It's been 5 years of mediocrity, inconsistency, and sometimes just dumbfounding decision making and flat out blunders that have cost UCLA games and ruined seasons, yet Karl is still running the show.
The west coast offense has been a failure, besides the one year with Tom Cable calling the plays and Drew Olson (took him three years to get the offense), Maurice Drew and Marcedes Lewis executing them. We went 10-2, but also had the obligatory meltdown game against a doormat team (Arizona) and another thrashing at the Coliseum, where we haven't been competitive in years.
While the 2008 recruiting class may be Karl's best yet, he's had 4 others in the past that weren't exactly slouches, but have yet to yield the expected results. With 20+ seniors that have been in the fold for four years or more, the 2007 season is quickly proving that players just don't develop well under Dorrell. By now, these players should have developed discipline, a hunger to win, the ability to play with consistency, and a mean streak that all great football players should have.
Bruin fans are losing patience with Dorrell, yet the AD doesn't seem to notice or care. If the 2007 season doesn't produce at least 10 wins, it's definitely time for a change. Otherwise, many loyal fans and boosters might just get fed up and jump ship, sending the program spiraling towards irrelevance in the college football universe.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Is the 2007 UCLA Football Season Cursed?
It's obvious that the 2007 UCLA football season is not going as expected. First, the team blows what should have been a guaranteed win to Utah. Then, they bounce back thanks to a rusty but effective Patrick Cowan, who then goes down to a potentially season-ending injury against Washington. Now, it's back to big Ben Olson, who hasn't lived up to expectations despite some sporadic flashes of brilliance (see the 2006 and 2007 season openers).
It's also obvious that coaching is not playing a definitive part in the wins or losses, which is not necessarily a good thing. It seems that the players themselves are either fired up or uninspired, and fans never know which team will show up. One can only hope that this senior-laden team will get it together and realize that this is their last chance to leave a mark on the UCLA history books, and make the most of their own athletic careers, which will soon be coming to an end for all but a few of these seniors.
Is it too much to ask for to have a well-coached, well-disciplined, motivated and inspired football team taking the field week in and week out? I for one think the season is cursed and don't know what to expect from week to week. I'm hoping to be proved wrong, starting with the game against the Beaves this Saturday.
It's also obvious that coaching is not playing a definitive part in the wins or losses, which is not necessarily a good thing. It seems that the players themselves are either fired up or uninspired, and fans never know which team will show up. One can only hope that this senior-laden team will get it together and realize that this is their last chance to leave a mark on the UCLA history books, and make the most of their own athletic careers, which will soon be coming to an end for all but a few of these seniors.
Is it too much to ask for to have a well-coached, well-disciplined, motivated and inspired football team taking the field week in and week out? I for one think the season is cursed and don't know what to expect from week to week. I'm hoping to be proved wrong, starting with the game against the Beaves this Saturday.
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