Somersaults, hand jives, choreographed dances or the occasional
mobbing in the end zone are apt celebratory acts for a college
player after scoring a touchdown.
UCLA wide receiver Joe Cowan opts for something more
low-key.
Keeping the momentum alive in UCLA’s improbable
come-from-behind victory last Saturday, Joe Cowan found the end
zone for the Bruins’ second of three touchdowns in the final
regulation period.
He promptly handed the referee the ball.
“That’s all he’s done his whole life, just
hands the ball off,” Joe’s brother and freshman
quarterback Patrick Cowan said. “Yup. That’s
it.”
Some see him as humdrum ““ just the average Joe.
It’s just his personality, his teammates and coaches said
of his gentle demeanor.
“Joe doesn’t talk much. That’s how I would
describe his personality,” said Dino Babers, the
Bruins’ wide receivers coach.
“He’s pretty emotional but he keeps it inside. I
think he smiled one time. That’s about it.”
The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound junior wide receiver has been
anything but passive on the field.
Against the Cardinal on fourth and two last Saturday, Joe Cowan
was in motion and caught a first-down pass on the 1-yard line that
led to a touchdown by Maurice Drew in the next play.
Joe Cowan finished with five receptions and 71 yards in the
game, his second-highest receiving total of the season.
“He did a tremendous job last week,” UCLA coach Karl
Dorrell said. “Here’s a guy. He doesn’t say
boo.As you know from interviewing him, he doesn’t say much.
But the last four or five weeks, he quietly makes his plays and
runs off the field. He doesn’t do much celebration or stuff
like that. That’s just Joe.”
Already this year, Joe Cowan has more catches and yards than in
his first two seasons combined. He’s also had two touchdowns
on the season, one each against Cal and Stanford, equaling his
career total prior to this season.
The Pico Rivera native is tied for second in catches with
sophomore Marcus Everett, with 25, and he averages 12.08 yards per
catch.
He’s been integral to an offense that currently ranks
fifth in the nation in scoring per game, at over 42 points a
game.
“I knew I was going to have a bigger role this year with
the guys who were graduating, and so I knew someone had to come in
and make those catches,” Joe Cowan said. “I was hoping
and expecting that it would be me.”
UCLA senior quarterback Drew Olson believes that Joe Cowan, who
became the oldest receiver on the Bruins after senior Junior Taylor
went down for the season, has definitely stepped it up this season,
along with the other young receiving corps.
“Steady. That’s the way he plays,” Olson said.
“He’s a fun-loving guy. He has a good mind-set.
Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low.”
“The (receiving corps) is definitely overlooked and they
don’t get as much credit as they deserve.”
Recently, Joe Cowan’s fiery nature may very well be in his
appearance. Well his face.
“His moustache, I think it’s giving him more
confidence,” said Pat Cowan on the addition.
“I think he should grow it even more and not cut it. It
(brings him) luck definitely.”
Babers remembers the same lanky junior when he came in to coach
UCLA one season ago.
Deceptive speed, adept hands and toughness. His demeanor on the
field is just about getting the job done.
“The biggest difference is that he’s matured so much
from last year,” Babers said. “He goes about his
business in a serious manner. It’s not like he hasn’t
done that in the past, it’s just that he’s intensified
it this year.
“In practice he’s just right most of the time and
that gives him an opportunity to be right on Saturday.”
And on Saturdays, there is still one thing that Joe Cowan
needs.
“His celebration, we need to work on that,” Olson
said.