The new sod on Spaulding Field gives the UCLA football team
fresh footing this November ““ something the seniors could use
after the last few years.
“We have just been through it all ““ a couple losing
seasons,” senior middle linebacker Marcus Reese said.
Last season was technically a winning one, the team finished
7-4, but it certainly did not feel like it. After a 6-0 start, the
Bruins dropped their next four games: three of them in
November.
“I told them that if they want to be a good football team,
they’ve got to win on the road and win in November,”
head coach Bob Toledo said.
The Bruins are 6-3 right now. They sported the identical record
heading into the USC game last year. This 6-3 could not feel more
different, and Toledo credits that to the senior leadership.
“Those guys, the Pages, and the Ebells or the QBs, they
don’t know any different,” Toledo said. “They
don’t know how to respond (to losses). The seniors did a
great job giving them direction and leadership.”
Ironically, there were 23 seniors on last year’s squad,
while there are only 13 this season. However, there are 23 true and
redshirt freshman playing this year.
“It means we have to take our roles more seriously,”
senior tight end Mike Seidman said.
“The seniors have accepted the young guys that had to
play,” junior wide receiver Tab Perry said. “They have
played a different role than the seniors last year. They are not
saying it is just their team.”
Since senior quarterback Cory Paus’ season-ending ankle
injury at Cal, this acceptance turned out to be vital to the
team’s survival.
“The guys were awesome when I had to go in,” true
freshman quarterback Drew Olson said.
That meant the Bruins bounced back after a loss, unlike last
year.
“It was like someone put a pin in the balloon. It just
popped,” he said. “The one thing you want from your
players is to play hard. They had other agendas. They were looking
down the road. Half of them signed pro contracts.”
This year Toledo’s having fun, and he’s not the only
one. After two consecutive losses, senior corner Ricky Manning Jr.
took the defensive backs paintballing. In return the seniors have
only asked the younger players to have fun and to play with
heart.
Perry put what he’s heard simply.
“Less “˜I’ and more
“˜we.'”
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Senior backup wide receiver Jon Dubravac was the special teams
player of the game Saturday.
“Normally guys like Nate or a returner get it ““ guys
who touch the ball fifteen times a game,” Dubravac said.
“It’s nice for a guy who might not get on camera to be
recognized.”
Dubravac always starts on punt return and kickoff return but had
to add punt coverage duties Saturday due to injuries.
The captains this week are Ball, Dubravac, senior defensive
lineman Sean Phillips and senior offensive tackle Mike Saffer.
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Sophomore backup corner Matt Clark (broken toe), safety Jibril
Raymo (shoulder), and sophomore tailback Manuel White (hamstring)
returned this week. Neither White nor redshirt freshman Tyler Ebell
know how the tailback job will be shared.
“We’re like thunder and lightning,” Ebell
said. “We’ve got 18 tailbacks. We’re not gonna
have to pass too much.”