One of the biggest question marks for the UCLA football team
entering the 2005 season was whether or not the Bruin defense had
the capabilities to stop the run.
When the Bruins’ most experienced defensive lineman, Kevin
Brown, went down with an ankle injury before the season started,
skeptics had even more reason to doubt.
But three games into the season, the young defensive line has
played better than anyone could have expected and have, in fact,
shown tremendous improvement from the previous year.
Three games into the season last year, the Bruins were allowing
284.3 rushing yards per game.
This year through three games, the Bruins have allowed a more
reasonable 168.3 rushing yards per game against the likes of SDSU
star tailback Lynell Hamilton, a Rice team that led the NCAA in
rushing last year and almost exclusively runs the ball, and, most
impressively, Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson.
The Bruins limited Peterson, last year’s Heisman Trophy
runner-up, to just 58 yards on 23 carries, Peterson’s lowest
rushing output in his career.
“Our plan going in was to stop (Peterson),”
sophomore defensive end Brigham Harwell said after the
Bruins’ victory over the Sooners. “When we (stopped
him) for losses, we just went crazy.”
Harwell, along with junior defensive end Justin Hickman are the
more experienced of the defensive linemen. Redshirt sophomore
defensive tackle Nikola Dragovic, who got very little game
experience last year, and true freshman defensive tackle Chase
Moline have been extremely important parts of a defensive line that
has been key in the Bruins’ improved ability to stop the
run.
Stopping Peterson was a big boost to the line’s
confidence.
“Our defense was making (Peterson) cut back to the middle,
and not letting him run outside,” senior strong safety Jarrad
Page said. “It’s a credit to our front four.”
But the Bruins’ success against the rush so far
hasn’t only come from the defensive line ““ it has been
a collaborative defensive effort.
Nationally-acclaimed senior linebackers Havner and Justin London
have provided the ultimate second line of defense against the
run.
They have been anchors on the Bruin defense for the last two
years, with their ability to make important tackles and put
pressure on the quarterback. Both players have made the Butkus
Award watch list this year for the best linebacker in the
nation.
Page and sophomore free safety Dennis Keyes, in addition to
providing excellent pass coverage in the secondary, have done a
good job anticipating the run and made some impact plays.
Keyes, for his part, came up huge in the game against the
Sooners, jarring a fumble lose from running back Peterson.
He also made what was perhaps the most important play of the
game when he sacked Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar on an
aggressive blitz. The sack led to a Havner fumble recovery and
touchdown, which totally stripped Oklahoma of any momentum they
might have been building.
“It was part of our plan; one guy tackle him, and one guy
strip the ball from him,” Havner said about sacking
Bomar.
“I was just happy to be a beneficiary on Keyes’
sack.”
While stopping Peterson and Oklahoma was quite a feat for the
Bruin defense, the Bruins are going to be challenged by strong
rushing attacks throughout the season.
Cal’s 2004 freshman All-American Marshawn Lynch, who ran
for 628 yards. scored eight touchdowns and averaged 8.8 yards per
carry last season backing up J.J. Arrington, will be a task to
stop.
But USC’s dynamic duo of Lendale White and last
year’s Hesiman Trophy finalist Reggie Bush running behind one
of the best offensive lines in the country will likely be the
biggest challenge for the Bruins all year.
With the way they’ve played so far, all indications show
the Bruins are up to the task.
“I go against the defense every day,” senior tight
end Marcedes Lewis said. “Nothing they do surprises
me.”
With reports from Sagar Parikh, Bruin Sports senior
staff.