Home › Football
Cowan looks to be UCLA's top QB
STORY TOOLS
More Football
- Chavis' goal for defense: Learn to finish
- Morley wearing cast to protect fingers
- 'Beat up' Crompton resting ankle
Share and Enjoy [?]
The quarterback competition at UCLA appears to have come to an end, with Patrick Cowan winning the job.
Coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow have not committed to a decision publicly, but sources within the program said they have decided to go with Cowan over Ben Olson and Kevin Craft. That was supported by the fact that Cowan took all the snaps with the No. 1 offensive unit during the Bruins' first scrimmage Saturday.
Cowan completed seven of 11 passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
"I'm just trying to get better every day," Cowan said. "No matter who they have me running with, that's all you can do. That's all my focus."
UCLA opens its season Sept. 1 against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl.
Cowan has lost out in quarterback competitions to Olson the last two seasons but both times injuries gave him a chance to play.
Olson started five games in 2006 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He started five games last season but missed six games because of a concussion and a knee injury. Both seasons, Cowan stepped in and led the Bruins to big victories, beating second-ranked USC in 2006 and 10th-ranked California in 2007. Cowan sat out eight games because of injuries last season.
Cowan effectively ran the team during the scrimmage, throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Logan Paulsen and a 14-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Everett.
"There are always things you need to work on," Cowan said. "I'm trying to get on the same page with Coach Chow a little more. There's a play here and there where I was thinking one thing and he was thinking the other thing."
Olson had a solid day as well, completing six of 13 passes for 93 yards, though 41 yards came on a spectacular catch by freshman Taylor Embree. But it's now Olson who apparently is going to have to wait for another chance.
"I'm going to try to stay positive, try to prove myself," Olson said. "I'm going to come out here every day trying my hardest. It's all you can do."
Chow, meanwhile, said it was a good first scrimmage by the Bruins' quarterbacks.
"We saw sparks of leadership, but we're still looking for more," Chow said. "It's hard to give everybody snaps. The two guys got a lot of reps, that's what spring ball is for, to give everybody a chance. Then Rick and I will determine who it is."
- UT report card for UCLA
- Game film makes Fulmer madder
- Crompton suffered concussion in fourth quarter against UCLA
- It's a Hollywood disaster, but Fulmer says it's 'fixable'
- Craft ready to go 'all-out' for Pearl, Tennessee
- UT to play UConn in football (not women's basketball)
- Call into the Vol frustration line
- Next Bradshaw? UT gets commitment from combo guard Craft
- Strange: UT 0-3 in SEC by mid-October?
- Adams: Tony P's is SEC of West
Please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.
Posted by VolPride_13 on April 13, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hahaha...doesn't matter who the Quarterback for them is, cuz our defense will shut whoever is there down!!!
Posted by Pullingguard on April 13, 2008 at 10:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just hope they shut them down more than the last California team they played. This will be a tough game, both teams have question marks. The Vol offense, and UCLA new coaching, first games always are trying to get it right.. Just hope it works for the Vols.
Posted by KingsportVol on April 13, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Goon Squad is coming!!!
Posted by miamiVOL on April 13, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sounds like they got a softy back there, hopefully McCoy, D-mo, Ayers, Berry, etc can light him up earlier and cause some INTS :0
Posted by pdhuff on April 14, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I doubt if there will ever be an opener anywhere with more question marks. Its not the blind leading the blind, but this guy has beaten Southern Cal. He must be capable. So pressure is of utmost concern.
Chavis, its on yur shoulders. Clawson gets the ink, but its your baby!
Posted by givehim6 on April 14, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hears a big hint clawson, look at how the Titans played last year that will give you an idea of what chow's thinking. Anyway, a good defence hopefully will take care of there offence. And with a bad experience to start the season out west still in the Vols minds thay will bring there A game.GO VOLS!
Posted by TommyJack on April 14, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With transitions, etc, I still see us winning the UCLA game. The beach boy coach (tho long in the tooth now) has always been overrated IMO.
It's the games after UAB that give me pause for concern.
Posted by Volchaz on April 14, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gotta have healthy qb competition in the Spring, so do we. Coleman and Crompton battle could get interesting.
Posted by TommyJack on April 14, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
volchaz: Could be, but I hear JC/NS is the bigger tussle right now. Are you from Chatt?
Posted by BOASoldier on April 14, 2008 at 4:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Where did you hear that Nick and Johnathan was the big tussle? Not doubting you at all just wondering. I'm in chatt
Posted by TommyJack on April 14, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BOA: Couple of peeps I know that are a lot closer than I say that Nick appears to be getting a closer look than Coleman. Makes no difference to me. I say let me best man win.
On another note, it has been my experience that O&W games tell you very little. Perhaps they help the coaches, but I never gleaned much info from them myself.
Posted by IBleedOrange444 on April 14, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Patrick Cowan meet Robert Ayers.
I could be wrong, but I think our "D" is going to be very good this year. UCLA is going to be in trouble!
Posted by mjaichele on April 14, 2008 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Think what you like about Neuheisel, but this may well be the most important game of his career, and if anyone is in trouble it is certainly not UCLA. This is a season defining game for UCLA, if the VOLS go out there and put a beat down on the Bruins, then they should go undefeated.
Posted by TommyJack on April 14, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BOA: Just talk from a guy who is familiar with practices. Don't have any crystal ball. I've noticed that Chatty peeps are (understandably) pro Coleman. I have no dog in the fight..For the first time in awhile, maybe the best man will win the job.
Posted by gatorfan8 on April 14, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i recall last time "big oranja" went to cali...cali....... ha ha
Posted by chadbuckles on April 14, 2008 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gatorfan8... if I recall, your last game, beaten by a Michigan team who lost to a 1-AA team Appy State... HA
Posted by sjt18 on April 15, 2008 at 2:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mjaichele, UCLA lost alot of players from a team that wasn't very good to start with. I'm not saying UT has a sure win or anything of the sort but UCLA isn't going to be a great team this year.
Also, if you look at Neuheisel's HC record... it isn't all that good. In two 4 year stints at two different schools, he's managed to run them into the ground and leave them with scandal and/or NCAA trouble. I don't know what on earth UCLA was thinking...
Chow won't have the talent he had at USC. If their offense is very good then he will have truly earned his reputation.
TJ, I also read that NS was pushing harder than Coleman... I also heard even before CPF's statement that the competition wasn't really very close.
If I'm not mistaken, Saturday was BJ's first scrimmage where the majority of his snaps were against the first string secondary.
Posted by pdhuff on April 15, 2008 at 4:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sjt18 - Have you prepared correctly for the doldrums? Don't look outside, they're here!
Posted by sjt18 on April 15, 2008 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes. Winter has hung on tight but the next several days look good. Hopefully we'll be able to plant our garden over the next couple of weeks. Most of the fruit trees have held back from blooming... should be a good year.
Baseball is starting- I coach my 13 year old. Business volume has picked up- I've moved temporarily to third shift to help manage a dept.
Busy enough....
Posted by pdhuff on April 15, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dang, sjt18 - my third shift consists of snoring and .....
Need to get you a farm.
True Chow will contribute more than Rick N. I look for UCLA to be formidable on offense.
Posted by sjt18 on April 15, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
UCLA loses 21 of 44 out of last year's two deep. Their projected NFL caliber RT just quit because of knee problems. That means they lost all 5 starters from their OL.
Overall, they return 1 or 2 starters on D and 2 or 3 on O.
They lose their top 2 receivers and Markey who was probably their best all around back. The also lost 7 of their top 10 tacklers. Top 4 sack guys. Top guy for interceptions.
Basically Neuheisel will have built the team from scratch if they beat UT.
Posted by BOASoldier on April 15, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds cool TJ I was just wandering... I like Coleman 1.) because of what I saw on friday nights in Chatt. and 2.) we share the last name. Besides that I am with you .. I just want the best most athletic and smart QB back there regardless of who it is.
Posted by pdhuff on April 15, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sjt18 - both teams will be very make-shift and unsure. Some one is going to be surprised. I'd say this game will go off as a pick.
Posted by mjaichele on April 15, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SJT- You are absolutely right, there is no way UCLA should win this game. And yes I know first hand what happened at CU, but this is a different Neuheisel. Tennesse should crush UCLA, but I still believe they will simply "Play not to Lose" football no matter who the OC is.....10 & 2 coaches never get fired and playing not to lose, and scheduling a boat load of .500 winning pct. teams will guarantee your job for a long time, especially when you have a kicker like Lincoln pulling games out at the last second. Tennessee loses this game and it will define both HC's for what they are and what they will be.
Posted by sjt18 on April 16, 2008 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pdhuff, when you return 9 starters and about 18 or 19 of your two deep... there is no need to be "make shift" even if you change your offense.
Defensively, we'll have to wait and see. One guy who is typically about like you on the positive-negative scale on another board posted some interesting info... and out of character for him. He claimed that an acquaintance close to the program said the coaches were very excited about the improvements in the DL and believe they will be very good. Like I said, wait and see but it sounds much better....
Posted by sjt18 on April 16, 2008 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mjaichele, different in what way? Do you have a reference? Have you read what Neuheisel did at UW?
When did CPF schedule a boat load of .500 teams? I'm sorry but that's ignorant. This series with UCLA was signed 5 or 6 years ago. UT has a home and home with Nebraska coming up in a couple of years that was worked out 3 or 4 years ago. These are BCS schools with good traditions... you can't predict what they'll be in 6 or 7 years. tOSU could stink by the time UT plays them in the recently announced series.
Some of you guys are just so determined to rip Fulmer that you don't get your facts straight first. He has made some changes since 2005. Clawson is definitely a departure from his comfort zone. Let's see how far it goes.
Posted by pdhuff on April 16, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sjt18 - it would have to be better. Finishing 11th on defense is not negative, it is real and alarming. Can't be brushed aside.
Yet it seemed to have gotten the least attention.
No towel going over the top rope yet but don't anyone be surprised to see a dog fight out of UCLA. Too many questions on "D" for Tennessee that may or may not be answered.
Selah.
(Requires free registration.)
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.