Redshirt freshman Tyler Ebell said last week that the game would
hinge on turnovers. Being right was little consolation after the
loss to the Trojans.
“Yep, that was me,” Ebell said, confessing to the
premonition. “Fifty-two to 21. That’s how big turnovers
were.”
UCLA fumbled seven times, losing four, while USC fumbled only
once and recovered it. The Bruins also threw one interception while
the Trojans did not commit a single turnover.
“We hadn’t turned the ball over in three
games,” defensive coordinator Phil Snow said. “I have
no idea what happened. We’re all embarrassed.”
“Since I’ve been here, it hasn’t been
pretty,” Snow added.
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UCLA head coach Bob Toledo regretted true freshman quarterback
Matt Moore’s costly fumble, if not his decision to switch
quarterbacks in the second quarter after true freshman Drew Olson
led a touchdown drive.
“Well, obviously I made a mistake,” Toledo said at
Monday’s press conference. “Looking back, it
didn’t work out so now I look like crap. I will probably be
criticized for that forever.”
Toledo said that he had never seen Moore fumble in practice.
Moore finished 7-of-11 for 64 yards and a touchdown. Olson
finished 8-of-17 for 121 yards and an interception.
“It doesn’t matter if we rotate,” Olson said
Monday. “We’ll do whatever works.”
“Do we wish there was a clear-cut better guy? Of course.
But this is our situation,” sophomore wide receiver Craig
Bragg said.
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The senior class of 2002 has had a couple days to sit with the
fact that it lost four in a row to its cross-town rivals at
USC.
“As bad as we feel right now, I think never beating them
doesn’t set in until a couple years down the line when you
are not playing football any more,” senior defensive tackle
Steve Morgan said.
“I couldn’t imagine four years ago coming to UCLA
and going 0-4 against the Trojans,” senior corner Ricky
Manning Jr. said. “But life goes on.”
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Sophomore receiver Tab Perry sustained a high ankle sprain in
the first quarter. Although he came back into the game, his role
had changed by the end. Perry gave support to his teammates, such
as his good friend Bragg who was hit in the head on a catch in the
fourth quarter. Perry accompanied the doctors with Bragg on the
bench.
Monday, Perry, senior wideout Jon Dubravac (toe) and wide
receiver Ryan Smith (ankle) sat out, leaving a thin receiving
corps.
The Bruins emerged otherwise unscathed from the beating.