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UCLA Football: Stanford Will Be the First Test of Power

By Mike Regalado

Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Austin Hooper (18) is defended by UCLA Bruins defensive back Randall Goforth (3) in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Austin Hooper (18) is defended by UCLA Bruins defensive back Randall Goforth (3) in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the UCLA Football team adopting power elements, the Bruins will be have their new offense and defense tested in Week 4 against Stanford.

The UCLA Football team will take on the Stanford Cardinal at the Rose Bowl in Week 4 of the 2016 season and it will be big, especially since UCLA was chosen to win the South and Stanford was chosen to win the North.

Related Story: UCLA Vs Stanford Preview

It will be UCLA’s fourth game of the year, which means they will have already had three chances to get their new offense and defense in order before they battle a team they have not defeated in eight straight tries.

For Stanford, they only have two games to get their act in order before taking on the Bruins as they lose three offensive linemen and QB Kevin Hogan. Though the Cardinal always play tough, this could be the year the Bruins finally get back at Stanford.

UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins /

UCLA Bruins

After going 8-5 in 2015 which included a big loss to Stanford and two losses to end the season against USC and Nebraska, Head Coach Jim Mora saw the needed to make changes to counter the play of teams such as these.

After last season, Mora wanted to instill some power to the offense. With that, fullbacks, tight ends, huddles and tight formations were on display in the spring and those aspects of the offense looked quite productive by the Spring Showcase.

On the other side of the ball, Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley wanted to improve the run defense and based the Bruins in a 4-3 formation to try and contain offenses with more defenders on the line of scrimmage.

With UCLA trying to get tougher on both sides of the ball, they will have three tries before they meet the first big test of the season. That is not to say the Bruins will exert their power and dominate Texas A&M and BYU (most likely UNLV) in the non-conference schedule, but UCLA needs to prove something this season and that is to beat Stanford.

UCLA’s problem against Stanford is that they could not get their tempo offense going against the stout Cardinal defense. Equally, UCLA’s front line got beat up time and time again by Stanford’s brute offense as they constantly got pushed around by the Cardinal O-line.

So can UCLA use their power? That is yet to be seen, but know that Mora is not having his team go totally in the direction of the power game as UCLA will still use elements from the spread they ran on offense last season. It is also a question of the 4-3 helping stop strong running teams when the Bruins play defense.

The point is the Bruins have options.

Next: UCLA Football and the Amoeba Offense

UCLA will continue to do what they do best in the passing game with Josh Rosen and the running game with Soso Jamabo, Nate Starks and Bolu Olorunfunmi on offense and hopefully bulk up on defense. To be honest, it is both exciting and terrifying. Let us just hope at the end of the day UCLA can get the ‘W’.