For senior Rodney Van, a missed play means much more than just
letting the opposing team gain yards. On any given play, Van and
the rest of his group know that their jobs are always on the line.
UCLA has had some consistency issues at the cornerback position
this season, as no one player has established himself over any
other. This parity between defensive players has allowed the
coaching staff to promote competition between this group: The
players know that if they play poorly, they will be replaced.
“There is no real set group,” Van said. “Our
coach flat-out said that there is a competition between us, and it
has worked out for the best. It has brought out the best play in
all of us.” Van, redshirt junior Trey Brown and freshman
Alterraun Verner have all shared time at the cornerback spots. Each
player has had his struggles, giving up big plays and missing
critical tackles. “I feel like in some games we have been in
a position to make plays and we just didn’t finish,”
defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. “For the most
part, I think (the cornerbacks) have played pretty good for us. In
spurts, some of them have struggled at times, but they also are
able to bounce back.” Walker made it clear that the best
Bruin will be playing no matter what, instigating a friendly
competition between his athletes. With the threat of demotion
always in the back of the players’ minds, performance during
practice as well as the games is now of the utmost importance.
“It makes you realize that someone is always sitting behind
you,” Van said. “I can’t just take a play off
here, have a bad play and it’ll be OK, because it’s
not. There is someone sitting behind you who can probably do your
job as good or better than you. It constantly keeps you on your
toes, ready for action, and I think it has brought out the best in
us.” Other teammates might have harbored some ill will in
light of some competition for playing time, but this has not been
the case for the UCLA cornerbacks. The players have welcomed the
challenges posed to them by their teammates.
DEFENSIVE HONORS: Defensive ends Justin Hickman
and Bruce Davis were named to the Hendricks Award semifinalist
list. The Hendricks Award is given to the nation’s top
defensive end. Hickman is currently second in the country with 11.5
sacks, while Davis is right behind him at fourth with 10.5.
ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS: Eight Bruins received
Pac-10 All-Academic honors. Junior offensive guard Chris Joseph and
sophomore defensive lineman Kenneth Lombard were named to the
first-team for the second consecutive year. Redshirt senior
fullback Dan Nelson and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Aleksey
Lanis made the second team. Quarterback Ben Olson, senior receiver
Andrew Baumgartner and sophomore tight ends Logan Paulsen and Ryan
Moya earned honorable mentions.