Players-Only Talk Bringing Results

A players-only meeting earlier this week has begun to pay dividends, where practice has been sharper and the outlook brighter for the Bruins’ game at Oregon on Saturday night.

Players pointed to each other, exhorting themselves to eliminate the dropped passes, indifferent running with the ball and mistakes that have plagued UCLA in a 1-2 season. Linebacker Brian Willmer was the catalyst, and linebacker Phillip Ward and safety Abdul McCullough had their say.

Coach Bob Toledo likes the results.

“I believe the most important thing is self-motivation,” he said Thursday. “Then I believe the next most important is peer-motivation, then coach-motivation. It’s their team. I’m just driving the bus.”

A miserable performance in a 38-9 loss at Michigan prompted the meeting.