UCLA Football vs. Washington 2017: The three plays edition

2. One step forward and two steps back

The UCLA Football running game was absolutely abysmal last year. In 2017 the production has been better and more consistent but clearly the run is where the Bruins struggle on both sides of the ball.

In 2016 it was plain to see that the Bruin coaching staff was trying to fit round pegs into square holes with this offensive line. A large portion of the offense early on in the year was centered around power football concepts such as a man blocking scheme power run plays designed to bully defensive lines. Troubles was and still is that the Bruins simply don’t have the type of offensive linemen to pull that off.

New OL coach Hank Fraley and new OC Jedd Fisch came in and at this point in the year have proven they know how to work with what they’ve been given. The offensive line hasn’t been nearly as bad as projected and Fisch has used his creative touch to find offensive success. However it’s still a work in progress.

The next play we are going to highlight is a run play and in fact it’s set up extremely well. The Bruins come out in 11 personnel or one tight end and one running back with three receivers to the top of the screen. Soso Jamabo is the running back and he’s offset with Rosen who’s in the shotgun. At the snap both left guard Najee Toran and center Scott Quessenberry pull and get out to lead block for Jamabo. The numbers are favorable to that side and it looks like the Bruins could gain some big yards.

However there’s a problem. Left tackle Kolton Miller has Vita Vea one on one on the edge. In this play Miller isn’t being asked to blow that defender out of the water. All he really needs to do is not give ground, just don’t get pushed backwards. He does. Vea is being talked about as a potential first round pick so while it’s a negative play there’s only so much Miller can do.

Vea is able to bullrush Miller back into the alley that was created by him and Toran for Jamabo with Quess out front resulting in Jamabo being tripped up. Like I said, this run game is still a work in progress.