Matt Moore’s return to the Rose Bowl on Saturday seems to
have everyone in Westwood talking. Everyone except the Bruins
themselves.
Lots of players are trivializing it. Drew Olson himself is
deflecting it. And coach Karl Dorrell would rather not talk about
it.
They’re all either dodging or downplaying the subject, as
though the Oregon State quarterback has been a nagging thorn in
their sides the last couple of seasons.
The strange thing is, the Bruins haven’t missed him one
bit. If anything, his decision to transfer from UCLA after the 2003
season has enabled the Bruins’ offense to flourish the past
two years.
Flashback to 2003, a season most Bruin fans would just as soon
erase from their memories. Dorrell, in his first year as head
coach, handled his first quarterback controversy like a squirmy
politician during a campaign crisis. He initially took a stand
behind Moore, only to waiver and waffle as the season unfolded,
hoping the mess would somehow fix itself. Well, it pretty much did
when Moore got so fed up with things that he decided to transfer at
year’s end.
That left Olson as the undisputed starter for the 2004 season,
and there hasn’t been any looking back since then for UCLA.
While Moore redshirted last year because of his transfer, Olson
turned an anemic offense into an atomic one. Under his singular
leadership, the Bruins threw twice as many touchdown passes and
scored ten more points a game.
This season, those numbers are still on the upswing and Dorrell
has been completely absolved of the controversy of 2003. While
Moore has guided the Beavers towards a respectable 4-2 record,
Olson has led the Bruins to a perfect 6-0 start. While Moore has
thrown ten interceptions and made his share of silly mistakes,
Olson has thrown only three interceptions and has executed critical
drives flawlessly.
The numbers have made the past seem increasingly distant and the
present increasingly prosperous.
“It’s like ancient history,” linebacker Justin
London said. “We’ve come a long way since then. And
we’re going a long way.”
Still, it’s hard not to speculate what kind of progress
the Bruins would be making if Moore had stuck around. London
figures that Moore’s departure has made it a little easier on
Olson, but doesn’t think there would be a real controversy if
both were still in Westwood.
“I definitely think it’s a little less stress, but
as far as I remember, (Olson) won the job,” London said.
“He would be the quarterback anyway.”
Perhaps that’s true. But instead of being the uncontested
starter in 2004, Olson would have been the uncomfortable starter
looking over his shoulder at the quarterback Dorrell originally
pegged for his program’s future. He’d always have to
worry that if he struggled, Dorrell might yank him at the first
chance possible.
A couple Bruins pointed out that Olson has nevertheless faced
that pressure this year with the arrival of Ben Olson. Yet
it’s a markedly different situation now because Drew Olson is
a markedly different quarterback. He’s already been given the
chance to fully adapt to the West Coast offense. He’s already
been given the time to mature and develop into a leader.
If Drew Olson took the reins in 2004 with Moore looming behind
him, he would not have had these opportunities. A costly
interception or halftime deficit may have sentenced him to the
sideline. Instead, these events offer him the possibility to learn
and redeem himself.
That one year of security has paid dividends this season.
UCLA’s success these days is largely a product of
Olson’s growth as a quarterback. And that’s partly a
result of Moore’s decision to leave.
E-mail Finley at afinley@media.ucla.edu if you’ve
rolled out the welcome mat for Moore.