UCLA vs. Houston Preview: Crucial Match Right Off The Bat
By Derek Hart
Well, here we go…
What is likely the most important season for the UCLA Bruins’ football team in years will commence this Saturday at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston’s Campus, as Rick Neuheisel begins his fourth campaign as head coach against the Cougars.
We all know how Neuheisel’s on the hot seat at his alma mater and how he needs to win games this year, starting with this upcoming one, so we won’t go into that.
To put it quite plainly, this will be a tough game as it will be hot, humid and uncomfortably sticky. Plus UCLA will be playing in a hostile environment against a Cougar team looking for revenge due to their 31-13 loss to the Bruins in the Rose Bowl last season.
And on top of all that, this will be Houston quarterback Case Keenum’s first game back from a torn ACL, suffered last year against – you guessed it – UCLA.
If you think he’s not extra motivated for this battle, you are sorely mistaken as Keenum will be using his talented arm and loaded passing attack to try and beat the Bruins; the secondary, led by Aaron Hester, Sheldon Price and Tony Dye, will certainly be tested.
After an intense competition at quarterback that lasted throughout the spring and summer, Neuheisel has picked Kevin Prince to start under center over Richard Brehaut this Saturday.
I would have chosen Brehaut if I were the coach, because he has a stronger arm and can keep defense honest in the run-oriented “Pistol” offense by throwing the ball down field, but apparently Neuheisel feels that Prince has a better grasp of the Pistol and can run better; he does plan to play both men, so we’ll see how things work out.
UCLA’s running game will definitely be an important factor this Saturday, as Johnathan Franklin, Derrick Coleman, Malcolm Jones and Jordon James will need to get good yardage on the ground, tire out Houston’s defense in the heat, and keep their pass-happy offense off the field as well as eat some clock.
To say that this is a crucial game for the Bruins is an understatement, as they try to win at least six or seven games, get to the post season, and save Neuheisel’s job.
I would have preferred to start with San Jose State, UCLA’s next opponent which will serve as the home opener on September 17th, as that is the “cupcake” game of the season and would have served as a good warm-up for Houston, but as they say, “We’ve got to play the hand that we are dealt.”
As for how I think the game’s going to play out, I don’t like to predict scores, but I feel that if the Bruins execute well on offense – if Prince has a good day running the pistol and passing the ball, and if the running backs have good days as in Franklin, or Coleman, or both, getting over 100 yards – they will have a good shot at winning.
Oh, and they absolutely cannot turn the ball over.
Likewise if the defense, particularly the secondary, executes against the pass and if the front seven, led by Datone Jones, pressures Keenan and doesn’t give him any time to throw; that’s crucial against any good quarterback.
It’s been a long, hot spring and summer, and I know that the Bruins have been chomping at the bit to get things going.
Now, starting this Saturday, it’s time to put up or shut up.