
EagleBank Bowl
U.C.L.A.
It says much about just how poor the Bruins played in 2008 that a 6-6 finish, with the 99th-ranked offense in the country, resembles progress. But make no mistake: there’s a reason this was the final team selected for bowl play, and that’s because U.C.L.A. is simply not very good. Better days are surely ahead, and perhaps the struggles from 2008-9 can be traced to the youth and inexperience that has defined the roster. Only three seniors start on offense — receiver Terrence Austin, tight end Logan Paulsen and fullback Chane Moline — and the freshmen Kevin Prince and Johnathan Franklin lead the team in passing and rushing, respectively. The youth continues on the offensive line, which features a starting lineup of a freshman, a junior and three sophomores. The offense is still growing, but should be better next season and, maybe, better after the dozen or so practices leading up to this game. The defense has been up to the task of carrying this anemic U.C.L.A. attack, limiting eight opponents to 24 points or less and only once (the second quarter against California) experiencing any monumental collapse. There is experience on this side of the ball, with five seniors, including the talented cornerback Alterraun Verner, joining the junior defensive tackle Brian Price to form the nation’s 31st-best scoring defense.
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