Oregon coach Mike Bellotti was asked what stuck out most to him about UCLA’s defense this season.
“The numbers that jump out to me about UCLA are they’re number one in the league in total defense, number one in red zone defense, number one in pass efficiency defense, number one in third down defense, number one in first down defense, number one in turnover margin, number one in rushing defense and number one in scoring defense,” Bellotti said. “So there’s not one number that jumps out at you. Every single number is very, very important. They’re by far, at this point, the most dominant defensive team in this league, and it’s not even close.”
UCLA’s defensive performance this season is a stark contrast to a Bruins defense last year that finished ranked ninth in the conference, allowing 468.1 yards per game.
This season with new defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, the Bruins allow just 221.6 yards per game, including a meager 50 yards per game rushing.
“They’re certainly a much improved team on defense,” Bellotti said. “Last year they were an offensive team that outscored people. This year, they are a defensive team that has created opportunities for their offense with turnovers and playing unbelievable defense across the board.”
But after wins against Utah, Rice, Stanford, Arizona and a loss at Washington – teams with a combined 11-19 record – UCLA likely faces its stiffest test of the season against an Oregon offense that ranks first in the conference with an average of 470.2 yards per game.
The Ducks are looking to get back on track after struggling offensively last week in a 45-24 loss at California. Oregon gained well under its season average with 358 yards, including a season-low 70 yards on the ground against the Bears.
Like Cal, UCLA’s defense poses many challenges for Oregon’s offense.
“Their defense is really explosive,” said Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, who ranks first in the conference in passing and total offense. “After watching film, they’re pretty much mistake-free. We’ve just got to execute our plays 100 percent. It’s going to be a dog fight.”
UCLA does not rely on any one particular standout player defensively. The Bruins’ leading tackler is Chris Horton, who ranks tied for 28th in the conference with 27 total tackles.
Bellotti said UCLA’s strength is in its team speed. After watching film, he noted that on multiple plays, all 11 UCLA players arrived at the ball. That team speed results in many tackles in the backfield, and often defensive ends Justin Hickman and Bruce Davis are the ones responsible.
The two have combined for 16 tackles for losses, including 11 sacks this season.
“UCLA has great speed,” Bellotti said. “They are faster than Cal because their defensive lineman run better than Cal’s. We have to be prepared for that.
“Whenever you play speed, you have to use that speed against the defense. You have to get them to over-commit, you have to do misdirection-type plays.”
One of Bellotti’s primary concerns following the lopsided loss at Cal, which dropped Oregon from No. 11 to No. 18 in the polls, is the Ducks’ turnover-takeaway ratio. The Ducks committed four turnovers and created only one against the Bears. Oregon currently ranks tied for eighth in that category with seven takeaways and 11 turnovers.
“(That is) the number one statistic in college football in relation to winning,” Bellotti said, noting that many of the turnovers were more a result of Oregon mistakes than Cal’s pressure. “We have to be on the plus side of that or you’re not going to win. It’s very simple.”
Bellotti said he does not worry about lost confidence from the team’s first defeat.
“I think it actually ought to fire our team up,” Bellotti said. “Because the problem is, we didn’t play very well. I think those things are in our control. We’ve proven we can play at the highest level with anybody.”
“More than anything else, there’s sort of an anger-frustration that we can channel into positive motivation to play better and prove that we are a better team than last week.”
The Bruins visit Autzen Stadium in search of their fifth win in six tries and a Pac-10-high 13th win overall in a stadium that has traditionally been unkind to visiting teams. UCLA has lost only twice to the Ducks in Autzen Stadium.
But for the Bruins to pull off another victory, they must do so with sophomore quarterback Patrick Cowan, who’ll make the first start of his career after former starter Ben Olson suffered a tear of his MCL in the first quarter of a 27-7 victory last week against Arizona.
Prior to last Saturday’s outing, Cowan had completed just one pass for four yards and appeared in five total games in two years.
Yet the UCLA offense did not miss a beat when Cowan entered the game. He led the Bruins on a six-play, 43-yard drive that culminated with his seven-yard touchdown pass to Marcus
Everett. The 6-foot-5-inch, 224-pounder finished the day 20-of-29 passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns.
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