The UCLA football team is going to run quite a bit with Chip Kelly in charge. This spring we get to see what he can do with the current running backs on the roster as he prepares his players for the ground battle.
This is not only going to be a position to keep an eye on this spring, but for the next several seasons. UCLA football team is going to revolve around the run game and, finally, the Bruins will have some improvement on the ground.
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Is Kelly going to turn UCLA into Oregon? Yes and no. He admitted on National Signing Day that he wanted “long and fast” players and he got them. It is safe to say that Kelly is going take the offense he made famous at Oregon, but evolve it at UCLA. For further reading on one way this could happen, check out the article, How Scott Frost Evolved Chip Kelly’s Offense at Central Florida. Now just image Kelly kicking it up a notch from that.
But what are the basics of the offense Kelly is going to implement with the run? Check out this video of Ohio State’s Urban Meyer and Kelly breaking down Oregon’s offense.
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The offense is going to be run by the QB, but the running backs are going to play a major role in the deception, execution and advancement of the offense down field.
The direction Kelly wants to take this team is pretty obvious and with the players he already has, along with those coming in, it should not take long to get everyone on the same page. The thing Kelly has to figure out is how to use the individual tools of each running back.
UCLA Football Spring Practice Preview: Running Backs (cont.)
Here are the players that should get the most reps this spring…
- Soso Jamabo, Sr, 6’2, 210 lbs.
- Bolu Olorunfunmi, Sr, 5’10, 215 lbs.
- Jalen Starks, Jr, 6’0, 265 lbs.
- Brandon Stephens, Jr, 6’1, 210 lbs.
- Demetric Felton, So.-R, 5’10, 185 lbs.
- Giovanni Gentosi, Sr-R, 6’2, 250 lbs.
- Joshua Kelly, Sr, 6’0, 210 lbs.
Last season, RB coach DeShaun Foster helped to improve the run game after a disastrous 2016. The Bruin RBs made improvements as they helped move the offense (though not as efficiently as the passing game), but there is still much to be desired. Aside from that, because of the progress, Foster was retained by Kelly, so the RB coach will continue to work (and improve) the run game.
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Now for the players. I can see Soso Jamabo being used in different scenarios in Kelly’s offense. He came to UCLA as a shifty, speedy running back, though has not really lived up to that role. Part of that has to do with the lack of coaching and development of the ground game of the previous coaching regime.
Jamabo excels when he gets into the open field, primarily by way of the sidelines. In the last two seasons, he was often sent up the middle, which is not something he had success with, especially with an offensive line that was not opening holes for him.
Jamabo is also one of the taller backs on the team, which makes him a bigger target for defenses stopping or pursuing the run. The good thing about this is the fact that he also has decent hands, so Kelly could use him on run and passing plays.
Go Joe Bruin expert Michael Chavez pointed out the advantages of this before last season in his article, Making a case for Soso Jamabo as a receiver. And wouldn’t you know it, he had several passes thrown his way in 2017 as he caught 17 for 204 yards. Having that kind of multi-talented player on the roster could do wonders for Kelly, but Jamabo is not the only one.
UCLA Football Spring Practice Preview: Running Backs (cont.)
Bolu Olorunfunmi was UCLA’s leading rusher last season with 565 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also had 10 receptions for 118 yards, so Kelly has another back that can run and catch the ball, but Olorunfunmi is not the same type of player as Jamabo.
Olorunfunmi is smaller and not as fast as his counterpart, but he is stronger and able to bulldoze through defenders. Not exactly the type of back that would fit in Kelly’s offense, but not one you want to throw away either. The soon-to-be senior has been a very reliable RB, but like Jamabo, Olorunfunmi has suffered because of lack of development and a spotty offensive line.
Under Kelly, Bolu can be a dangerous weapon, especially on inside zone run plays. If he gets an opening, he will take off for several yards. If he makes contact with a defender, it is more likely than not he will make the defender pay and churn out a few extra (though tough) yards after contact.
Brandon Stephens has been a welcome surprise. He is similar in frame to Jamabo, but is a bit more elusive. Stephens could be an excellent candidate to help lead the run game simply because he can find the gaps and exploit bad choices by defenders. He is also pretty quick on his feet, which seems like something Kelly can use from day one.
UCLA Football Spring Practice Preview: Running Backs (cont.)
Jalen Starks was brought in as a fullback to help evolve the power/pro-style run game under Jim Mora. That never happened, but Starks did prove to be a handful for defenders. Starks is a decent ball carrier and, similar to Olorunfunmi, he can put a hit on defends trying to stop him. He is not exceptionally fast, but he can help the Bruins in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They same goes for Gentosi, though he only showed up for a few plays last season.
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Felton is going to be a player to watch because he was brought into UCLA as a. receiver, but was used as a ball carrier ten times for 75 yards (and one touchdown) last year. It was not so much that he was able to get open, but how he could move behind the line to get those extra yards. Part of that has to do with his footwork and vision, which would be perfect project for Kelly to work on.
Joshua Kelly came out of no where last spring. With the coaches trying to find the perfect fit for their run game, they went deep into their roster and often put Kelly, a UC Davis transfer, into first and second strong practice situations. He is fast and shifty, but was a step behind the other running backs. After a year in the program and development from Coach Kelly, Joshua Kelly could possibly find a role with the run game in 2018.
There is plenty of talent for (Coach) Kelly to use and he is only getting started. On signing day, UCLA brought in two running backs that are typical of what Kelly wants to run his offense. Kazmeir Allen and Martell Irby are flat out fast, something the Bruins have missed for several seasons. Though they will be needed in the future, I don’t expect them to be out on the field right away in 2018 (although with Kelly, anything can happen), especially with at least five experienced backs ahead of them.
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Don’t expect a starter to be named at the end of spring. What you should expect is to see several of these Bruins out on the field owning specific roles in a number of different schemes. It will be a process, but a fun one to watch on the way to next season.