The UCLA Football team will not have fall camp at Cal State San Bernardino for the first time in the Jim Mora era. Here are a few reasons why it might be a good idea to head back to the desert.
The UCLA Football team will not be going to San Bernardino for fall camp in 2017 per head coach Jim Mora and that is something we hope he reconsiders. During spring practice, Mora stated that fall camp will be held in Westwood, so that the Bruins can utilize their new amenities.
Mora hopes to re-create the atmosphere that San Bernardino brought with his use of the new Wasserman Football Center and using the lodgings of the nearby Luskin Center. Not exactly Cal State San Bernardino, but it will do.
As much as it will be nice to use all these new toys, it may be beneficial for UCLA to go back to the drawing board, especially after the Bruins’ finished 2016 with a 4-8 record.
Related Story: ESPN'd Pac-12 Post-Spring Power Rankings
Mora took his team to Cal State San Bernardino for fall camp in his first season back in 2012 and every fall since. It was weird, it was out of nowhere, it was far and it was perfect. Mora had prepared his team to be tough and the result was making a 6–8 team into a 9–5 team.
In this writer’s opinion, Mora should take the team back to the desert and find that fire and energy of that first season and here are three reasons why:
1. Regain that “Junction Boys” Mentality
It was hot as hell that first summer and from this the Bruins learned adversity. They also learned that Mora expected a certain level of dedication. Something was happening and it was good. Going to the desert brought that to the team, as well as a few other factors.
2. Two Weeks of Solidarity and Bonding
Isolation brought the team together because that was all they had. Sleeping in dorms. Waking at the crack of dawn. Feeling, breathing, learning, absorbing football. With the Bruins focused on the game and being only around themselves, the team had no choice than to come together.
3. Heat Prep for a Hot Seat Season
It is no secret that Jim Mora needs to have a better turn out next season or his seat will get hot. With that being said, why not head out to the desert and push it to the limit? Do not push it to the Oregon Football limit, but do make sure the team is prepared to turn this thing around.
Next: UCLA Football Post Spring Practice 2-Deep Depth Chart
Westwood may not be San Bernardino, but hopefully anything the Bruins do this fall can jump start them the way that first fall in the Berdoo jumped started them.