Dorrell Impressed by USC’s Streak

Karl Dorrell will try to spend this weekend focusing on the big game.

No, not that big game.

The UCLA football coach conducted his final practice of the week Tuesday and told his players to enjoy their Thanksgiving holiday break. He expects them back to prepare for next week’s showdown against USC with their minds focused and their stomachs still lean despite their turkey feast.

Dorrell is hoping to put football on the back burner for a few days with the exception of Saturday when he’ll watch his 10-year-old son, Chandler, in a youth football playoff game.

“I’ll just sit there quietly and have my blinders on,” he said. “It’s my wife [Kim] who gets really loud.”

So Dorrell won’t even think about his 9-1 Bruins going up against the top-ranked, 11-0 Trojans?

“No,” he said, “I can put it out of my mind for short periods, but I think about it daily.”

Especially since he’s finally had time to look at tape of the thus-far-perfect season put together by USC. And what has impressed him most about the Trojans?

“The win streak,” Dorrell said. “You have to give a great deal of credit to Coach [Pete] Carroll. To be able to accomplish that, they have taken everyone’s best shot. We did it for eight games, but we didn’t win the ninth. To do it for [33] games and still be undefeated, wow, that’s impressive.”

Dorrell admitted he has his own coaching challenge in keeping his team in rhythm during what will be a three-week break by the time it takes the field at the Coliseum on Dec. 3. UCLA last played Nov. 12 against Arizona State.

“It is what it is,” Dorrell said. “This wouldn’t be my choice.”

Dorrell can at least take comfort from next year’s schedule which has only a one-week bye before the USC game.

Dorrell has not used the time off to prepare any sort of unique approach for facing the top team in the nation, a squad that has won six straight over UCLA.

“You are what you are,” Dorrell said. “You can’t change for the 11th game.”