UCLA 56, Hawai’i 23
Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl)
September 9, 2017
UCLA head coach Jim Mora
opening remarks
“I’m happy, certainly offensively Josh [Rosen] was seeing the field real well. Our receivers did a good job of getting open and making plays with the ball after the catch. I thought we protected better than last week. We made some improvements defensively that was probably overshadowed by some of the late runs when we were playing some other guys. We had three guys unavailable to us, but I know that all three of those guys will fight their way back to play at Memphis next week. Like any game there were some good things and some things we need to improve on. We will enjoy the win but we will go back and be very critical about the way we played and coached and the schemes we run to find ways to get better. We take wins where we can get them that’s for sure.”
on quarterback Josh Rosen
“He is playing really consistent and seeing things better. He has worked very hard on this new offense to understand it. Every snap he takes because he is a cerebral guy, because it’s important to him, because he works hard he is going to improve. And that is what we are seeing. The key is to continue with his approach and the mindset that every snap matters, every practice rep matters and every clip of film he watches matters. He is capable of really good things when he does that.
on expectation of Rosen
I can’t say that I had expectations then he would come back and try his best to be the best he can be. In terms of performance expectations, there were none. It was just come back and give everything you got every day and try to be a great player for your football team.
on evaluating the defense
I still think you have to look at it hard regardless who is in there. Are we doing things schematically correct? Are your players understanding what you’re asking them to do and are you putting your players in the best positions to succeed? Regardless of who is in there it gives you a chance to evaluate what you’re doing and evaluate all your players. It was great to see some guys get time that we are going to depend on and count on because they are in the depth chart. They are guys that are going to have to play for us. Every rep is a chance to get better and a chance to evaluate ways to get better.
on Rosen’s ball security
Its critical and his ball security was much better today because last week he had the two fumbles. Every player that has the ball it becomes responsible for its security. It’s a constant point of emphasis for us securing the ball in and out of the pocket and making good decisions with your throws. There’s always an element of luck as we saw last week with a couple of those throws. It’s something we constantly preach and something that Josh has really owned.
on Caleb Wilson
The receivers and the tight ends have played well, not just in the pass game but they have been blocking well. I’ll have to look at the film to see if they were doing anything specific to take Caleb away but in every offensive play is designed in such a way, depending on what the defense shows you, there is a progression on what receiver is thrown to. Obviously with the progressions, it was taking Josh away from Caleb. But when they did go towards Caleb he made the catches.
on starting Nate Starks
We play players dependent on a lot of things: How they practice, are they doing the right things in the program, are they earning that time and do they fit into a certain package. It depends on what we are trying to emphasize with a certain package. All those things go into every decision regarding what players are going to play.
UCLA offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch
on Josh Rosen
“Ya it’s been enjoyable to watch him work. He’s really worked hard at it to be locked in. He’s always really focused in camp and he’s focused in the season, and practices and meetings. He’s done a really, really good job. And he’s throwing the ball really well right now. We’ll go from there. I’m pretty happy with where he is in terms of leading the first offense. Since I guess it’s been 12 drives now so that’s exciting. Now we just have to continue to do that. And not lose any momentum. Go right back out there and see if we can continue moving the football.”
on running back rotation
“We’re just trying to figure out a good back rotation. And guys that are practicing really hard are getting starts. And he practiced really hard this week and gave him an opportunity and I think he ran the ball pretty good. Had a couple chances, he had one drop in there that he could of gone. But he did a good job.”
On running game as a whole
“Yea I think we ran the ball well, I mean we’re pretty balanced. I think we [had] 25 carries or 26 carries for 133 or so. I thought that was good. I think we had some opportunities, we definitely can work on. Couple guys went the wrong way at times. Couple things we can clean up. But for the most part we’re a little better, but we need to be better than that.”
on Theo Howard
“Theo had a good game, 7 catches for 100 yards or more. Had a touchdown and had a chance for another. Played really well and nice to see his development. But he’s a very good player, so I hope he continues to impact the offence and the more weapons and the more guys that can do that with the ball in their hands and can get some touches and they get yards after them is always good for us.”
on the balance of the offense
“We probably had a plan going in at the end of the first quarter, I mean at halftime, that we felt like we were throwing the ball well. We felt good about our protection and felt good about a couple plays and we called those plays, but no there was no set plan that we were going to call a bunch of passes in a row.”
on the double pass
“Good, it was good. I would have liked to see us get in on that. But Nate kind of bobbled it a little bit. They reacted pretty good to it there to make a play to stop us short of the end zone. It was nice to get a big chunk of change there…. Yea we practiced that.”
UCLA wide receiver Theo Howard
on how it felt to make some plays today and make a big impact?
"It felt good, trying to make the most of my opportunities with the first group. And Josh."
on being in the zone today…
"There were a couple plays where I caught a couple of passes in the row…definitely trying to make the most out of my opportunities."
on improvements from last season
"Blocking, coaches have been emphasizing blocking and how important that is. Everybody’s been buying into that, and I felt like we did a good job blocking today."
on this year compared to last year
"Last year there was a lot going on, it was an adjustment period. But we put a lot of hard work in and everyone got together in the offseason…it’s really good to see all the success right now."
on Josh Rosen
"He’s great, really getting everybody together. Always putting the ball where it needs to be and directing everybody…being a leader."
on what’s the best thing about Rosen as a QB
"Just his god given gifts. The ability to put the ball where it needs to be . Make the deep passes, make the short passes, read the defense. Just his god given abilities."
UCLA running back Nate Starks
on being named the starter
"Early this week, Coach came down and told us all that we gotta be ready as the next guy up and I just wanted to make sure I was ready for the opportunity."
on how it felt to start for the first time
"It felt good. Could have ran a little more. But for what we did we passed the ball very well and at the end of the day we got the win that’s all we care about. Ready to get better this week and get on to the next."
on evaluating Caleb Wilson as a QB
"He’s good. He did that in high school so you know he was working on that all week. I bobbled it a little bit but I made the catch, so I’m glad I got to do that."
on Josh Rosen
"Yeah, it’s great to see his growth. I’ve been here since he was a freshman, he just keeps getting better and he’s locked in every week been a great leader this year."
on being a part of this offense
"The game is pretty fun when everybody is locked in and on the same page on offence and that’s what it’s all about getting ready during the week and getting the right prep and coming out and having fun."
How has the run game improved from last year?
"I think we spent a lot more time with the O line both coaches and players wise. We do extra film with just players and we build our relationship with the O line in the off season, and you know it’s important to do that because you want to play for your bother and the guy on the other line isn’t going to mess with my brother. I think that’s what it is were plating as brothers. Better chemistry and were just having fun with the whole offensive scheme, coach brought in so much for us and I think were excited."
UCLA defensive back Darnay Holmes
on how comfortable he played today
"I honestly was just feeling comfortable out there and being more confident. It was a cover 3 type of zone and then they were the hitches. Couple plays and I was like ‘alright I’m over there’ looking bad on my side of the ball and decided to jump it."
on scoring first touchdown
"I was just thinking in my head ‘Is this real?’ And then my celebration wasn’t the best celebration obviously, just soaked it all in. but it’s honestly just a blessing to be here right now and just be here in front of you guys."
on almost scoring a touchdown on kick return
"Man that’s something I’m going to go back to and watch that film. I don’t know what happened, but something I gotta work on, not get tackled by one man."
on leadership on defense
"At that point we all stepped up as leaders. We don’t turn to nobody but Coach Mora, all the defense coordinators, but we got those guys cheering us on and just they will be back for sure. Losing them just had us step it up a little bit."
on being a vocal leader
"I don’t talk much unless Jaleel starts getting at me then I start whoopin, but honestly stay in my little zone and just playin out, get more comfortable here. I’m not gonna be ‘A freshman can’t talk too much’, just the way the world works. I’m just gonna keep on doing me and help my boys.
on maturity through first two games
"Camp definitely helped a lot, coming in early helped a lot, but these two games definitely got me a feel from first game opening up against an SEC school, this blessing from God, never knew that I was gonna come here open up a SEC school hard knocks ball, and just playing Hawaii just got me get more comfortable they’re a great team. These two opponents we had definitely got my confidence more up."
Hawai’i head coach Nick Rolovich
on Josh Rosen
“They were ready. He played very well. I thought their coaches had a great plan and he threw the ball very well. We gotta get to him and play better defense. Coverage defense and you know we didn’t do either.”
on Josh Rosen’s release being too fast
“There’s a reason he’s a future NFL draft pick. We knew that coming in. Like I said, I’m impressed. He’s a quarterback, not just a pretty arm, and you know as a former quarterback you can respect that.
on rolling up a lot of yards, but not translating it into points
“Well some of them are communist yards at the end. You know the first two drives, them stalling out, we needed some points out of those. This team, they took advantage of every opportunity we gave them and every mistake we made and we didn’t capitalize enough when we had opportunities to score.”
on the fake punt
“That’s my fault. Probably too long of a call.”
on the team’s third-down execution
“I don’t have the numbers but I know we weren’t good at halftime and they were perfect. That’s a part of situational football. We were a little bit better at the start of this year than when we ended last year. We weren’t very good on third down, didn’t get off the field on defense, didn’t stay on the field on offense, and you know when we had chances we didn’t execute. You can’t take anything away from this UCLA team. I know they only won a few games last year. They are a good football team and with a quarterback like that and all the speed. When you look at that coaching staff, those guys have done some stuff. They had a great plan and they executed it well.”
on holding UCLA’s tight end (Caleb Wilson) in check
“Yeah, they did and he made a couple plays. Obviously it was an emphasis of ours. We let their receivers outside, play actions, double moves, and he was very accurate deep. That’s one of the things that makes him attractive at the next level.”
on if whether some of UCLA’s speed surprised him
“No. Not when you consistently have top 20 recruiting classes. You’re going to have some guys that can run. I’m impressed with the freshmen corner to break on that ball and pick and go. I hope their safeties that got hurt are OK because they’re good football players and they should be playing football. Same with their middle linebacker that got hurt. I hope those guys are alright.”
on running back Diocemy Saint Juste’s play
“He’s a good talent and he’s really bought into the schemes and all that. He grinds and grinds and grinds and then he pops one. You know obviously we could have played better, but some guys did some good things. I think there is some stuff that we can build on. Now we get the bye and get into the conference.
on seeming more optimistic coming off this week’s loss as opposed to last week’s victory
“You don’t need to kick a dog when he’s down. These guys need to know that we love them. I told them the only time I get pissed at them is if they quit on us or each other and I don’t think that they did that. They kept going out there and battling and that’s what we need. If we fall apart, our goals are much harder to obtain.”