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Offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda will need to improve his play-calling this weekend against the

In the wake of Saturday’s unexpected 29-19 loss to Washington (3-1), the UCLA football team has undergone some serious second-guessing of its offensive play-calling.

In the game at Seattle, the Bruins could not convert touchdowns in the red zone. Out of five red-zone opportunities, UCLA scored three field goals, and one touchdown, and had one interception. The play-calling was very conservative, with runs on third down, and no utilization of what was last year’s most effective red zone play: the fade passing route.

“Are there a few passes I would have thrown in retrospect?” offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda said. “Yes, I can’t deny that. (But) if they’re playing off, you can’t throw a fade route. That’s as low percentage as anything else.”

Svoboda is in his first year as offensive coordinator, after spending last year as the quarterbacks coach.

The Bruins managed just 278 total yards against the Huskies. Quarterback Ben Olson was ineffective, throwing 135 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. Svoboda sees much of that as his responsibility for not being aggressive enough in his play call.

“We talk to the players about being aggressive and always playing that way and move the sticks and score points,” Svoboda said. “And then you don’t do it yourself.

“In retrospect, you say, ‘You practiced this stuff, you know it, do it.’ You’re not doing your quarterback any favors by handling him with kid gloves,” Svoboda said.

In the last two games, Olson has been sacked seven times and has been generally mediocre. In the first game, his best game thus far with three touchdowns, he was not sacked.

SPECIAL TEAMS NO LONGER “SPECIAL”: Freshman Terrence Austin has solidified his position as punt returner after proving to be reliable in the tough Seattle environment.

Austin had two punt returns, one of which went for 79 yards after a tough running catch in the third quarter. For the first time this season, there were no special teams fumbles.

“Nothing’s changed,” coach Karl Dorrell said. “He’s done a nice job. He’s our punt returner.”

On the 79-yard run back, Austin ran out of gas towards the end, before being tackled near the Washington 10-yard line. He figures since the excitement of his first big return is out of the way, he should be able to put a run like that in the end zone next time.

“I made a wrong cut,” Austin said. “It’s something I should have known not to do. I guess I was just really hyped up. Now I know to keep going straight.”

It was a tough environment to catch punts, but Austin didn’t appear to have much trouble, despite having to set up further away from the punter than he usually does.

“Usually I stand about 45 yards back, but I had to stand an extra 10 or 12 back,” Austin said. “The wind was blowing back pretty hard.

“I know coach Dorrell was probably pretty (angry) because I didn’t catch it the way he taught me to. With the way the ball was flying, I had to go from gut instinct,” Austin said.

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