I don’t have a ton more to tell this morning. I hate waiting around for these later games. We absolutely have a chance…to win this game big behind an offensive explosion and greatly improved defense… but also to lose big if they revert to some of the mistakes from earlier in the season.
Note: This is the last Game Day Grazing as I will be on the Mexican Riviera.
§ Congratulations to Jr. DE Wil Pericak and Sr. DB Travis Sandersfeld for being named Pac-12 All-Conference All-Academic First Team. So. DT Nate Bonsu, DB Justin Gorman and Sr. Tony Poremba made the second team while Sr. OL David Clark and RFr. C/G Daniel Munyer received honorable mention.
§ Injury Update: Although Embree sounded optimistic earlier in the week that “everyone” would be able to play, it looks like the secondary will be without would-be starters S Anthony Perkins and CB Parker Orms. S Kyle Washington has still not been officially cleared either and if he does not play, that means Travis Sandersfeld will be at safety again, with Jason Espinoza, Terrel Smith, DD Goodson and maybe Paul Vigo splitting the time at corner and nickel. P-Rich’s status is also unknown-hopefully that’s just a smokescreen for UCLA. Speedy is listed as “probable” but I am going to say he plays; same for Chidera Uzo-Diribe. Also still “day-to-day,” whatever that means anymore, WR Logan Gray & CB Brian Lockridge (week-to-week or month-to-month more fitting?).
§ As for UCLA, Richard Brehaut is still listed as “probable” but will be only used in an emergency and Neuweasel said TFr. Brent Hundley (who many fans feel should have burned his redshirt by now anyway) would be the backup if something did happen to Prince. Safety Alex Mascarenas had returned to practice after a concussion 6 weeks ago, but experienced dizziness and is out.
§ UCLA special teams are also terrible. Josh Smith has put up decent number on kickoff returns (let’s see if he’s still prone to fumbles!) but Taylor Embree has not done much on punt returns, doing a lot of fair catching. Their coverage teams are not great. Yet another game where a mistake or big play in this phase could play a big part in the outcome.
§ Both Buff DE David Goldberg and UCLA C (and former Buff) Kai Maiava have both talked about their friendship and how they are looking forward to going up against each other some in the game. It will be a good battle to look for, although they probably won’t actually go head-to-head much.
§ While Jon Embree has said all along his wife Natalyn would represent the family and he would stay with this team, Rick Neuheisel has said he will go to the locker room if need be to get dad to walk out with son Taylor in the Senior Day celebration. Taylor said he doesn’t want his dad to be able to use it as an excuse that he couldn’t be in the locker room pregame if they lose.
§ It appears CU coaches and coordinators on both sides of the ball are settling in with their players and play calling. OC Eric Bienemy called his best game against Arizona and plans much of the same for UCLA: a well-executed but simple game plan of running the ball and mixing in some passes. There are absolutely more tricks, besides Speedy’s throwback to Hansen and some reverses, in the playbook-I personally would love to see a flea-flicker. On defense, one person close to the program said that coaches are letting kids play a little more, not forcing them into a specific scheme, but tweaking the scheme more to the strengths of the players.
§ Buffs are out of the “Bottom Ten”! And now our only two wins are in it along with next year’s opponent Fresno State. Obviously a win today would be a huge step in the right direction for the CU program on so many levels-road streak, momentum, recruiting; however, a loss to a downtrodden program on the verge of implosion would be a ticket right back down the pipe to the Bottom Ten again and leaving only one more game on the road to lay the foundation for next season.
Go Buffs!
If you need a little something else to kill the time until the late kickoff…
§ Here is a 2-part post from “Bruin Nation” giving an outside perspective on the game and the Buffs. They definitely use the depth chart at CUBuffs.com as a main point of reference based on how they discuss the players and who backs up whom-this is obviously very true in the secondary where no one knows who will play where each week and guys move around a lot.
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