The 2015 Go Joe Bruin UCLA Football Preview – General Info, Offense, Defense and Special Teams

Mike Regalado

Jul 30, 2015; Burbank, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Jim Mora at Pac-12 Media Day at Warner Bros. Studios. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After a long summer of best guesses and “analysis”, Go Joe Bruin brings you the 2015 UCLA Football Preview!

He we go Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the Go Joe Bruin 2015 UCLA Football Preview. We have been previewing the Bruins all summer, but with less than one week until kick-off, we give you one final dose of all-you-need-to-know information before we start getting into our weekly routine.

General Information

Before we get into the team, let us go over some general need-to-know information in regards to the Bruins.

-HOME GAMES-

UCLA Football plays their six home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California which has a capacity of 92, 542.

-COACHES-

Head Coach – Jim Mora

Offensive Coordinator – Noel Mazzone

Defensive Coordinator – Tom Bradley

Click HERE for the rest of the UCLA Coaching Staff

-UCLA FOOTBALL ROSTER-

Click HERE for the full UCLA Football roster.

-SCHEDULE-

September

5-vs Virginia, 12-at UNLV, 19-vs BYU, 26-at Arizona

October

3-vs Arizona State, 15-at Stanford (Thursday), 22-vs Cal (Thursday), 31-vs Colorado

November

7-at Oregon State, 14-vs Washington State, 21-at Utah, 28-at USC

-TICKETS-

Visit UCLABruins.com to purchase, season tickets, game packages and individual game tickets.

Next: The Offensive Preview

Nov 23, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Paul Perkins (24) tries to run past Arizona State Sun Devils defensive end Gannon Conway (95) during second half action at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Offense

You could go back and read every single piece we have done on the Bruin offense, but we will simplify it for you here.

First off, the Bruins lost three-year starter Brett Hundley to the NFL as well as Devin Lucien to transfer (ASU). Other than that, the Bruins brought in a stellar 2015 recruiting class with several plays that will look to participate as early as game one, but we will get into those players shortly.

So let us start with the quarterback as that has been the question all season long, who will replace Hundley? We now know freshman Josh Rosen has been given the start, beating out Jerry Neuheisel who really made this a good QB competition in the fall.

Sep 26, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; St. John Bosco Braves quarterback Josh Rosen (3) couldn’t help but cast a long shadow over UCLA’s 2016 quarterback recruiting efforts. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

With Rosen in place, how is this offense going to run. First, you should read this fantastic piece by Go Joe Bruin author Jake Merrifield as he describes UCLA Football’s path to success with Rosen.

What is that path? Well it helps that UCLA is returning one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country, but on a more personal level, this line is the best that has ever been in Westwood for more than decade. Maybe longer.

The Bruins had a bit of a scare with five offensive linemen going down with injuries at some point during fall camp. The most serious being Scott Quessenberry who will sit out the season after shoulder surgery. The one that is still unknown is Simon Goines who was out off fall camp with a “medical condition”.

As far as the guys that will be out there next Saturday, you will see (from left to right) LT Conor McDermott, LG Kenny Lacy, C Jake Brendel, RG Alex Redmond and RT Caleb Benenoch. Last season, the O-line seemed to find a lot of cohesion midway through the season.

UCLA Bruins

A lot of that had to do with McDermott coming on strong on the left side. The rest of the line was good, but McDermott seemed to be the piece that completed them.

With such a strong line, that helped out UCLA’s main running weapon, Paul Perkins, who became the rushing leader in the Pac-12 Conference last season with 1,575 yards. This year, he will be looking to top that whether it is with total yards or big wins, as he told the Los Angeles Times, “The sky is the limit for us.”

But Perkins is not alone. Along with back-up RB Nate Starks, who many of us here at Go Joe Bruin are excited to see, the Bruins got two huge gifts in freshmen Soso Jamabo and Bolu Olorunfunmi.

UCLA looks to have another position group that could be the best it has been in years, the receivers. Jordan Payton and Devin Fuller are the senior leaders that have the most experience in Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone‘s system and although they do not utilize a single go-to guy, Payton and Fuller will be called upon time and again.

The great things about the receivers is that they have a lot of depth and a lot of young guys that WILL contribute. The UCLA Football passing game is best when they spread the ball around to seven or more receivers. Some of those receivers that will be called are both familiar and new as we will surely see Eldridge Massington, Mossi Johnson, Kenny Walker, Jordan Lasley, Alex Van Dyke, Austin Roberts and Stephen Johnson all in the mix.

The interesting bit about the passing game is the use of bigger players (that can block), namely, the Y-receivers and tight ends. With the commitment of 6’5″, 235 lbs. freshmen TE Chris Clark, the Bruins will be looking to utilize more protection on the sides. Part of that attack will consist of Thomas Duarte who has been outstanding in his first two years. The Bruins also get help in this area from Nate Iese and Colby Cyburt.

Projected Starting Line-Up

— Line Of Scrimmage —

LT-McDermott LG-Lacy C-Brendel RG-Redmond RT-Benenoch

WR-Payton WR-Fuller TE-Clark WR-Massington

QB-Rosen

RB-Perkins

Roster and Depth Charts

Throughout the summer we had looked at each position group, the group roster and projected the depth chart. Click on the position group to view these articles:

Quarterbacks – Running Backs – Receivers – Offensive Linemen

Next: The Defensive Preview

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

Defense

Last season, the UCLA Football defense was third best in the Pac-12 in total defense. Unfortunately, they were 7th in scoring defense and rushing defense. The Bruins were 4th in passing defense, though that is a bit misleading (as Mark Schipper of PacificTakes.com points out) with the Bruins being 96th in passing yards allowed per game and 97th in opponent completion percentage.

Things were not as tight as they could be with the defense as first year Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was thrown into the fire of the pass heavy Pac-12. It was not all bad, Utah, Oregon and Stanford not withstanding, but something was missing.

Experience. Ulbrich had some, but not enough, though before he could figure out what it is he needed, he left for a position with the Atlanta Falcons. At the time it was awkward, but from that came the brilliant hiring of Tom Bradley as new Defensive Coordinator. With over 30 years experience — and 11 as a defensive coordinator — this could very well be the best coaching hire Jim Mora has made.

As Schipper puts it, instead of a Colonel taking over, “The General has arrived this year in new defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.”

So what does Bradley have to work with? A lot.

He has so many players that can do so many things at so many positions, it is hard to fathom exactly how good this defense will be (but we will try to paint a proper picture).

Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes (47) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

So how about this defensive line that not only features one of the best D-line duos in Eddie Vanderdoes and Kenneth Clark, but a mid-season surprise from 2014 in Takkarist McKinley?

McKinley transferred into UCLA at the best possible time. Though he needed some time to learn his position, he quickly became a much needed pass rusher. Though he was not fully effective until later in the season, he showed early flashes of speed and pressure that worked well for him and UCLA in later games.

As for Vanderdoes and Clark, not only are they on the same page when it comes to their trench assignments, but they are best buds as well. Expect to see these two gargantuan Bruins making a statement up front in a defense that is going to be fast, effective and quite violent.

What the D-line will do is create havoc up front, allowing the linebackers (which UCLA Football has many) to cause havoc just behind them.

Let us start off with “The Man”, Myles Jack. Pac-12 Freshman Offensive and Defensive Player of the year in 2013. Pac-12 All-Defense 2nd team member in 2014. Sports Illustrated Preseason All-American in 2015. Jack is a beast and he has made his presence felt in the last two years.

The thing about this season is that Jack will be taking on a bigger role with the departure of UCLA Football’s all-time leading tackler, Eric Kendricks. Jack has been assigned to the ILB position to cover the middle, but we all know Jack cannot be contained. Though he will be asked to do a lot more this season, whether it is pass coverage or one-on-one, look for him to be in on nearly every play and almost every tackle… but that is if he does not need more breaks because he is scoring TDs as a short yardage running back on offense.

Projected Starting Line-Up

— Line of Scrimmage —

DT-Vanderdoes NT-Clark DE-McKinley

LB-Hollins

LB-Jack LB-Young

CB-Moreau NB-Adams CB-Rios

S-Wadood S-Goforth

Roster and Depth Charts

This summer, we had also looked at each position group of the defense, the group roster and projected the depth chart. Click on the position group to view these articles:

Defensive Line – Linebackers – Defensive Backs

Next: Special Teams

Special Teams

One very important thing we must note with special teams is that they lose the expertise of Jeff Ulbrich. Though it was undetermined how he would have turned out as a Defensive Coordinator, he was one hell of a special teams coach. In 2013, Ulbrich was named the Football Scoop Special Teams Coach of the Year. Though much was to be learned as DC, he had ST covered.

That honor now goes to linebackers coach Scott White who is following in Ulbrich’s path, so to speak. Though the 2014 Special Teams was not as crisp as it was in 2013, experience seems to have UCLA Football back on the right path in 2015.

Kicking & Punting

Returns

As for returns, expect Ishmael Adams to continue to dominate (if teams kick to him), but the question is, who will add him, especially on kick returns. Mossi Johnson had proved to be a worthy returner last season, but this past fall, several Bruins had tried out returns, including – cue the drum roll – Myles Jack.

Though this is yet to be seen, imagine what teams will be trying to do if they see both Adams and Jack waiting on the far sir of the field.

Next: Season Outlook

Jan 2, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim L. Mora celebrates with the trophy following their victory against the Kansas State Wildcats in the 2015 Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. The Bruins won 40-35. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Season Outlook

UCLA Bruins

Needless to say, UCLA Football is going into the 2015 season with a lot of expectations. It quite possibly may be even more pressure than last season with a Hundley-led #9 ranking.

The only difference is that the Bruins have learned from that hype last year and are taking a more focused approach. Nothing is going to be handed to them this year. If they want to win, they do it game-to-game and will do it as one complete squad.

Almost everyone returns from last season, except the QB, which has them flying under the radar with many college football critics. That is fine because it limits distractions. The Bruins start the season ranked #13 in the AP Poll, which is still a good position for them to be in, but it does not sidetrack them from the task at hand and the goals they are aiming for at the end of the year.

With that being said, it is quite possible the Bruins end the season either 9-3 or (hopefully) 10-2 which could be enough to win the South Division and finally get back to the Pac-12 Championship Game. If that happened, UCLA Football could be smelling Roses at the end of the year… at the least.

Next: Go Joe Bruin's BOLD PREDICTIONS For UCLA Football

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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.