You could not have written a more antiseptic and benign synopsis. This game was not only winnable, it should have been won . The problem is the head coach is ignorant of the limitations of his personnel, and more importantly, his offensive coordinator is incapable of calling a game that aligns with the talent level. Let’s be honest, Ethan Garbers is a mediocre quarterback at best. The picture perfect example is the four passes he threw inside of the remaining two minutes of the game that were not even close to the receiver. Yes, he was under pressure, but , he threw two at the feet, one over the head and one not even close to any Bruin personnel. Did that lose the game? No, the horrific series of playcalling when the Bruins had the lead and an opportunity to drive the field was what lost the game. After achieving 6 yards on first down, they decided to run the ball on three straight plays. The backbreaker was a decision to run up the middle on 4th down and 1 with an offensive line that is completely incapable of moving the defense. we’ve seen that for 11 weeks. Was that a surprise to anyone other than the Bienemy? The defense played one heckuva game, and laid it on the field, but the offensive coaching staff and head coach have let this team down game, after game, after game. It’s unfathomable to me that with the experience, the Bienemy brought to the job, the play calls on down and distance are criminal. And asking a quarterback with limited mobility, and no offensive line to execute those said plays is sheer ignorance. USC is highly beatable, yet UCLA and their offensive coaching staff found a way to lose. It’s a crime the players, especially seniors, had to live through this.
First, I hope you aren't criticizing Joe's write up - the initial post-game articles here are typically just a newsy recap and don't usually dive deeply into a lot of column style analysis.
Second, I agree with pretty much everything else. This was a crappy $c team and an imminently winnable game and it's a damn frickin shame we didn't.
If you look at the game stats both teams were near even in the numbers….EXCEPT penalties. SUC 2 penalties. UCLA 8 penalties. The penalty problem was something that our head coach was going to “fix” after the first game this season. Nope. Consistently (not in a good way) an issue this entire season.
I did like that the officials called it pretty even with regards to pass defense. I always think the DB's get hosed with PI flags when the WRs make just as much contact, so I was cool with them allowing a lot of the tight pass coverage both ways to go unflagged.
But how the refs still managed such a disparity in the number of penalties and especially the number of yards, and particularly how with the halftime melee they found 3 unsportsmanlike flags on us while seeing absolutely zero wrong with *$c's behavior, is a freakin joke. I've played and watched a crap ton of football my whole life but I've never seem a team start a half kicking off from the 5. But we seemed to get a reputation this year, fair or not, for unsportsmanlike flags and you can't expect the refs to be bright enough to see past that bias. Regardless, fixing the penalties has to be a top priority for this staff and roster vs Fresno St and going into next season.
I do not recall Fish/Mora leaving the cupboard even half as bare as Chip did for poor DeShaun, so I really do not see any validity in this comparison...
The comparison I was trying to make is between the 2 coaches inaugural seasons at UCLA, where one was able to beat U$C and the other fell disappointingly short. Yes, Coach DSF started out with less talent to begin this season, was even able to secure at least 1 more regular season win than his predecessor, and had a great opportunity to win on Saturday, but I'm still upset at how this particular game was coached on the offensive end and BOTH Coach DSF and OC Bieniemy share some blame for how it turned out. Not only was this a rivalry game at home, but one that the Bruins needed to win to keep their hopes alive for bowl game eligibility. So that's why it feels worse...
I think that's fair. We'd all agree that chump kelly totally cratered this program, but this was also a winnable game against a crappy team whom we all hate, and that really sucks.
I totally agree with the (lack of) coaching in an eminently winnable game. There is absolutely no excusing that. We should not be grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory!
In the end, both teams looked like crap. Not a great inaugural season in the B10 for either team....
As much as I disliked the playcalling at times and the penalties, and the loss of course, to compare Chipster Alfraud - the dumpster fire to Coach Fos is not even close to being fair.
Coach Fos needs a great OC and needs to let that OC call the plays. Period. Coach Fos needs to get HIS recruits which he will as he is a natural genuine recruiter and enjoys it, and he needs to secure NIL funding which he embraces.
CA was an a** through and through, who hated recruiting and had zero affection for UCLA or fans - he was about the $$$$, that's it. He was a disgusting excuse for a coach and person.
I too believe this loss was inexcusable due to the poor play calling and penalties, but Coach Fos is a fine and intelligent human being who has humility and will learn from this season. He made mistakes but he deserves a bit of grace. A great QB and OC will help a lot.
The vitriol against Coach Fos is amazing to me considering how much he loves UCLA and how he has really reached out and connected with the Bruin community. He is a smart guy and will right the ship and become a very good Coach.
I think folks know my opinions about Chip Alford (I coined the moniker!) and glad he is history, and I wish nothing but the best for Coach DSF and hope for all the positive things you mentioned. I just wish he and his OC did a better job against U$C!
Seemed like they blitzed on 90% if not 100% of third down plays, and the OC did not try to adapt. Stuck with 7+ yard pass calls and rushed the throw every time.
I'm happy with the job Malloe has done stepping in as DC - and the job he's done developing and scheming to take advantage of Schwesinger's ability and smarts is evidence for that - but D'Anton Lynn badly outcoached Bieniemy last night
A game that could have been won if not should have been. Probably 10 points left on the table for different reasons. Still a lot of foolish mistakes (unsportsmanlike on an assistant coach?) and the jury out on the direction of the program.
OTOH Lincoln left points off the board with poor play calling inside the 5. 3 TDs instead of 3 FGs would have made the final score 31-13. Thankful for the defense.
What a terrible loss and truly inexcusable. The penalties, the bad play calling, the not so good QB who despite being a great guy should not be a starting QB at UCLA. Yes, Garbs had some good passes followed by nada. This was such a disjointed game... never seemed to have a rhythm to our offense. Coach Fos needs to right the ship through recruiting, NIL (I hate it, but reality) a new OC, and yes DRE. Coach Fos needs to let that new OC run the offense and stop calling plays.
In good news of the day.... The #5 UCLA Women's Basketball Team is destroying #1 South Carolina by 21 points at the Half in front of a sell-out crowd at Pauley Pavilion... Amazing game and this could be our year for the Nattie 💙💛
Unfortunately, the recent hopium and false optimism of possible bowl eligibilty concealed all of the existing flaws of the Bruins' coaching staff and players that had been evident throughout this season. I agree with all of the sentiments regarding the failed effort against U$C, and it's just so disappointing not being able to beat their underachieving crosstown rival and Clay Helton 2.0 at home. Wonder if they'll come out flat and listless against Fresno St. in a meaningless, final game of the season next Saturday.
I grew up in Fresno. FSU has been waiting for this game all season. They are not very good this year. I’m afraid though they will be too much to handle for UCLA. Hope not. But they have some momentum coming into this game with a lot of their fans filling the Rose Bowl.
Well, that game was almost a perfect microcosm of the season... a good but not great first drive (Hawai'i), ineffective rest of the first half (5 game losing streak to the season midpoint), effective 3rd quarter that gave us some hope of victory (3 game win streak to have a chance at bowl eligibility), followed by a collapse in the 4th quarter (@UDub and losing to Univ of $econd Choice).
While incredibly frustrating to watch us lose a winnable game against a very mediocre and underachieving version of Just $c and seeing them celebrate 🤬 I wasn't as disgusted as I was last year when we flat out quit during the UC-Berkeley game - it remains to be seen if this staff can keep the team motivated where last year's head coach and coordinators clearly couldn't in the post-rivalry game... which, to be clear, is the bare minimum of the job. Its clear there's much to be done beyond that bare minimum...
You could not have written a more antiseptic and benign synopsis. This game was not only winnable, it should have been won . The problem is the head coach is ignorant of the limitations of his personnel, and more importantly, his offensive coordinator is incapable of calling a game that aligns with the talent level. Let’s be honest, Ethan Garbers is a mediocre quarterback at best. The picture perfect example is the four passes he threw inside of the remaining two minutes of the game that were not even close to the receiver. Yes, he was under pressure, but , he threw two at the feet, one over the head and one not even close to any Bruin personnel. Did that lose the game? No, the horrific series of playcalling when the Bruins had the lead and an opportunity to drive the field was what lost the game. After achieving 6 yards on first down, they decided to run the ball on three straight plays. The backbreaker was a decision to run up the middle on 4th down and 1 with an offensive line that is completely incapable of moving the defense. we’ve seen that for 11 weeks. Was that a surprise to anyone other than the Bienemy? The defense played one heckuva game, and laid it on the field, but the offensive coaching staff and head coach have let this team down game, after game, after game. It’s unfathomable to me that with the experience, the Bienemy brought to the job, the play calls on down and distance are criminal. And asking a quarterback with limited mobility, and no offensive line to execute those said plays is sheer ignorance. USC is highly beatable, yet UCLA and their offensive coaching staff found a way to lose. It’s a crime the players, especially seniors, had to live through this.
The players campaigned for this, which is another reason why you should not listen to players regarding who should coach them
this applies to pro sports too
First, I hope you aren't criticizing Joe's write up - the initial post-game articles here are typically just a newsy recap and don't usually dive deeply into a lot of column style analysis.
Second, I agree with pretty much everything else. This was a crappy $c team and an imminently winnable game and it's a damn frickin shame we didn't.
If you look at the game stats both teams were near even in the numbers….EXCEPT penalties. SUC 2 penalties. UCLA 8 penalties. The penalty problem was something that our head coach was going to “fix” after the first game this season. Nope. Consistently (not in a good way) an issue this entire season.
I did like that the officials called it pretty even with regards to pass defense. I always think the DB's get hosed with PI flags when the WRs make just as much contact, so I was cool with them allowing a lot of the tight pass coverage both ways to go unflagged.
But how the refs still managed such a disparity in the number of penalties and especially the number of yards, and particularly how with the halftime melee they found 3 unsportsmanlike flags on us while seeing absolutely zero wrong with *$c's behavior, is a freakin joke. I've played and watched a crap ton of football my whole life but I've never seem a team start a half kicking off from the 5. But we seemed to get a reputation this year, fair or not, for unsportsmanlike flags and you can't expect the refs to be bright enough to see past that bias. Regardless, fixing the penalties has to be a top priority for this staff and roster vs Fresno St and going into next season.
Another 'Chip Kelly' type awful season with no bowl and lots of finger pointing.
No bowling, but at least Chip Alford was able to beat U$C in his miserable Year-1 effort, which makes Coach DSF's Year-1 season look worse.
I do not recall Fish/Mora leaving the cupboard even half as bare as Chip did for poor DeShaun, so I really do not see any validity in this comparison...
💯💯💯💯💯
The comparison I was trying to make is between the 2 coaches inaugural seasons at UCLA, where one was able to beat U$C and the other fell disappointingly short. Yes, Coach DSF started out with less talent to begin this season, was even able to secure at least 1 more regular season win than his predecessor, and had a great opportunity to win on Saturday, but I'm still upset at how this particular game was coached on the offensive end and BOTH Coach DSF and OC Bieniemy share some blame for how it turned out. Not only was this a rivalry game at home, but one that the Bruins needed to win to keep their hopes alive for bowl game eligibility. So that's why it feels worse...
I think that's fair. We'd all agree that chump kelly totally cratered this program, but this was also a winnable game against a crappy team whom we all hate, and that really sucks.
I totally agree with the (lack of) coaching in an eminently winnable game. There is absolutely no excusing that. We should not be grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory!
In the end, both teams looked like crap. Not a great inaugural season in the B10 for either team....
As much as I disliked the playcalling at times and the penalties, and the loss of course, to compare Chipster Alfraud - the dumpster fire to Coach Fos is not even close to being fair.
Coach Fos needs a great OC and needs to let that OC call the plays. Period. Coach Fos needs to get HIS recruits which he will as he is a natural genuine recruiter and enjoys it, and he needs to secure NIL funding which he embraces.
CA was an a** through and through, who hated recruiting and had zero affection for UCLA or fans - he was about the $$$$, that's it. He was a disgusting excuse for a coach and person.
I too believe this loss was inexcusable due to the poor play calling and penalties, but Coach Fos is a fine and intelligent human being who has humility and will learn from this season. He made mistakes but he deserves a bit of grace. A great QB and OC will help a lot.
The vitriol against Coach Fos is amazing to me considering how much he loves UCLA and how he has really reached out and connected with the Bruin community. He is a smart guy and will right the ship and become a very good Coach.
I think folks know my opinions about Chip Alford (I coined the moniker!) and glad he is history, and I wish nothing but the best for Coach DSF and hope for all the positive things you mentioned. I just wish he and his OC did a better job against U$C!
Agree 💯
Seemed like they blitzed on 90% if not 100% of third down plays, and the OC did not try to adapt. Stuck with 7+ yard pass calls and rushed the throw every time.
I'm happy with the job Malloe has done stepping in as DC - and the job he's done developing and scheming to take advantage of Schwesinger's ability and smarts is evidence for that - but D'Anton Lynn badly outcoached Bieniemy last night
Good point, Evan. We all saw it coming on 3rd and long enough to be passing. Well, all except Bieniemy.
A game that could have been won if not should have been. Probably 10 points left on the table for different reasons. Still a lot of foolish mistakes (unsportsmanlike on an assistant coach?) and the jury out on the direction of the program.
OTOH Lincoln left points off the board with poor play calling inside the 5. 3 TDs instead of 3 FGs would have made the final score 31-13. Thankful for the defense.
What a terrible loss and truly inexcusable. The penalties, the bad play calling, the not so good QB who despite being a great guy should not be a starting QB at UCLA. Yes, Garbs had some good passes followed by nada. This was such a disjointed game... never seemed to have a rhythm to our offense. Coach Fos needs to right the ship through recruiting, NIL (I hate it, but reality) a new OC, and yes DRE. Coach Fos needs to let that new OC run the offense and stop calling plays.
In good news of the day.... The #5 UCLA Women's Basketball Team is destroying #1 South Carolina by 21 points at the Half in front of a sell-out crowd at Pauley Pavilion... Amazing game and this could be our year for the Nattie 💙💛
Yep, amazing some of the calls, but I'll give the D some credit for playing tough when backed up, especially inside.
Unfortunately, the recent hopium and false optimism of possible bowl eligibilty concealed all of the existing flaws of the Bruins' coaching staff and players that had been evident throughout this season. I agree with all of the sentiments regarding the failed effort against U$C, and it's just so disappointing not being able to beat their underachieving crosstown rival and Clay Helton 2.0 at home. Wonder if they'll come out flat and listless against Fresno St. in a meaningless, final game of the season next Saturday.
Go Bruins.
I grew up in Fresno. FSU has been waiting for this game all season. They are not very good this year. I’m afraid though they will be too much to handle for UCLA. Hope not. But they have some momentum coming into this game with a lot of their fans filling the Rose Bowl.
Yep, and Fresno St. is bowl-eligible for the 4th season in a row. Pretty sad that the Rose Bowl has become more of a neutral site for UCLA football.
Well, that game was almost a perfect microcosm of the season... a good but not great first drive (Hawai'i), ineffective rest of the first half (5 game losing streak to the season midpoint), effective 3rd quarter that gave us some hope of victory (3 game win streak to have a chance at bowl eligibility), followed by a collapse in the 4th quarter (@UDub and losing to Univ of $econd Choice).
While incredibly frustrating to watch us lose a winnable game against a very mediocre and underachieving version of Just $c and seeing them celebrate 🤬 I wasn't as disgusted as I was last year when we flat out quit during the UC-Berkeley game - it remains to be seen if this staff can keep the team motivated where last year's head coach and coordinators clearly couldn't in the post-rivalry game... which, to be clear, is the bare minimum of the job. Its clear there's much to be done beyond that bare minimum...