BRUINS BONED AGAIN

“Check, please!!”

Ben Olson re-fractures his footbone and is out for two months, leaving fans with airs up in arms, and the arms race up in the air

This is not what Norm Chow signed up for.

The UCLA Bruins just lost their second-straight Starting Quarterback, without even playing a down.  With the Bruins having lost Pat Cowan during the Spring, Ben Olson had re-assumed his position as the Starting QB coming into the Fall.  But two days ago, he re-injured his right foot, and yesterday, it was announced that the bone was re-broken, and Olson will miss a minimum of 8 weeks.

Some so-called fans have come out of the woodworks to attack Ben as a brittle bigtime Bust, whose time is over.  Of course, these are the same people who blamed the previous regime for the high incidence of injuries over the last few years.  Maybe it’s due to all of sc’s injuries this year, but no one is blaming the Bruins’ new leadership for this year’s healthy batch of setbacks (nor should they).  However, they ARE blaming the medical staff for letting both QB’s return from injury too early… like the fans have more medical knowledge than the school with one of the top 3 Medical Centers in the Nation.  Are they accusing the Coaches of pressuring the Doctors to give them the premature thumbs up?

The injury, which occurred during a non-contact drill, will cause Olson to miss at least three games, but could also mean the end of the Ben Olson Era.  Even if Olson returns to 100% during the season, the coaching staff would probably be reluctant to insert him, especially if the replacement is generating any momentum whatsoever.  Or maybe Chow will save Olson as a Secret Weapon to be unveiled against usc.

If the first game were tomorrow — and thank God it isn’t — Kevin Craft would be the Starter.  Kevin is the San Diego State-to-JC-to-UCLA Transfer who has been turning Norm Chow’s hair gray during Fall practice.  Apparently, the Junior QB has been struggling with accuracy, consistency, and decision-making, and has even experienced difficulty not fumbling during pump-fakes.   Meanwhile, Redshirt-Freshman Chris Forcier is challenging him for the Starting nod.  Forcier’s MOBILITY gives him a decent shot at unseating Craft, if Craft doesn’t pull it together in the next two weeks.

Speaking of mobility, Osaar Rasshan is back in the QB mix.  He is now 3rd string, surprisingly AHEAD of both true Freshmen, Kevin Prince and Nick Crissman.  Considering how Rasshan fared at QB last season, his 3rd-string status doesn’t say much for the newcomers.  However, considering the expected deficiencies of the Offensive Line, Rasshan might be the best candidate — NO ONE can turn a busted pass play into a big-gain scramble like Osaar.

If the Bruins can find a QB who can just avoid Turnovers, it MAY be enough — Especially if Neuheisel’s latest rave reviews about RB’s Kahlil Bell and Aundre Dean, and about WR Taylor Embree, are to be trusted.

Below are nine mouse-over-captioned photos from practice, before they put the pads on.  Hopefully, the pads will help keep them relatively injury-free for the rest of Fall… and Winter.

Chow’s looking at the very thing that will make his job next-to-impossible.

Chow, with Rasshan and Craft, looks to the bleachers for other options.

Neuheisel shows Craft how he won a Rose Bowl MVP Award.

… and Craft shows Neuheisel how to win a JC Title.

“I’m the new Starting WHAT??”

Could this be the new face of UCLA Football?

…or could the face of Forcier be The One?

It’s time to roll out the Rollout, and see if Forcier’s the best at it.

… but his arm will have to catch up to his legs.

 

Comments

One response to “BRUINS BONED AGAIN”

  1. Robert Avatar
    Robert

    Boy T-H, sounds like you’re really down on our Bruins.

    [T-H’s Note: After all those websites attacked the last regime so mercilessly last year, it’s hard to believe that anyone thinks that what I wrote yesterday could be considered being “down” on the Bruins. And maybe after the upcoming Scrimmage, some positives will emerge]