Although they have struggled for about half of the season, our defensive players played their parts in yesterday's Big Game win. They were instrumental in the close-game victory against WSU, too. From pressuring the quarterback to defending the pass, it is clear that Cal's defensive unit is putting in the effort.

And kudos to Hunter Barth who stepped it up when Ullauave went out injured.. Furies tested him. Have feeling we see a lot of him next year.

Agreed. How many starters, backups, and similar have we lost to injury on D? Seems like over half the unit.

I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I believe LSJU ran a grand total of one play inside the red zone...it was on their possession in the first quarter leading to their first field goal. They had the ball on the 18 or so and promptly committed a holding penalty pushing them back out of the Red Zone.

Hats off to the boys and the D coaches - especially Sirmon!

Elic Ayomanor had been averaging ~150ypg in his 5 games prior to Saturday, we held him to 43yds on 3 receptions, an outstanding result neutralizing their biggest threat.

For those who were at the game and could follow the play downfield, were the coverage schemes designed to contain him? If so that could also explain the lack of pass rush and pressure on Daniels.

HighlandDutch said:

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I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I believe LSJU ran a grand total of one play inside the red zone...it was on their possession in the first quarter leading to their first field goal. They had the ball on the 18 or so and promptly committed a holding penalty pushing them back out of the Red Zone.

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If your recollection is accurate, then wow.

The defense found some life but I'll reserve my enthusiasm until I see how they do against a Kelly/Garbers offense.

chazzed said:

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HighlandDutch said:

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I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I believe LSJU ran a grand total of one play inside the red zone...it was on their possession in the first quarter leading to their first field goal. They had the ball on the 18 or so and promptly committed a holding penalty pushing them back out of the Red Zone.

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If your recollection is accurate, then wow.

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His recollection is correct. Their TD was on a 41 yard pass from the Cal 41. Only one of their two FGs was from the red zone.

Here is a link to the play by play

https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay/_/gameId/401524061

heartofthebear said:

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The defense found some life but I'll reserve my enthusiasm until I see how they do against a Kelly/Garbers offense.

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We beat the worst team in the conference in front of a largely Cal crowd. UCLA, in LA, is tougher. Not as tough as UW or Oregon, but tougher than any of our wins so far. We have a chance. Beat them and we deserve a bowl. Lose and we don't.

Doom and gloom despite two straight wins. The Bears have been playing well and show the maturation and team identity hoped for at this time of year. Mendoza's positive energy on O and Ott's solid leadership are big parts of that. I'd like to see the other RBs get carries toward games end to spell Ott some. My hope is that Cade Uluave is okay after that nasty kick to his chin and that he can play against UCLA.

beareast, read the monster re: my postgame convo with cade

calumnus said:

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heartofthebear said:

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The defense found some life but I'll reserve my enthusiasm until I see how they do against a Kelly/Garbers offense.

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We beat the worst team in the conference in front of a largely Cal crowd. UCLA, in LA, is tougher. Not as tough as UW or Oregon, but tougher than any of our wins so far. We have a chance. Beat them and we deserve a bowl. Lose and we don't.

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I'd compare them to Utah but with Garbers a better offense. However, this is a chance for JW to change the trajectory of his tenure here. He gave up two to Auburn and SC. Get one back by game planning a W. Show us and make us feel better about the contract. I would have a little more hope for next year having ended the season with 4 Ws in a row.

Cal88 said:

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Elic Ayomanor had been averaging ~150ypg in his 5 games prior to Saturday, we held him to 43yds on 3 receptions, an outstanding result neutralizing their biggest threat.

For those who were at the game and could follow the play downfield, were the coverage schemes designed to contain him? If so that could also explain the lack of pass rush and pressure on Daniels.

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Cal definitely schemed to take Ayomanor out of the game as much as possible. There actually was a bit more pressure than you would expect given how they played schematically. But like many of the earlier games they missed some sack opportunities.

I agree with how they played against Stanford. They really pose few real threats so neutralize the one big one and make them make plays.

UCLA is somewhat similar. They have not been great throwing the ball. They have played multiple QBs and Sturdivant has not had a great season by any stretch. UCLA can run it though and Cal will need to be ready for a steady dose of Harden and Steele. If Cal can keep the UCLA run game from dominating they can have another nice day defensively.

All season we have wanted Cal to play much better defense and they did on Saturday. Now Stanford is not great on offense, but they were mostly stymied by the Bears. 3 chunk pass plays accounted for about 1/3 of their total yards.

Cal held Stanford below their season average in points and yards. A good day for the defense.

6956bear said:

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Cal88 said:

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Elic Ayomanor had been averaging ~150ypg in his 5 games prior to Saturday, we held him to 43yds on 3 receptions, an outstanding result neutralizing their biggest threat.

For those who were at the game and could follow the play downfield, were the coverage schemes designed to contain him? If so that could also explain the lack of pass rush and pressure on Daniels.

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Cal definitely schemed to take Ayomanor out of the game as much as possible. There actually was a bit more pressure than you would expect given how they played schematically. But like many of the earlier games they missed some sack opportunities.

I agree with how they played against Stanford. They really pose few real threats so neutralize the one big one and make them make plays.

UCLA is somewhat similar. They have not been great throwing the ball. They have played multiple QBs and Sturdivant has not had a great season by any stretch. UCLA can run it though and Cal will need to be ready for a steady dose of Harden and Steele. If Cal can keep the UCLA run game from dominating they can have another nice day defensively.

All season we have wanted Cal to play much better defense and they did on Saturday. Now Stanford is not great on offense, but they were mostly stymied by the Bears. 3 chunk pass plays accounted for about 1/3 of their total yards.

Cal held Stanford below their season average in points and yards. A good day for the defense.

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I hadn't really been impressed by UCLA's running game until this past Saturday. TJ Harden is good. He's a better RB than Steele, IMHO. If Chip sticks with Steele, we have a better chance to stop the run. If he plays Harden as much as he did last Saturday, Cal's defense will have a difficult evening. I also expect to see Chip Kelly scheme to take advantage of Cal's weak secondary. My guess is J. Mike will likely have a breakout game against Cal. But the Bears need to key in on Loya, who is Ethan's safety blanket this year. Disrupt the timing and connection between Garbers and Loya and Cal should be able to slow down UCLA's offense.

David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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I agree the pass game off RPO scheme on first down seems like a solid way to attack UCLA. They will need to try and run it though as Ott is Cals best player on offense and he has get touches.

HighlandDutch said:

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I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I believe LSJU ran a grand total of one play inside the red zone...it was on their possession in the first quarter leading to their first field goal. They had the ball on the 18 or so and promptly committed a holding penalty pushing them back out of the Red Zone.

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Close. They actually ran three plays inside the red zone.

They ran three plays from the 16 on that first field goal drive, 1st and 10 from the 16 was a Smith run for no gain, 2nd and 10 from the 16 an incomplete pass, 3rd and 10 from the 16 a 5 yard run by Ashton nullified by a holding penalty, pushing LSJU back to the 26 for 3rd and 20.

The 3rd and 20 play was the incomplete pass with offensive PI declined, and a 44 yard FG. It wasn't an obvious decision to decline the penalty -- in viewing the recording, I heard Lincoln Kennedy say declining the penalty was the right choice. But for Joshua Karty, a 44 yard FG is a gimme. Give them 3rd and 35, the odds of getting a first down, or close enough to go for it, are really slim, but if they don't gain anything, it is a 59 yard FG. Presumably, LSJU goes for a short yardage play for a more makeable FG. At the time, I waffled about the right way to go, I leaned towards taking the penalty but hadn't really made up my mind when the ref announced the penalty was declined, so I never did make up my mind.

But, yeah, LSJU never ran another play inside the red zone after those three. Gotta give the defense credit.

6956bear said:

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01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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I agree the pass game off RPO scheme on first down seems like a solid way to attack UCLA. They will need to try and run it though as Ott is Cals best player on offense and he has get touches.

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Absolutely! I think Jaydn will be able to make a killing off those short passes. There's nothing wrong with running play action with Jaydn, then pulling back the ball for a pass to Jaydn once the defense realizes he doesn't have the ball and looks back at Fernando. Do that a couple or six times and the defense will start expecting the pass, allowing Jaydn to take the handoff and exploit some openings.

01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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Think Utah. We couldn't really move the ball. I think the UCLA D is an equal if not better than Utah's.

01Bear said:

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6956bear said:

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01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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I agree the pass game off RPO scheme on first down seems like a solid way to attack UCLA. They will need to try and run it though as Ott is Cals best player on offense and he has get touches.

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Absolutely! I think Jaydn will be able to make a killing off those short passes. There's nothing wrong with running play action with Jaydn, then pulling back the ball for a pass to Jaydn once the defense realizes he doesn't have the ball and looks back at Fernando. Do that a couple or six times and the defense will start expecting the pass, allowing Jaydn to take the handoff and exploit some openings.

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Spav will really have to pull out all the stops here. This is a huge game for the program and coaching staff. Overall the season has been a fail, but a W here could go a long way to rehabbing the bad feelings from this season. Then a bowl win.

01Bear said:

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6956bear said:

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Cal88 said:

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Elic Ayomanor had been averaging ~150ypg in his 5 games prior to Saturday, we held him to 43yds on 3 receptions, an outstanding result neutralizing their biggest threat.

For those who were at the game and could follow the play downfield, were the coverage schemes designed to contain him? If so that could also explain the lack of pass rush and pressure on Daniels.

---

Cal definitely schemed to take Ayomanor out of the game as much as possible. There actually was a bit more pressure than you would expect given how they played schematically. But like many of the earlier games they missed some sack opportunities.

I agree with how they played against Stanford. They really pose few real threats so neutralize the one big one and make them make plays.

UCLA is somewhat similar. They have not been great throwing the ball. They have played multiple QBs and Sturdivant has not had a great season by any stretch. UCLA can run it though and Cal will need to be ready for a steady dose of Harden and Steele. If Cal can keep the UCLA run game from dominating they can have another nice day defensively.

All season we have wanted Cal to play much better defense and they did on Saturday. Now Stanford is not great on offense, but they were mostly stymied by the Bears. 3 chunk pass plays accounted for about 1/3 of their total yards.

Cal held Stanford below their season average in points and yards. A good day for the defense.

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I hadn't really been impressed by UCLA's running game until this past Saturday. TJ Harden is good. He's a better RB than Steele, IMHO. If Chip sticks with Steele, we have a better chance to stop the run. If he plays Harden as much as he did last Saturday, Cal's defense will have a difficult evening. I also expect to see Chip Kelly scheme to take advantage of Cal's weak secondary. My guess is J. Mike will likely have a breakout game against Cal. But the Bears need to key in on Loya, who is Ethan's safety blanket this year. Disrupt the timing and connection between Garbers and Loya and Cal should be able to slow down UCLA's offense.

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UCLA has a good running game. I agree on Harden vs Steele though Steele is a nice player. UCLA has not been great throwing the ball. Loya is a possession receiver and Garbers does look for him often. The TE has been a problem for Cal in past UCLA games. Sturdivant has been MIA from the offense often. He likely will be motivated on Saturday however.

UCLA has been poor in pass protection all year. In conference play they are allowing 4 sacks per game. Cal needs to attack more this week.

UCLA played well vs USC but the turnovers were the single biggest reason the game got away from USC. It is also worth noting that the USC defense has been abysmal all season against the run. Once UCLA went up 18 points USC all but abandoned the run. The UCLA pass rush is very good and very athletic.

The UCLA from 7 (especially the pass rush) and the UCLA Rbs are my biggest concerns. The Bears have to be able to pass protect and have to contain the UCLA running game. IMO Cal has to try and make Ethan Garbers try and beat you. If he does oh well. But you cannot let UCLA run it down your throat. If the Bears can pass protect I think they can make some plays in the pass game.

Turnovers have hurt the Bears. They need win that part of the game vs UCLA. Or at worse be even.

KoreAmBear said:

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01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

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We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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Think Utah. We couldn't really move the ball. I think the UCLA D is an equal if not better than Utah's.

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Agreed, but Spav didn't really seem to opt for misdirection. He needs to take advantage of UCLA's aggressive edge rushers and pass to where they were. Instead, Spav tried to run the ball into the teeth of the defense or try to buy time for his QB to pass. That's not going to work. Cal has to move the ball quickly. Quick short passes (think three or four yards at a time) and misdirection are going to be key. If anything, Spav will need to adopt some West Coast Offense philosophy in his game planning.

KoreAmBear said:

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01Bear said:

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KoreAmBear said:

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David Reese is not getting enough credit starting with the SC game. I have seen him pressure, sack, strip sack and cause multiple holds every game. He's been a direct factor in our recent much better pass rush.

---

We'll really need him to step up and get to Ethan. If Cade Uluave can play, that will also be very helpful. The UCLA offense hasn't been lights out (even with Ethan at the helm) this year, but it's generally been able to chew up clock and score points when needed. The key for Cal will be to disrupt the timing between Ethan Garbers and Logan Loya. But that's easier said than done, especially when UCLA now has J. Mike as a deep threat (even though Chip Kelly hasn't figured out how to get him the ball nearly enough).

The bigger problem is the defense. UCLA has a really good front seven, especially with two edge rushers who are likely to be selected in the next NFL draft. Cal will likely need to rely on lots of quick short passes (off of play action) early to open up its running game. Even as good as Jaydn Ott is, relying primarily on the run will likely result in a long day and a blowout loss for Cal.

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Think Utah. We couldn't really move the ball. I think the UCLA D is an equal if not better than Utah's.

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Nando has 4 more games under his belt now, Utah was only his 2nd start IIRC.

6956bear said:

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01Bear said:

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6956bear said:

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Cal88 said:

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Elic Ayomanor had been averaging ~150ypg in his 5 games prior to Saturday, we held him to 43yds on 3 receptions, an outstanding result neutralizing their biggest threat.

For those who were at the game and could follow the play downfield, were the coverage schemes designed to contain him? If so that could also explain the lack of pass rush and pressure on Daniels.

---

Cal definitely schemed to take Ayomanor out of the game as much as possible. There actually was a bit more pressure than you would expect given how they played schematically. But like many of the earlier games they missed some sack opportunities.

I agree with how they played against Stanford. They really pose few real threats so neutralize the one big one and make them make plays.

UCLA is somewhat similar. They have not been great throwing the ball. They have played multiple QBs and Sturdivant has not had a great season by any stretch. UCLA can run it though and Cal will need to be ready for a steady dose of Harden and Steele. If Cal can keep the UCLA run game from dominating they can have another nice day defensively.

All season we have wanted Cal to play much better defense and they did on Saturday. Now Stanford is not great on offense, but they were mostly stymied by the Bears. 3 chunk pass plays accounted for about 1/3 of their total yards.

Cal held Stanford below their season average in points and yards. A good day for the defense.

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I hadn't really been impressed by UCLA's running game until this past Saturday. TJ Harden is good. He's a better RB than Steele, IMHO. If Chip sticks with Steele, we have a better chance to stop the run. If he plays Harden as much as he did last Saturday, Cal's defense will have a difficult evening. I also expect to see Chip Kelly scheme to take advantage of Cal's weak secondary. My guess is J. Mike will likely have a breakout game against Cal. But the Bears need to key in on Loya, who is Ethan's safety blanket this year. Disrupt the timing and connection between Garbers and Loya and Cal should be able to slow down UCLA's offense.

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UCLA has a good running game. I agree on Harden vs Steele though Steele is a nice player. UCLA has not been great throwing the ball. Loya is a possession receiver and Garbers does look for him often. The TE has been a problem for Cal in past UCLA games. Sturdivant has been MIA from the offense often. He likely will be motivated on Saturday however.

UCLA has been poor in pass protection all year. In conference play they are allowing 4 sacks per game. Cal needs to attack more this week.

UCLA played well vs USC but the turnovers were the single biggest reason the game got away from USC. It is also worth noting that the USC defense has been abysmal all season against the run. Once UCLA went up 18 points USC all but abandoned the run. The UCLA pass rush is very good and very athletic.

The UCLA from 7 (especially the pass rush) and the UCLA Rbs are my biggest concerns. The Bears have to be able to pass protect and have to contain the UCLA running game. IMO Cal has to try and make Ethan Garbers try and beat you. If he does oh well. But you cannot let UCLA run it down your throat. If the Bears can pass protect I think they can make some plays in the pass game.

Turnovers have hurt the Bears. They need win that part of the game vs UCLA. Or at worse be even.

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Agreed.

Up until this past Saturday, I hadn't been too impressed by UCLA's ground game. But TJ Harden changed my mind. He's dangerous. He's more like Ifanse than Ott; he's a really good RB. Steele is a serviceable RB, but not a game breaker. Cal should be able to stop Steele, but Harden will prove more difficult to tackle.

That said, Chip likes to pass. I expect he'll have Garbers pass a lot more instead of relying on the run. Heck, even when he had Charbonnet, he still passed a ton. I expect to see J. Mike demand the ball more in this game. But the timing between J. Mike and Ethan Garbers has been really poor. Instead, Loya's been more of Garbers's preferred target. Disrupt the timing there and we'll see more punts.