UCLA Post Game

Texas- 49 UCLA- 20 AKA The Aftermath of Bloodbath

It feels pretty good to be a Longhorn right now (eventual conference match-up with likes of Arizona and Washington State withstanding). I don’t usually take in away games anywhere other than my living room but Ben’s is an ideal place to cheer on the Horns. Ben is a True Orange Blood and yells at the screen as much as I do. He never allows my ice cubes to get dry and I love that about him. Being surrounded by other Burnt Orange-clad maniacs was also a good time which isn’t always the case. Cake, Johnny Mance Haynes (this is the dude’s real name. Amazing, right?), and JMH’s brother (I forgot your name when you asked about the Tech score), I look forward to many more viewing parties that include multiple Maker’s shots and victory cigars. We’re classy but not frilly. Take notes.

Offense- Look, a running game!

QB
We have to start with the biggest question going into the game. We’d gathered that running the ball was going to be the focal point and passing would be set up by our ability to get yards on the ground. It’s a scary thought but if it works, it serves as an amazing game plan. Granted, this requires a QB that is confident in his ability to execute his end of the bargain. A notion that Gilbert was never comfortable with given that his confidence seems to scheduled on a menstrual cycle. I questioned the started nod being given to Case as I was lead to believe that Ash was our true #2 in both ability and teammate votes. I was wrong. Given the situation we’re in- Lacking a true leader on offense and more freshmen than a Tri Delt panty raid- it is imperative that we play the guy that the team will respond to and rally around. Case is it as leader and confidence seem to be his guiding intangibles. Reminds me a little of another dude who once played here and was scorned early on for having a noodle for an arm. Case’s is more like a string bean but he makes the right decisions and is DaVinci when the play breaks down. It’s a refreshing feeling to have a guy behind Center who has the attitude that he won’t let us fail. I’ll take 12-15-168-2-0. They aren’t glaring numbers but if you watched the game then you know that hidden in those numbers is a leadership quality that GG simply lacks. Some guys have it, some guys don’t. Some guys drive to work, some guys get driven listening to Led Zeppelin IV while getting a blowie from the Mrs. And sipping on a heavy handed Old Fashioned. I’m just sayin’.
Ash is going to be special but it’s obvious that we’re obvious when he’s in the game. Does that sound right? Only once did he fake the Bruin D out with a fake zone read and toss to Ship for a 1st down. Plays like that are being set up by his obviousness but until we show that he is truly a substitute for McCoy rather than pace change, his snaps will be limited. He did hit on all three passes he threw so you gotta enjoy that. His shortcomings aren’t his fault right now. It’s based on scheme and opening up his mind. Time for Harsin to take him to a SoCal desert and introduce him to Chief Mushahaha.

RB
50-284-4 TD’s at 5.7 a clip is something we haven’t seen on the Forty Acres in quite some time. It’s also enough to cause me to molest the stat sheet. It was physical and emotional. I was firm but gentle. Malcolm Brown is the answer as the starter. I slow clapped after a five yard gain when he broke two tackles (one in the backfield) and feel forward trying to stretch for six. You can’t teach it. It’s innate. Like speed or the fact that all African Americans have rhythm. He is Thunder and Fozzy is the inevitable rainfall. Having someone as versatile as Fozzy is your back pocket for Wildcat packages in the red zone and on 3rd down is playing with house money. Fozzy is fast but glass when over utilized. He was constantly injured because we were asking him to take hits from linebackers rather than DB’s. Those days are dead and with them, 2nd and 9. DJ and Goodwin on speed sweeps and reverses makes Will Muschamp vomit and Greg Davis realize how out of the game he really was. Bringing in Bergeron to punish a tired D in the fourth quarter is just mean. I’m a big fan of this rushing attack. We are complex and unpredictable and shit! We’re only scratching the surface.

WR
Jaxon Shipley rides a dream dragon made from Napalm and Four Loko. I love that even Bob (sucks at life) Davie can call out Ship as the target on third down and he still gets open to turn 3rd and 3 into a 12 yard catch and run. Eat it and die, Defensive Coordinators. Mike Davis is still working on routes and getting off bumps but his upside is Everest and he will go from junior to first round pick before season’s end if Wyatt has anything to say about it. We are mainly using him as a deep threat but his intermediate routes will become more dangerous as we progress the offense further and face more zone blitzing.

Harris, Goodwin, and White will get more run when McCoy learns to check through progressions rather than bailing to the check down after Check 2. Harris continues to be huge in the run game while Goodwin apparently has anger issues in blocking. Overall, this group served well in all facets on Saturday and right now they are doing what is asked which is spell the running game and provide dimension. If that is all we need to be successful, then we’re set with this group but that isn’t the case. We’re gonna need these guys to play big in big games and I’m only truly confident in two of them. Its more of a question mark than a problem area but I would be more comforted if I felt like they were on the same level as the running backs.

TE
Holy Shit, we have Tight Ends that we actually use like to pass footballs to and stuff. The TE position is HUGE in the HarsinWhite offense so having a blocking dummy at this position would be disastrous. Getting DJ Grant to buy in is the opposite. 3 TD’s from a position was considered a problem area is beyond analogy. This was the brightest spot in a game that was full of promising returns. Simply huge.

OL
Huge holes for the running game, execution of assignments, and solid pass protection. Just a stellar effort all around. Walters is pulling with a rocket up his ass and Hopkins was coming off the line and trying not block guys but rather shove his mitts through their chest cavity. Searels’ biggest job with this group was an attitude change and we’re witnessing the transformation game after game. BYU was promising but UCLA was a testament to what we can be if we stay pissed off for four quarters.

It’s going to be difficult to curb the excitement centered around the O now that the QB position seems to be somewhat of a strength. We knew it would take time for everything to come together due to our complexity but it’s amazing how fast a group can learn an offense when they enjoy playing in it. Greg Davis be damned. We have two weeks to prepare for an inspired ISU team in Ames. I want to see the same product we tasted in LA only with a little less gristle and a lot more salt. Defense coming in another post.