2011 UCLA Bruins football team


The 2011 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached during the regular season by fourth year head coach Rick Neuheisel and played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mike Johnson was named the interim head coach for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl after Neuheisel was fired.
On November 25, 2011, with Colorado's defeat of Utah, the Bruins were declared the South Division champions. On November 28, 2011, UCLA announced that it had fired Neuheisel but would allow him to coach his final game in the first Pac-12 Football Championship Game on December 2, 2011. The Bruins were then defeated 49–31 in that game by Oregon at Autzen Stadium. The season concluded with a loss to Illinois, [|20–14], in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and completed a 6–8 overall record. With the loss to Illinois, UCLA became the first bowl-eligible team to ever lose eight games.
The radio broadcast team members on flagship station KLAC-AM 570 were Chris Roberts, play-by-play; Matt Stevens, analyst; and Wayne Cook, sidelines.

Schedule

Key players

UCLA's recruits:

Game summaries

Houston

At game time, UCLA led the series with Houston 3–2, which started on September 17, 1977, in the Astrodome. Last year, the Bruins defeated the Cougars 31–13 in the Rose Bowl.
1st Quarter scoring: HOU – Michael Hayes 1-yard run ; HOU – Hogan 35-yard field goal
2nd Quarter scoring: UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 18-yard run ; HOU – Bryce Beall, 12-yard run ; UCLA – Joseph Fauria 5-yard pass from Richard Brehaut ; HOU – Hayes 34-yard run ; HOU – Tyron Carrier 23-yard pass from Case Keenum
3rd Quarter scoring: UCLA – Derrick Coleman 1-yard run ; UCLA – Brehaut 1-yard run
4th Quarter scoring: HOU – Chris Thompson 0-yard fumble recovery ; UCLA – Anthony Barr 11-yard pass from Brehaut

San Jose State

The two teams met for the first time in football.
The Spartans' Brandon Rutley provided the highlight of the game with a 65-yard run in the third quarter to tie the score, 17–17. But the Bruins scored a field goal and a Derrick Coleman touchdown in the fourth quarter to come out with their first victory for the 2011 season, their sixth of the last seven home opener victories.
1st Quarter scoring: UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 1-yard run.
2nd Quarter scoring: SJSU – David Freeman 1-yard run ; UCLA – Johseph Fauria 14-yard pass from Richard Brehaut.
3rd Quarter scoring: SJSU – Waid 25-yard field goal; UCLA – Smith 38-yard field goal; SJSU – Brandon Rutley 65-yard run.
4th Quarter scoring: UCLA – Smith 20-yard field goal; UCLA – Derrick Coleman 24-yard run.

Texas

The two teams are meeting for the sixth time, with the Bruins holding a 3–2 edge. The Longhorns are going back to the Rose Bowl for the fourth time in eight years, including a win in the 2005 Rose Bowl against Michigan, a win in the 2006 Rose Bowl against USC for the 2005 National Championship and a loss in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game against Alabama.
1st Quarter scoring: UT – D. J. Grant 45-yard pass from Case McCoy ; UT – Fozz Whittaker 8-yard run.
2nd Quarter scoring: UT – Malcolm Brown 16-yard run ; UCLA – Derrick Coleman 1-yard run ; UT – Grant 2-yard pass from McCoy ; UCLA – Locke 51-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter scoring: UCLA – Locke 49-yard field goal; UT – Grant 5-yard pass from Jaxon Shipley ; UCLA – Coleman 1-yard run ; UT – Whittaker 36-yard run
4th Quarter scoring: UT – Cody Johnson 7-yard run

Oregon State

UCLA leads the series 40–15–4 that began in 1930 and played in Los Angeles, Corvallis, Portland and Tokyo. The Bruins won last year 17–14 on Kai Forbath's 51-yard field goal on the last play of the game.
First Quarter scoring: OSU – Trevor Romaine 25-yard field goal; UCLA – Taylor Embree 22-yard pass from Richard Brehaut
Second Quarter scoring: UCLA – Brehaut 5-yard run ; UCLA – Jordon James 4-yard run ; OSU – Jordan Poyer 85-yard punt return
Third Quarter scoring: OSU – Romaine 30-yard field goal; OSU – Jordan Bishop 45-yard pass from Sean Mannion
Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Anthony Barr 1-yard run

Stanford

UCLA leads Stanford 45–33–3 in a series that dates back to 1925. For games played at Stanford, both teams have the same 19–19–2 record.
First Quarter scoring: STAN – Coby Fleener 18-yard pass from Andrew Luck
Second Quarter scoring: STAN – Stepfan Taylor 2-yard run ; STAN – Williamson 23-yard field goal; UCLA – Joseph Fauria 12-yard pass from Richard Brehaut
Third Quarter scoring: STAN – Fleener 51-yard pass from Luck ; UCLA – Fauria 13-yard pass from Brehaut ; STAN – Tyler Gaffney 16-yard run
Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Josh Smith 7-yard run ; STAN – Taylor 1-yard run ; STAN – Chris Owusu 5-yard pass from Luck

Washington State

UCLA leads Washington State 38–18–1 in this series started in 1928. At the Rose Bowl, the Bruins are 8–5 on the Cougars.
First Quarter scoring: WSU – Andrew Furney 21-yard field goal
Second Quarter scoring: WSU – Furney 26-yard field goal; UCLA – Derrick Coleman 1-yard run ; WSU – Furney 21-yard field goal
Third Quarter scoring: UCLA – Coleman 1-yard run ; WSU – Jared Karstetter 8-yard pass from Marshall Lobbestael
Fourth Quarter scoring: WSU – Rickey Galvin 21-yard pass from Lobbestael ; UCLA – Josh Smith 9-yard pass from Kevin Prince ; WSU – Furney 47-yard field goal; UCLA – Shaquelle Evans 7-yard pass from Prince

Arizona

Since 1927, UCLA is ahead of Arizona 19–14–2 in this series. The Wildcats have a 10–8 advantage in games played in Tucson, including the last three wins in the Desert. Before halftime, a streaker dressed as a referee and ran off the field, and a fight ensued, leading to two players being ejected, and six Bruins players being suspended.

California

Homecoming.
First Quarter scoring: CAL – Isi Sofele 1-yard run
Second Quarter scoring: UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 11-yard run ; UCLA – Gonzalez 32-yard; UCLA – Derrick Coleman 2-yard run
Third Quarter scoring: CAL – C.J. Anderson 1-yard run
Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Coleman 20-yard run ; UCLA – Coleman 24-yard run

Arizona State

First quarter scoring: UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 11-yard run ; ASU – A.J. Pickens 35-yard pass from Brock Osweiler
Second quarter scoring: ASU – C. Marshall 14-yard run ; UCLA – Gonzalez 43-yard field goal; UCLA – Derrick Coleman 1-yard run
Third quarter scoring: UCLA – Nelson Rosario 76-yard pass from Kevin Prince ; ASU – Jamal Miles, 9-yard pass from Brock Osweiler
Fourth quarter scoring: ASU – Osweiler 1-yard run ; UCLA – Coleman 1-yard run

Utah

First Quarter scoring: UCLA – Tyler Gonzalez 30-yard field goal
Second Quarter scoring: UTAH – John White 1-yard run
Third Quarter scoring: UTAH – White 13-yard pass from Jon Hays ; UTAH – White 22-yard run
Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Gonzalez 35-yard field goal; UTAH – Conroy Black 67-yard interception return ; UTAH – Petersen 38-yard field goal

Colorado

First Quarter scoring: UCLA – Shaqell Evans 54-yard pass from Kevin Prince ; UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 14-yard run ; UCLA – Joseph Fauria 5-yard pass from Prince
Second Quarter scoring: CU – Toney Clemons 20-yard pass from Tyler Hansen
Third Quarter scoring: UCLA – Gonzalez 22-yard field goal
Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Fauria 15-yard pass from Prince ; UCLA – Nelson Rosario 11-yard pass from Prince ; UCLA – Malcolm Jones 1-yard run

USC

Although UCLA and USC had worked out an arrangement to allow each team to wear home uniforms for the rivalry game, in 2011 UCLA debuted an all-white uniform for this game.
First Quarter scoring: USC – Marqise Lee 42-yard pass from Matt Barkley ; USC – Curtis McNeal 73-yard run
Second Quarter scoring: USC – Randall Telfer 1-yard pass from Barkley ; USC – Rhett Ellison 3-yard pass from Barkley
Third Quarter scoring: USC – Marqise Lee 52-yard pass from Barkley ; USC – Robert Woods 4-yard pass from Barkley
Fourth Quarter scoring: USC – Woods 41-yard pass from Barkley

Oregon (Pac-12 Conference Championship)

Head coach Rick Neuheisel coached his final game for the Bruins.
First Quarter scoring: ORE – LaMichael James 30-yard run ; UCLA – Patrick Larimore 35-yard interception return ; ORE – Darron Thomas 10-yard run ; ORE – Colt Lyerla 7-yard pass from Thomas, Darron

Second Quarter scoring: UCLA – Nelson Rosario 37-yard pass from Kevin Prince ; ORE – James 3-yard run ; ORE – Daryle Hawkins 25-yard pass from Thomas ; UCLA – Gonzalez 44-yard field goal
Third Quarter scoring: UCLA – Prince 1-yard run ; ORE – James 5-yard run ; ORE – David Paulson 22-yard pass from Thomas

Fourth Quarter scoring: UCLA – Nelson Rosario 19-yard pass from Prince

Illinois (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)

Despite a losing record, the Bruins were granted a waiver to play in a bowl game by the NCAA on November 30, 2011, after the Pac-12 conference did not have enough eligible teams to fill its bowl commitments. The Bruins were coached by interim head coach Mike Johnson, who replaced Rick Neuheisel, while the Fighting Illini were coached by interim head coach Vic Koenning, replacing Ron Zook.
First Quarter scoring: No score
Second Quarter scoring: UCLA – Taylor Embree 16-yard pass from Kevin Prince ; ILL – Derek Dimke 36-yard field goal
Third Quarter scoring: ILL – T. Hawthorne 39-yard interception return
Fourth Quarter scoring: ILL – Dimke 37-yard field goal; ILL – A. J. Jenkins 60-yard pass from N. Scheelhaase ; UCLA – Nelson Rosario 38-yard pass from Prince,

Coaches