Once again, the Bruin defense dominated a UCLA football scrimmage.
In all, the offense scored just two touchdowns and two field goals. The Bruin runningbacks found no holes to run through, with defensive tackles Brian Price and Brigham Harwell dominating the line of scrimmage. Quarterbacks threw four interceptions total. There were also two blocked field goals and a safety.
“The whole defensive line did our thing today,” Brian Price said. “We got a ways to go and a lot more work to do, but we’re going to be good.”
Price and Harwell are the key elements for a front seven that is the strength of the defense, said defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker.
Walker played eight men at the line of scrimmage to thwart any run attempt. Starting runningback Khalil Bell ““ who has returned in top form after tearing an ACL last season ““ played on just one possession because coaches wanted to limit his workload. The other backs, redshirt freshman Raymond Carter and freshmen Aundre Dean, Johnathan Franklin and Milton Knox, struggled.
Coach Rick Neuheisel said the struggles made him nervous.
“Given where we are with the O-lineman, and having an inexperienced quarterback, you’d like to not have to put all the pressure on the throwing game,” he said.
While the defense’s biggest victories were at the line of scrimmage, the secondary also played well.
Alterraun Verner darted in and ripped a Kevin Craft pass from the hands of receiver Terrence Austin. Defensive back Michael Norris and safeties Anthony Dye and Rahim Moore also had interceptions.
MOORE STEPS UP: The Bruins need freshman Rahim Moore to adapt to the college game quickly.
Starting strong safety Bret Lockett has been suspended for the first game of the season against Tennessee, and Moore will start in his place.
“He’s all we’ve got,” Walker said. “He’s good enough to come through. Athletically he can do it, it’s just the mental part he has to improve.”
Moore made a bad mistake on one of his first plays. Quarterback Kevin Craft scrambled out of the pocket, and Moore left his assignment to chase him.
That play drew the irk of coach Walker, who joked that he was “about to run on the field and sock him.”
Besides that one blunder, Moore played solidly. He broke up a pass to Marcus Everett with a crunching tackle, and intercepted Craft’s pass on the very next play.
KICKING WOES: Coach Rick Neuheisel said he was disappointed with the Bruin kicking game.
Kickers Kai Forbath and Jimmy Rotstein both had attempts blocked, and Forbath came up short on a 53-yard attempt at the beginning of the scrimmage.
Jeff Locke, a highly touted freshman punter, shanked his only two attempts, and Terrence Austin returned a punt for a touchdown later in the game.
The lone bright spot was starting punter Aaron Perez’s first try, which sailed 58 yards.
NOTES: Starting middle linebacker Reggie Carter did not play because of a concussion, and redshirt freshman Steve Sloan played solidly in his place. … Runningback Aundre Dean received more carries than he has in practice recently. … The grass at Drake Stadium slowed players down. The field was so torn up that Neuheisel asked a few spectators on the sidelines to help mat it down during one of the breaks.