With 10 returning starters from a defense that came out of nowhere to become one of the top units in the Pac-10 last season, the UCLA football team deservedly had even loftier expectations for this year.
But just one month into the season, those expectations seem to be just mere musings of what could have been.
After warning signals of a porous defense in their first two games, the Bruins collapsed last weekend against a Utah team that most expected they would have used to mop the floor. Instead, UCLA now is on the outside looking into the contender bubble.
“It’s just disappointing,” redshirt senior defensive end Bruce Davis said. “We saw that we weren’t focused. We took a team lightly, and they came in and they beat us. It was pretty much disgusting.”
Giving up 44 points to an average team is never a good sign for a veteran defense, but it does show a certain level of preparation and respect that opponents are giving the Bruins.
“They’re giving us everything that they have,” defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. “It’s been a challenge. The first two games, we saw 115 balls thrown at us. I was happy with the points (given up), all the things that mattered to us ““ third downs, rush defense. Were we perfect in our first two games? No, but I just felt like we were on course to improve. Then all of a sudden the ceiling kind of fell in on us (against Utah).
“We’ve got to find a way to get back swagger or whatever you want to call it. We’ve got to try to help our football team win. And you’ve got to be able to do that with good defense.”
The Bruins will be forced to make some serious adjustments in the coming weeks. Starting defensive tackle Brigham Harwell is out for the year with a torn ligament in his left knee and defensive end Nikola Dragovic has missed time due to a concussion,
There may be some schematic adjustments as well, since opponents have taken advantage of the Bruins’ swarming style of defense. When asked if opposing offenses’ use of misdirection and trickery is a result of last season’s aggressive defense, Walker’s answer was clear.
“There’s no question,” he said. “How we went to the ball, how we pressure and how we try to do things. There’s no question. Teams are forcing us to play disciplined football. We want to play fast and we want to get after people but we’re going to have to find a way not to get misdirected on certain plays.”
For Davis, the on-field difference from last year in the way teams are attacking the Bruin’s defense is noticeable.
“(Opponents’) coaches have definitely done more work,” Davis said. “Nobody’s going to take us lightly, especially with what our defense did last year. The schemes have gotten a lot better, but that’s what we want to see. We want to get everybody’s best shot every Saturday. I think coaches know what we’re all about. And they’ve gone back and they’ve studied us because they have to. If not, they know what we’ll do.”
One of these changes has shown itself in opponents’ passing attacks, as they have lit up the Bruins secondary through the first three games to the tune of 333.7 yards per game. Although there are multiple reasons why this has happened ““ turnovers on offense, establishing a solid run defense early, more passing attempts ““ one thing is clear: Teams are throwing early and often.
“There are other factors that contribute to (all of the pass attempts),” Walker said, “but I just think in our first two games, they were throwing the ball so much it was ridiculous. I’m kind of surprised, but I’m not. We looked at some plays that Utah did to us and we know that they must have been planning for us all summer. So I just think offensively, they’re giving us their best. We’ve just got to find a way to counter that.”
The Bruins may have looked past the Utah game, anticipating their matchup against Washington on Saturday, but it has become clear they have learned their lesson.
“We’re a lot more humble,” Davis said. “We’re not going in thinking we’re supposed to beat anybody. We’re going to approach every team like we’re playing USC, like we’re playing the national championship game. We’re not going to overlook anybody, and we’ll see how far that gets us.
“(The loss to Utah) is one of those things that stays with you,” Davis said on Tuesday. “I haven’t slept more than three hours a night since then. I’m not going to until we get another win.”