When UCLA started this season, many believed that the
team’s wide receiver corps was the team’s deepest
position. Halfway through the season, however, the wide outs have
yet to really break out and become an integral part of the
offense.
Even without the injured Joe Cowan, the Bruins boasted a
formidable lineup of wide receivers all eager to help incoming Ben
Olson establish a potent vertical game. But as of this point, the
long ball has been virtually nonexistent.
“It’s the same exact group,” redshirt senior
wide receiver Junior Taylor said of his receiving corps. “You
look at the stat sheet and all the receivers, you wonder why (they
have not been as productive), this is supposed to be the group.
We’ve been talking about all of us making plays. We’ve
got to put ourselves in good positions, good situations.”
Other than a big run after catch reception by tight end Logan
Paulsen in the home opener against Utah, which went for 46 yards,
the team’s longest pass of the season has been just 25 yards.
Mix that statistic together with the fact that UCLA owns the
conference’s second-to-lowest average in yards per pass, and
you get a group of frustrated wide outs wondering when their
numbers will be called.
“It has been a slow progression,” junior wide out
Marcus Everett said. “It has been pretty hard and kind of
frustrating but we have been working through it. Hopefully soon it
will all click and we will have a big game.”
Most passes up to this point have been short routes, rarely over
15 yards, even though this group of receivers has the ability to
stretch the field and make plays. Everett knows that he and his
fellow receivers have more than enough talent to come up with some
big catches, and it is only a matter of time before their abilities
will be put to better use.
“We need to go out there and have the confidence that we
can throw the ball down field,” Everett said. “As soon
as we complete one, we will probably keep doing it so hopefully we
can take the next step.”
There is no direct blame to be given, as many factors have
contributed to this lack of an effective aerial attack, but the
most probable reason is that both Olson and Pat Cowan have yet to
fully master the West Coast offense.
The play calling has also been rather conservative, most likely
due to the fact that the team’s two quarterbacks are not
fully comfortable in the complicated system just yet. Whatever the
reason, the receivers know once the team decides to take more shots
down the field, they will be ready.
“We know these corners can’t defend us,”
Everett said. “We know that we can run by them, so when we do
get a big opportunity, we are going to make big plays.”