OLSON COOKS IN VICTORY THROWS FOR THREE TDS IN BRUINS' WIN OVER RICE UCLA 63, RICE 21.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer PASADENA - 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 quarterback 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. talks about his comfort level in finally having a full grasp of the offense, of understanding defenses, and being at ease in the huddle and under center. He must be feeling fine now, because never was Olson better than in Saturday night's 63-21 dismantling of Rice in front of 44,808 at the Rose Bowl. UCLA, which has started the season with consecutive wins for the first time in coach Karl Dorrell's three-year tenure, blew the game open with five touchdowns in a span of 10:18 in the first half. It was the most points UCLA has scored since Dorrell took over. Olson completed 18 of 25 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns, and was on the bench to watch the final 20 minutes. It was the third-highest yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. total of his career, and his most in a UCLA win. Certainly, Rice was overmatched, but in previous seasons that didn't always mean an easy UCLA victory. But this was almost effortless as the Bruins (2-0) amassed 299 yards in the first quarter and had 28 points after their first play of the second quarter. Olson connected on scoring passes of 39, 10, and 11 yards as UCLA built a 49-14 halftime lead. He threw for 263 yards in the first half, surpassing his total in 20 of the 25 games he has played in since 2003. After blowing out San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. State and Rice, the Bruins should get a better test next week when struggling Oklahoma visits the Rose Bowl. The only potential downer down·er n. A depressant or sedative drug, such as a barbiturate or tranquilizer. for the Bruins was a left shoulder injury junior defensive end Justin Hickman Justin Hickman (born July 20, 1985 in El Paso, Texas) is an American football defensive end with the Washington Redskins. He played collegiately at the University of California at Los Angeles. suffered at the end of the first half. The only experienced starter on the line, Hickman was diagnosed with a sublex of his left shoulder. He was in street clothes in the second half and his status for the Oklahoma game is uncertain. UCLA's receiving corps was much maligned ma·lign tr.v. ma·ligned, ma·lign·ing, ma·ligns To make evil, harmful, and often untrue statements about; speak evil of. adj. 1. Evil in disposition, nature, or intent. 2. after catching two passes in the season-opener at San Diego State, but the group broke out against outmanned Rice (0-1), which elected to double-team tight end Marcedes Lewis Marcedes Alexis Lewis (born May 19, 1984 in Los Alamitos, California) is an American football tight end who plays for the National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars. He was drafted from UCLA as the 28th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. . That allowed Junior Taylor, who was held without a catch in the opener, to run wild in the secondary, and he killed the Owls with quick slants. He had five catches for 93 yards and two scores. Taylor's first touch resulted in a 39-yard catch and run on UCLA's third play from scrimmage A play from scrimmage is the activity of the games of Canadian football and American football during which one team tries to advance the ball or to score, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. . He later caught a 10-yard scoring pass on a quick slant in the second quarter. Bruins tailback tail·back n. Football The back on an offensive team who lines up farthest from the line of scrimmage. tailback Noun Brit a queue of traffic stretching back from an obstruction Maurice Drew wasn't left out, either. He rushed for 95 yards on 11 carries, including a 4-yard run to give UCLA the lead for good, 14-7, with 6:11 remaining in the first quarter. But the most excitement he provided came midway through the second quarter. Drew, who scored on a 72-yard punt return In American and Canadian football a punt return is one of the punt receiving team's options to respond to a punt. A player (usually a second or third string wide receiver or running back) positioned many yards from the line of scrimmage will attempt to catch or pick up the ball last week, fielded a punt on his own 34, cut left and raced along the left sideline, making a slight juke on punter Jared Scruggs before sprinting to the end zone to put UCLA ahead 35-7 with 12:51 remaining in the half. With the return, Drew tied UCLA's single-season record for punt-return touchdowns, and tied the school's career mark with three scores off punt returns. Olson, who completed 15 of 20 passes in the half, capped off UCLA's most prolific first half in 25 years. He found Brandon Breazell for an 11-yard score as the Bruins took a 49-14 lead 49 seconds before intermission. It was the most points scored in a half by UCLA since they scored 56 in the first 30 minutes of the season opener against Colorado in 1980. It was also the first time UCLA scored more than 40 points in the half since 1993 against Brigham Young. UCLA broke the game open by scoring five touchdowns in a span of 10:18 in the first and second quarters. It began when Drew ran through the middle of the line on his 4-yard touchdown run. UCLA's defense then held Rice to three consecutive three-and-outs, and scored on each ensuing en·sue intr.v. en·sued, en·su·ing, en·sues 1. To follow as a consequence or result. See Synonyms at follow. 2. To take place subsequently. drive. Fullback Michael Pitre made it 21-7 with a 6-yard run, Taylor caught his 10-yard slant from Olson and Drew followed with his 66-yard punt return. The inept Owls did their part to help, as well, as on its next play from scrimmage Rice quarterback Chase Clement fumbled and UCLA's Nikola Dragovic recovered. Four plays later Chris Markey scored on a 2-yard run to give UCLA a 42-7 lead with 10:53 left in the half. Brian Dohn, (818) 713-3607 brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) UCLA's Chris Markey, left, celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Rice at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. (2) Bruins QB Drew Olson threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns against Rice while sitting for the final 20 minutes. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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