UCLA Loses To Utah In An UnInspired Peformance

There was no imagination here. There was no acting upon mistakes. There was not any fixing of problems. What UCLA football did in the first quarter of their 30-28 loss to the Utah Utes is what they did in the fourth quarter. This loss has set them back on a day that they could have taken control. Instead, they find themselves suck in a repetitive rut that we have seen before.UCLA loses to the Utah Utes 30-28 and it is because of one thing.

UCLA Football cannot make changes.

Box Score

Let us start with the defense. Last season, whenever UCLA had a problem with the opposing offense, former Defensive Coordinator Lou Spanos found a way to counter them with second half efforts. By changing things up, it was almost like it was a brand new team playing on the field. There is no such planning like that from current DC Jeff Ulbrich.

Betsided

Last week the Bruins shut down one of the most prolific runners in the nation as they cut D.J. Foster‘s production down by 66%. This week, the Bruins let Devontae Booker, a decent running back in his own rite, run all over them. He was consistent in the first half and twice as dangerous in the second strictly because UCLA was doing nothing about him.

The same thing goes for the offense. It was predictable and unimaginative. The one time they changed things up and went for the home run strike, they got it (to be precise, they ran the same play twice with it working on the second attempt). The Bruins, in the fourth quarter, had finally taken a 28-27 lead with just under five minutes left. With that much time remaining, Utah was able to kick a field goal, followed by UCLA marching down the field and attempt two field goals after the first was penalized for “roughing the kicker”. Unfortunately, the days of Kai Forbath have long gone and the best UCLA can do now is settle for inconsistent efforts of Ka’imi Fairbairn. Twice he had a chance to win the game, with the second try easier than the first and on both he failed to convert.

But this was not on Fairbairn… at all.

Oct 4, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley (17) is tackled by Utah Utes defensive end Nate Orchard (8) during the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

This was on the coordinators. As stated before, Ulbrich did not do anything, but he was not alone. Mazzone had implemented running play after running play with no sign of break through for the duration of the contest. Last week at Arizona State, he had Hundley slinging the ball every which way. Against Utah, the Bruins ran twice as much as they passed and the result was a loss. Thomas Duarte, who is third in the list of total receiving yards for the Bruins had ZERO against Utah. Additionally, the Bruins have been very dangerous when they get up to 10 receivers involved, but tonight, Mazzone had only world in five Bruins.

It is understandable to want to establish a running game, especially when you are trying to open up the passing game, but when the running game is not working (at all), changes need to be made and they were not. This is on the coordinator. Especially when Hundley gets sacked ten times. You read that right.

There is obviously a lot to inquire about with UCLA in the coming week and we here at Go Joe Bruin will be thoroughly doing that tin the next few days, especially with Oregon on the horizon. But for now, give yourself a day and move on. There are bigger Ducks to fry.