UCLA will go after Max Hall

UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker has seen enough of Dennis Pitta, Michael Reed, Austin Collie and Harvey Unga as pass catchers. Enough.

He revealed to the Los Angeles Times some of his ideas of how to handle the Cougar offense for the third time in a year. He has to get after Max Hall. He’s going to have to pressure and apply some pads to the Cougar junior.

Here’s an excerpt from today’s Los Angeles Times quoting Walker:

“We’re getting down to the bare minimum on schemes,” he said. “It will be an interesting game in terms of the chess match. I’m sure they are going to look at the things we did well against them, just like we’ve looked at what they did well to see if we can eliminate it.”

The main problem the Bruins have faced against Brigham Young is quarterback Max Hall, who completed 51 of 87 passes for 622 yards and four touchdowns in the two games last season. Hall nearly rallied the Cougars from a 20-0 deficit in the regular-season game, getting them within a field goal before losing, 27-17.

The Bruins did a better job on Hall in the second game, holding him to 231 yards passing by using more blitzes and man-to-man coverage.

“I’m sure they are going to have some wrinkles for us and we may have a few for them,” Walker said. “The bottom line is going to be who can adjust the quickest once we find out each other’s wrinkles.”

The Bruins did have success in both games against the run. BYU had 44 yards rushing in the first game and 34 yards in the Las Vegas Bowl.

“I just don’t think you can sit back and defend these guys,” Walker said.

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BYU’s offensive coaches said on Monday, they do expect the Bruins to apply the pressure and play a lot of press man cover on receivers at the line of scrimmage. Historically, if the ploy backfires, BYU registers big yards. If it works, UCLA could sack Hall and rattle him. Who can forget the nine sacks the Bruins got on John Walsh back in the early 90s in Pasadena?