UCLA Football: Predicting The Defensive Starting Line-Up
October 12, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins safety Randall Goforth (3) is congratulated by cornerback Anthony Jefferson (23) after intercepting a pass against the California Golden Bears during the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
As we predicted the offensive starting line-up a few weeks ago, we will now predict the defensive starting line-up for the UCLA Bruins football team for the up-coming 2014-15 season. And just like the offense, Go Joe Bruin projected the depths charts for the Defensive Line, Linebackers and the Defensive Backs. From those, we have made our assessment of who will be starting in one of the fiercest defenses in the Pac-12, although, this prediction includes an added bonus with the Bruin D.
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The predicted starting-line-up….
…in the 3-4 Defense:
CB: Fabian Moreau
SS: Randall Goforth
LB: Kenny Orjioke
LB: Eric Kendricks
DE: Eddie Vanderdoes
NT: Kenneth Clark
LB: Ryan Hofmeister
LB: Myles Jack
CB: Ishmael Adams
But now hold on a second. Things were shaken up in the spring which included injuries to significant parts of the front seven, but saw the emergence of a very good secondary. And just like that, new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich had a very powerful formation at his disposal. Here is the predicted starting line-up…
…in the 4-2-5 Defense:
CB: Fabian Moreau
SS: Randall Goforth
NB: Tahaan Goodman
LB: Eric Kendricks
DE: Eddie Vanderdoes
DT: Kenneth Clark
DT: Ellis McCarthy
LB: Myles Jack
CB: Ishmael Adams
So what does this mean? It means that UCLA is prepared for whatever offenses are prepared to throw or run at them.
Defensive Line
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The Bruins are huge, fast and agile in the trenches. In the 3-4, Eddie Vanderdoes, Kenneth Clark and Owamagbe Odighizuwa should start. If UCLA begins with the 4-2-5, add Ellis McCarthy to the middle of that line. These four big men are going to give many offensive lines fits, especially with Odighizuwa returning to the line-up after missing all of last year due to hip surgery.
McCarthy has experience, but did not seem to progress as much as the other linemen, especially Clark who came on big later in the season, most notably against Arizona State when he collected 7 total tackles. Vanderdoes showed he had what it takes to start as a true freshman, which is good because a foot injury kept him out of spring practice, halting his development for a few months. He is expected to be ready for fall camp.
Linebackers
Nov 15, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Myles Jack (30) celebrates after the game against the Washington Huskies at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Last year, the Bruins had based their defense in the 3-4 behind an incredible linebacking crew led by inside linebacker Eric Kendricks, freshman phenom Myles Jack, the ferocious Jordan Zumwalt and the incredible pass rusher in Anthony Barr. Zumwalt and Barr are now in the NFL, but Kendricks and Jack remain to lead a younger crew.
Kenny Orjioke, Ryan Hofmeister and Isaako Savaiinaea will all be gunning for the two remaining starting roles. They have experience, but did not make much of an impact last year. While that should change, in the mean time the Bruins have a deep and talented secondary that will help shift assignments.
If UCLA goes into a 4-2-5, the clear options to handle the middle of the field are Kendricks and Jack.
Defensive Backs
In the 3-4, UCLA have a deadly collection of Fabian Moreau, Randall Goforth, Anthony Jefferson and Ishmael Adams. Jefferson and Goforth were deadly last season as the third and fourth best tacklers on the Bruins. They will be assisted by Adams who is extremely fast corner who pulled in a team-high four interceptions in 2013.
If that is not enough to scare opposing offenses, throw in Fabian Moreau who was the talk of spring practice as he showed incredible development since the end of last season. Head coach Jim Mora is pretty confident about his secondary will be highly effective, you should too.
But it gets even better than that. True sophomore Tahaan Goodman was a big recruit the Bruins landed a year ago and made improvements developing under the Bruin coaches. If the Bruins start games in the 3-4, he will be cycled in as a back-up, but if UCLA goes to a 4-2-5, consider him the fifth defensive back (nickel back) that starts.
In summation, the Bruins should have one of the best defenses in the conference, if not the nation. UCLA has become a more and more disciplined team, which will easily help them go from the 3-4 to the 4-2-5 and back when needed. They will indeed be a brutal team to go against, but this is just the starting line-up we are talking about here. Mora and Company have done a great job reloading and developing the Bruins with talent for the future. Things are looking very bright in Westwood.