Washington State had UCLA in serious trouble in the Rose Bowl last weekend.
The Cougs led 28-20 midway through the third quarter and had the ball first and goal at the UCLA 1-yard line early in the fourth, tied 28-28. A sneak fell short, then quarterback Jeff Tuel rolled right on a bootleg and dove in for a score. The refs signalled touchdown, WSU lined up and missed the extra point, and THEN the officials waved the play off and indicated the td was under review.
Replays showed Tuel's knee down, and the officials respotted the ball inside the one. Coach Paul Wulff huddled the offense just off the sideline and they took the field again, third and goal from the 2-foot line. The Bruins got pressure on a third down pass and the true sophomore qb wisely heaved it into the stands. Fourth and goal from two feet, on the road before a two-thirds capacity crowd, and Wulff signals to go for it.
Washington State lines up I formation running tailback James Montgomery off tackle right with big lineman #72 B.J. Guerra pulling to kick out the defensive end, just like they did on a scoring play earlier in the quarter. UCLA safety Rahim Moore knifes in and stops Montgomery short, and the Bruins drive the length of the field to go ahead 35-28, Derrick Coleman busting up the middle for a career-best 73-yard run on an inside run on third-and-two to move them into the red zone. Johnathan Franklin punches it closer on three runs, then on 2nd and goal backup quarterback Richard Brehaut keeps on the zone read and walks in to the end zone going left.
The Cougs try to answer with a drive of their own. Tuel moves them downfield with sharp passing, hitting the true freshman Wilson for eight, then slot receiver Jeffrey Solomon for 23. The drive stalls, they miss a field goal, and UCLA takes over with 7:25 to play and goes on a four minute drive, all running plays alternating Coleman and Franklin, Coleman going over from four yards out to ice the game. Seven runs, 72 yards, 42-28.
Tuel finds Solomon for 7 yards and then 20, but then he's sacked twice, the second time by Akeem Ayers and he fumbles. Ayers recovers and the Bruins take a knee twice to end the game.
The final score was deceptive. Washington State fought back from 14 down early and gave a fierce effort on the road. Tuel had 311 yards passing and the defense recovered a pair of fumbles. On four tries they were two feet short of taking a lead in the fourth quarter. Score there and who knows?
But they gave up 401 yards rushing and 4 tds to the two tailbacks, and wore down in the fourth. UCLA had more athletes and a deeper bench, and two fast, durable tailbacks with great balance. The Cougar front seven had trouble wrapping Coleman and Franklin up, though they did punch out the two fumbles, one by Franklin, the other forced out by Travis Long on a sack.
Losing haunts you, follows you, finds you. It becomes a habit and a way of life. After years of losing you expect it, and in every promising beginning a secret part of you waits for the moment it starts to unravel or turn the other way, the moment the familiar, sinking defeated feeling sinks in again. You turn to the guy next to you and bark at him for being out of position or missing the tackle, feeling embarrassed within yourself, knowing the defeat and the despair belongs to all of you. The coach gives the familiar answers, facing the media again, gathers the kids together, offers some praise and criticism, retreats to the office in the visitor's locker room, buries his face in his hands for a moment, gathers his pride. He wishes he had more players like himself, guys with fire and a refusal to give in. He knows he doesn't have them yet. He'll just have to teach these guys to win.
Beginning Monday, one way or the other.
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