UCLA Rolls as Defensive Line Reels

Kenyon Coleman was jogging alone Monday, off to the side beyond one of the end zones at Spaulding Field. Occasionally, he accelerated, then zigzagged, testing the strength of his brace-supported right leg.

He does his running away from the rest of the UCLA football team and, in fact, he’s too far away to help.

The sprained knee suffered Sept. 19--some teammates say Houston players intentionally got him with a high-low hit--has not healed enough to allow the starting defensive end to rejoin workouts. So the 6-foot-5, 275-pounder leans into the cuts that gauge his mobility.

He will not play Saturday night at Tucson when No. 3 UCLA (3-0) meets No. 10 Arizona in a game with major conference and obvious national implications. Stephen Sua, probably will, but with a sprained shoulder. Pete Holland, should also get in. Likewise, Ken Kocher.

It’s been that kind of season already for the Bruin defensive line. Proof that they can at least produce pain in some way, since it’s also been this kind of season:

Three games. Zero sacks.

“That’s unacceptable,” nose guard Micah Webb said.

Accurate, though.

“We’re not overly excited or satisfied,” defensive line coach Terry Tumey said, taking the diplomatic route. “It’s right to say that we think the guys have done an admirable job under the circumstances. But that’s not good enough for our standards.”

Even for standards that aren’t especially lofty. No UCLA down lineman has been all-conference since Tumey in 1987, and the three starters last season were a converted linebacker, a player who did not get a single Division I scholarship offer and another who bounced from linebacker to fullback before settling. But at least they were all seniors.

This group has little experience and plenty of injuries. The result is that five players have already started in the 3-4 alignment and three have played for the first time, either in the opening lineup or in reserve roles, but often in prominent roles either way.

Coleman, projected as a standout this season, is a sophomore. But he has also already missed one game and will miss at least one more.

Kocher, projected as a future standout, is pushing Webb for the No. 1 spot at nose guard. But he’s also a true freshman who has been dealing with a sprained and bruised right ankle since August, limiting his availability and development.

Travor Turner, the pass rush specialist, is a junior who played well at Houston and earned the start last week against Washington State. But he’s also an inexperienced junior, having recorded all of five tackles the previous two seasons.

Holland is the veteran, the junior who started five of the last six games last season and seven in all. But he has also had a bad left ankle that would have cost him the Miami game and did limit him to spot duty against Washington State.

The Bruins would have preferred to red-shirt Anthony Fletcher, a true freshman, but had to press him into duty because of the injuries.

Kory Lombard, a walk-on reserve nose guard, got about a dozen plays in the opener against Texas before Kocher’s recovery pushed him to the background.

Sua, a redshirt freshman, started against Washington State.

Jayson Brown is a senior, actually a 23-year-old, sixth-year senior after getting an extra season because of knee problems. But he’s also inexperienced, having recorded only eight tackles before 1998.

Vae Tata is a senior too. But he’s also back after missing the previous two seasons because of injuries.

Thus, problems.

“It calls upon Travor and I to play more mature than we really are,” Holland said. “And whether the young guys like it or not, it needs to be an accelerated maturation process for those guys.”

Said Turner, “I’ve definitely thought about that. It’s like, we’ve had all this time to learn. Now we’ve got to go do it. Pete makes a good point.

“I’ve always had a feeling that I wanted to get back to playing. It seems like I’ve been gone for three years. I played for two of those, but not in a big role. Now it’s like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to make the play.’ Before, it was, ‘Hey, he’s not supposed to be in there, so whatever we get from him is good.’ Now, it’s like it’s expected of you.”

Because it is, which is why Coach Bob Toledo calls the production of the defensive line, even held together by tape and enthusiasm, “very average.” And why he’s not the only one.

“We’re a C-minus, at best,” Webb said. “At best. Some plays, we’re failing. And there are not very many A’s.

“We expect a lot more of ourselves than what we’ve been putting out. I expect a lot more of myself. I’m sure [the coaches] agree. . . . We [the linemen] don’t necessarily dialogue about it. But you can feel it in the meeting rooms and on the field.”

Proving there has been at least some impact, three games and zero sacks later.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Performance Review

A look at how UCLA’s defense has performed this season:

Game 1, def. Texas, 49-31

Rushing yards allowed: 157

Passing yards allowed: 231

Plays-yards: 64-388

Yards per play: 6.1

Touchdowns allowed: 4

*

Game 2, def. Houston, 42-24

Rushing yards allowed: 173

Passing yards allowed: 269

Plays-yards: 92-442

Yards per play: 4.8

Touchdowns allowed: 2

*

Game 3, def. Wash. St., 49-17

Rushing yards allowed: 93

Passing yards allowed: 221

Plays-yards: 69-314

Yards per play: 4.6

Touchdowns allowed: 2

*

Totals (average per game)

Rushing yards allowed: 423 (141)

Passing yards allowed: 721 (240.3)

Plays-yards: 225-1,144 (75-381.3)

Yards per play: 5.1

Touchdowns allowed: 8 (2.7)

Points allowed: 72 (24)