Despite having an embarrassment of natural resources, the UCLA Football program has struggled to ascend to the top of the college football mountain. Much of that starts with shedding and rejection of the “gutty little Bruins” tagline.
The UCLA Football program is currently at a fork in the road. Should the Bruins continue straight ahead? Should they continue on the path they’ve been on for almost 100 years? Or should they begin to veer?
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Straying from the path has plenty of risks and there’s comfort in the familiar. However, if the Bruins are ever going to reach their full potential, and there’s no reason they can’t, they’re going to have to get the nation to forget almost a century of history.
Let’s look at the first major contributor to the “gutty little Bruins” perception.
Even before the establishment of the UCLA Football team as we know it today, the University itself struggled to break free of it’s “secondary” status. Originally called the “Southern Branch”, UCLA first functioned as a satellite campus for the University of California, later to be known as UC Berkeley.
Chipping away the “gutty” persona (cont.)
UCLA continued to mirror UC Berkeley throughout it’s infancy by adopting it’s school colors, fight song and of course, it’s mascot. If your big brother is a bear, and you’re the little brother, then it only follows that you’ll be a smaller bear. Small bear, little bear, southern bear. Obviously those aren’t usable names so it only makes sense that the university settled on the “cubs”. Not exactly striking fear into anyone are we?
Of course that name morphed again and thus the UCLA Bruins were born a few years later. However, in roughly 50 years, the Bruins hadn’t created enough of a impact in the college football world to shake the underdog perception. So when UCLA knocked off the Michigan State Spartans in the 1966 Rose Bowl game the “gutty little Bruins” moniker made it’s first appearance. The name stuck.
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I’m not looking to erase the great contributions of William H. Spaulding, Henry Sanders or Tommy Prothro. Quite the opposite actually. Even in spite of all that they were able to accomplish, the idea persisted that the Spartans, in addition to being much larger physically, were of a superior brand of football. That idea still persists today only now the entire conference is thought to be less than by many fans.
Of course I’d be remiss if I led you to believe that the Bruins have been among the worst performers in college football. Yes there have been high peaks throughout the UCLA Football history but there have also been many valleys and in the last 15 years it would be easy to say the peaks have been few and far between.
Chipping away the “gutty” persona (cont.)
It has been15 years ago this season since Karl Dorrell was hired and let’s just say the years have not been kind. Again, those peaks have been few and far between. From highly scrutinized coaching hires, recruiting woes, and inconsistent products on the field, the last few head coaches have struggled to instill confidence in fans who might otherwise buy tickets to games.
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The other major contributor to the “gutty little Bruins” mindset is that fact that there’s another football program in the city of Los Angeles. And they’re not half bad.
Getting the crap kicked out of you, 76-0 in 1929, and having it be the very first time you played your greatest rival also doesn’t help public perception. The USC Trojans have been the greatest rival the UCLA Football Bruins have known for almost 90 years. They lead the rivalry 47 wins to the Bruins’ 31 and have won eight of the last 11 contests.
Yes, UCLA won eight in a row during the 90’s but that was a generation ago. A generation of now young adults who have grown accustomed to the Trojans owning Los Angeles and the occasional Bruin upset.
That’s where we find ourselves now. The oldest generations remembering the “gutty little Bruins” shocking the Spartans. The youngest ones shown that UCLA Football wins over USC are the exception rather than the rule. And the generations in the middle left longing for what once was. As a result, recruits see the Bruins as the second option in Los Angeles. Fans, or would-be fans, don’t buy tickets to watch a team they’ve all but figured out. Take it from me, a half empty Rose Bowl isn’t exciting as a fan and probably not enticing as a recruit.
Chipping away the “gutty” persona (cont.)
At the beginning of the article I mentioned “natural resources”. Here’s where they make their return. Based on where UCLA sits geographically, the media market and the instant name recognition the school has, you’d think there would be no limit to great football players looking to attend and play as Bruins. Nor would you believe they’d have a hard time bringing in some of the best and brightest minds in the game of the football to serve as coaches to those players.
We should know that until the UCLA Football Bruins finally reach their ceiling, a potential National Championship ceiling, they’ll always be in someone’s shadow.
Well, it seems as though the Bruins have started to mine their riches even with an athletic department that is often accused to aiming low. New head coach Chip Kelly doesn’t just bring with him a change of staff, he also has the potential to bring a change of culture. He could potentially change the course of UCLA Football history. His Oregon teams became capable of beating anyone in college football in a timely manner under his tutelage. He was able to do that without the resources UCLA affords him. Now with the new Wasserman Center on campus there is almost nothing the Bruins cannot use to their advantage.
It’s almost the perfect time to have this conversation because the Bruins are going to be looking for a new quarterback to go along with their new head coach. Josh Rosen has taken his talents to the NFL and there are a plethora of fresh faces looking to break into the starting lineup. A clean slate for almost all involved means this team holds it’s own destiny.
Remembering the past is of the upmost importance. We shouldn’t try to forget it because it is painful or portrays us in a poor light. What we should do is learn from our past. We should know that until the UCLA Football Bruins finally reach their ceiling, a potential National Championship ceiling, they’ll always be in someone’s shadow.
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The Bruins have all of the tools at their disposal to finally show the college football world that they’re a real power. One to be feared by rivals and lusted after by four and five star recruits. Now they just have to pick a path.
It isn’t just in the hands of the team though. If you’re a fan buy tickets. Show up to games. But most importantly, leave the “gutty” attitude at home. Los Angeles is yours for the taking.