(11-25-2018, 10:25 AM)Garvin Wrote: ** the defensive backs, who took the day off after the first quarter, giving up 466 yard to a lightweight UCLA quarterback -- a third of his SEASON PASSING TOTAL. Practically the only passes he didn't complete were one that fell out of his hand for a fumble, and one thrown directly into the hands of Paulson Adebo, who was lying on the ground five yard from the nearest Bruin receiver, trying to make himself inconspicuous.
No doubt a forgettable game for the DB's, but it is worth mentioning that Speights has only played in 7 out of UCLA's 12 games. Nor was this Speight's best game from a PER perspective (though that is a bit misleading because he strangely threw 400+ yards but no touchdowns, and had one interception). Still, the game against us was comparable to his games against Arizona and ASU, with the exception that he threw more passes yesterday than any other game.
(11-25-2018, 10:25 AM)Garvin Wrote: ** whichever thoroughgoing imbecile on the offensive line let a UCLA defender come charging through, untouched and even un-breathed-upon, to tackle Bryce Love five yards deep in the end zone on a first and goal from the Stanford two-yard-line.
That would have been Hall, but we did not have first and goal; it was first and 10 from our own two-yard-line.
(11-25-2018, 10:25 AM)Garvin Wrote: ** the entire kicking team on the subsequent free kick, which let Bruin KR Darnay Holmes go 93 years for a touchdown. The only serious effort to tackle him was by the kicker, Jake Bailey.
That one was at least partly on Bailey, who out-kicked the coverage. There's a reason most teams punt rather than kick from the tee on the free kick.
(11-25-2018, 10:25 AM)Garvin Wrote: ** David Shaw. I'm not going to call him a moron because he's the winningest football coach in Stanford history. But he coached like one today. With a bit over five minutes left in the game, Stanford got the ball at its own 36 after UCLA missed a long field goal.
We led by a touchdown; it was obvious to everyone in America that the way our defense was being trampled, we needed to make it a two-score game. Obvious to everyone but Shaw, that is. He tried to run out the clock, calling three straight running plays and then punting with 3:42 left. Incredibly, UCLA got TWO more possessions and twice penetrated deep into Stanford territory...but couldn't quite get it done.
It may have been obvious to everyone in America, but it was wrong. As it turned out, we didn't need to make it a two-score game. Not to say that the ending didn't provoke unneeded stress, but the winningest coach in our history won another one, so maybe he should get the benefit of the doubt here.
(11-25-2018, 10:25 AM)Garvin Wrote: If we play like this next weekend, kal will give us a merciless ass-whipping. And we will deserve it."
Well, Cal started off with 14 points on Colorado's first two possessions on two pick-sixes, and then proceeded to get outscored by the Buffs 21-19. Cal's offense managed 211 yards of total offense and was 1/17 on third downs. I think we can win if we can protect the ball and not make dumb mistakes, but of course, we need to actually protect the ball.
BC