UCLA Football: 5 things we learned from the non-conference schedule

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PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 03: Josh Rosen /

5. Josh Rosen is one of the best quarterbacks in the country

We here at Go Joe Bruin have been shouting it from the rooftops all off-season long: Josh Rosen is an amazing quarterback! And guess what, he is proving us right.

Last season’s offense was ill-fitting and made everyone uncomfortable. Even the strong-armed Rosen could not hide the glaring deficiencies on offense. It also did not help that he got injured six games in, which gave the perception that he was not an elite quarterback.

That perception is changing as Rosen is not only playing like a top-tier QB, but he has the early stats to back that up.

Here is a comparison between his stats from last season and this season, keep in mind that Rosen only played six games in 2016 and has only played three so far this season.

2016: Comp. % – 59.3, Passing Yards – 1,915, TDs – 10, QB Rating – 138.9

2017: Comp. % – 65.0, Passing Yards – 1,283, TDs – 13, QB Rating – 169.8

After Week 3 of the college football schedule,. Rosen is #1 in both passing yards and touchdowns. He is also 45th in the nation in completion percentage. That alone is an amazing stat considering the trouble the Bruins had in the receiving game last year. This year, Rosen has several players that have stepped up and made the UCLA passing game one of the most potent in the nation.

Rosen might have had two crucial interceptions against Memphis, but it did not take away from the 483 yards he collected through the air and the four touchdowns. On top of that, he had a rushing touchdown, which was his first of the season.

Next: The Top 10 UCLA QBs of All-Time

In all, there have been a lot of positive storylines coming out of the non-conference schedule, but there have also been some bad ones. If that is their goal, then changes need to be made with certain parts of the Bruins’ game. Hopefully they can work on those flaws while the offense continues to shine. We will see how that goes as the Bruins head to Stanford to open up Pac-12 play this weekend.