Saturday, February 14

Up to the challenge?

Some college football teams like to open their seasons by feasting on inferior opponents. Read more...

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Saturday at Kansas State
Kansas State coach Bill Snyder took the Wildcats from cellar-dweller to national powerhouse in the 1990s and came back in 2009 to try and do it again. Senior running back Daniel Thomas (8) had more than 1,500 all-purpose yards for the Wildcats in 2009, including 115 yards against the Bruins at the Rose Bowl. (Credit: Kansas State Athletics)


Troubled times on the line

It's no secret that UCLA quarterbacks haven't been able to stay healthy in recent years, so Rick Neuheisel set out to fix that by beefing up his offensive line. Four-star recruits Xavier Su'a-Filo and Stanley Hasiak came to Westwood in 2009 and were supposed to ensure that those lining up under center would be safe for years to come. Read more...


Norm Chow hopes pistol will fire up UCLA offense

It's all a numbers game for the UCLA rushing attack. First, the sobering digits: The Bruins finished 94th in the country in rushing yards last season, and ended up tied for 106th in touchdowns on the ground. Read more...

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Junior Derrick Coleman is one of the Bruins’ veteran running backs this season. Coleman finished the 2009 season with 244 yards and a touchdown.


Extra Points: Four big games could tip season

We're less than a week away from one of the most anticipated seasons in UCLA football history. Did I go too far with the dramatic effect? Whether or not I did, big things are expected out of the Bruins this season. Read more...

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Junior safety Rahim Moore, who has 13 interceptions during two seasons at UCLA, will have to lead the secondary during the Bruins’ challenging 2010 season.


Talented freshmen light up defense

Rarely do you see a freshman safety make an impact on a college football team in his first season "“ whether it be a physical impact on a receiver or an impact on the team as a whole "“ and UCLA freshman safety Dietrich Riley has done his best to do both during the first three weeks of fall practice. Riley, one of many talented rookies clawing their way up the Bruins' depth chart, flashes not only reliable cover skills but also a knack for hitting, and hitting hard. Just don't fall into the trap of dubbing the young safety "“ who could be seen soaking in all he could from the sidelines as far back as spring ball "“ a one-trick pony. "I've always been known as a hard hitter, but I don't want people to forget about my cover abilities," Riley said. Read more...

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Freshman safety Dietrich Riley, who is a physical hitter and solid in coverage, has stood out among a talented defensive backfield in his first fall camp.


August: football’s most difficult month

August may be the hardest month for a college football player. Read more...

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Junior safety Tony Dye led the Bruins with nine tackles in last year’s game against Kansas State on Sept. 19. UCLA starts this year’s season against Kansas State on Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.


UCLA wide receivers bring various strengths to offense

Trailing by nine against Washington and mired in a five-game losing streak, the UCLA football team's season was in doubt after starting quarterback Kevin Prince left the game with a concussion. With close to 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter, backup Kevin Craft grossly overthrew then-senior Terrence Austin, who was wide open in the middle of the field. Read more...

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Josh Smith, a redshirt junior transfer from Colorado, returns a kickoff for a touchdown in the fall scrimmage Aug. 21.



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