As the UCLA football season approaches, no one is quite sure what to expect.
Although all hope the arrival of new head football coach Karl Dorrell and his staff will signal a new horizon for the Bruins, the cloud left by former coach Bob Toledo and two disappointing years casts a long shadow.
With Dorrell’s presence, the team appears rejuvenated, in better shape and ready to prove themselves. Still, many have portrayed this year as one of rebuilding. This viewpoint has given way to a projected sixth place finish in the conference.
“We’re really not concerned with it,” Dorrell said of his team’s predicted finish. “We’ve got to start somewhere and it’s really where we finish. We’ve got a good team and (we’ll) hopefully earn some respect as we go. That’s part of the deal.”
The Bruins have strength at running back, defensive line and safety. Dorrell has implemented a new pass-oriented West Coast Offense which will give wide receiver Craig Bragg, who had eight touchdowns and 55 catches for 889 yards last season, plenty of opportunities. The effect of seven returning starters, combined with the running threats of Tyler Ebell and Manuel White Jr. look to give the Bruins a solid offense.
But the team did lose star receiver Tab Perry to academic ineligibility, who has since decided to redshirt this season and get needed shoulder surgery.
“(Losing Perry) really hasn’t affected us,” Dorrell said. “For us it’s more of a starting point in our minds, and we’re out to prove we’re a better team than just him.”
UCLA could have one of the top defenses in the Pac-10, returning starters Rodney Leisle and the Ball twins (Mat and Dave). Leisle, an All-American candidate at tackle last season, has the ability to become one of the premiere collegiate players at his position, while Dave Ball had 11 sacks last season and Mat added two.
“We have experience and youth along the front four,” Dorrell said in a statement. “We could start four seniors, including Mat, Ryan (Boschetti), David (Tautofi), Rodney or Asi (Faoa), and we have some young players who can build for the future by gaining some valuable experience this year.”
The Bruins have also lost sophomore tight end Keith Carter for several games while he recovers from a hip injury suffered during a spring motorcycle accident. Carter, who was expected to have a significant impact on the team, will be replaced by sophomore Marcedes Lewis. In the scrimmage held Saturday in Fullerton, Lewis caught three passes for 71 yards.
But the team is not without troubles. The offensive line continues to struggle after allowing 37 sacks last season.
“I wish we had more numbers there, but we don’t. We are young. We have good, young players who will learn a lot of lessons this year,” Dorrell told the Los Angeles Times.
Also plaguing the team is the kicking game, which features a new punter, junior Chris Kluwe, and freshman kicker Justin Medlock.
Despite the setbacks, the team remains hopeful, as the unenthusiastic ratings have not hindered preparations for the Sept. 6 season-opener at Colorado.
“I think people expect us to be not as good as we are. Being sixth we can only go up and we’re going to step up,” Moore said.
“I think with the next two weeks we can close the gap of what we need. We’re going to be fine.”