The UCLA defense has been doing well in the sack department this
season.
Junior defensive end Dave Ball leads the team with seven and has
one in each of the last six games.
“They’re all my babies,” Ball said with a
smile. “Each one of them is special in its own way.
“I’m playing pretty well ““ better than last
year. I gained a lot of strength in the offseason, and I’m
using more of my moves. I’m improving every day.”
Ball, who only had three career sacks before the year started,
has really improved in his second year as a starter.
“David got better as the year went on last year,”
defensive coordinator Phil Snow said. “This year, he has been
really consistent and made a lot of plays. He understands his
position more, and he’s getting sacks.”
The defense as a whole has needed to step up after fifth-year
senior quarterback Cory Paus went down with a broken ankle. With
only inexperienced, freshmen quarterbacks left to play, the Bruins
can’t be getting into shootouts anymore.
The defensive line did its part in UCLA’s 28-18 win over
Stanford on Saturday, recording six sacks in the game.
“We’re doing really well,” Ball said.
“We’re getting more hits on the quarterback.
We’re doing what (defensive line) Coach (Don) Johnson says.
He’s the guru.”
Opposite Ball is senior defensive end Rusty Williams, who
struggled to even record a single tackle in his first few
games.
“I’m not getting as much pressure on the quarterback
as I’d like to,” Williams said. “But Dave is. He
works hard at it, and he’s a good player. Good for
him.”
Although the line suffered a setback when junior preseason
All-America candidate Rodney Leisle went down with a broken foot,
it has held up. Junior Ryan Boschetti has filled in admirably, and
senior defensive tackle Steve Morgan has also played well.
Ball and Morgan lead the line with 22 tackles apiece.
Leisle should make his return in three weeks.