Josh Grau is a former Division I women’s volleyball coach who now works as a volleyball broadcaster for the Pac-12 Networks. Daily Bruin assistant sports editor Matt Cummings got a chance to ask Grau about the Bruin team before Grau broadcasted Friday night’s UCLA-Washington match.
Daily Bruin: How do you think UCLA stacks up in the loaded Pac-12?
Josh Grau: It’s a great year for the Pac-12. I mean, what year isn’t?… I think UCLA is right in the mix. The challenge for them was replacing almost 40 percent of their offense that graduated in one player in (outside hitter) Karsta Lowe. But I think it actually gives them an opportunity to be a more evenly-distributed team. … If they can continue to be a great ball-control team to really protect them versus contact and if they distribute the ball, they should do quite well.
I think also the maturity of Jordan Anderson, coming off two years at West Virginia … it’s really an elevated game when you get to Pac-12 volleyball … Her hard hitting has been impressive but I think that as blocks get bigger, she’s going to have to really stretch herself to go further with the range that she’s already displayed.
DB: How much of UCLA have you gotten to watch so far?
JG: I’ve gotten to watch a handful of matches. It looks like really classic UCLA volleyball. They’ve got some really good ball control, they’ve got a really strong libero, their outsides hit really hard. They don’t shift the ball to the middle as much but their middles are making a little bit more noise. … This reminds me of so many UCLA teams in the past, where you’ve got a lot of capable players who can really step up overnight. Obviously, Jordan is leading the team in kills per set but when you look at total attempts, there’s not a massive variance like they had last year.
DB: Can you see in their offense any sort of remnant of that one-dimensional offense from last year?
JG: When you have a player like Karsta Lowe who can just take loads of swings every night and just produce kills, you just keep feeding that player the ball. … This year, you just sort of look at the talent you have and figure out the best system that’s going to work. … I think they’ve found an offensive rhythm that works for them, they’ve got more even distribution than they did last year. … While (Lowe) was really unstoppable in a lot of respects, she wasn’t allowed to have a down night because if she had a down night UCLA was just a different kind of team.
DB: One of the big stories recently for UCLA has been that they put in (redshirt sophomore) Ryann Chandler at setter. What have you seen from her and from the other setter, (freshman) Zana Muno?
JG: When you’ve got two really capable setters who bring different things to the table, you’re just trying to figure out which one is just going to really gel with your hitters and solve whatever problem you’re looking to solve that particular night. UCLA has got the luxury of having two really strong setters. … As the season goes on, they’re probably going to have to stick with one and really let that player mature and go out and really drive the team.
DB: So because of the nature of the role in facilitating the offense, it doesn’t really work to be flip-flopping setters?
JG: You ultimately want to put a group on the floor that’s got the best chemistry. … Having been a coach myself, you ultimately want to pick one you can just continue to iterate all the systems you put in place. … I’ve seen this over the years with UCLA volleyball. Going way back into the vault, with (setters) Kim Coleman and Kelly Flannigan,(coach) Andy Banachowski would flip-flop them back and forth. Both were big and physical and could do great things but ultimately, I think, chemistry rests with one calling the shots night after night.
DB: UCLA got dismantled by No. 2 USC when they played. Do you feel like USC is a step above the rest of the conference?
JG: What USC has done is totally changed their offense. Historically, (USC coach) Nick Haley has run an offense that throws a lot of high balls out to the pins. … (Now) they run a really fast offense. … Their setters are giving their hitters really great looks, setting up a lot of great one-on-one situations. And while (Trojan outside hitter) Samantha Bricio is sort of cut from the same cloth as Karsta Lowe in terms of her leading the nation in points per set … there is still a bit more balance. (USC) definitely would feel it if Samantha was having an off night but they have enough weapons that are really starting to step up … So yeah, USC has surprised a lot of people. It’s just going to be a matter of if people are going to catch up with this new system of theirs, figure out a way to contain Bricio and contain such a fast-moving offense.
Compiled by Matt Cummings, Bruin Sports senior staff.