UCLA Football trips on Stanford but stays positive, focusing efforts toward Oregon
Sophomore wide reciever Nelson Rosario catches a pass during Saturday’s game against Stanford in Palo Alto. With the loss behind them, coach Rick Neuhiesel said he is looking to defeat Oregon this week.
By Andrew Howard
Oct. 6, 2009 12:14 a.m.
Two days after suffering the first loss of the season, UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel started off his weekly press conference by expressing his love for his job.
He said he loved the game-planning for different opponents each week.
He noted the recruiting process and the interactions with the young players as highlights.
He even went so far as to admit he enjoys receiving e-mails from disgruntled alumni.
Yet after all that, Neuheisel said there was one thing he could go without.
“I just don’t like losing,” Neuheisel said. “So the key is to get rid of that feeling as quickly as is humanly possible. We’re on to the next game.”
The Bruins (3-1, 0-1 Pac-10) will have a chance to erase the memory of a 24-16 loss to Stanford when they host the No. 13 Oregon Ducks (4-1, 2-0) at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
Neuheisel termed it a “great test” for a Bruin team trying to rebound from a disappointing loss to the Cardinal in their Pac-10 opener.
With the loss, a bit of the luster surrounding the Bruins at the beginning of the season has faded. After three wins to start the season, the Bruins were unable to slow Stanford’s running back Toby Gerhart and were undone by a number of costly penalties.
When asked if the loss was simply a setback or a sign of greater concerns to come, Neuheisel was confident that it was just a bump in the road.
“I still feel good about our program,” Neuheisel said. “We’re still relentlessly positive and we believe that good things are in store. We’ve just got to get better on both side of the ball, kicking game, and I think that we’ve certainly got a good challenge and something to be excited about this week.
Last season, the Bruins lost to the Ducks, 31-24, in Eugene. In that game, Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was tremendously effective running the ball, rushing for a game-high 170 yards on 24 carries and one touchdown. He also had one touchdown through the air.
Neuheisel said he is confident in his team and that they will have a game-plan in place to limit Masoli.
“We had a good game with them a year ago; they got us in the end but I think our guys are going to respond in the exact right way,” Neuheisel said.
Kevin Prince could be close to returning
Neuheisel said that redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince could return to practice today, and depending how he is, will get a chance to practice with the first-team offense.
“I’d love to think he’ll be right where he was when he left off,” Neuheisel said. “If that’s the case, then yeah, we’ll have Kevin. But if there’s rustiness and things worry us in terms of how efficient he’ll be, then we have to make that decision at the appropriate time as well.”
Prince has had his jaw wired shut since suffering a fractured jaw late in the fourth quarter of the Bruins’ 19-15 victory against Tennessee in Knoxville on Sept. 12.
In the two games he started, Prince was 29-of-52 for 277 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Redshirt senior Kevin Craft has started the two games in Prince’s absence, completing 35-of-58 passes for 390 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Neuheisel, a former quarterback, said it is difficult for a quarterback to come back after an injury without signs of rust. Yet Neuheisel commented that Prince’s injury was one in which he has been able to throw and run, limiting chances of rust when he comes back.
“He’s a unique injury in that he’s been able to throw, he’s been able to run, he’s been able to do everything quarterback’s do,” Neuheisel said. “He just hasn’t been able to talk, which may be what quarterbacks do best. He’s been able to stay in good shape. I’m assuming everything will be good but only time will tell.”
Prince is scheduled to have an X-ray on his jaw Wednesday, but Neuheisel said he does not expect anything of concern to come up.
Chrisitan Ramirez plays one play
Redshirt junior running back Christian Ramirez played in one play on Saturday against Stanford, yet it was nullified by a Bruin penalty.
Lined up in the shotgun in the Wildcat formation, Ramirez was about to take the snap when left guard Jeff Baca was flagged for a false start. Ramirez did not return the rest of the game.
Neuheisel said the situation did not arise in which the Bruins could have used the play again, and noted that he is waiting to see that burst of speed from Ramirez before he returns in a larger role.
After winning the No. 1 spot in fall camp, Ramirez has been sidelined by a high ankle sprain thus far.
