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UCLA Football: What the Bruins Need To Do During the Bye Week

By Spencer Stueve

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Coaches:
* Gameplan. Yes, coaches gameplan every week. They watch extensive film every week. They find tendencies and look for ways to exploit them. What they can do, and often actually do during bye weeks, is let their creative voices be heard. Trick plays, new formations, new packages, and plenty of surprises are staples of late-season football. The Bruins have tendencies just like every other team and the coaches will look for ways to break their own tendencies, and create mismatches that others have yet to see on film.
* Hit the recruiting trail hard. During a bye week, it’s time to travel for most assistant coaches. Most coaching staffs, including the UCLA staff, break up recruiting responsibilities not only by position groups, but regional recruiting zones. This is done so that coaches can create long term relationships with different programs. Friday and Saturday nights when Recruit A and B are playing in the Bay Area, expect to see Defensive Line coach Angus McClure there. When Recruit C from Los Angeles is lining up for the opening kickoff, expect to see Receiver Coach Eric Yarber in attendance. It’s a big week in recruiting every year and solidifies with recruits the commitment coaches have to them. Go get ’em!

Players:
* Take care of your body.  With a bye week comes time to heal the inevitable aches and pains of playing seven consecutive weeks of football.  Practices are usually lighter and players will receive an extra day off. Receive treatment, ice, hot tub, cold tub, and eat right.
* Watch more film. With more time to prepare, there is more time to perfect the art of studying film. The goal each week is to know the opponent greater than they know themselves. An extra seven days gives them a chance to watch much more film.

Fans:
* Rest, relax, and prepare. Seven weeks into the Jim Mora era and the Bruins are a solid 5-2, with the schedule getting increasingly more difficult. Take the week off and spend it with your family, friends, or just sit on the couch and watch football all weekend. No matter what you do, be ready when the Bruins need you. With three home games remaining, including a November matchup against the hated Trojans, fans need to bring it just like the players. Relax for a week, then finish strong! See you at the Rose Bowl October 3rd.