COURTNEY STEWART/Daily Bruin Quarterback Cory Paus avoids the
defensive onslaught of Washington on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
Violent blow
The Bruins were strongly praised for their vicious hitting
against the Huskies, with one exception.
Early in the second quarter, defensive end Dave Ball laid a
delayed hit from behind on Washington quarterback Taylor Barton
after UCLA cornerback Matt Ware’s interception. Though Bruin
head coach Bob Toledo was unaware of the hit during the play, it
was the subject of many post-game highlights.
“We tell our players that when an interception is thrown
to block the receiver and block the quarterback,” Toledo
said. “When I saw it on TV, I realized that’s not what
I want in my program.”
Ball has already written and will send a letter of apology to
Barton as well as a copy to Washington head coach Rick Neuheisel
this week, Toledo said.
“Ball’s an emotional kid. He plays hard, and he made
a mistake,” Toledo said. “I’m not going to
discipline him, but I’m going to tell the whole team that
that’s not what I want.
“It’s a game and it happens. But that was blatant,
and I didn’t like it.”
Thinning out
Brian Poli-Dixon’s early exit on Saturday was the result
of a dislocated shoulder that will keep him out of action for two
to three weeks.
Toledo called the current receiver situation a “real
concern” for the UCLA offensive scenario. Already a thin
position this season, walk-ons Devon Reese and Garrett Lepisto will
be the only backups the Bruins have at their disposal behind Tab
Perry, Ryan Smith and Craig Bragg.
The injury that knocked free safety Marques Anderson from the
game turned out to be only nagging cramps that shouldn’t
affect him this week in practice. Others that are listed as
day-to-day from game injuries include Mat Ball (knee and calf
bruise), Brandon Chillar (quad bruise) and Shane Lehmann (ankle
injury). Fullback Matt Stanley (ankle injury) is also listed as
day-to-day.
Running backwards
After review of the Washington tape, officials have changed the
Omare Lowe fake punt run that resulted in a 24-yard gain from a
rushing effort to a shuffle pass.
Though an insignificant statistic on the surface, this means
that UCLA held the Huskies to a negative rushing total (-8
yards).
Amusing
While former UCLA offensive coordinator Al Borges will be
standing on an unfamiliar sideline when he takes the field at the
Rose Bowl this week, the Bruin defense will have some familiarity
with what to expect.
Earlier this season, Borges designed a play for the Bears
similar to UCLA’s patented “Disneyland” play that
had then-receiver Freddie Mitchell throwing for a touchdown pass on
a fake reverse.
“I talked to Al a couple weeks ago, and asked him if he
ran the Disneyland play,” Toledo said. “He said he
didn’t because the team thought it was too much of a Southern
Cal name. He changed it to Great America.”
Notes compiled by Joshua Mason, Daily Bruin Staff.