Spaulding Report: UCLA Football Beat SC Week Media Interviews
As you wait for tonight's game to kickoff, we've gathered all of this week's UCLA Football interviews for you in one place.
As usual, we’ll get right to this week’s interviews and see what’s been getting said at this week’s UCLA football press conferences. I’m just going to share this week’s videos here all in the same place to make it easy for you to watch them if you haven’t already. The videos in this article are courtesy of UCLA Athletics on YouTube, unless noted otherwise.
We’ll start off, like we always do, with interim head coach Tim Skipper.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most this season has been Coach Skipper’s energy. His relentless positivity has been fun, but listening to him talk about UCLA vs. USC, I think his high energy is even higher for this week’s game. Here’s what he said about being able to coach in today’s game:
“I’m excited about this one here. As a kid, I always watched the UCLA SC game. It always mattered, no matter where we lived, cause I was coming from a coaching family so we moved around a little bit, but that game’s very significant.
“We watched the video as a team, just to go over the history of it cause you have so many transfers and things. So, I wanted to make sure everybody knew how significant this game was and how both teams wear their home colors for the game and you get to paint the Victory Bell, like all of that stuff, we went over in our team meeting yesterday. And just ready to to get the week going and take this all in. And, it’s awesome to finally be part of this thing.
“You watch it so much. Never been to one of these games. And to be able to work it and coach it, it’s going to be awesome, and I’m just looking forward to that.”
Well, this may be Skipper’s only chance to be a part of the rivalry, but it would be awesome if he can end his tenure with a win over the Trojans.
Moving to the players, Sam Yoon and Isaiah Chisholm met with the media on Tuesday. Both players spoke about the importance of this week’s game. Yoon explained:
“[W]e’re not where we want to be, but especially growing up in SoCal, this game means everything. And I’ve participated in a few here at UCLA, too. So, this game just means more. We’re taking it seriously.”
Meanwhile, Chisholm, who will be playing in his first UCLA-USC game, clearly understands what’s on the line. He spoke about the impact a win would have:
“Yeah, we talked about it in the in the team meeting. Um, beating SC would undo every wrong that has happened this season. That and the Penn State win. I don’t think we could ask for anything more.”
After the tough season this team has had, he’s certainly right.
Garrett DiGiorgio and freshman linebacker Scott Taylor met with the media on Wednesday.
DiGiorgio spoke about the rivalry this way:
“I think it described it perfectly. It’s the game that we look forward to every year. It’s the biggest one in the city of LA. I think everyone that lives in LA looks forward to watching or going to that game, especially with it being Thanksgiving this week. I think everyone’s going to be tuned in and I believe that it…lit a fire under the guys to be a little excited for this week.”
The last word will come from Taylor. While he may be one of the younger guys on the team, it’s clear that he gets it. Taylor spoke of the importance of tonight’s game:
“When you walk by campus and the Bear’s boxed up and John Wooden’s boxed up, you get the idea of how important this is. Also, like they showpictures, the guys ringing the bell, and that just looks like an awesome feeling. So, we’re all striving for that.”
As it should be!
Go Bruins!!! Beat SC!!!
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