UCLA Football: Rising Stars and Burning Questions
Burning Questions
Josh Rosen
Redshirt sophomore Josh Rosen is no doubt an important tool for UCLA Football. However, the quarterback keeps showing signs that there are many things he needs to improve on before he can be the elite quarterback UCLA fans had hoped for.
He’s called “OverthRosen” for a reason. Although Rosen can sometimes be right on the money, there are times when he overthrows wide open receivers. Every opportunity missed is a possible touchdown foregone.
In addition to inconsistency in passing, Rosen continues to make questionable choices when pressured. Against BYU, he threw passes into deep coverage when rushed. He did this, by the way, while missing open receivers.
As Rosen continues to make news for being outspoken, many wonder whether Rosen is losing focus in football. His focus will be greatly needed by the Bruins when they meet Stanford at the Rose Bowl. Hopefully, the young QB will show further improvements sooner rather than later.
Running Backs Situation
The burning question of last night was Soso Jamabo‘s absence. Throughout the beginning of the season Jamabo seemed like UCLA’s number one back, with Bolu Olorunfunmi taking the backup spot.
Instead, the BYU game saw the return of Nate Starks, who had been the backup to Paul Perkins all of last season. Although there was nothing wrong with a Starks return, no one could quite get why Jamabo wasn’t suited up.
When asked about it after the game, UCLA Football Head Coach Jim Mora simply said Jamabo “didn’t play.” Mora’s coy answer hinted at a possible team-imposed sanction.
Despite Jamabo’s absence, many weren’t happy that Olorunfunmi did not see as much action as Starks, and many questioned the choice to use true freshmen Brandon Stephens and Jalen Starks as much as the Bruins did.
Whatever may be going on with the UCLA running backs, the situation needs to be addressed pronto. Against BYU, UCLA Football averaged 1.5 yards per rush. Those numbers simply won’t be good enough against Stanford.
J.J. Molson
It’s hard to criticize kicker J.J. Molson because he’s a freshman and quite a good kicker. However, at BYU, Molson missed a 38-yard field goal that should have arguably been an easy kick.
One field goal isn’t too much of a concern yet. But game-winning field goals are becoming more commonplace these days. If UCLA Football finds itself in that situation, will the young kicker from Canada deliver?
Molson is currently 4 out of 6 in field goal attempts and has been 100% in extra points. Admittedly, these are not bad numbers for a kicker whose career is just getting started.
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The Return Game
UCLA Football’s return game was once so dangerous that opponents would not even bother kicking balls that could be returned. That sure feels like a long time ago.
Ishmael Adams has been the sole kick and punt returner for the Bruins since the beginning of the season. So far, we have seen nothing but mediocre returns, along with a scary drop by Adams last night.
Something’s gotta give. Either UCLA should try another player besides Adams, or the team has to block better for Adams to get some running room. Either way, it seems the days where Adams could deliver explosive returns for touchdowns might be long gone.
The BYU game was another W for the Bruins to add to their resume. This win was significant, not only because of playoff hopes, but also because the Bruins showed that they can be a competitive team.
Next: Josh Rosen Strikes Again, With Words Not Touchdowns
UCLA Football’s eagerness to compete will be badly needed next Saturday when the Bruins face Stanford, a team UCLA has not defeated since 2008.
Go Bruins!