DANIEL WONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Quarterback Cory
Paus audibles before a play during UCLA’s 56-17 rout of
Cal on Saturday. Paus finished with 273 yards and three TDs.
By Scott Bair
Daily Bruin Reporter
After last week’s dominant victory over Washington, UCLA
head coach Bob Toledo said that the Bruins made a statement about
the quality of their team. In Saturday’s 56-17 win over
California, UCLA quarterback Cory Paus made a personal statement of
his own.
California’s defensive strategy going into the game was
set on stopping UCLA running back DeShaun Foster. The Cal defense
held Foster to a mere 38 yards on 12 carries in the first half.
“They were packing the paint,” Toledo said.
“They had eight or nine guys in the box. When you do that, it
stops some short runs, but it definitely allows you to pass the
ball.”
Toledo put his trust in Paus’ arm, and it responded by
delivering a 13-16, 273-yard performance in less than three
quarters.
Paus had an inauspicious start, with one completion in the first
quarter as the offense sputtered.
The second and third quarters on the other hand, were a
different story.
Something clicked inside Paus’ head. He became methodical.
He carried himself with an almost robotic efficiency throughout the
quarter.
Throws that would sometimes land a little off target in other
games were hitting bulls-eye after bulls-eye. All that his
receivers had to do was stick out their hands. During this run,
Paus would step back, throw quickly and go right to the sideline
for another play. It was as if he knew his passes were going to be
completed and he wanted to keep the hot streak going. He was in a
zone.
“Cory played a great game,” UCLA wideout Ryan Smith
said. “He was putting the ball where only we could catch it.
Last year, he played some games were he was really on but today he
stepped up to another level.”
Paus would miss only two receivers through the rest of the game,
including an instance where Paus had to throw the ball away after
he uncharacteristically fought out of a sack that would have
resulted in a big loss of yardage.
On this Saturday, Paus could do no wrong. Even when a pass was
deflected up in the air, just waiting to be picked off, the ball
ended up in the right hands ““ the waiting arms of Foster, who
took it 34 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.
When Paus’ night was all said and done, he amassed three
touchdowns and spread his 273 yards out to six different
receivers.
Paus also showed the critics that single him out as the
team’s weak link, that he can win a game on his own.
“I’m glad that I played like this so I don’t
have to listen to (the criticism), if it ever quiets,” Paus
said.
For one game at least, the critics will have no choice but to
sing the praises of Paus’ gritty and efficient
performance.