Friday, November 13, 1998
Bruins on the path toward tough crowd in Washington
PREVIEW: Defense will be key as Huskies seek to avenge last
year’s loss
By Jeff Kmiotek
Daily Bruin Staff
The streak is still alive, although it’s been on and off life
support for the last month. After recovering from deficits of at
least one touchdown in each of the last five games, the No. 3
Bruins take their national-best 18-game winning streak into Seattle
to battle the Huskies.
If they can stave off Washington (5-4, 3-3 in Pac-10) and extend
their streak, they’ll receive a special bonus  a berth in the
1999 Rose Bowl. Although the focus of this season has been on the
Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and the race for the national
championship, the Bruins haven’t forgotten about the once
prestigious Rose Bowl.
"We’re going to treat this game like it should be treated," said
head coach Bob Toledo. "It’s the Pac-10 championship game. If we
win the game, we reach one of our big goals  to play in the
Rose Bowl. Then we can worry about next week."
But if the Bruins (8-0, 6-0 in Pac-10) Â and most notably
their defense  perform like they have in the last three
games, they will have their hands full against junior quarterback
Brock Huard’s squad in hostile Husky Stadium.
In what will be his final game at Husky Stadium if he joins the
professional ranks, Huard will be pumped to pummel the Bruins and
erase the Huskies’ 52-28 loss a year ago at the Rose Bowl. This
contest will also mark the last home game for 19 UW seniors.
The expected capacity crowd of 72,500 will be the loudest the
Bruins have heard all year, thus it will be vital for UCLA to score
early and often to take them out of the game.
"It’s the loudest Pac-10 stadium in my opinion. It’s going to be
a tough atmosphere  wet, cold, on AstroTurf and very, very
loud," said Toledo.
But Toledo and his staff won’t be attempting to combat the noise
by yelling over it.
"I’ve tried that before. I yell and I scream. I get headaches, I
get hoarse, it bothers everybody in the community," said
Toledo.
"So my thing is to whisper in practice, and we signal a lot.
(Our players) just have to see the ball snapped."
Once the Bruins get the ball snapped, they shouldn’t have much
of a problem with the Huskies young secondary. The Huskies rank
dead last in the Pac-10 in passing yards allowed (276.3) and have
only intercepted three passes in eight games. In its last three
games, Washington has given up over 400 passing yards per game,
including 508 to Oregon State.
For the Bruins, the offensive line’s ability to protect Cade
McNown will be vital. The O-line has allowed a Pac-10-low 10 sacks
(1.3 per game), but will be up against a Washington defensive front
that leads the nation with 48 sacks (5.3 per game).
The Huskies will be without defensive end Josh Smith, however,
who has 7.5 sacks, due to a knee injury.
If McNown does get enough time in the pocket, the Bruins should
have no problem advancing the ball through the air.
But UCLA will also need to re-establish their running game in
order to have a successful passing game. Last week against the
Beavers, UCLA’s tailback trio of terror  Jermaine Lewis,
Keith Brown and DeShaun Foster  rushed for just 84 yards on
29 carries.
"Running the football (is key)," said offensive coordination Al
Borges. "If you’re put in a pure passing situation, they’ll sack
the quarterback."
Like McNown, Huard must be licking his chops to face UCLA’s
defense, which ranks second-to-last in the Pac-10 with 270.6 yards
allowed per game. Against Oregon State, UCLA’s secondary allowed
323 yards to redshirt freshman Jonathan Smith.
"As a season goes along, you’re supposed to improve," said
Toledo. "But in my opinion we’ve digressed. We’re our own worst
enemy. We’ve got to get back to some fundamentals."
Cornerback Ryan Roques blamed the problem solely on a lack of
execution.
"We’re giving the effort, but we just have to execute our
defense better. We’re going to try to play better coverage and
switch some things on the defense so they don’t know what’s coming
at them."
If the secondary does step up and contain Washington’s passing
game, the Huskies won’t stand a chance.
Their leading rusher is their backup quarterback, Marques
Tuiasosopo, and not one Husky has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing
mark in any game this season.
"There are so many things we have to sew up," said McNown. "I
know the defense wants to play well. I believe they can, and I
believe they will."
Last year, the Bruins crushed the Huskies to keep their Rose
Bowl hopes alive. In this rematch, a UCLA victory will be the
clincher. The Bruins are still in the driver’s seat, although it’s
been a wild, wild ride.
UCLA has been living life on the edge, but every game they do
what it takes to win.
Said Toledo, "When you win 18 games in a row, you’re doing
something right."
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