It’s been the Demetric Felton Show so far against Arizona at the Rose Bowl. (Photo Credit: @5thDownCFB)
If Chip Kelly hadn’t shown himself to be so stubborn over the past two years, some Bruin fans might think that DTR’s absence due to contact tracing might just make him UCLA’s version of Wally Pipp.
That’s because the Bruins’ offense has looked good with Chase Griffin running it — and Griffin has proven to be an accurate passer.
In the first half of tonight’s game, Griffin was 9 of 13 for 96 yards with one TD pass.
But the passing game has almost been an afterthought compared to the Demetric Felton Show. Felton already has 20 carries for 134 yards and one score on the ground.
The most noticeably absent thing from tonight’s game has been Bruin turnovers. There weren’t any in the first half, unless you consider Kelly’s decision to go for it on fourth and one from UCLA’s 25 on the Bruins first drive a turnover. That bad coaching decision resulted in Arizona’s only touchdown four plays later from the UCLA three-yard line. The lack of turnovers has been responsible for the Bruins domination since that Wildcat touchdown.
In fact, UCLA finished the half scoring 20 consecutive points. On the Bruins’ first scoring drive, they drove 62 yards on ten plays, but were forced to settle for a field goal. A little later, they drove 52 yards on nine plays with Griffin throwing a 16-yard pass to Brittain Brown to put UCLA ahead, 10-3.
Arizona’s next drive ended when the defense dropped backup quarterback Will Plummer for a loss on fourth and one. The Bruins took over on the Arizona 43 and, six plays later, Felton plunged in from the one.
UCLA’s final drive of the half was an 81-yard drive that took 4:11 off the clock, but the drive stalled on the Wildcat 11-yard line and Chip Kelly showed he isn’t always inflexible when he sent out Nicholas Barr-Mira for another field goal to end the half with the Bruins up, 20-7.
Meanwhile, the UCLA defense has taken care of business, starting with Arizona quarterback Grant Gunnell. The Bruins paid Gunnell back for torching them last season on the very first play from scrimmage when Bo Calvert knocked him into the turf and appearing to injure Gunnell’s shoulder.
While UCLA hasn’t sacked Plummer yet, the Bruin defense had two tackles for loss and two QB hurries in the first half. Overall, they held the Wildcats to just 152 yards in the half.
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This is your Arizona Wildcats at UCLA Bruins 2nd half thread.
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The only thing...he didn't immediately grab the hamstring. Every hamstring injury, including mine, the player immediately grabs it and tells the world. So hopefully it was just a calf cramp or something simple. Fingers crossed.
Grabbing that muscle is like a reflex. It really feels like someone just jammed a steak knife in the back of your leg. It's impressive how instantly disabling it is.
Phillips really has to catch that one. Those are the plays that separate meh teams from great teams. Like Dulcich last week v Oregon. Both were tough plays for sure, but those are the things that make the difference.
Or, if you want a direct quote from a previous article you wrote, all be it about Neuheisel: "On Saturday, Oregon had a slim lead and a BCS berth on the line in the 3rd qtr in the Civil War. On 4th and 3 at its own 28, Oregon lined up to punt and snapped the ball to an up back who ran 64 yds. The drive ended with a TD, and propelled Oregon to a win. Oregon doesn't play not to lose. They play to win, and they are playing in the BCS championship game."
UCLA is playing really conservative on offense, which is fine since UCLA's defense has been excellent, but still I'd love to see them actually go out and win the game rather than play the game out.
Nice solid workmanlike game with no big mistakes tonight. Go Bruins!!
Have a great night everyone!
Ballgame! Have a great rest of your Thanksgiving weekend! Go Bruins!
Yes!! Should griffin be starter going forward?
If only we could do fan posts here - lol. It's a great question.
This is a good question. No doubt he's earned more playing time regardless
Picked!! Ballgame!!
A score that is meaningful to some.
Dang, you got me...
AZ has 154 rushing yards tonight (atm); Felton, 206
LOL just pointed out to me that Buffalo (v. Kent St.) RB Patterson had 409 yds and 8 TDs tonight 0.0
Wow!
Word, Brady. Word.
TD, Brown!
That’s how to finish a run.
Touchdown!! Man run!!
Hopefully just a cramp. Hopefully. Hopefully. Hopefully.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Felton gimps off that last run-- ouch!!
Aw hell is that a hammie?
my thought exactly
The only thing...he didn't immediately grab the hamstring. Every hamstring injury, including mine, the player immediately grabs it and tells the world. So hopefully it was just a calf cramp or something simple. Fingers crossed.
Hell, works for me! Nice observation :-)
Plus, hey, you're the doctor!
Grabbing that muscle is like a reflex. It really feels like someone just jammed a steak knife in the back of your leg. It's impressive how instantly disabling it is.
Hard to believe this is the same team that hung 35 on Oregon.
Perfect pass by Plummer to a wide-open Blaylock!
Interception!!
The AZ QB is a tough kid. He's been impersonating a tackling dummy a lot tonight.
Phillips really has to catch that one. Those are the plays that separate meh teams from great teams. Like Dulcich last week v Oregon. Both were tough plays for sure, but those are the things that make the difference.
Agreed. Have to have it.
Last week was also Philips (I assume you're referring to the last drive). He's had some issues on that front this year.
Was that Phillios on that 4th down? Ah, my bad. Thanks.
Dangerous pass by Griffin! We dodged a bullet on that one, throwing into double coverage
Bad decision.
A couple big runs from Felton, right when we needed some momentum and possession. Nice...
Burning clock now.
Snaps should come with 1-2 secs on the play clock too
This is where the OL polishes off a game
How can we look so good the first half and so discombobulated the second half?
False start in an empty stadium. Ugh.
Does anyone know is the band there? Or is that soundtrack?
Soundtrack.
Run up the middle from the shotgun again...grr...
Lots of patience by Griffin on that one.
What the hell was that, Kelly??
False start...
Ugh. What happened to your offense?
Lucky. We need to make a play.
Now we need to capitalize on their mistake, get the momentum back!
Let’s go!!!!
Lucky.
What a huge break!
Terrible job by the holder on that FG
Yeah. And he gut duly punished for it at the end.
Come on d!!
141 rush yds this half for AZ, and like 36 for us -_-
Az has flipped the script in 2nd half....running all over our D...our offense is doing nothing.
Playing like we don’t trust our QB.
Great 3rd down stop by our boys on D!
Sadly, couldn't stop them on 4th
That was good pass D and not even close to PI
I’m a little tired of 3 and out...
Do we even have any first downs this half?
1
Geez, another blocked punt.
OMG that pass was needlessly terrible
Offense is stagnant.
Whatever adjustments the AZ D made for our run game, it's time for our run game to counter
It's hard to criticize Kelly for going for it after how many years of criticizing Mora for not going for it on 4th downs.
I can't recall ever criticizing Mora for not going for it on our own 20 yard line.
Or, if you want a direct quote from a previous article you wrote, all be it about Neuheisel: "On Saturday, Oregon had a slim lead and a BCS berth on the line in the 3rd qtr in the Civil War. On 4th and 3 at its own 28, Oregon lined up to punt and snapped the ball to an up back who ran 64 yds. The drive ended with a TD, and propelled Oregon to a win. Oregon doesn't play not to lose. They play to win, and they are playing in the BCS championship game."
Joe repeatedly has made comments in the past about playing to win, and using this chart as evidence. This is the result of "playing to win", one of my least favorite phrases in sports. https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla-stanford-bruins-cardinal/2016/9/25/13047714/why-ucla-lost-to-stanford-jim-mora-and-the-nfl-mindset#396339423
I just wish they’d throw out the play where they run up the middle out of a shotgun.
The SPTRs giveth, and the SPTRs fail to call any easy PI
UCLA is playing really conservative on offense, which is fine since UCLA's defense has been excellent, but still I'd love to see them actually go out and win the game rather than play the game out.
Me too.
The AZ receivers are not doing their freshman QB any favors