For the last two weeks, the college football world has been on ‘Award Watch’ as the annual preseason honors were announced and several members of the UCLA football team were were named to various award watch lists. So what does that mean going into the 2015 season?
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We knew UCLA football had talent, but this is ridiculously amazing. Among the 19 preseason player award selections, UCLA had Bruins named to 15 lists. Including head coach Jim Mora being named to the Bobby Dodd Award watch list for “Coach of the Year”, that is 16 lists that Bruin personnel have made it to.
In the three years that Jim Mora has been in Westwood, he has done everything he can to make UCLA Football into a contender. With so many Bruins being named to preseason award lists, it shows that Mora has indeed made the Bruins into contenders, in conference and the nation.
So who exactly was named to what? Let us go down the master list of these award watches.
Jan 2, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Paul Perkins (24) runs the ball during the first half of the 2015 Alamo Bowl against the Kansas State Wildcats at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Myles Jack (30) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. UCLA defeated Arizona State 62-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
16 awards. 11 players. 8 positions. 7 juniors. 5 seniors. 1 coach. Needless to say, that is a lot of talent on the UCLA Football team. What is even more amazing is the how many awards these individual Bruins were named to.
Myles Jack lead all Bruins with 6 honors. Kenneth Clark had 4. Jake Brendel and Paul Perkins both were named to 3 watch lists. Ishmael Adams, Fabian Moreau and Eddie Vanderdoes all had 2 honors while Caleb Benenoch, Ka’Imi Fairbairn, Deon Hollins and Jordan Payton had 1.
That is six players on defense, four on offense and one on special teams. Clearly, this is team full of talent. What UCLA does with that talent is yet to be seen.
Under Mora, the Bruins have gotten increasingly better every year. With the amount of talent Mora has brought in via recruiting and how he and his coaching staff have developed that talent, UCLA football is poised to have one of its best seasons with the best team in the Jim Mora era. That is not a stretch to say, that is the #BruinRevolution.
Next: Jack, Perkins Named To The Walter Camp Award Watch List