We've already had one beef between a Pac-12 football staff and an ESPN broadcast crew this season, and now we've got another.
The ESPN crew of Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard and Allison Williams called the Washington-UCLA game on Saturday, during which Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen left the game with an injured finger. He left the game in the third quarter with UCLA trailing 20-9; backup Devon Modster finished out the rest of an eventual 44-23 Washington victory. Analyst Huard questioned Rosen's toughness for not returning during a critical juncture during his team's season.
UCLA head coach Jim Mora was asked about Huard's comments and did not hold back.
“I’ve known Brock a long time … I would put very little stock in what Brock Huard has to say about anything that has to do with football. That’ll be controversial! But it’s the truth. …
“I think it’s ludicrous that anyone would question Josh Rosen’s toughness when they don’t know the nature of his injury. So, in all fairness to my comment, for a broadcaster who knows zippo about what’s going on down there to question the toughness of Josh Rosen, is, it’s … like I don’t know, I guess it drives ratings, I don’t know. Maybe the producer was talking in his ear. But it doesn’t make any sense to me that Brock Huard has any way to ever question Josh Rosen. But that’s his job. So I do understand that’s his job.”
For what it's worth, Huard played quarterback at Washington in the late 1990's and spent six seasons in the NFL.
It's also worth noting that Rosen has been the offense during his three seasons at UCLA. He ranks fourth in the nation with 336 attempts this season; UCLA as a team ranks 109th nationally in rushing on 239 carries, seventh-fewest among all teams with at least eight games this season.
Huard and company will be in Fort Worth to call Texas-TCU on Saturday. UCLA plays Friday night on Fox Sports 1.