October 23, 2007
Sporting News Matt Hayes All Out Of Love With Karl Dorrell?
Matt Hayes of Sporting News, one of Dorrell's staunchest, if not oddest, supporters, may have finally ended his man-love relationship with Dorrell. Prior to the start of this season Hayes had Dorrell's team listed as his "sleeper pick" to win the championship!! Also before this season, he named the hiring of Training Jay Norvell, the guy who had our team score all of 6 points against powerhouse Utah and their underclassman and 6 points against winless Notre Shame, the best hiring of the offseason by any college football team. Dorrell's Training Jay hire beat out the hiring of Dennis Erickson by ASU, Nick Saban by Alabama, and Butch Davis by North Carolina, just to name a few. Hayes even said prior to this season that the loss against Florida State in the Nut Bowl was "an aberration." Woops … love is blind. And if you recall, Hayes said prior to LAST season that Dorrell had UCLA becoming a threat again in college football. No joke … Matt Hayes was as drunk on the Dorrell Kool Aid as they came.
Then came Utah … then came Notre Dame … and Matt Hayes started sounding a little unsure about his guy Karl Dorrell:
I know QB Ben Olson was hurt and the Bruins were forced to use a walk-on at quarterback. I just don't care. There's no way — no flippin' way — UCLA should've lost to Notre Dame.
Settle down there Matt. Hayes doesn't outright criticize Dorrell by name after the Notre Dame game here nor does he go so far as to say there is a coaching problem at UCLA, but he's definitely upset here … and probably gave up on UCLA as champions at this point. But had he given up on Dorrell? Not so much. So after the Cal game you'd think he'd be on the Dorrell bandwagon again like so many of his supporters … right? Right?! Not so fast. In another odd twist in Matt Hayes' man-love relationship with Karl Dorrell, Matt decides to lay wood on Dorrell's program:
I'm now, officially, bumfuzzled by UCLA. [ed. careful Matt] What else can you say? I mean, I know it's a rivalry game and everything, but how does this UCLA team beat Cal and lose to Utah and Notre Dame? And don't give me the Pac-10 is overrated garbage; it's as good as the SEC.
This isn't a young or inexperienced team; the Bruins returned 20 starters from last season and are loaded with talent on defense and the skill positions on offense. So how does this happen? Lack of focus from players and lack of motivation from the coaching staff.
I've said this before with other programs/coaching staffs, and I'll say it again: the mark of a program in trouble is a team that wins and loses games it shouldn't. As good as UCLA looked against Cal, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if the Bruins lose this week at Washington State. And, of course, beat Arizona State two weeks later.
Yes you read that correctly, Dorrell's biggest supporter of all time, besides maybe his mother and his wife (no not Donahue … his OTHER wife), is saying now that Dorrell's program is in trouble!! Now … we already now that TJ Simers, formerly a Dorrell apologist, now clearly thinks Dorrell's time is coming to an end. But Matt Hayes turning on his golden boy Dorrell… after a win against a #10 team??? That is something unexpected. While the Dorrellistas are having their emotional outburst on the boards after this "big win," the more uninvested "experts" and "analysts" have all but left Dorrell's corner and are simply waiting for the final fall. We all know what should be done … let's hope Dan Guerrero has the stones to do it!! Matt Hayes apparently does.
8 Comments on Sporting News Matt Hayes All Out Of Love With Karl Dorrell?
October 23, 2007
Jim @ 8:24 am:
I completely agree with Matt Hayes that Dorrell will find a way to lose in Pullman this week, perhaps even lose to Arizona the following week, but will also manage a win against one of the big 3 still on the schedule.
Diego @ 9:48 am:
I guess it’s up to the offensive line. WAZZU has the WORST rushing defense. If we run the game and play defense, we should handle the Coogs without trouble. The trouble is, Utah was the worst running defense in the country, and we were blown out! KD decided to pass the ball on occassions he should’ve thrown. The O-line was a blood bath. ND is a terrible run stopping defense, and we decided to air it out with our walk-on QB who wanted ANYTHING, but to be in the game.
I guess it’s up to KD, if he wants to ALLOW our players to win the game for him.
Louis Miranda @ 11:41 am:
I too as a Bruin fan for 42 years; congratulate the player’s for their win over Cal but the fact is our HC played not to lose rather than play to win. This weeks opponent needless to say is the kind of team this team usually loses to and I predict they will lose. With this coached team it is always for the past 4 1/2 years 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Do not expect this to change until there is a change.
Bob Ramirez @ 12:40 pm:
I agree that Dorrell must go at the end of the year. I also concur that he plays not to lose. Now in particular with all the scrutiny he is so afraid of making a mistake. However Bruin fans should recognize that The Quarterback play is the difference with this team. Pat Cowan is more than a shot in the arm for this team, he is the one they rally around and the defense is getting better each week. Before the Cal game I read many comments that said the Bruins would be lucky to win 1 more game. With Cowan (and healthy Tevaga) better start preparing for a totally improved Bruins offense.
Bobby B
e40wadw @ 1:16 pm:
Bobby B I hope and pray you are absolutely right. I would love to see the Bruins win out, including their Bowl game, which would be the ROSE BOWL if they do(plus it would knock u$c to the toilet bowl! ASU or OU will fininsh 2nd). I would love to see this happen for Dorrell’s benefit, but based on what you stated about his character(”I also concur that he plays not to lose. Now in particular with all the scrutiny he is so afraid of making a mistake.”) and his past actions up to this point, Im afraid it is nothing more than a pipe dream.
Bob Ramirez @ 1:29 pm:
We truly haven’t seen what this team can really do with some leadership and consistency at the quarterback position. Hopefully Pat can stay healthy. For now I will stick with my pipe dream. Everybody in Pac-10 has proven beatable (Bruins have a 7 game winning streak)and we have the best defense in the conference in my opinion. Until a Pac-10 foe can beat us, let’s not concede any losses. Cowan’s play may greatly affect Dorrell’s decisions down the stretch.
Bobby B
Blue Texan @ 1:46 pm:
Why are you people hating on CKD? He’s got UCLA moving in the right direction. Just give him a few years.
/snark
October 24, 2007
Diego @ 2:39 am:
LMAO @ bluetexan. I know you can’t be serious with that gem of a post.
With regards to the QB discussion in here: Why has it been 10 years since we’ve had a good QB? UCLA has traditionally been knowing as a passing school. The conference as a whole is known as a passing conference, so how the UCLA isn’t one of the more recognized Qbs in the nation is beyond me. Yes, I know that BEn is supposed to fill that role (by the way, Ben is TERRIFIC, he’s just in the wrong system. It won’t surprise me if he transfer to a 1aa or Championship Subdivision conference thingy that they’re calling themselves now), but this should ALSO include back ups. Why is our back up a guy that wasn’t recruited by anyone ? Why is our third stringer a guy that couldn’t even throw in my Sunday afternoon flag football league?
I’ll answer that with two simple initials: KD