Getting Defensive

So with the time counting down to game one of the football season, it is time to continue our preview of the 2009 Bruins on to the stronger side of the ball. The defense.

Overview:

The defense a year ago was the lone bright spot during a dark season. The Bruins finished 89th in the country against the run, 8th in the country against the pass, 47th in the country in total defense, and 85th in the country in scoring defense. Now those numbers are a little misleading and can be explained. The offense time and again didn't give the defense much rest in between drives either because of turnovers or stalled drives. In actuality the UCLA defense was and remains one of the most respected defenses in the country.

This year the defense will again be the best unit on the team. They are getting early buzz as possibly the best defense in the Pac-10. With senior leadership and youthful skill abundant, new defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough, who took over for Dewayne Walker, will have success this season.

Defensive Line:

The defensive line brings a lot of experience to this years team. At defensive end senior Korey Bosworth and sophomore Datone Jones get the two starting positions but expect to see redshirt freshman Damien Holmes and possibly true freshman Itua Tepa get some time. Junior Reggie Stokes and freshman Keenan Graham would more than likely be the primary back ups if it weren't for injuries keeping them out of action. The main player to watch at end this year will be Jones. With theamount that he has progressed since last season, he will be a force for many years for the Bruins.


Jones

Ko. Bosworth

At defensive tackle the only name you need to know is Brian Price. Price, a junior, is one of the best defensive tackles in the country. He is on numerous post season award watch lists and will be a first round NFL pick when he leaves Westwood. Price's main partner in crime will be senior Jerzy Siewierski. Siewierski is the most athletic linemen on the team and will be seeing a lot of single coverage blocking because teams will be forced to double price. Behind them senior Jess Ward, who is coming off an injury, will be getting 15-20 snaps per game and junior David Carter looks to provide some depth.


Price

Siewierski

Linebackers:

Led by senior captain Reggie Carter in the middle, the linebacking crew is a good, yet top heavy group. After Carter, senior Kyle Bosworth at weakside linebacker and sophomore Akeem Ayers at strongside linebacker, the depth is shallow. Carter, Bosworth, and Ayers are all extremely talented players who get to the ball and make tackles. Ayers is a budding star and will eventually be an NFLcaliber linebacker. Carter is an All-American candidate who will be an NFL draft pick next year.


Carter

Ayers

Ky. Bosworth

Behind the starters, the main backups are sophomore Steve Sloan in the middle, sophomore Sean Westgate at the weakside, and redshirt freshman Donovan Carter at strongside. Sloan is a smart player who played some last year. Westgate is undersized but played well in sparing time last year. Carter is unknown. He has been known to be a hard hitter but he will be seeing his first college snaps this year.

Secondary:

The secondary is better this year than the group that was the 8th best against the pass last year. Senior Alterraun Verner is one of the best cover corners in UCLA history so when teams throw against the Bruins they will be testing the talented and confidentredshirt freshman Aaron Hester. Hester redshirted last year so that he could get his zone concepts down, but he was talented enough to play last year. His big frame and long arms make him the idealcornerback to learn from the smarts of Verner. At the nickle corner sophomore Courtney Viney and walkon redshirt freshman Andrew Abbott will be the two battling for the extra corner spot. Viney, although short, shows great knowledge of the position and displays good cover skills. Abbott is in the Verner mold, short memory and smart.


Verner

Hester

At safety sophomore Rahim Moore will lineup at free safety more experience than a year ago after starting all 12 games there as a freshman. Flanking him at strong safety will be a combination of sophomores Tony Dye and Glenn Love. Dye played in nickle coverage last year and played well. Love is more of the enforcer. At 6-4 210 he is a big guy who likes to hit. If Love can stay healthy he may gain the experiencenecessary to be the starter.


Moore

Dye

Love

Verdict:

It will be the defenses job to keep the team in games. Last year they did that well but the toll of having a poor offense caused them excessive fatigue and led to break downs. This season with a more talented offense, the defense should thrive.