Film Has No Appeal for Moore

UCLA quarterback Matt Moore didn’t watch the film of the Bruins’ 31-13 loss to Washington State on Saturday night. He didn’t need a replay of that horror flick to know why he lost his starting job to Drew Olson this week.

“There were some things I didn’t hit -- Marcedes [Lewis] was open in the end zone a couple times,” said Moore, who completed 11 of 29 passes for 138 yards against the Cougars, with one touchdown and two interceptions. “There were some flat routes I should have hit on third down. Just little things, man, and it happened a lot.

“That was a huge thing. It leads Coach [Karl] Dorrell to believe I don’t know what’s going on. Even though that’s not the case, that’s what it seemed like Saturday, because I just didn’t perform like I should have.”

News of his demotion hit Moore like a blitzing, blind-side linebacker. Dorrell said after the Washington State game that Moore would start against Oregon on Saturday, but less than 48 hours later, Dorrell announced Olson would start.

“It was a little surprising,” Moore said. “I never expected it to be so sudden. But that’s the way it is.... I had a bad game, so he decided to let Drew have a shot.”

The season began with a quarterback controversy in fall camp, and that controversy has never really subsided. Moore suffered a knee injury in the season opener and did not start the next six games, while Olson guided UCLA to a 5-1 mark.

Some questioned Dorrell’s decision to replace Olson with Moore for the Oct. 25 Arizona State game, and the second-guessing intensified when UCLA, after beating the Sun Devils, lost to Stanford and Washington State.

Moore was 10 of 17 for 186 yards in the first half against Arizona State, but since then, he is 34 of 71 for 287 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

Now Moore has lost his starting job, a development that casts further doubt on UCLA’s present -- and future -- quarterback situation, because Olson and Moore are sophomores. Could Moore take two more years of this?

“I don’t know,” he said. “We have two games left, and I’m kind of looking forward to getting through this season. It’s been like a roller coaster.”

Asked how much confidence he feels the coaching staff has in him, Moore said, “I don’t know. I would hope a lot, but it’s a hard question to answer.”

Does his benching suggest coaches have lost some confidence in him?

“Obviously,” he said, “but I’m not going to say anything. It’s hard. I don’t know ... it [stinks], but that’s the way it is.”

*

UCLA end Dave Ball, who leads the nation with 13 1/2 sacks, has been selected one of four finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s top lineman.

Ball will attend a Dec. 10 dinner in Houston’s Reliant Stadium, where the winner will be announced.

Arkansas offensive tackle Shawn Andrews, Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris and Georgia end David Pollack are the other finalists

“The last couple of years, I’ve seen these guys be dominant, and it feels weird to be one of those guys,” said Ball, a senior who is the first Bruin Lombardi finalist since offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden in 1995. “I feel pretty fortunate.”

When Ball, known as much for his one-liners as his pass rush, was selected a Lombardi semifinalist in October, he joked that “the main part is I’ve got to get ready for the swimsuit competition.”

Tuesday, he said, “I think it was the waxing job, that helped a lot. Now, I’ve got to get ready for the judges’ final questions. I’ve got to mention world peace in there somehow.”

*

Bruin defensive tackle Rodney Leisle, limited to two plays in the Washington State game because of a high ankle sprain, practiced and could start against Oregon.

“I don’t know how full-strength he’ll be, but we’re hoping to get him some playing time,” Dorrell said. “He’s not 100%, not even close to that. We’ll just see how the week unfolds.”

*

Backup fullback J.D. Groves sat out practice because of a mild ankle sprain, and strong safety Jarrad Page was held out of contact drills because of a sprained knee. Both are expected to play Saturday.