Pretty much agree with Dimitri on the grades except a D+ would have been my assessment of the final grade--C seems far too generous when all the other grades were D's and trending down except the defense. More important, excellent analysis of the team's and coach's' actual performance. Looking again at the future schedule, would still be surprised with three wins. Chip doomed this season by leaving the cupboard bare.
To be fair, when the o-line sucks the offense can't get going. The fancy pants QB can't throw many passes when he's running for his life, and the crazy legs RBs can't do much when they get hit in the backfield 2-3 times on every play. I'm predicting 4 wins, this one, Indiana, Rutgers and $C.
Great evaluation, and some of the finer critiques are probably correctable, but the overall picture of talent and experience (players and coaches) is going to be tough to change this year.
Thanks, Dmitri, it's good to see you again!No arguments,but the coaching: the old saw is you can't put square pegs in round holes. These guys gotta learn what they got and coach what they got. It's only the first game...
Speaking of player-agnostic mismatches a zone blocking, spread the field and outnumber the defense with the threat of a running QB modified air raid - ground raid? - matched with a statuary freshman QB with downfield arm talent is among the most frustrating recent examples I can think of...
Thank you for the analysis Dimitri though sometimes situations like this show the drawbacks of rubrics as a determination of a final grade (other than the final act and ride home, how was the night out at dinner and the theatre, Mrs. Lincoln?) But what was most worrying to me was how Garbers looked like a deer in the headlights in the first half - he should be experienced enough to be a steadying influence...
We'll know much more about this season after next week's home opener with 2 weeks to fix what can be... Go Bruins!
One game doesn’t make a trend, but certainly worrying. The lack of any kind of recruiting under Chip is gonna hurt for a while. It all starts with the O line, and I fear we’re a long way from fixing that issue. Garbers is hard to understand - looked like a deer in the headlights in the first half, not a seasoned leader. Play calling certainly played a role here - need to get the ball out quickly with this line. Defense was a positive surprise. In the first half I was worried we were going to revert to the ‘cushion, bend, and break’ defences that got eaten up by passing attacks, but credit to them, they played pretty tight and especially stopped the YAC. 4 wins seems about right at this point, but a sense of the program putting the pieces together and moving in the right direction is probably more important that W-L at this point.
Ah, it's good to have the eye test back, even if this one wasn't very pleasing to the eyes or any other sensory organ for most of the day. Thanks, Dimitri! The offense, ST, and coaching was ugh enough that I'd give the game a C- and feel that it's generous because it's hard to give a D/D+ to a win. But this is UCLA football and this is the life we lead...
Some guy who think he's smart but really just might be annoying keeps chirping about how the line wins games, but it keeps proving itself over and over. Coach Bienieny also did not do so bien by trying to force the Bruins to execute an offense that was well suited for John Elway or Josh Allen but not remotely for Ethan Garbers. This is where it's critical that Coach Foster be the leader on the staff, particularly during game planning in the week, and make sure the Bruins are employing the right schemes for the players they have. Foster has a long way to go in that regard, and there will be a big learning curve there.
Big cheers to Coach Malloe and the defense though for doing exactly that and playing to its strengths and (not coincidentally) being extremely effective in doing so. Shout out to Kain Medrano who hails from my wife's high school in Pueblo (for reference, Pueblo is the Lancaster of Colorado...) who is one of those guys who isn't that big or that fast but just plays hard and smart and with heart on every play. He'll get beaten sometimes this year by players with more physical gifts but never because he's in the wrong spot or getting outworked.
Hopefully the staff has taken these two weeks to realize they need to play to what they have on the roster instead of thinking they can change this roster into something it isn't. Keep it simple. Keep it steady. Get better each week. Go Bruins!!
I've never been a fan of Sturdivant. Maybe he's a stud in practices and has track speed, but it doesn't show up in games. He'll have maybe 1 or 2 great catches and then disappear for a couple of games. I would've had Loya as the slot receiver or flanker or Z receiver. He just always seems to find a way to get open or make the big catch. Flores as the 1 or X receiver. He got better as he got more familiar. Sturdivant was his typical unreliable self.
Pretty much agree with Dimitri on the grades except a D+ would have been my assessment of the final grade--C seems far too generous when all the other grades were D's and trending down except the defense. More important, excellent analysis of the team's and coach's' actual performance. Looking again at the future schedule, would still be surprised with three wins. Chip doomed this season by leaving the cupboard bare.
To be fair, when the o-line sucks the offense can't get going. The fancy pants QB can't throw many passes when he's running for his life, and the crazy legs RBs can't do much when they get hit in the backfield 2-3 times on every play. I'm predicting 4 wins, this one, Indiana, Rutgers and $C.
Great evaluation, and some of the finer critiques are probably correctable, but the overall picture of talent and experience (players and coaches) is going to be tough to change this year.
Wow. What a spot on analysis. Dimitri you saw what I saw watching the game! Thank you Sir.
Thanks, Dmitri, it's good to see you again!No arguments,but the coaching: the old saw is you can't put square pegs in round holes. These guys gotta learn what they got and coach what they got. It's only the first game...
I agree with your analysis. It’s difficult to watch the bruins over the years struggling to find a system that actually works.
Speaking of player-agnostic mismatches a zone blocking, spread the field and outnumber the defense with the threat of a running QB modified air raid - ground raid? - matched with a statuary freshman QB with downfield arm talent is among the most frustrating recent examples I can think of...
Thank you for the analysis Dimitri though sometimes situations like this show the drawbacks of rubrics as a determination of a final grade (other than the final act and ride home, how was the night out at dinner and the theatre, Mrs. Lincoln?) But what was most worrying to me was how Garbers looked like a deer in the headlights in the first half - he should be experienced enough to be a steadying influence...
We'll know much more about this season after next week's home opener with 2 weeks to fix what can be... Go Bruins!
One game doesn’t make a trend, but certainly worrying. The lack of any kind of recruiting under Chip is gonna hurt for a while. It all starts with the O line, and I fear we’re a long way from fixing that issue. Garbers is hard to understand - looked like a deer in the headlights in the first half, not a seasoned leader. Play calling certainly played a role here - need to get the ball out quickly with this line. Defense was a positive surprise. In the first half I was worried we were going to revert to the ‘cushion, bend, and break’ defences that got eaten up by passing attacks, but credit to them, they played pretty tight and especially stopped the YAC. 4 wins seems about right at this point, but a sense of the program putting the pieces together and moving in the right direction is probably more important that W-L at this point.
Ah, it's good to have the eye test back, even if this one wasn't very pleasing to the eyes or any other sensory organ for most of the day. Thanks, Dimitri! The offense, ST, and coaching was ugh enough that I'd give the game a C- and feel that it's generous because it's hard to give a D/D+ to a win. But this is UCLA football and this is the life we lead...
Some guy who think he's smart but really just might be annoying keeps chirping about how the line wins games, but it keeps proving itself over and over. Coach Bienieny also did not do so bien by trying to force the Bruins to execute an offense that was well suited for John Elway or Josh Allen but not remotely for Ethan Garbers. This is where it's critical that Coach Foster be the leader on the staff, particularly during game planning in the week, and make sure the Bruins are employing the right schemes for the players they have. Foster has a long way to go in that regard, and there will be a big learning curve there.
Big cheers to Coach Malloe and the defense though for doing exactly that and playing to its strengths and (not coincidentally) being extremely effective in doing so. Shout out to Kain Medrano who hails from my wife's high school in Pueblo (for reference, Pueblo is the Lancaster of Colorado...) who is one of those guys who isn't that big or that fast but just plays hard and smart and with heart on every play. He'll get beaten sometimes this year by players with more physical gifts but never because he's in the wrong spot or getting outworked.
Hopefully the staff has taken these two weeks to realize they need to play to what they have on the roster instead of thinking they can change this roster into something it isn't. Keep it simple. Keep it steady. Get better each week. Go Bruins!!
I've never been a fan of Sturdivant. Maybe he's a stud in practices and has track speed, but it doesn't show up in games. He'll have maybe 1 or 2 great catches and then disappear for a couple of games. I would've had Loya as the slot receiver or flanker or Z receiver. He just always seems to find a way to get open or make the big catch. Flores as the 1 or X receiver. He got better as he got more familiar. Sturdivant was his typical unreliable self.