Josh Rosen Ego-Watch – UNLV Edition
Josh Rosen took a step back against UNLV, completing only 52.4% of his passes for 223 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. That worked out fine for UCLA, but it’s great for our project of testing claims that Rosen has a big ego and can’t be coached.
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Project Recap
To recap, scouts and analysts such as Trent Dilfer created a narrative during Rosen’s recruitment that he was arrogant and uncoachable. Dilfer went so far as to rank Rosen, the number one quarterback recruit in the nation, last in his Elite 11 camp rankings for this very reason.
PREVIOUSLY: Playing Devil’s Advocate on Josh Rosen’s Debut
As a fan, I hope the narrative is wrong, and I’m not inclined to accept it as given. But as an analyst, I want to put it to the test. To do that, I’m watching this season for any indication that Rosen’s ego is acting up, and I’m being really nit-picky about it.
Sep 12, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Paul Perkins (24) runs the ball against the UNLV Rebels during the second quarter at Sam Boyd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
The best way to disprove an argument is to take it seriously and give it every chance to be true. That way, when you’ve amassed the evidence and found it wanting, you’re rejection of the hypothesis can be conclusive.
So, yes, I’m being very unfair to Rosen in this series. I’m not a hater, or even a skeptic, and I’m not looking to take the joy out of what could be a special season. I do this in hopes of proving the doubters wrong; if not, we can at least have a clear-eyed understanding of UCLA’s quarterback situation and team chemistry.
Ball Hog?
After Rosen’s stellar debut against Virginia, many wondered how he would handle the frustration of a disappointing outing. The UNLV game gave us a great example of this, as Rosen and his receivers seemed out of sync all night long. There were dropped passes, missed routes, and overthrown deep balls. But nowhere have I seen any indication that there was tension between Rosen and his receivers, his line, or his coaches. While his stat-line may not have impressed, his poise did.
I kind of like that attitude of getting greedy, but he’s got to do it within the system. — Jim Mora on Josh Rosen, via Joey Kaufman
The only hint of selfishness I picked up as I listened to the radio broadcast was that Rosen was reluctant to hand off the ball on option plays, opting instead to pass whenever he could. Jim Mora noted as much, and Rosen himself admitted that he probably should have handed the ball off more.
It could indicate anything from a desire to break out of his passing funk, to trying recapture the glory of his much-lauded debut, to a default mode of taking the leading role. Ultimately, he had 42 passing attempts in his second game, a total that Brett Hundley only ever matched three times in his career. Worth keeping an eye on.
Next: Chris Clark Departs UCLA Football Team