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Sissies. Pansies. Baby-blue beach bums.
These are the terms East Coast fans and players like to use when
referring to UCLA football. Alabama fans swore by them, Michigan
fans threw them around (mostly incomplete, though), and the rest of
the SEC and Big-10 often spew them. They think it’s funny,
insulting and humiliating.
I just wonder how the “powerful” teams from the east
feel when they get beat by those surfer boys from Westwood.
Because, like, the only waves the Bruins have made this season
occurred when they wiped out third-ranked Alabama and Michigan.
I guess stereotypes don’t really work when they get shoved
back into your face.
“For people who don’t think UCLA is a physical team,
watch the video of the Alabama and Michigan games,” head
coach Bob Toledo said. “I think they will tell you that the
guys in the baby-blue jerseys are physical.”
UCLA’s top priority of the offseason was to become bigger,
stronger and more physical. Toledo wanted his squad to play
up-the-gut, pound-it-down-your-throat, smashmouth football. So far,
his wish has been granted.
“Watch the film. We got the physical game,” safety
Jason Stephens said, moments after sealing the Michigan win with an
interception. “We did what we had to do. We put it
down.”
UCLA has been winning the battle in the trenches, out-muscling
and out-hustling in the heat of Pasadena. And they are in the
condition to maintain that level throughout the fourth quarter.
“We don’t get tired,” offensive lineman Mike
Saffer said.
And with their newfound attitude, the Bruins are feeling pretty
good about themselves. By beating both Alabama and Michigan, UCLA
proved they could beat anybody. And they don’t need to say
anymore.
“The proof is in the pudding,” said linebacker
Robert Thomas, who has played as well as any linebacker in the
nation thus far.
“Watch the film. It speaks for itself,” safety Audie
Attar said when asked what he would tell poll voters. “The
scoreboard tells the story. It’s who won.”
Simple logic, although it may go over the head of most voters,
considering UCLA was ranked eighth in the ESPN poll after defeating
two third-ranked teams.
But still, the Bruins power on with no signs of letting up.
UCLA’s great start has not only been big for this season, but
has rejuvenated a program that many thought was in the gutter.
Fair-weather fans are jumping back on the bandwagon, recruits
are more excited about UCLA and I bet the student section will be
full for the rest of the season.
“This game was for the program. We wanted to make a
statement today,” Toledo said after the Michigan game.
“It was about the UCLA program showing it belongs among the
elite teams.”
The win against Michigan also served as an “in your
face” to Wolverine kicker Hayden Epstein, who was once
recruited by UCLA. But Epstein decided to bypass UCLA in favor of
Michigan because he wanted to go to a “big-time
program.”
“And I told our team about that (before the game),”
Toledo said.
Now recruits seeking a big-time program can’t overlook
UCLA. The only surprise is that the transformation happened so
quickly.
“This is a happy program right now,” said fullback
Ed Ieremia-Stansbury.
Seemingly overnight, UCLA has gone from a team with potential to
a national contender. Following a 4-7 season, many Bruin fans were
looking forward to 2001 as the year when UCLA would gain national
prominence. Forget the wait.
“This is something we’ve been working for since last
season,” linebacker Tony White said. “We lost to the
big teams last year, and now we’re beating these teams.
It’s a great feeling.”
And the Bruins have done it without their starting quarterback
since the first offensive drive of the year. Back-up Ryan McCann
has done an admirable job filling in, but Cory Paus will show why
he was named starting quarterback in fall practice.
Paus is more consistent, understands the offense better than
McCann, and is better suited to open up the passing game by
throwing downfield. Not only will that better utilize the
tremendous abilities of receivers Freddie Mitchell and Brian
Poli-Dixon, but it will make running the ball easier for Heisman
candidate DeShaun Foster.
If defenses can’t focus on Foster like they have been,
UCLA’s offense will be very productive and hard to stop.
On defense, UCLA looks like a different team than the one
we’re used to seeing. They can even tackle now. The secondary
has been completely revamped, and it shows. Marques Anderson has
been coming up big, Ricky Manning has saved at least two touchdowns
and Jason Bell has been playing well. They did get some help,
however, from the struggling quarterbacks of Alabama and Michigan.
The secondary’s true test will come during Pac-10 play.
The Bruins’ front seven, led by Thomas, has done a good
job stopping the run but must improve its pass rushing. The loss of
Kenyon Coleman due to torn cartilage takes a big chunk out of the
defense, but Sean Phillips is a viable back-up.And considering Ken
Kocher has yet to play at full strength and Asi Faoa has yet to be
unleashed, the D should be able to recover down the road.
All in all, it’s been a good start to the season and the
millennium for UCLA football. If the team makes certain
improvements, it could certainly make a run for a BCS bowl. And
that pesky national championship game in the Orange Bowl?
“In college football, anything can happen,” Toledo
said.
Good thing there’s a beach in Miami, dude.