University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
The Roth Report - September, 2015
Bill Roth, who comes to UCLA for his first year as the ‘Voice of the Bruins’ after spending the past 27 seasons as the lead play-by-play broadcaster for Virginia Tech’s football and men’s basketball teams, will be doing a monthly column exclusively for uclabruins.com. Roth is an 11-time winner of the Virginia Sportscaster of the Year award, as voted on by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, and is a member of both the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Syracuse University's WAER Hall of Fame.
The Roth Report: Vol. 1 (Sept., 2015)
There’s something really special about the opening week of college football season throughout this country. Optimism abounds on campuses, big and small, as the long wait since the end of last season finally comes to an end.
Maybe more than any other sport, college football hits all the senses too – from the sounds of the marching bands to the smell of the smoke rising from tailgaters’ grills.
But most of all, college football hits the heart because it ties generations of fans – current students and alums, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters – together for one cause on glorious Saturdays from Labor Day through New Year’s Day.
For those of us who love college football, this is the best time of year. Everyone is unbeaten. The real storylines of the season have yet to be written. On the horizon, we all know drama, suspense, euphoria and heartache are coming our way, and we can’t get enough of it, can we? Bring it on!
And while every college football fan is hopeful his or her team will have a great season, there’s true reason for optimism at UCLA as the Bruins hope to build on back-to-back 10-win seasons while entering 2015 ranked 13th in the AP Poll and 14th in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Not including specialists, the Bruins return 16 starters – eight on both sides of the ball, including the Pac-12’s leading rusher – and have the look of a championship contender for sure. The unknown, of course, is under center. How will Josh Rosen perform as the Bruin’s starting quarterback?
This is part of the drama that’s about to unfold starting Saturday, Sept. 5 at the Rose Bowl and play out at stadiums across the Pac-12 and country. It should be a fun ride.
It will be my honor and privilege to chronicle the story of this upcoming season from the radio booth at the Rose Bowl and here on uclabruins.com. Like you, I’m hoping 2015 will be one very special season for Bruin fans everywhere.
What to watch for this fall? Well, let’s take a look:
“Don’t Crash the Ferrari.” One of my favorite quotes of this preseason came from UCLA wide receiver Jordan Payton. His advice to Rosen was akin to a father handing over the Italian sports car’s keys to his son. “You’re walking into a Ferrari of an offense,” Payton said of his advice to Rosen. “Your only job is ‘don’t crash.’ Stay calm. Stop at the red lights. Be peaceful. Stay calm, don’t do anything crazy, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Payton, whose 67 receptions last season marked the sixth-highest single-season total in UCLA history, is one of many features this 2015 model that is the UCLA offense boasts. Overall, the Bruins return seven of their top eight receivers. When you add Pac-12 rushing leader Paul Perkins and a veteran offensive line to the mix, it’s easy to see why Payton’s Ferrari metaphor has merit.
But since 1972 – the first year freshmen were eligible to play – no true-freshman has ever started the season opener UCLA. That will change this week.
What to expect? “There are going to be some frustrating plays, and there will be some plays that are dumbfounding,” Head Coach Jim Mora said. “But we're also going to see some great plays.”
Rosen’s learning curve will no doubt be aided by the talent that surrounds him and a coaching staff which understands patience, specifically at the quarterback position. There won’t be a quick-trigger here, and Mora has made it clear that he is a one-quarterback guy.
Two weeks ago in San Bernardino, Rosen, standing on the right hash mark, fired a laser-beam of a throw to the left sideline. “That right there was an NFL throw,” said one veteran observer. “Can’t teach that,” said another.
Five minutes later, however, one of Rosen’s passes sailed, was deflected and picked off.
That’s what happens when you have a young starting quarterback who was a high school senior the last time the Bruins took the field. But, then again, veteran quarterbacks make mistakes too. The key here, as always, is limiting errors, taking care of the ball, and, as Payton would say, keeping the car between the lines.
“I’ve been watching him through this fall camp,” said UCLA’s fifth-year senior center Jake Brendel when asked about Rosen. “I have full confidence in him.”
Brendel, the heart-and-soul of that offense, anchors an offensive line that as much as anything can help Rosen succeed this fall.
“Bringing all five of us back from last season is a real attribute to our offense. Having that cohesiveness and having that consistency up front gives us an edge above where we were a year ago.”
That’s huge for the team and Rosen.
Against Virginia, Brendel will be making his 40th career start. It will be Rosen’s first. Talk about extremes.
But it’s a great O-line for Rosen to inherit and really gives him a chance to get settled before conference play begins.
Overall Impressions of the team: As the new guy in town, I spent much of this preseason really observing the operation of fall camp in San Bernardino, the efficiency of the practices, the tempo and work-ethic of the players and the staff, and the overall vibe of the program. Conclusions?
1. The maturity of this team makes it feel almost like an NFL team. Almost. When Coach Mora made a similar comment to the media during the team’s last few days in San Bernardino, I smiled because, in a way, this team, thanks to guys like Brendel and other seniors, has that vibe. Think about this: Jake turns 23 next week. Per the NFL, the average age of the players on the 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams is 24.5 years. This maturity and experience shows itself in practice with the team’s execution and efficiency. That’s a comforting sign to any coach.
2. They pass the ‘eye test.” Now this one is really subjective, but when you look at the offensive line or the backs, or you look at some of the receivers go up and get a ball, you see the work these guys did in preparation for the 2015 season. They’re really ‘cut.’ They’re in shape. And by all accounts, they’re much bigger than even just a year ago. While intangibles like leadership, staying healthy, and overcoming adversity are the real keys to any season, this team just looks good – whether it’s warming-up, in passing drills, or during a full-scale scrimmage.
3. Kenny Young has star quality at linebacker. There are lots of very good players on the UCLA defense, but Young will be a key guy as the team’s ‘Mike Linebacker’, replacing Eric Kendricks. He’ll have to call out some defensive formations and be the ‘quarterback’ of the defense. When you watch him practice, he’s a vocal guy. He’s also energetic, and his speed? Let’s just say Kenny can run. He started just six games last year, so not a lot of people are talking about him regionally. But keep your eyes on No. 42. This Louisiana product turned down home state LSU, as well as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and dozens of others when he signed with UCLA in February of 2014. After watching him this preseason, you can see why he was so highly-coveted.
4. Nose guard Kenny Clark will make Kenny Young and Myles Jack better. Coach Mora was very high on the Bruin nose guard. “The greatest thing is his influence on those around him,” Mora said. “The nose guard is the unsung hero of every good defense. Any great middle linebacker wants a guy like Kenny in front of him.” The coaching staff is high on Clark’s durability and physical maturity. That’s huge for the 2015 Bruin defense.
5. Toughness, tempo, finish. Those are the basics of Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone’s scheme. Coach wants to snap the ball every 18-22 seconds. And to make that happen, a team has to practice at that tempo too. “Whatever happens on a play, bad or good, whatever, we don’t worry about it. Go to the next play,” Mazzone said. Now, with a young quarterback, there were times this preseason where the tempo slowed to a teaching pace, particularly in red zone or installation phases. But when the Bruins go fast – and boy they can go fast – it’s a real treat to watch. And finish? UCLA scored on 94 percent of its visits to the red zone last year, which is outstanding (48 scores in 51 trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line). Given that 16 of those scores were field goals, Mazzone has stressed that he would like to see the touchdown percentage increase dramatically in 2015.
Thanks for the warm welcome: From the ‘Bruins at the Beach’ event in Dana Point, to the ‘Rose Bowl Bruins’ event in Pasadena, and everything in between, I’ve had the wonderful chance to meet so many terrific UCLA supporters this summer. Thanks to each and every one of you for the friendly welcome. As I’ve mentioned to most of you, I’m tremendously honored and privileged to be given this incredible opportunity at UCLA. For the last 23 years, Chris Roberts was the familiar voice you heard chronicling the remarkable success of the Bruins’ program. Chris did such an exemplary job here, and I’m hopeful I can fill his very big shoes and call more championship moments in the coming seasons. I’m extremely excited that Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook will be joining me on the football broadcasts and Tracy Murray during basketball season. We should have a lot of fun in the coming months, that’s for sure.
Our Broadcasts: You can catch all of our game broadcasts on AM570 LA Sports starting with the UVA game this week. If you live outside Southern California, you can hear our broadcasts on uclabruins.com, or by downloading the TuneIn app on your phone or tablet. Of course, it’s always free to listen to any of our digital platforms.
Until next time, Go Bruins!
Bill Roth