Advertisement

UCLA’s defense played a big part in win over Texas

Texas tailback Johnathan Gray gets taken down by the UCLA defense on Sept. 13.
(Shelby Tauber / Associated Press)
Share

Buried a bit under the feel-good story that was UCLA quarterback Jerry Neuheisel this last week were no-break, no-bend defensive moments.

The Bruins made two stands, which had as much a part in UCLA’s 20-17 victory over Texas as Neuheisel’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Payton. It was a big moment for a defense that was maligned after a shoddy performance against Memphis.

“With Memphis, you had a team who knew they had to scheme around you,” UCLA defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes said. “They knew they couldn’t run traditional stuff. They ran stuff we weren’t looking for. A team like Texas, there’s a lot of pride. It’s, ‘This is what we’re going to run, try to stop it.’”

The Bruins did with the game on the line.

Jordon James fumbled at the Texas 25-yard line with four minutes left and the Longhorns leading, 17-13. Texas had driven 80 yards for a touchdown on its previous drive, eating up nearly four minutes.

Advertisement

“We watched them celebrating like it was over,” Vanderdoes said. “We were like, ‘There are still four minutes left? It’s not over yet.’”

It was three and out. Vanderdoes dropped Malcolm Brown for a five-yard loss and a second down play. Linebacker Deon Hollins hurried quarterback Tyrone Swoopes into an incomplete pass on third down.

“They didn’t even try to take any time off the clock, they even went up-tempo,” Vanderdoes said. “We were like, ‘All right, we’re going to stop you, get the ball back and give it to our offense and they are going to score.”

The scenario played out.

“That didn’t faze us at all,” safety Jaleel Wadood said. “If offense messes up, or doesn’t score, we were going to have their backs. We want to be relentless.”

The Bruins hadn’t been in the 42-35 brow-wiper-of-a-victory over Memphis. Missed tackles subbed on the game tape for highlight plays. Against Texas, the Bruins wrapped up.

Of their 60 tackles, 42 were unassisted.

When Texas got the ball back after the Bruins took the lead, there was still 2:55 left. The defense continued to play relentlessly, particularly defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, who pressured Swoopes. The Longhorns went four and out.

“They showed some competitive greatness,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “They were at their best when their best was required. That was pretty cool.”

But hardly a surprise to UCLA defensive players.

“That was emotional toughness, we didn’t break at all,” Vanderdoes said. “We were facing a traditional program like Texas. We were facing adversity. We knew we don’t flinch. Games like this are why we went to San Bernardino [for training camp]. It’s why we visited the Navy SEALs” in 2013.

In sync

Advertisement

Coach Jim Mora combined those defensive stands with moments by the offense and special teams.

“That was really five possessions, if you count the punt return as a possession,” Mora said.

The defense’s first stand was followed by Ishmael Adams’ 45-yard punt return, where Cameron Judge sprang him with a crushing block. Neuheisel hit Payton on the first play and the defense held again.

When the Bruins got the ball back, the offense ran out the last 1:50. The defense had a hand in that too. Linebacker Myles Jack gained four yards on a third-and-five. Vanderdoes bulled his way two yards to the first down on the next play.

“We have talked about putting a complete game together,” Mora said. “I’m not sure we can say we put a complete game together, but we put together a nice sequence.”

Quick hits

Quarterback Brett Hundley (elbow) went through a full practice Saturday, and was said to have taken at least a few snaps. ... Safety Randall Goforth did not suit up for practice.

chris.foster@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @cfosterlatimes

Advertisement