In five years of Division I football, Joseph Fauria has seen it all.
He has played at two schools, under three head coaches and four offensive coordinators. He’s seen teammates touted as the real deal and teammates that actually turned out to be the real deal. But if you ask UCLA’s senior tight end what season was his most memorable, without hesitation he’ll tell you it’s this one.
And without hesitation, he’ll also tell you that the biggest moment of the season for the 2012 Bruins was one of the biggest losses of the season.
“Even with the loss, the Pac-12 Championship showed what this team is all about,” Fauria said. “There were some mistakes here and there, and we lost the game but it just showed how far we’ve come and that we deserved to be in that game.”
That game, as well as the rest of the 9-4 season, is officially in the rearview mirror. The outcome wasn’t what the 17th-ranked Bruins wanted, as it will be No. 6 Stanford playing in the Rose Bowl a few days after UCLA wraps up its appearance against Baylor in the Holiday Bowl. And while almost everyone acknowledges that the loss in the Pac-12 Championship game stung, and still does to some, this team came together in a way that few expected and are content to enjoy their last two weeks together.
“There was a lot of disappointment about not making the Rose Bowl,” head coach Jim Mora acknowledged at Saturday’s practice. “But they seem to like hanging out with each other so we’ll go make the best of it.”
“It still hurts,” said defensive end Cassius Marsh. “
UCLA is approaching the end of the ride that is the 2012 season. It was one that started in flux as new head coach stepped in and came down to one final field goal that separated the Bruins from what could have been their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1999. But while the kick, the game and the rest of the season are all now in the rearview mirror, the Bruins are trying to hang on to the final part of what turned out to be a memorable season.
“This team has really learned to have a lot of fun together,” Marsh said. “I think as a team, we got a whole lot better because we just bought into what our coaches were saying and what coach Mora was preaching.”
Mora’s goal upon taking over was simple: Turn the Bruins into a national championship contender. To do that, the team would need to exactly what Marsh said they did in believing in the new system. Consistency would need to be established and that the biggest inconsistent hole was finally filled when freshman quarterback Brett Hundley took his first collegiate snap and turned it into a 72-yard touchdown.
A week later, with everything to prove and nothing to lose, the unranked Bruins upset No. 17 Nebraska in front of a national audience.
Later in the season, against the downtown powerhouse whose status as an elite is one that UCLA hasn’t quite achieved yet, the Bruins put on another show for that national audience. Troy was toppled and UCLA made a big statement in the college football world.
“I just savored (that win),” Marsh said. “I felt like the season really didn’t matter unless we beat them. That’s the point where we realized, we’ve stepped out of the shadows a little bit and we’re moving on.”
As is expected in a building year, hits were taken in losses. But Mora, a coach of the year nominee who is reportedly fighting off offers from SEC programs, appears to have UCLA poised for a breakout.
“I think it’s a special thing to be a part of changing the program and changing the culture and the mindset,” Fauria said. “I think it’s better than any BCS bowl.”
“We’re going to build on what we’ve already established as a program,” Marsh said. “The goal now, with Coach Mora as our head coach, is a national championship. We didn’t achieve that this year but the future is bright.”
A solid foundation has been laid and the building blocks are in place, starting with Hundley and an offensive line that’s only loss will be senior lineman Jeff Baca. There are few superstar recruits joining the Bruins next season, but the coaching staff has already proved that they can effectively utilize just about any athlete at any position.
For the moment, Baylor just another opponent and the Holiday Bowl is a game like every other. While there is an awareness of the high-voltage offense the Bears run, this week has been less about preparing for the opponent and more about enjoying the last part of this long ride.
“I think this year’s team is really special,” Marsh said. “It’s easy to come out here and just play football. Everyone loves being out here with their teammates and we’re just looking forward to playing football.”
