For those who’ve been calling for Karl Dorrell’s head on a silver platter, Saturday had to be a little more than disconcerting.
The Bruins’ 30-21 win over the 12th-ranked Cal Bears did nothing to justify the complaints and grievances of those around these parts who think Dorrell couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag.
But here’s one thing that not even the most ardent cynics can deny: Dorrell completely outdid his counterpart, Cal coach Jeff Tedford, the man who was being hailed as a genius less than two weeks ago.
Of course, the Bruins’ win ““ as thrilling and impressive as it was ““ did nothing to ensure that this team has finally ascended to the elite level that so many predicted at the start of the season.
Before we put the magnitude of this win in context, though, there is observation from the game that should be taken as concrete fact.
Pat Cowan should remain UCLA’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, as long as he’s healthy enough to play. Forget whatever it is that scouts thought they saw in Ben Olson six years ago coming out of high school, or what the UCLA coaching staff saw in him three years ago when he transferred here. Cowan gives the Bruins the best chance to win each and every week because the rest of the team plays with more energy and much more resolve when he’s on the field. Some might call that pure myth. That’s fine. Don’t take my word for it.
“Yes, Pat should be the starter,” said senior wide receiver Brandon Breazell, who became one of the Pac-10’s premier playmakers seemingly overnight. “He’s earned the job. He played with so much energy (Saturday) and he did everything the coaches asked of him. He should be in there.”
While the rest of the team has answered questions about the ongoing quarterback controversy with the utmost political correctness, Breazell confirms what everyone has seen as clear as day.
Thanks, Brandon.
Of course, the Bruins would have a good shot at beating anybody as long as Kahlil Bell keeps gaining 6.5 yards per carry, no matter who is behind center. But maybe that’s another example of how much better the offensive line seems to play when Cowan’s in the game.
OK, so now that we’ve got that one settled (you’re reading this, right Karl?), let’s take a look at the big picture, shall we?
Dorrell deserves plenty of credit for having his team rebound from a criminally inept performance against a previously winless Notre Dame team at the Rose Bowl. (Did anybody see what USC did to Notre Dame in South Bend over the weekend?) That being said, this win did not make the Bruins’ season.
“We showed that we can play with anybody in the country,” senior guard Shannon Tevaga said. “It was a big win. This kind of game makes those two losses even worse, because we should have won those games. But we can’t do anything about that. All we can do is keep playing like this, and win out.”
Beating the likes of Cal at home means nothing if the Bruins can’t beat their next two opponents, the eminently inferior Washington State and Arizona, on the road. The Bruins need to be 7-2 (6-0 Pac-10) heading into their game against No. 7 Arizona State, otherwise this last win is just a mirage.
What made the Bruins’ win on Saturday so annoying is that it didn’t look like they caught lightning in a bottle by playing a good team at the right time. It wasn’t a fluke. The Bruins can compete with the upper echelon of the Pac-10, but they also find a way of playing down to their competition. And a team is ultimately measured by how they play in the games they should win, not the games they can win.
Dorrell echoed those sentiments in the post-game press conference.
“I can take the punches and keep doing what I do,” he said.
“Tomorrow it’s going to be business as usual. … We are going to do what we do … line up and keep fighting.”
It’s nice to hear that, for sure. Until the Bruins beat the teams that have no business beating them, Dorrell’s accidental wit and wisdom will mean nothing, and we’ll all just be waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But then again, the Bruins looked pretty good on Saturday.
E-mail de Jong at adejong@media.ucla.edu.