Sept. 8, 2012; Corvallis, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back James White (20) heads upfield between Oregon State Beavers defenders D.J. Welch (4) and Jordan Poyer during the second half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-US PRESSWIRE

Oregon State beat up a pretty solid Wisconsin squad in the Beavers’ first and only game of this season.  A low scoring affair, OSU out muscled, out quicked and out hit the Badgers in an old school, smashmouth football game.  Now, the well rested and very well prepared Beavers have had two weeks to sharpen their incisors, looking to upset yet another highly ranked team; the #19 ranked UCLA Bruins.

Like the Bruins, The Beavers have a solid coaching staff with significant NFL experience.  This team will be very well prepared to play against the spread offense of UCLA.  OSU’s stout defense has had success against other spread offenses as well, so there won’t be too many surprises for them.  The Beavers have good speed and power on both sides of the ball.  Their D line stuffed Wisconsin’s excellent power football run game.  This OSU team is more like the pro style systems of USC, Stanford as well as the Wisconsin team they defeated.  Make no mistake; this OSU team has some stud playmakers on defense.  LB D.J. Welch was named Pac12 Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against the Badgers.  The OSU corners are highly regarded and Jordan Poyer has NFL written all over him.  On the D line, the Beavers are anchored by last season’s two freshman All Americans, Scott Crichton and and Dylan Wynn.  They are going to bring the heat to our two freshman tackles.

Offensively, the Beavers will try to establish a power running game to open up their passing attack.  They use multiple sets featuring at times multiple wideouts or 3 TE formations and are not afraid to pass the football.  QB Sean Mannion has an arm that I suspect may be bionic; it’s that strong.  However, like other uber strong armed young QBs, Mannion tries to force the ball in with brute strength where he should throw the ball away.  Last year he threw for 16 TDs against 18 INTs.  He will have to place much smarter against the ball hawking Bruin secondary.  Mannion is not very mobile, so he’ll need to read and throw quickly or spend most of the day on his back.  The Beavers’ running game wasn’t spectacular against a powerful Wisconsin front 7, but it did manage to grind out the tough yards and keep the Badger D honest.

UCLA has to bring their A game Saturday.  Hundley cannot afford to stare down receivers like he did against Houston.  The OSU defense will make him pay dearly if he does.  UCLA needs to get the run game going early on.  UCLA needs to keep those two excellent OSU pass rushers at bay and give Hundley time to make a good read and throw.  On defense, if the Bruins play with the same intensity and discipline against the Beavers as they did against the Cougars, they should be able to shut the OSU attack down.

Because the Beavers offense plays to the strength of the UCLA 3-4 defense, I see the Bruins winning going away, 34-10

As of 1:17 p.m. PST, here’s who the Bruins have signed to a letter of intent since the post on Go Joe Bruin, “Signing Day Is Here: How UCLA Is Doing So Far?” earlier today:

Three blue chip wide receivers are coming to Westwood:
*   Javon Williams, from Chandler (AZ) HS, who chose UCLA over Arkansas and Oregon,

*   Kenny Walker, from Richmond (CA) Kennedy HS, who has 4.4 speed and decommitted from California to sign with the Bruins, and…

*   Jordan Payton, a four-star recruit from Thousand Oaks (CA) Oaks Christian HS who was wanted by many schools; he flipped from Washington to commit and sign with the Bruins.

As of 2:35 p.m. PST, here’s the latest:

22 players have officially signed their letters of intent to join the UCLA Bruin Nation on the football field and get a top-notch education to boot, including:

*   Ka’imi Fairbaim, a strong-armed kicker from Honolulu (HI) Punahou School,

*   Simon Goines, a 6′ 8″, 295 pound offensive tackle from Keller (TX) Central HS who flipped from Missouri, and a major get…

*   Ishmael Adams, a four-star cornerback from Oaks Christian HS - who was Jordan Payton’s teammate.

So far, UCLA’s class is ranked 19th by ESPN.com, 12th by Rivals.com, and 10th by Scout.com, with the rest of the day ahead.

A complete list of UCLA’s signees, complete with an analysis and a commentary, will appear on this site tomorrow.

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He who is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

- John 8:7

When I read Bill Plaschke’s January 11 column in the Los Angeles Times, in which he voiced concerns about new UCLA football coach Jim L. Mora’s hiring of Sal Alosi as the Bruins’ new strength and conditioning coach due to a well-known incident in 2010, when Alosi – then a coach with the New York Jets -tripped the Miami Dolphins’ Nolan Carroll as he ran by on a punt return, ultimately losing his job over it, this biblical quote came to mind.

I’m sure that Plaschke isn’t the only one concerned about this; being a Bruin alum and a member of the UCLA community, I suspect that quite a few of my fellow alumni and fans are probably scratching their heads over Mora hiring someone who did something so heinous, not only blatantly cheating to help his team win but potentially hurting someone in the process.

“I understand the criticism…it’s completely warranted,” Mora said. “But (having had Alosi on his staff with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006) I know the fiber of this man.”

“You can rip me if you want for this hiring, but it’s not fair to rip Sal,” continued Mora. “This is a good man who made a poor decision, took responsibility for it, paid a dear price, and has fought his way back.”

I couldn’t have agreed more with that statement.

If everyone who has messed up weren’t given a second chance, there would hardly be anyone left in any profession.

I should know – the mistakes that I’ve made in my life can fill a very large book, and I’m sure I can say the same for roughly 99% of the people on this planet.

Heck, even hardened criminals in prison can get paroled.

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I’m starting a weekly video spotlight here on Go Joe Bruin, in which I post at least one video clip of a UCLA athlete.

This clip from YouTube is of standout Bruin Gymnast Tauny Frattone, who got the highest individual score in the Bruins’ opening meet against Utah – a 9.95 on the vault, where she was first team all-Pac-10 in 2011.

The senior is shown on the clip doing her floor exercise routine at Oregon State last season. Hope everyone in Bruin Nation enjoys it!

2011 OSU vs UCLA – Tauny Frattone – FX on YouTube

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UPCOMING OPPONENT:

USC Trojans, Sunday, January 15, Galen Center, 6:00 p.m.

The Crosstown Rivalry – some call it a war – resumes this Sunday when UCLA’s basketball team goes into the hostile confines of the Galen Center to take on USC.

Unlike in football, UCLA has the advantage in this sport, leading the all-time series 129-104, and when one takes a look at the two team’s respective records and statistics, it looks like Bruin Nation has little to worry about as Ben Howland’s team appears to be solid favorites.

It would be a grave mistake, however, for Lazeric Jones, Joshua Smith and company to take these 5-12 (0-4 in the Pac-12 Conference) Trojans lightly, for three significant reasons:

1. The fact that in any rivalry, particularly this crosstown one, all the stats, records and numbers mean one thing:

NOTHING.

2.  With USC doing as badly as they are to this point, losing this past weekend to two schools that the Bruins swept – Arizona and Arizona State, with the Sun Devils being severely undermanned – these Men of Troy have this to lose against their rivals this Sunday night:

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

and…

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This was the first step in what is expected to be a great season, hopefully concluding in their seventh national championship (in which they are one of the favorites to win).

Here’s the highlight clip from John Wooden Center - enjoy!

UCLA Gymnastics Defeats Utah in Season Opener on YouTube

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It has been said quite a few times on this site that senior UCLA running back Derrick Coleman was the Bruins’ brightest spot this season.

And was clearly the team’s most valuable player in 2011.

Except for his team-leading 11 touchdowns, his statistics don’t jump out at people; 765 yards and five yards a carry with his longest run from scrimmage being 42 yards this year, but it was obvious for those who saw him that he was UCLA’s best football player.

Anytime the Bruins needed short yardage for a crucial first down, Coleman got it for them.

Anytime the Bruins were within five yards of the end zone and needed to punch it in for the score, Coleman was successful in doing the honors for them.

He was also active in doing the grunt work on special teams.

On top of all of that, Coleman proved to be the classiest member of the UCLA football team, as well as among the hardest working and one of those Bruins who understood what was needed for the team to have future success when he said, ”The discipline outside football has to improve. I’m not saying it was bad, but it can definitely go up a notch.”

And all of this while dealing with an hearing impairment.

This was a Bruin who represented Bruin Nation with outstanding dignity, one who will do well in the future whether or not he plays in the NFL.

And for the record, in my view he is UCLA’s only true prospect; I predict he will go in the middle rounds in the NFL Draft this coming April, maybe as high as the third round if he has a good scouting combine and/or pro day.

Here are three highlight videos of number 33 in action that should give the UCLA fan base some pleasant memories, the last one featuring a run of over 70 yards against Washington State in 2010, a game where he ran for a career-high 185 yards:

Derrick Coleman 24 yard TD run on YouTube

Derrick Coleman 3 Qtr gains lead to a field goal on YouTube

Highlights: Washington St – UCLA on YouTube

I think all of Bruin Nation will agree with me when I say that Derrick Coleman will be missed in Westwood.

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As I ponder the season that the 2011 version of the UCLA Bruins’ football team has had, I can’t help thinking that there were fifty teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision that would have dearly loved to have had six wins and gone to a post-season bowl game.

That’s one of the few positive spins I can think of, however, as this year has been filled with more frustrating inconsistencies and disappointments, so much so that it cost Rick Neuheisel his job as the Bruins’ head coach after four years.

Jim L. Mora was hired in mid-December to right the ship, but a discussion of the high and low points to this season is in order right now:

HIGH POINTS (yes, believe it or not, there were some):

1.   UCLA 31 – California 14, October 29th

After a debacle that saw the Bruins come completely unglued in their humiliating loss to Arizona the previous week, UCLA fans were forming a virtual lynch mob for Neuheisel as they faced Cal at the Rose Bowl.

That lynch mob was disbanded that evening, at least for the time being, as the Bruins showed some guts and came through in beating their older UC brothers from Berkeley, which was highlighted by Tevin McDonald’s three interceptions and running back Derrick Coleman’s three touchdown runs.

Here is a clip of McDonald’s three picks:

3 interceptions by UCLA Tevin McDonald on YouTube

2.   UCLA 29 – Arizona State 28, November 5th

After their win over the Golden Bears, the next week saw UCLA with their biggest challenge at home, a date with an Arizona State Sun Devil team that was riding high with a 6-2 record, a top-25 ranking, and a firm seat on top of the Pac-12 South with an eventual date in the conference championship game on the horizon.

As the game unfolded, however, it was apparent that someone forgot to tell the Bruins about ASU’s resume as they played the Sun Devils even, holding a lead at halftime and not giving up when they took a 28-23 lead in the fourth quarter.

UCLA’s last drive wasn’t pretty as it was punctuated by fumbles and a pass interference call, but Derrick Coleman’s touchdown with less than a minute left, and the subsequent missed field goal on the last play that would have won the game for Arizona State, secured the upset for the Bruins.

It was another case of the team playing with absolute guts and heart, which was very pleasing for the Bruin Nation to see.

The following is a clip of Coleman taking on ASU’s volatile linebacker Vontaze Burfict on a key play and coming out on top:

Derrick Coleman vs. Vontaze Burfict HD on YouTube

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Happy New Year! Hopefully 2012 can be a great one for UCLA and for Bruin Nation.

Here is what’s been happening with two of the Bruins’ Olympic sports as the new year is underway:

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL –   Cori Close’s team has been struggling as much as their football and men’s basketball counterparts, losing five of their last six games on their way to their record currently standing at 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12 Conference.

The Lady Bruins’ one win since December 4 was their Pac-12 opener against California on the 29th at the John Wooden Center, which saw UCLA winning over the Golden Bears 60-55. Thea Lemberger stepped up for the Bruins with a career-high 26 points, with Markel Walker adding 18 and the team making like Shaquille O’ Neal in blocking 13 shots, with Corinne Costa contributing seven of them.

The reward for that performance? Merely having to try and beat the fourth-ranked team in the country, perennial Pac-10/12 basketball queen Stanford on New Year’s Eve.

Like the football and men’s basketball teams on the same day, these Bruins couldn’t hang with the Cardinal at the John Wooden Center, getting blown out by a 77-50 score. Walker and Rebekah Gardner were UCLA’s bright spots, Walker getting 11 points and seven rebounds with Gardner leading the Bruins with 17 points to go along with her six boards.

Considering that Jasmine Dixon, the Bruins’ best player, and Atonye Nyingifa, who has been the leading scorer this season to date, are both out for the year with torn knee ligaments, maiming the team’s offensive attack, UCLA is fortunate to be 1-1 in the conference.

They will head for the desert this weekend to face Arizona on Thursday the 5th, and Arizona State on Saturday the 7th.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL –  The season is about to start for the men’s volleyball team, as they try to match their lady counterparts and win a national championship of their own.

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Now the Jim L. Mora era in Westwood can begin in earnest.

And not a moment too soon, as after the UCLA Bruins’ disappointing 20-14 loss to Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl before what looked like a fairly sparse crowd at San Francisco’s AT & T Park, Mora, who was at the game, cannot come soon enough as UCLA finished 2011 with a 6-8 record – losing its last three games – that has left Bruin Nation most frustrated and very much ready to turn the page and start a new chapter.

Interim coach Mike Johnson did have the Bruins ready to play and fighting, especially the defense as they only gave up three points in leading 7-3 at halftime and through much of the third quarter; unfortunately, there are two halves in a football game.

At first glance, one may look at Kevin Prince’s statistics and say that he didn’t do so bad, completing 14 of 29 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

But as they say, looks can be deceiving as the Fighting Illini’s defensive unit’s ranking of 7th in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision was seen to be warranted, Illinois giving up only 19 net rushing yards and pounding Prince with five sacks, All-American defensive lineman Whitney Mercilus getting two of them to bring his nation-leading total to 16.5 and setting the single-season record for his school.

Watching him play and dominate, it’s safe to say that Mercilus is ready for the next level, and we can expect to hear him announce that he’s entering his name in the NFL Draft within a couple of weeks.

The fact that the game turned with another one of the many costly mistakes that Prince has made all year, a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown by Terry Hawthorne that put the Illini up 10-7 in the third quarter, in which Hawthorne saw the pass coming all the way (shades of his pick-6 to Utah’s Conroy Black on November 12th), solidified the deception of Prince’s performance, as he showed once and for all that his arm, which had little zip on too many passes as he failed to connect on most of his long attempts, is just not strong enough to have long-term success at the BCS level.

Too add to this conviction, one of his two scores was of the too-little-too-late kind, a 38-yard strike to Nelson Rosario with less than a minute left in the game.

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