UCLA Football: Value of The Offensive Line
By Rick Timmons
November 17, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; USC Trojans defensive tackle
George Uko(90) and UCLA Bruins center
Jake Brendel(54) in the first half of the game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
What is an actor without a stage? A hockey player with teeth? What is China without it’s great wall? What is Brett Hundley without his offensive line? None of this and more will be answered in the following post, but we will look at the talent and upside of that great wall that protects the Heisman hopeful Brett Hundley.
Caleb Bennenoch. Alex Redmond. Scott Quessenberry. Jake Brendel. Simon Goines. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.
Sorry about that last one… I may have just finished an entire summer’s homework in one day — my brain is a little jumbled.
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Anyway, back to the point. All those guys have played at UCLA before. Each and everyone has played in multiple PAC-12 games, some facing the defensive front of elite teams like Oregon and Stanford. Each and every one will be returning to UCLA and bolstering their off-season growth on the offensive line. This is important, because as much as we all love Johnny Footba — ‘erm, I mean Johnny Clipboard — style play, games are won in the trenches.
Entering the season with expectations as lofty as the Bruins’ is no easy task. Pulling it off is even harder, and doing so will mean outstanding play by the defense and offense. How can Jordon James find holes to run through, if the line isn’t opening up those holes? He can’t. At least, he couldn’t last season; mind you he also struggled with injuries. This season, however, he will be able to. Hundley will have passing lanes, receivers will have time to run their routs, Jordon James will rush for over 900 yards, and UCLA will find success. It all comes down to durability and experience at the line. No team can guarentee durability, so like every other team in the nation, UCLA is prepping for casualties. As for experience, though, these hungry Bruins have shifted from one of the youngest teams in the PAC-12, to one of the most intelligent and experienced.
UCLA and it’s offensive line open up this Saturday @Virgina, so be sure to tune in, and try to keep an eye on the big boys.