Courtesy of the Signal Matt Moore, ball tucked
away, is a raw prospect. But if everything goes right he could be
taking snaps from center as early as this fall.
By Bruce Tran
Daily Bruin Contributor
[email protected]
Medical check-up on UCLA football: Patient complains of uncertainty
at quarterback position. Returning starting quarterback is coming
off thumb injury and served jail time just a few months ago.
Complains of backup quarterback absconding to a Division II school.
Further tests and analysis reveal that new backup quarterback is
inexperienced and might not be ready yet. Prescription: Inject two
doses of the top quarterback talent in the nation. Stat.
Quarterbacks Matt Moore and Drew Olson combine to give UCLA the No.
1 quarterback class in the nation, according to Student Sports
““ one of whom the Bruins hope will cure their quarterback
blues. “They’re both talented and athletic with good
arms,” head coach Bob Toledo said. “Drew’s a
little more experienced. However, Matt played safety his junior
year and had nine interceptions, which tells you how athletic he
is. I’m really anxious to get them on our practice field so
we can evaluate them. I can’t wait…”
Drew Olson: The ultimate pure passer Olson grew up in a small
football town of about 10,000 people. Despite that, Piedmont still
got 2,000 people to show up to the football games every Friday
night. A big reason was Olson ““ entering his senior year,
Olson was regarded as one of the top dropback quarterbacks in the
country. “Going to a big town and atmosphere like UCLA is
going to be a great experience,” Olson said. “I can
only imagine what playing in front of 70,000 people feels like. I
have no clue what it’s going to be like, but I can’t
wait.” In addition, Olson is a top-rated catcher who barely
missed the cut for the USA Junior National Team. As a junior, he
hit .478 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. And while Olson plans on
playing baseball as a Bruin, he calls football his first love.
“It’s the main sport for me,” Olson said.
“I think I can be a leader for the team. I’m a
fundamentally solid quarterback who can bring stability to the
position. I can stay at a solid level through the course of a game,
even through the ups and downs.” In the CaliFlorida Bowl that
pitted all-stars from California and Florida, Olson appeared to
display the intellectual and leadership qualities that are so
pivotal to the quarterback position. “I’ve always heard
a lot about Drew, but when he came in, he just totally grasped the
offense,” said Marcedes Lewis, a fellow UCLA recruit and
teammate at the CaliFlorida Bowl. As a senior, Olson threw for
1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns. Nevertheless, it was as a junior
that Olson made a name for himself. His most famous game took place
in the league championship against rival St. Mary. Tied 7-7 at
halftime, Olson responded with 268 passing yards and four
touchdowns en route to a 33-7 victory. Said Olson, “It showed
that I can play in the big games, too.”
Matt Moore: Raw and inexperienced, but talented Moore seems to
be the opposite of Olson. He grew up in in the Santa Clarita
Valley, just 20 minutes up the 405. He’s played in front of
crowds of over 12,000 people and is used to the big-game
atmosphere. For UCLA, Moore is a homegrown product, and while some
consider him raw and inexperienced, others quickly point out his
talent and potential upside. He’s the product of a school
that produces big-time quarterbacks. In the two years before Moore,
Hart High School yielded Kyle Matter of Stanford and Kyle Boller of
Cal, and Moore seems to be yet another product of their quarterback
factory. “The transition won’t be as big a jump for me
because of the professionalism and the way practices are run at
Hart,” Moore said. Recognizing his athleticism, coaches felt
the need to put Moore on the field somewhere. Moore found a home at
the safety position, where he was named to the All-CIF team his
junior year. Then, as a senior, Moore’s turn finally came to
take the snaps. His first game at quarterback was about as brutal
and physical as they come. Against Banning High School, which
wanted to intimidate the inexperienced Moore, he was thrown,
tossed, speared and even body slammed in a game that featured three
ejections. Moore got up after every play and, if anything, seemed
to thrive off the physical nature of the game. The brawl catalyzed
a 13-0 season for Hart. He totaled 3,350 yards and 33 touchdowns
while rushing for 415 yards and seven touchdowns ““ figures
that show Moore’s versatility. “We’ve had some
really good quarterbacks, but he’s the first at UCLA,”
said Hart head football coach Mike Harrington. “Once he got
his chance, he really led us to a great season. He’ll
probably have to wait his turn again, but hopefully, he’ll be
ready again.”
Impending quarterback controversy? Much has been made of
quarterback rivalries in college football. Moore and Olson,
however, appear to have hit it off as friends from the first time
they met. The pair was attending a spring football practice and met
in the film room. The duo started talking, with topics ranging from
girlfriends to baseball. “We were just talking and having
fun,” Olson said. “People are always going to believe
there’s some sort of controversy going on. But that’s
out of our hands.” As for the competition, both seem willing
to do whatever it takes for the team to win ““ even if it
means that one will have to watch from the sideline. “If he
gets the job, then I’m willing to back him up,” Moore
said. “We’ll have a solid friendship regardless of what
happens on the field. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to
help the team.” Can one of the two true freshmen start next
year? It has happened before, as recently as Cade McNown in 1996.
Nevertheless, the speed of the game and the physical nature of
Division I football serve as imposing roadblocks for a freshman
quarterback who is trying to learn the system. “There’s
just so much to learn,” Toledo said. “However,
it’s definitely possible. If something happens with Cory
Paus, then one of the three freshmen (including redshirt freshman
John Sciarra) are going to have to play. And we can only hope that
one will step up.” “¢bull; “¢bull; “¢bull; Blood pressure
returning to normal. Breathing rate appears to be leveling out, and
all seems back to normal. For now. Only time will tell if the
patient has made a complete recovery.