After a slow first half, UCLA Football quarterback Josh Rosen explodes in the second and ends the game with three passing touchdowns and runs for one in a 45-24 blowout of the Arizona Wildcats.
Again, something was wrong. The UCLA Football team was going against one of the worst defenses they have faced all season with Arizona and they were getting stopped as often as they did against Stanford.
The Bruins were once again sending in questionable play calls and were sluggish in their execution. UCLA had two scores in the first half with a Nate Starks 2-yard TD run and beauty of a play to Kenny Walker. Walker had cut through the middle of the field on a broken play as he separated from his defender. Rosen found him on the run and connected for a 62-yard score. That took one play in that drive.
All the other plays in the first half did not go so well, resulting in a lot of livid Bruin fans. The offense was still not clicking.
But then came the second half. The Bruins had not had a pattern of success this season coming out of halftime, but that changed against Arizona.
Right out of the break, Rosen marched the Bruins down field in six plays which resulted in a Theo Howard touchdown reception, his first of his career. From then on, UCLA scored every time they got the ball.
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Here was the result of their remaining drives: J.J. Molson field goal, Rosen rushing TD, Walker 29-yard TD catch, Darren Andrews 29-yard run.
The Bruins seemed to have turned the corner with their offense (mind you it was against a bad Wildcat defense). They paced themselves downfield and were a lot more selective in what plays to call and what players to get involved.
It was something the Bruins needed to give themselves; that feeling that they could dominate a game.
Rosen himself was impressive as the conductor of this gridiron orchestra. Though he struggled to connect with his receivers early on, things finally started to click in the second half which led to some big numbers for the sophomore QB.
Rosen threw 20-for-37 passes, gained 350 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran the ball in from one yard out to tack on a fourth touchdown.
Next: Josh Rosen and the Quest for the End Zone
This is the Rosen Bruin fans have been waiting for. Though he may have showed up to the party late, it is good to have him here. Let is just hope he can stick around until the end of the soiree.