UCLA Football Showcases Themselves, Several Players Standout

The UCLA Football team has concluded their Spring Showcase and there are several interesting things that stood out about this new Bruin team.

The word of the day is “intimate”. The setting of Drake Stadium on the campus of UCLA was very intimate as the location for the Spring Showcase for the UCLA Football team and made it quite enjoyable.

Not that it wouldn’t, it just seems like the Spring Showcases in the Mora era have much left to be desired, most specifically, when it comes to having an actual game.

Still, it was a very festive atmosphere at Drake Stadium, both at the top of the stands and down on field level. Above Drake, it was a carnival-like setting with booths to play games as well as buy UCLA memorabilia and apparel, while down on the south end of the track, Wooden Athletic Fund members were able to meet for a large and sociable tailgate.

It was a plus for the UCLA Athletic Department as they really stepped up the fan experience. The smaller size of the stadium also made for a more intimate experience in the Spring Showcase as in recent years, the amount of fans at the Rose Bowl accentuated how empty the Stadium was.

Was for the team themselves, despite starting slow, the Spring Showcase gave us a lot of information about the UCLA Football team and what we will see going forward. As a whole, there was a lot to take from the offense and defense.

Next: The Offense

The Offense

The tweaks Head Coach Jim Mora and Offensive Coordinator Kennedy Polamalu have implemented will definitely add a new dimension to the offense, but know that there will not just be a ground and pound mentality. With QB Josh Rosen looking even better heading into his second year, the Bruins are going to be slinging the ball around plenty.

The receivers still look to be adjusting to the new system, but given time, they will continue to thrive. That is good knowing that the run game is going to be very good (I will discuss individual players shortly).

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The defense looked very good, especially when engaging the run. The UCLA Football team ran an interesting drill called the 9-on-7 which is specifically designed to create contact.

This drill allowed the defense to focus on the RB and often got into the backfield, though it did reveal that if running backs break through the first line of coverage, the next line was a bit suspect. This mostly had to do with the excellent group of running backs the Bruins are utilizing.

As for scrimmages, the offense continued to look a lot more fluid than they have been in Spring Practice. Last season I would often joke that former Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone only ran five plays. That is not the case now.

Rosen had several options at running back (which have shown to make plays on a consistent basis), had the use of fullbacks in the run, showed several options in the flat, receivers were running between 5 and 50-yard routes… needless to say, it was a breathe of fresh air not being able to predict the next play.

Next: The Defense

The Defense

Tom Bradley will be more dedicated to the 4-3 defense, specifically to stop the run. Now even thought the Bruins have three dynamic running backs — who often took advantage of the run defense — the defensive line looked very strong, specifically Takkarist McKinley who has been very impressive in the spring.

McKinley’s ability to come off the edge had pressured the offense’s quarterback on many different occasions.

Related Story: UCLA Football: The Benefot of the 4-3 Defense

For the most part, the defense played a little simpler, playing in mostly their base formation. They did not do anything complicated as they looked to stay in coverage and not let long balls go over the top. One thing that did stand out was the fact that man-to-man coverage was very tight and disallowed or redirected the offense in the open field.

In many plays, the defense was not only able to get pressure on the offensive line and push them back, but that allowed the defense to “sack” the quarterback on several drives.

Next: Individual Standouts

Individual Standouts

With the Showcase involving scrimmages and drills, we were able to get a look at several players in different situations. Here are a few that stood out:

UCLA Bruins

WR Kenneth Walker – Walker was by far the best receiver on the field today. The last two years he has been the fastest player on the team, though he did not get a lot of time at WR because he did not have the best hands. That seems to be changing for the better as Walker has had a very good spring, showing that he has the ability to secure the ball. Today he was called on for several long balls, two of which he caught for a touchdowns from 50 yards.

FB Ainuu Taua – A converted OL has adapted very quickly in spring. Today he had one of the more memorable goal line runs, which a relief knowing the Bruins had trouble with short yardage plays last season. Taua looks like he can be a vital piece with the new offense.

RB Soso Jamabo, Nate Starks and Bolu Olorunfunmi – One of the biggest weapons for the UCLA Football team next season will be the run game. Despite losing the legendary Paul Perkins, the Bruins return three very explosive and very good running backs. All three have their own unique talents and will help the running game in different scenarios.

LB Mique Juarez – The early enrollee had to sit out several practices due to suffering a concussion. He was held out of contact drills but finally made an appearance in the WR Vs. DB skeleton drills and had an interception against Rosen.

DL Takkarist McKinley – As mentioned above, McKinley is coming into his own as a pass rusher. He looks quicker off the snap and more aggressive which has been beneficial to his growth. Today he was able to get around his blockers and pester the offense in the back field on several occasions.

Next: Jim Mora Talks To AM570, Defends Dan Guerrero

Stay with Go Joe Bruin as we continue to analyze the Spring Showcase in the next several days.