2006 record: 7-6, 5-4 (4th in Pac-10)
2006 bowl: Lost to Florida State 44-27 in OT in Emerald
2006 final AP/coaches' ranking: Unranked
Coach: Karl Dorrell (29-21, 4 years, 5 at school)
Offensive coordinator: Jay Norvell (1st year)
Defensive coordinator: DeWayne Walker (2nd year)
Returning offensive starters: 10
Returning defensive starters: 10
Location: Los Angeles
Stadium: Rose Bowl (grass, 91,500)
Last league title: 1998
2007 schedule: [view]
2006 statistics: [view]

Offensive: Rarely has UCLA had such a good feeling at quarterback. Junior Ben Olson is the starter, after winning the job last season, then suffering a knee injury that knocked him out of eight games. But he has a more-than-adequate backup in junior Patrick Cowan, who displayed nice mobility and poise while keeping the Bruins afloat. The best offensive weapon is junior running back Chris Markey, who rushed for 1,107 yards and also became the team’s leading receiver (35 catches). Senior wide receiver Brandon Breazell is the deep threat, while senior Marcus Everett is more reliable. The musical chairs have stopped on the offensive line, where guard Chris Joseph has shifted to center and tackle Noah Sutherland has moved to guard.

Defensive: Here’s a large reason for optimism at UCLA. The Bruins went from 113^th in total defense to 39^th (also improving from 116^th to ninth in rushing defense). And 10 starters are returning. The senior leaders are defensive end Bruce Davis, cornerback Trey Brown (who has 30 consecutive starts) and big-hitting strong safety Chris Horton. Oh, there was that little matter of following the feel-good win against USC with a 44-27 meltdown against Florida State at the Emerald Bowl. But we’ll need more evidence to throw a bucket of cold water on UCLA’s defensive hopes. Things look pretty good.

Specialists: Junior Aaron Perez is an exceptional punter, whether it’s distance (42.6 yard average), hang time or a directional boot. But there are potential worries at place-kicker, where freshman Kai Forbath is the likely replacement for All-American Justin Medlock. There is no shortage of candidates for the return-man spots.

Game of the year Dec. 1, at USC Last season, UCLA snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Trojans, one that likely cost their crosstown rivals a shot at the national title.

Coaching: Karl Dorrell has grown into the job, but he never seems to stray far away from a potential hotseat. He clearly has the Bruins moving in the right direction, and should be set up for a successful season. There are three new assistants, including first-year offensive coordinator Jay Norvell.

Heisman Hopefuls: You can’t ignore the L.A. glamour factor, but a lot of things would need to fall right in order for Markey (or the Bruin quarterback) to emerge as a serious Heisman contender.

Overview: The Bruins are on the upswing — finally — with 20 returning starters and a realistic shot at earning a BCS bowl bid. The problem, as always, is living in the same neighborhood as dynastic USC. Second place in the Pac-10 wouldn’t mean failure. It would mean the Bruins have realized expectations, an occurrence that never has come easily in Westwood. 

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