The good attention being paid to the UCLA Football team just keeps coming in. Two Bruins made Pro Football Focus’ College Football PAC-12 Team of the Week for the offense in week 8.
The rushing attack for the UCLA Football offense has taken a step forward this season but is still a long way off from being a deadly threat to opposing defenses. The Bruins have bounced around between a couple of ball carriers this season. Soso Jamabo may be the most physically talented but he’s yet to command the starting job. Jalen Starks, the bruiser, is still dealing with an ankle injury and it is unknown if he will be ready to go next week against Washington.
Neither one of those running backs are the guy we are here to talk about though.
Related Story: UCLA Football: How sustainable is the Bruins' success?
Bolu Olorunfunmi is the leading Bruin running back with 316 yards on 53 carries for a nice six yards per carry average. Against the Ducks Bolu rumbled for 76 yards and a score for the ages when he essentially stood on top of an Oregon defender before falling into the endzone.
That highlight continues to be a regular on sports shows and is one of the best plays for this UCLA Football offense all season. Bolu graded out this week second only to Oregon’s Bryce Freeman with 80.4 grade from PFF. If the Bruins can keep getting performances like this from their run game they give themselves a fighting chance in most of their remaining games.
PFF Week 8 - Pac 12 Team of the Week - Offense
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 24, 2017
Khalil Tate takes home QB of the Week honors for a third straight week. pic.twitter.com/Pp1lGQMrc8
Bolu wasn’t alone in the honors though. Christian Pabico who was a story early on in the season had only five catches coming into this game and didn’t record a catch in the past two games. Then he went off on the Ducks.
Next: UCLA Football: KLS becoming a jack of all trades
His four catches for 99 yards and a score led the team in Jordan Lasley‘s absence. He’s averaging almost 22 yards per catch clearly making the most of his limited opportunities. His status as a walk-on might have some cringing at the idea of more playing time as the season progresses but if he can produce stats like that on a weekly basis there’s no reason to not play him.