Sunday, August 18, 1996
Slim Bruin squad leaves newcomers ripe opportunityBy Rob
Kariakin
Summer Bruin Contributor
The freshmen are coming! The freshmen are coming!
Like the British redcoats of Paul Revere’s day, the incoming
freshmen of the UCLA football team snuck in under the cover of
darkness last Monday with visions of conquest dancing through their
heads.
However, unlike the American colonists, the returning Bruins may
not be able to fight these guys off. This year’s crop enters the
picture at a time when relatively few starting jobs are secured and
a tough schedule could open the door for a youth movement.
The coach and the uniforms aren’t the only things that have
changed in the last eight months. Since last season, 11 starters
have either graduated or jumped ship early for the riches of the
NFL, perhaps leaving the door open for this year’s incoming players
to make an immediate difference.
The strength of last year’s squad was an offense which ranked
third overall and fourth in scoring in the Pacific 10. Of that
unit, only four starters return: sophomore quarterback Cade McNown,
junior split end Eric Scott, sophomore fullback Cheyane Caldwell,
and junior right guard Chad Overhauser.
Last season’s strongest link was the area hardest hit by the
loss of graduating seniors. The offensive line, which had been a
source of leadership and experience, now contains mostly question
marks as only one starter is returning.
One possible answer is 6-foot-4-inch, 295-pound Oscar Cabrera.
Rated the nation’s No. 2 center prospect by the National Recruiting
Adviser before his senior year in high school, Cabrera showed
enough maturity during two days of freshman practice for coach
Toledo to have already penciled him in as backup center and guard.
With full practice now under way, he could break into the starting
lineup any day.
Freshmen might also be needed to help keep the running game on
its feet. Junior Skip Hicks led the team in rushing his freshman
season, but a series of injuries have severely limited his playing
time since.
After spending the summer rehabbing in Westwood, he must now
compete with redshirt freshman Ryan Roques for the starting job.
Should Hicks go down again, the freshman tailback trio of Keith
Brown, Jermaine Lewis, and Durell Price will be needed sooner,
rather than later.
The new guy most likely to have an immediate impact on offense
appears to be tight end Gabe Crecion. Rated the No. 2 tight end in
the West by Blue Chips Illustrated, Crecion clearly impressed the
coaching staff during freshman practice, and will immediately
challenge sophomore Mike Grieb for the starting spot.
"In the couple days that we had him work out, (Crecion) seemed
to be able to run and catch the ball real well. We’ll have to see
how fast he’s going to catch on to the offense and how well he can
block, but he seemed to have some ability," Toledo said.
At first glance, the freshmen appear to have less chance of
breaking through on defense.
"Defensively, we only have four seniors that, at this point, are
starting on defense. We have about eight guys returning that were
starters last year, so at least our defense has some experience on
that side of the ball," Toledo said.
But is that really good news?
Last year the Bruins finished eighth in the Pac-10 in total
defense and sixth in scoring defense, giving up an average of 22.6
points per game during the regular season and 51 against Kansas in
the Aloha Bowl.
Maybe some new blood wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Sophomore transfer Brendon Ayanbadejo, the Coast Conference
Player of the Year last season while at Cabrillo J.C., could be
called upon to fill the void at linebacker created by Donnie
Edwards’ graduation and Abdul McCullough’s move back to his natural
strong safety position.
"(Ayanbadejo) ran very well, moved around extremely well. I
think he’ll hit some people. He was player of the year in the
conference up there. We think he’s got a chance (to start)," Toledo
said.
Help on the worrisome defensive line may come in the form of
Josh and Micah Webb, twin All-American linemen who passed up offers
from two-time defending national champ Nebraska. Both may fight for
starting spots right off the bat.
"They’ve got good size and they’ve got good genes. Their dad was
a great player in the pros and I think that they might be able to
help us," Toledo said, referring to the twins’ father, Jimmy Webb,
who’s NFL career lasted six seasons for the 49ers and Chargers.
But will his sons, or any of the 16 other new Bruins, share
similar success? Only time, and perhaps a lantern or two hanging in
the North Church tower, will tell.
JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin
Oscar Cabrerra will be expected to contribute on the offensive
line for the Bruin football squad.