its inability to protect Brett Hundley

Since 2012, when Jim Mora Jr.'s staff took over, UCLA quarterbacks have been sacked 97 times, tied second-most in FBS. Hundley has already been sacked a nation-leading nine times this season and gets hurried or knocked down on nearly 25 percent of his snaps. Even more damning, he's been sacked 51 times in his career on plays in which a defense sent four pass-rushers or fewer. 

The Bruins' struggles extend beyond pass protection. This offense produces too many negative plays -- a total of 130 plays lost yards in the past two seasons, third-most in FBS -- and, in the run game, its yards before contact per-game average ranks second-worst in the Pac-12. 

Charlie Strong and Vance Bedford say they take pride in their blitzing schemes. Cedric Reed,Malcom Brown and the rest of Texas' front seven should feast if they get into the backfield consistently. 

-- MORE AT THE LINK ---

 
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