UCLA ranks among the top in a variety of defensive categories within the Pacific-10 Conference.
The Bruins are tied for first in turnover margin (plus one per game), opponent third down conversions (22.6 percent), pass defense efficiency (103.2), total defense (221.6 yards per game), rushing defense (50 yards per game), scoring defense (12.4 points per game) and opponent first downs (69). UCLA is second to Oregon in pass defense (171.6 ypg) and tied for third in sacks (17 for 132 yards).
Through five games, UCLA has limited its opponents to 300 yards or less of total offense in each game. UCLA is second in the nation in total defense at 221.6 yards allowed per game.
But the Bruins five opponents – Utah, Rice, Washington, Stanford and Arizona – average a combine 306.4 yards per game.
In comparison, Oregon ranks first in the conference and fourth nationally with a 470.2 yards per-game average.
The Bruins’ only loss of the season came at Washington, a team that averages 367.67 yards per game, sixth best in the conference and 45th nationally.
“The question is has their scheduled challenged them? That I don’t know,” Bellotti said. “We’ll find that out on Saturday. But they’re certainly a much improved team on defense.”
Olson out, Cowan in
Quarterback Ben Olson took the road less traveled to UCLA. The 23-year-old sophomore redshirted one year at Brigham Young University, then left the program for a two-year Mormon mission in Canada. He returned to college football with the Bruins last season and battled another Olson – UCLA senior Drew Olson – for the starting spot. Drew Olson eventually won the job, so Ben Olson figured his time to shine was this season.
But Ben Olson, after suffering a left knee injury last week against Arizona, won’t be throwing the ball for the Bruins in a key Pac-10 road game at Oregon. Olson will be sidelined an expected four to six weeks and will miss a key stretch of games for UCLA that includes games at Notre Dame and California, and home games against Washington State and Oregon State.
Before his injury, Olson was efficient in leading UCLA to a 3-1 record by completing 79 of 124 passes for 822 yards and five touchdowns.
Fellow sophomore Patrick Cowan will take over for the Bruins.
A sure foot
UCLA kicker Justin Medlock, a three-year starter and a member of the Lou Groza Award watch list for the nation’s top kicker, is again enjoying a solid year. Entering the season, he was 42 of 56 total on field goals and 118 of 119 on point-after attempts in his career. He has the most 50-plus yard field goals in UCLA history with five – two of which came against the Ducks in 2004 when he connected on kicks of 52 and 50 yards, respectively.
Medlock has booted 12 of-13 field goals through this season including 2-of- 2 from 50 or more yards.
He’s also successfully converted 98 consecutive point-after attempts.
Medlock ranks first nationally with an average of 2.4 field goals per game and is tied for first in the Pac-10 in scoring with 10 points per game.
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