Pass Offense: C-
The offensive line had a tough time with the Oregon pass rush
and gave Pat Cowan nowhere near enough time in the pocket to make
decisions and find his receivers. In turn, Cowan looked like a
quarterback making his first start ““ slightly awkward and
unable to lead the team. He was 16-31 for 112 yards and one
interception. It could have been worse, but against Oregon that
won’t win you a ballgame.
FLASH SLIDESHOW
See more photos from UCLA Football’s match with the Oregon
Ducks.
Run Offense: C+
Markey had a pretty good day with 97 yards on 17 carries. Kahlil
Bell demonstrated his ability to pound the ball into the end zone
in short-yardage situations. Bell had only six yards, but scored
two touchdowns. Although the running game did not have a completely
lame performance, UCLA needed the run to be the strength of the
offense. Oregon had been vulnerable to the run and the Bruins
needed Markey to have a field day. Granted, when the passing game
doesn’t balance the run, it can be tough to do much of
anything with the ball.
Pass Defense: D
The secondary looked beatable on Saturday, and Dennis Dixon beat
them accordingly. Dixon was 10-17 for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
On several different occasions, Oregon wide receivers broke free
downfield to haul in devastatingly long receptions. Although the
Bruins improved as the game went on, the defense ranked No. 2 in
the country needed to look like the No. 2 defense in the country to
keep the game close. They didn’t, and the 30-20 score was
generous to UCLA.
Run Defense: D
This unit had been the prize jewel of the entire program coming
into Saturday’s game, but the Ducks stole it from the jewelry
box. The Ducks ran all over the field on the Bruins, totalling 256
total yards on the ground. Jonathan Stewart had 127 yards on 20
carries, and the mobile Dixon had 77 yards on 11 carries. The
Ducks’ skill, combined with arm-tackling by the Bruins, led
to a lapse in UCLA’s run defense.
Special Teams: B
This is an area where the Bruins had a lot go correctly ““
along with one big blunder. Justin Medlock hit some big field goals
that at least gave the Bruins some hope during the first half, and
Aaron Perez had a strong punt that was downed on the Duck’s
7-yard line. However, the Bruins also allowed the Ducks to get away
with a surprising onside kick, albeit a well-executed one.
Coaching: D+
The Bruins did not come out ready for this game. On defense they
were a step behind, and on offense it seemed like they were
conceding every first down because of Oregon snuffing out the run.
The Bruins have to get smarter with how to use Pat Cowan, and they
have to play a complete game while the coaches call a complete
game. This didn’t happen in Oregon, and if it doesn’t
in South Bend it’s likely that a lot more than 10 points will
separate the Irish from the Bruins.