UCLA football head coach Jim Mora instructs members of his team Saturday morning. (Photo Courtesy of Katie Meyers/The Daily Bruin)In advance of Thursday night's showdown between No. 15 ASU and No. 11 UCLA, Chris Kalra, football beat writer for The Daily Bruin, was nice enough to answer our questions, straight from Los Angeles.
The State Press: We know Jim Mora isn't likely to tip off whom he'll be starting at quarterback, at least early in the week. That said, what's your sense of how Jerry Neuheisel feels about potentially starting in what may prove to be the game that decides the Pac-12 South?
The Daily Bruin: Imagine this: Against Texas, in the world’s biggest football stadium, you get the call to replace a Heisman candidate late in the first quarter, and you, wait for it, do so well, that you not only lead your team to a come-from-behind win with a late-fourth quarter touchdown pass, but afterwards, your teammates lift you atop their shoulders and chant your name?
That sounds like a dream you could live over once, twice … 10 times. (Somewhere Texas fans still can’t sleep.)
So you can bet that after last Saturday’s liter-large shot of confidence, Jerry Neuheisel will be ready if he’s called upon Thursday night in Tempe.
Right, Jer? (Said Rick Neuheisel)
“I definitely say it’s a little bit of a newfound confidence,” Jerry Neuhiesel said. “There’s always that bit of indecision, ‘Can I do it or not?' ... But to go in (against Texas) and for it to go as well as it did, it definitely sends a little bit of confidence for me.”
SP: Certainly from a ratings perspective, not having Kelly vs. Hundley will detract from the hype of this game. What is the view from Pasadena on having a completely different quarterback matchup that was originally billed?
DB: Well, Brett Hundley could still play.
But until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Mora isn’t telling anyone anything. Like any other game week, you’d probably have better luck asking him for his daughter’s hand in marriage than to get him to fork over relevant injury updates.
Around Westwood, you get the feel that Hundley’s injury isn’t that serious, given many media outlets have seen Hundley walk into practice, fully dressed. The absence of Taylor Kelly, though, does dampen the star power of this matchup, and the buzz — for the UCLA team and the fans — appeared much larger heading into Texas than it does going into Arizona State.
If anything, it could be a subtle dagger in UCLA’s aims for success, if the Bruins do indeed take this matchup a little more lightly given the circumstances.
SP: With Kelly out, is UCLA's approach on defense going to change at all?
DB: Around UCLA, Jim Mora keeps it plain and simple, at least when speaking to the media: The Bruins prepare for schemes first, players second.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich echoed the same sentiments.
“I think this offensive coordinator, he wants it to look a certain way,” Ulbrich said. “(And) I think they have a ton of confidence in their backup.”
So the Bruins won’t outwardly admit anything, but UCLA should put a bit more pressure on Mike Bercovici in obvious passing downs, and Kelly’s absence should allow them to focus more exclusively on running back D.J. Foster.
(Offensive coordinator Noel) Mazzone, you know he worked with him when he was at Arizona State, he recruited him. We know he’s a proven entity from that standpoint, he’s very effective quarterback, quick release, very active, great thrower, crafty athlete, so he’s very similar.
SP: Another storyline that might get lost in the quarterback talk is the versatility of Myles Jack for the Bruins and ASU's De'Marieya Nelson, both two-way players with a chance to be the X-factor if both team's offensive leaders are sidelined. What impact might Jack have for UCLA, and how is Jeff Ulbrich game-planning for Nelson?
DB: With his athleticism and pass-coverage skills, Myles Jack is tailor-made to try and limit running-back D.J. Foster.
And as redshirt sophomore running back Paul Perkins has continued to play well, earning praise from coach Jim Mora week in and week out, expect Perkins to get a heavy load of the carries, and Jack to stick mainly to defense, especially on the heels of last season’s UCLA’s 38-33 loss to ASU, after which Mora admitted tints of regret of playing Jack solely at running back as UCLA wound up allowing its second-most yards of total offense on the year.
As for ASU’s De’Marieya Nelson, through UCLA’s media interviews over the last week, his name hasn’t been mentioned at all. Not once. It’s been all D.J. Foster, Taylor Kelly and Mike Bercovici.
So if UCLA is heavily preparing for Nelson, it isn’t public information. My guess is not, they aren’t keying in on him much, and so if Nelson has a breakout game, that could take the Bruins by surprise.
SP: UCLA has been stellar on special teams, while the same can't be said of ASU. What can UCLA do to potentially exploit some of the Sun Devils' weaknesses?
DB: In a loss to ASU that cost UCLA the Pac-12 South Division title, the Bruins’ biggest win came in having found their return man. That was the first game Ishmael Adams returned punts and kicks.
This year, when Ishmael Adams takes his place back on returns, there shouldn’t be a surprise element for Todd Graham and ASU. They know what’s coming.
If you’re UCLA, with Adams breaking a big return nearly every game since he took the job, it’s simple: Keep doing what you’re doing.
But I’m not sure it matters what UCLA does. After what happened last year, I’d be surprised if ASU even kicked to Adams.
If they do, color me pink and call me Dumbo.
SP: Granted, the Crosstown Showdown and the Territorial Cup have more emotional and historical significance for both programs, but ASU players and fans alike have realized that this game has become arguably the most important on the Sun Devil schedule. How do you think Bruin Nation feels about the rivalry that's developed over the past few seasons between the two clear favorites in the Pac-12 South?
DB: After the team’s last three meetings, you can be sure, this is a matchup UCLA fans understand won’t be easy, and it should surely provide late-game drama, as it has over the past three years.
It’s definitely a big game, but Bruin nation, especially given the national championship hype going into this season, seems to have bigger games on its agenda. See Stanford and Oregon. But then again, you can’t climb a mountain looking straight up. It’s a trip hazard.
2014 season in photos
[slideshow_deploy id='149980']
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @statepresssport
