5 Things We Learned From UCLA Football Fall Camp

Mike Regalado

Oct 18, 2014; Berkeley, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora Jr. stands on the field before the start of the game against the California Golden Bears at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Here are five things we learned about the UCLA Football team from the last two weeks of fall camp in San Bernardino.

It is only 13 days until UCLA Football takes the field at the Rose Bowl against the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2015 season opener and we cannot be more excited!

The Running Game Is Big

Personally, I love what the UCLA Football run game will look like. To start, Paul Perkins and Nate Starks, who will clearly be the #1 and #2 backs (respectively) are picking up where they left off in 2014. At the start of camp, both looked like they were going into camp willing and determined to elevate the offense with the absence of QB Brett Hundley.

UCLA Bruins

Yes, there is a QB competition, and that will take time to develop, but right now the Bruins do not have to worry about the running game.

We would have been happy with Perkins and Starks continuing with what they do best as the two premier backs, but we were very surprised to see that they will have help in the backfield in the form of two explosive freshmen.

Learn the names (and spellings) of Soso Jamabo and Bolu Olorunfunmi because they will be called upon often in the next three to four years.

We knew Jamabo was going to be a talented player and proved that in camp, but we were shocked at how good he actually was. He is a tall back with shifty moves, which is advantageous to him because he can play (and UCLA can use him at) RB, H-back and possibly even WR.

Olorunfunmi was an added surprise as he came out of nowhere and impressed everybody from Day 1 of camp. During their Friday scrimmage, Olorunfunmi had several impressive runs that broke through the line, pulled off multiple 10+ yard rushes and consistently needed to be brought down by more than one defender.

The run game will be fine. This year and for the next few seasons.

Next: The QB Competition

Sep 13, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Jerry Neuheisel (11) throws against the Texas Longhorns during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Apparently There WAS a QB Competition

It may be only one more week before we find out who the UCLA quarterback is as the coaches stated that they want a #1 named the week before their first game against Virginia. Fine, but hasn’t it always been freshman Josh Rosen? Apparently not.

“This is why [Rosen] has not been named starter.”

Sep 26, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; St. John Bosco quarterback Josh Rosen (3) looks to pass against the Bishop Gorman Gaels at Fertitta Field. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, Mora actually said that about “The Anointed One” after the Bruin coach thought the newbie QB did not play with urgency during Hail Mary plays. Fair enough, but how did the rest of Rosen’s production fair in the first two weeks of preseason.

Well, he did look very good — especially going up against one of the best defenses in the Pac-12 — but so did Jerry Neuheisel.

Though Rosen seems to have a lot of raw talent, Neuheisel has been doing a bang-up job of leading this offense when he gets the call with the 1s. Neuheisel showed a lot more confidence, leadership and has visibly improved his mechanics.

In addition to that, Mora also said that no one has come out and won the QB competition outright. Though we still believe a certain Bosco player will be the starter, Mora was not wrong about there being a competition.

Next: Speedy LBs

Sep 13, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Deon Hollins (58) celebrates at the end of the game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium. UCLA Bruins beat Texas Longhorns 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA Football Has Some Fast Linebackers

One of the first things you notice about the Bruin defense is how fast (and tough) they are, especially the group that will cause the most havoc, the linebackers. “Violent” has been used to describe them and that is not wrong.

For example, on the last play of scrimmage, Myles Jack had caught up with shifty back-up RB Roosevelt Davis (who broke through the line) and threw him to the ground. Starter or back-up, teammate or opponent, Jack does not care. If you are on the opposite side of the ball, he will floor you.

Kenny Young showed a lot of poise during camp and looked to have improved his coverage, but as far as speed goes, he was quick off the snap and found ways to get to the offense.

The pass rush was incredible and should be utilized a lot more in 2015. Every time the ball was snapped, the Bruins had someone coming off the edge, whether it was Deon Hollins, Cameron Griffin or Jayon Brown and believe me, they were very fast and did a very good job getting in the back field.

Next: The Best Defense In The Nation?

Nov 8, 2014; Austin, TX, USA; (Editors note: Caption correction) West Virginia Mountaineers senior associate head coach Tom Bradley prior to kickoff against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

The Defense Could Be One Of The Best In The Nation

The linebackers looked very good but so did the defense as a whole. They did not care who is trying to win a job at QB, since Day 1 the defense had been going all out. They looked good to start camp, but as chemistry started to mesh, so did the ferocity.

LB Deon Hollins was quoted as saying that this team will confuse offenses. “We are going to confuse people and beat people up. [New Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley] likes to say that a lot.”

Dec 31, 2013; El Paso, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes (47) celebrates after winning the 2013 Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium. UCLA defeated Virginia Tech 42-12. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

If you went to any practices at fall camp, you saw that this was the case on every single down. Aside from the outside linebackers coming off the edge like cheetahs, the rest of the defense has done very well to assimilate Bradley’s schemes which made it hell for the Bruin offense to operate.

Eddie Vanderdoes and Kenneth Clark are continuing to dominate the line. The LBs, as noted in the previous page, are killer. The secondary is swarming with speedy DBs like Ishmael Adams, Fabian Moreau and Marcus Rios (and they look better than last year).

There were spots of triumph during camp for the UCLA offense as they occasionally got through the D, but for the most part, the defense dominated fall camp.

Just looking at this team compared to last year, it is not that much of a stretch to say that this could be one of the best defenses in the nation.

Next: Jim Mora Is Not Messing Around

Sep 6, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora talks with officials in the second half of the game against the Memphis Tigers at the Rose Bowl. UCLA won 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jim Mora Is Not [Expletive] Messing Around

Jim Mora is a football coach and if you have not heard football coaches during football practices than what Mora said this past week might surprise you.

It all started with the aforementioned tirade directed at Josh Rosen where a number of expletives were sent the freshmen’s way.

The next day, Mora explained himself and did not shy away from the true meaning of his words, especially when describing himself.

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Mike Regalado

Editor of GoJoeBruin.com. Lover of animals, collector of vinyl and fan of UCLA Bruins and L.A. Kings. FWAA member.