[Football preview] Dorrell starts in tough position
Welcome, Karl Dorrell, to the wacky world of UCLA football, the place where losses and misdemeanors come in bunches.
You’ll have to forgive my cynicism, since Bob Toledo is the only coach I’ve ever known. But for old times’ sake, let’s talk about the one thing Toledo knows more about than Dorrell ever will – controversy.
In the days leading up to Dorrell’s first game as a head coach on any level, he must figure out a way to juggle sophomore quarterbacks Drew Olson and Matt Moore.
Who’s the starter? Who’ll be wearing the headset? It’s a good problem to have with two young talents fighting it out in camp, but it’s also going to be tough call for Dorrell to make.
Both Olson and Moore performed admirably as true freshmen after being thrust into action when senior Cory Paus was lost to a season-ending ankle injury.
Toledo’s plan was for Moore to redshirt, but that went out the door when Olson also fell victim to injury.
Olson looked comfortable in the pocket and showed off his experience as a quarterback in general. But frankly, he reminds you too much of Paus, a slow-footed golden boy.
Moore, as the ladies might say, is sexier. He has the big arm and much more mobility. But he only played the position for one year in high school and is still maturing.
Even Rick Neuheisel wouldn’t dare bet on this one.
What is for certain is that whoever is under center will be the key component to this year’s team. Someone has to deliver the ball to potential All-American wide receiver Craig Bragg. With Tab Perry lost for the season due to academic ineligibility, the quarterback will also have to develop a connection with an unproven No. 2 receiver. Taking some heat off tiny tailback Tyler Ebell wouldn’t hurt, either.
Dorrell has said he will run the West Coast offense of the Denver Broncos, where he was a receivers coach before coming to UCLA. That sounds all fine and dandy, but neither Olson nor Moore are John Elway. Or, for that matter, Jake Plummer.
And the starter won’t have much of a honeymoon period, with a tough non-conference schedule in road games at Colorado and top-ranked Oklahoma.
In the conference opener, the Bruins will face Washington, a definite Rose Bowl contender.
Dorrell has brought up the notion of playing both quarterbacks equally. Of course, that didn’t work out so well when Toledo replaced Olson with Moore in the USC game. Moore promptly fumbled away the snap to kill any chance for a comeback.
When I hear the word “platoon,” it conjures up images of Charlie Sheen with a gun, and let’s just say he didn’t use it to throw go-routes to Tom Berenger. For what it’s worth, Olson and Moore, who had always said the right things about each other, have reportedly split up as roommates this season.
Although both of them have denied it, a lack of playing time could end up forcing one of them to transfer. In the past, quarterbacks have left UCLA for lesser reasons.
It’s too bad there isn’t much of a chance either Olson or Moore could redshirt the season and resign himself to starting only as a senior. This best-case scenario is not a likely one because third-string sophomore John Sciarra, the son of a Rose Bowl-winning UCLA quarterback, has not yet developed into a serviceable backup.
While I’d love to provide you in-depth updates to this saga as the year progresses, King Karl has banished subversive scribes like myself from watching the better part of practices during the season.
But that’s OK. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to covering my eyes until controversy after controversy at UCLA is settled.
This one is all on Dorrell.
Diamond was a Bruin Sports football beat writer last season. E-mail Leung at dleung@media.ucla.edu.
advertise
contact us
top of page
Comments
Post a comment