Dec 31, 2011; San Francisco CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Taylor Embree (82) catches a pass for a touchdown past Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Tavon Wilson (3) during the second quarter at AT

At the end of the 2012 NFL Draft, UCLA nation was distraught after having zero Bruins get drafted in the seven rounds.

Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re devoid of opportunity. What that means is that some of our Bruins have become undrafted free agent signees.

First, Derrick Coleman, our power-back who is all heart, has been picked up by the Minnesota Vikings. Pretty good fit, and while the guy down there is Adrian Peterson, I have no doubt that the Vikings could use a complimentary power back. Good for him.

Next, Taylor Embree is now a San Diego Charger; thank you so much, because I just so happen to be a hybrid Chargers-Dolphins fan. I am glad he didn’t make the piss-poor decision to become an Oakland Raider; those are for failed $outhern Cal QBs.

And then, of course, the Jacksonville Jaguars picked up UCLA wide-out Nelson Rosario, our top target last season and owner of many ridiculous catches. Check it:

Finally, DT Nate Chandler was picked up by the Carolina Panthers, thus bolstering their incredible front seven.

We’ll keep our eyes peeled to find any further UCLA Bruins who get signed. For now, let’s hope that these guys have had as big an impact as they have here at UCLA. May they represent the True Blue and Gold with class and excellence.

H/T: Hilarie Grey, from Twitter. Thanks!

@greywolfguard @GoJoeBruinUCLA @UCLAAthletics #Bruins‘ WR Taylor Embree signs with @Chargers: boltsfromtheblue.com/2012/4/28/2985… #GoBolts!

— Hilarie Grey (@desertsheepdog) April 29, 2012

GO BRUINS!!!!

UPDATE 1: UCLA Safety Tony Dye has been picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals. Dye was on the draft radar for much of the season, up until injuries ruined his senior season.

UPDATE 2: Cory Harkey has been picked up by the St. Louis Rams.

UPDATE 3: UCLA offensive lineman Mike Harris has been scooped up by the San Diego Chargers. (H/T: xonair, in the comments section below.)

Hopefully, our boy Nelson Rosario can make it somewhere. Dude has potential.

Well, that sucked.

UCLA managed to do the unthinkable — but expected — by not having any players get drafted in the 2012 NFL draft.

We’ve highlighted that this is no surprise, but that in no way alleviated the pain associated with the 2011 UCLA football team. T

The good thing: That season is now completely over, with nothing more — save for undrafted free agent Bruins, including dudes like Nelson Rosario, Cory Harkey, Derrick Coleman and a few other seniors — to come out of that team.

Of course, nothing would make us happier than to see some of our Bruins make headlines for becoming unheralded, undrafted free agents and having an impact on any NFL team. We know damn well that Nelson Rosario and Derrick Coleman are legitimate offensive threats that had some not-great seasons — due to poor offensive philosophy and bad quarterbacking — so it wouldn’t be totally crazy that they have some kind of impact after making a practice squad.

We may not have had a single Bruin drafted this year, but what makes it better is that current UCLA TE Joe Fauria and P/K Jeff Locke are both considered the top 2013 NFL draft prospects at their respective positions. Also consider that some of our seniors may make some noise throughout the season, especially if offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and defensive coordinator Lou Spanos can rally the troops around their systems.

For now, let’s just sulk and move on and pray that our Bruins can somehow make it to the next level anyway possible.

GO BRUINS!!!

(H/T: The Mighty Bruins)

Everyone seemed super positive about the way NFL Pro Day went, and that’s what we expect. These guys may be leaving, but we sure as hell hope they get drafted, and drafted high.

Of course, the big story here is that UCLA closed its NFL Pro Day, and while this is old news, I’m still bitter about it. What it says is that UCLA players are, perhaps, a little afraid of scrutiny. Little character things like that are red flags for NFL scouts. (I’m sure if you forgot to clean your mustache of the bread crumbs from this morning’s strudel, NFL scouts are writing that down, too.)

Regardless, we’re happy to hear that Pro Day was all nice and dandy, even if no one got to see it. By the way these guys are talking, they’ve definitely inherited Rick Neuheisel’s “relentlessly positive” philosophy.

Currently, DraftSite.com doesn’t have any Bruins projected to get picked up in the draft, which is a damn shame. You’d figure a bruiser like Derrick Coleman or a smart player like Tony Dye would be projected to go somewhere in the draft, but apparently, that ain’t happening.

The good thing with football is that undrafted free agents have a good amount of success in the NFL. Not as much as draftees, mind you, but it isn’t totally impossible to blow some faces away while on a team’s practice squad. This isn’t basketball, where undrafted players that play well are heralded as saviors and are a symbol of hard work, because it tends to happen in the NFL.

Regardless, we’ll be praying that the scouts love them, because we sure as hell did.

GO BRUINS!!!

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

(more…)

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.

(more…)

With the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against the Illinois Fighting Illini in San Francisco just a few days away, here’s what UCLA’s Bruins need to do in order to have the best chance of winning and sending interim coach / outgoing offensive coordinator Mike Johnson out on a good note.

Not to mention going into the Jim L. Mora era the same way…

1.  CONTAIN WHITNEY MERCILUS AND THE REST OF THE FIGHTING ILLINI’S FRONT SEVEN

Which won’t be easy as the five starters on the Bruins’ offensive line will include a guy who’s making his first start since his senior year in high school, tackle Brett Downey, who’s in there because Albert Cid is academically ineligible and Chris Ward has a knee injury.

Not too much to ask, trying to keep a consensus All-American who leads the FBS in sacks (14.5) and forced fumbles from pounding quarterback Kevin Prince.

“I have been watching tape on him,” Downey said. “I…worked my butt off to get to this spot. Now I’m here and I have to make the most of it.”

Center Kai Maiava and his line mates Jeff Baca and Mike Harris will do well to make the most of it, too, because if they play as inconsistently as they have at times this year, it will likely be a long day for Prince and the rest of UCLA’s offense.

2.   MAKE THE TACKLES AND GET SOME TURNOVERS ON DEFENSE

And that will be a pretty big challenge as the Bruins’ leading tackler, linebacker Patrick Larimore, is out with torn ligaments in his thumb, which he had surgery on two weeks ago; his 80 tackles will be sorely missed on a unit that’s given up 99 points in its last two games.

Jordan Zumwalt will move to Larimore’s middle linebacker spot.

Datone Jones and the rest of the UCLA defensive line need to do something that they haven’t been able to do lately: get into the backfield and cause havoc, while the secondary, well…

While Illinois’ offense is not Oregon’s or USC’s, if they continue to keep getting beat like they have of late, that’s a depressing thought.

And the Illini have a receiver who can put up big numbers and do much damage, A.J.Jenkins, who has over 1,100 receiving yards on the season, so Sheldon Price, Andrew Abbott, and the rest of their defensive back mates have their work cut out for them.

(more…)

They’ve waited nearly a month for this, and now its finally here.

UCLA’s football team, coached by a guy who will be leaving Westwood to seek other opportunities as soon as the clock hits three zeroes in the fourth quarter, will be playing in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at a baseball stadium, AT&T Park in San Francisco, on New Year’s Eve – this coming Saturday – against the Illinois Fighting Illini, a team that likewise has an interim coach.

These Illini from Champaign has had problems of their own, namely losing six straight after a 6-0 start – the first time in NCAA FBS history that has happened – leaving them with a 2-6 record in the Big Ten Conference and resulting in the firing of coach Ron Zook.

Looking at Illinois, it is clear that this is a team that’s built on defense, which explains them being two-point favorites and will be a concern for the Bruins and their run-oriented pistol offense, as they haven’t really shown that they can be really successful against a quality defense this season, illustrated by USC shutting them out.

Whitney Mercilus is the star of Illinois’ defense and a guy that UCLA and Mike Johnson, the Bruins’ offensive coordinator who will be the interim head guy this Saturday, will have to worry about and contain as he leads the Illini in tackles for loss with 19.5 for 106 yards and sacks with 14.5.

As the Bruins’ offensive line has been merely OK – good in the running game but not as good in pass protection – and will be without Albert Cid because of him being academically ineligible, Mercelius will be looking to cause havoc in UCLA’s backfield, particularly on pass plays, but he’s not the only member of Illinois’ defensive front seven that the Bruins have to be concerned about.

Jonathan Brown and Michael Buchanan are two other guys who the Bruins will have to contain, Brown leading Illinois in tackles with 102, 19 of them resulting in lost yardage, while Buchanan is another beast with 6.5 sacks, giving the Illini a total of 36, averaging three a game.

As for the offensive side of the ball, that has been pretty much Illinois’ downfall in their six-game slide.

(more…)

Here’s the link to click:

Rick Neuheisel carried off the field after final practice on YouTube

It was a touching act from the players to a guy who was much maligned by a lot of people – the press, alumni, boosters – and who ultimately paid the price for his team’s inconsistencies.

It was really too bad that his Bruins didn’t perform better, because Neuheisel bleeds blue and gold and was so passionate about UCLA.

Meanwhile, I’m going to post another clip of who I think was the Bruins’ most valuable player this season, running back Derrick Coleman.

His 655 rushing yards is not eye popping, but his 5.1 yards per game and 11 touchdowns stand out.

Having seen him, UCLA would have not won as many as six games without Coleman, as he gained crucial yards all season; whenever the Bruin offense needed a first down, he almost always got it for them.

Plus I’m sure he’s looking for redemption after his three-yard performance against USC, so look for him to have a good game tonight against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game.

Here’s the link of a Coleman highlight to click. Enjoy…

Derrick Coleman rushes to 4Qtr Touchdown on YouTube

All right, now that UCLA’s in the Pac-12 Championship Game – despite getting pounded by USC and only because Arizona State and Utah tanked in their games against California and Colorado, respectively…

Here’s how David, I mean the Bruins, can shock the sports universe and beat Goliath, I mean the #9 ranked Oregon Ducks, this Friday night:

1. Do something that they failed to do against the Trojans – KEEP OREGON’S OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD!

Kevin Prince and company were fairly OK in moving the ball between the 20′s, but couldn’t score.

They need to do quite a bit better in controlling the clock and winning the time of possession, and Derrick Coleman, who’s been UCLA’s best and most valuable player as he’s gotten crucial yardage all season long, must have a much better game than he did against SC, when he got only three yards rushing in what was his worst day as a Bruin.

In stating the obvious, they absolutely cannot commit any turnovers and penalties, or make any other mistakes.

If the Bruins’ offense does these things, they just may have a decent shot.

2.  UCLA’s defense must do what they absolutely and miserably failed to do against USC: CONTROL THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AND PRESSURE THE QUARTERBACK!

Not only that, but Datone Jones, Cassius Marsh, Sean Westgate, Patrick Larimore and the rest of the Bruins’ front seven must close the gaps that Oregon’s offense does so well in creating, and make tackles.

In other words, they need to stop playing like a high school JV team, which is exactly what they looked like in the Coliseum, and show some pride, because that’s more or less all they have left.

Don’t think I’m letting the UCLA secondary off the hook either, as they looked just as much like a high school JV team as their front seven mates; not to pick on him, but Sheldon Price was particularly toasted by the Trojans’ receivers.

That cannot happen against the Ducks, as Price, Andrew Abbott, Tony Dye, and the rest of those defensive backs need to stick right with the Duck receivers and not let them get separation the way that SC’s receivers did.

If they have to commit pass interference if they get beat deep, I wouldn’t jump their case for it as it would at least give the Bruins another chance to stop that high potent Ducks’ offense from scoring.

As much as I hate to say this, even if the defense does all those things and plays above their heads, it will still be a tough challenge to stop Oregon, as coach Chip Kelly’s offense is second to none and will certainly get their yards and points.

Especially since they commonly use the no-huddle and run plays at a breakneck pace; can the Bruins keep up with that?

We’ll see…

3.   DO NOT LET AUTZEN STADIUM OR THEIR CROWD INTIMIDATE THEM.

That pretty much goes without saying, as the Ducks’ home field in Eugene is the toughest place to play in the Pac-12. A pronounced sense of focus and turning a deaf ear to Oregon’s fans and the extremely loud noise that they are sure to make will help UCLA’s cause as well.

The last key to this game for these Bruins…

4.   LET IT ALL HANG OUT AND PLAY LIKE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE.

Which even though the Rose Bowl is at stake, they don’t.

Rick Neuheisel will officially be the former UCLA football coach after the clock hit three zeroes in the 4th quarter at Autzen on Friday – offensive coordinator Mike Johnson will take over on an interim basis afterwards – so the Bruins may as well have fun, play as hard as they can, and let the chips fall.

That’s the attitude they need to take in Eugene.

Being that Oregon is so good, that still will likely not be enough to win, but it would be completely sad if UCLA just lays down like they did against their crosstown rival.

Which I don’t think will happen.

The sports landscape is filled with epic upsets in its history, like the U.S. Hockey team beating the Soviets in Lake Placid in 1980, or the Joe Namath-led New York Jets, an AFL upstart, beating the NFL’s powerful Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969.

I honestly don’t see Kevin Prince as the next Namath, and I definitely don’t see Rick Neuhiesel as the next Herb Brooks, the coach that led that upset over the Russians, but at the risk of sounding clicheish…

You never know.