It’s been the same story for two weeks now.
After a strong start to the season by UCLA’s run defense, allowing no more than 164 rushing yards through the first four games, the Bruins have been showing some holes in their defense during the past few weeks.
Or rather, some gaps.
Having surrendered 242 and 258 rushing yards to Utah and Oregon, respectively, in consecutive games, the explanation has remained the same: poor gap discipline.
UCLA’s run defense revolves around each player working as part of a whole, upholding individual responsibilities so the defense can do its job. But when faced with running quarterbacks the past two weeks, things have unraveled for UCLA.
“It just makes it hard on everyone else,” said sophomore outside linebacker Deon Hollins. “One guy pops a gap, then the guy behind him thinks he has to overcompensate, so it just messes up everything.”
Fixing the gap-popping problem seems like an easy enough task: Just don’t do it. But for two weeks now, the issue keeps coming back.
Hollins didn’t have an answer for why the problem hasn’t been solved, but redshirt senior inside linebacker Eric Kendricks offered his opinion that it’s simply part of the game.
“Since I started playing in sixth grade, we’ve had gaps, and they’ve always been popped,” Kendricks said. “That’s why coaches coach, and that’s why we play.”
Facing a Cal team this week with a pocket passer at quarterback in sophomore Jared Goff, it would seem that UCLA may not have the same struggles defensively as it has recently with running quarterbacks.
But the Golden Bears have a wrinkle.
Freshman quarterback Luke Rubenzer occasionally comes into the game to bring a look different from Goff, running the ball more frequently. After being fooled by a similar scenario against Utah with junior quarterback Kendal Thompson, UCLA is making sure to prepare for both quarterbacks.
Regardless of who the Golden Bears have under center, the Bruins are confident that their defense will fix its recent issues and improve this week.
After two losses extinguished many of the high expectations that the media – and the players themselves – put on the Bruins, they’ve felt the burden of that pressure dissipate, allowing them to focus on just getting better.
“I think we were taking it too much as a job rather than realizing that it’s football,” said sophomore defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes. “You need to go out … play hard and have fun. That’s what we lost sight of. We made it too much of a business thing rather than just going out and playing ball.”
Vanderdoes verdict
Vanderdoes was not given any additional discipline from the Pac-12 for his personal foul penalty Saturday, as the league told coach Jim Mora that punishment would be handled in-house for UCLA. Mora said after the game Saturday that any in-house disciplinary action would not be made public.
Vanderdoes was flagged for a personal foul against Oregon Saturday after punching Oregon left tackle Jake Fisher.
“I just made a dumb decision – that was all it is,” Vanderdoes said. “I regret it. That’s not me. I’ve never done that before to a player in a game.”
Although this is normally an offense that could result in ejection from the game and a suspension, Vanderdoes was given neither on Saturday, despite a referee telling Mora that he saw what happened.