A GLIMPSE OF MOORE TO COME.Byline: STEVE DILBECK PASADENA - It only seems like Matt Moore has been around forever, but truth be told, Saturday was only his third career start. He's a sophomore, not some grizzled griz·zled adj. 1. Partly gray or streaked with gray: a grizzled beard. 2. Having fur or hair streaked or tipped with gray. vet. A 19-year-old quarterback. A guy, it should be clear to all, who will have to through his own growing pains grow·ing pains pl.n. Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. . Moore won the starting quarterback job in camp, in what was considered a close competition with Drew Olson Drew Olson (born April 6, 1983 in San Francisco, California) is a former starting quarterback for the University of California, Los Angeles football team, where he broke many of UCLA's passing records. , started in the season opener against Colorado and fell to injury in the first quarter. Which begat a mini-quarterback controversy, as Olson played well enough to lead the Bruins to a 5-2 record while Moore healed and waited. So Saturday night against Arizona State, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX coach Karl Dorrell Karl Dorrell (born December 18, 1963 in Alameda, California) is the first black head coach in the history of the UCLA Bruins college football team, a position he took on December 18, 2002. finally makes good on his you-don't-lose-your-job-because-of-injury pledge and starts Moore. And in one game, we saw both why Moore won the job, and why Dorrell hesitated to put him back in the lineup. Moore, the former Hart High of Newhall star, clearly has the stronger arm, the more positives. He made several strong throws, both deep and quick. He also frequently looked like someone who has played precious little collegiate football. He sometimes missed routes, overthrew, underthrew,held the ball too long in the pocket. Made some mistakes that right now, Olson might be beyond. In the first half, Moore looked like a quarterback who could quickly come into his own. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 186 yards (already a career high), one touchdown and one interception. The interception came late in the second quarter, the game tied 10-10, UCLA's score coming on the strength of Moore's nice 25-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Craig Bragg Bold text Craig Milton Bragg (born March 15, 1982 in San Jose, California) is an American football wide receiver. He attended UCLA and Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, CA. in the end zone. UCLA had marched to the ASU ASU Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) ASU Appalachian State University ASU Arkansas State University ASU Angelo State University ASU Alabama State University ASU Australian Services Union 29 and appeared poised to score again, when Moore stood in the pocket too long, was hit as he passed and released a floater Floater A bond or other type of debt whose coupon rate changes with market conditions (short-term interest rates). Also known as "floating-rate debt". Notes: For example, a floater bond may have the coupon rate set at "T-bill rate plus 0.5%". that was picked off by Sun Devils
Moore made the tackle on the play, but ASU - playing behind backup quarterback Sam Keller - then drove into UCLA territory to set up a fieldgoal that left it ahead 13-10 at the break. After the half, Moore struggled. He completed only 3 of 10 passes for6 yards in the third quarter, which included another interception. That one also came when he stood in the pocket too long, was hit by blitzing safety Riccardo Stewart, the ball almost popping up in the air and falling gently into the arms of ASU defensive end Jimmy Verdon Jimmy Verdon (born November 4, 1981) is a defensive end in American Football. He graduated from Arizona State University where he played Defensive End for the Sun Devils. He earned second team All-Pac-10 honors and was voted the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player in 2004. . The Sun Devils fumbled the ball back on their next play, but it was clear Moore was not going to start at quarterback, and UCLA's struggling offense would suddenly ignite and take off to some new level. It was unfair to believe that would happen, though no doubt the UCLA faithful were hoping. The Bruins won this game - 20-13 - again because of their impressive defense. They scored the go-ahead touchdown because of an 83-yard run by freshman Maurice Drew, who had something of a coming-out party. The quarterback results, however, did not look all that much differentfrom when Olson, who did not play a down Saturday, lined up behindcenter. Good enough to win another slightly ugly game, to keep the Bruins unbeaten in Pacific-10 Conference play. If it was just about winning this game, now, then maybe Olson keeps the job. Yet it is hard not to admire Moore's deep throws, if still too often a step off, and not visualize days when the ball falls complete, when Moore offers the greater impact. UCLA is not exactly starting over with Moore leading the offense, but there will be steps backward. It's not like he's been around forever. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: UCLA quarterback Matt Moore was 10 of 17 in the first half for 186 yards and a touchdown and an interception. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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