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UCLA Football Early 2018 Schedule Preview: California Golden Bears

By Mike Regalado

BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Head coach Justin Wilcox of the California Golden Bears looks on from the sidelines against the Washington State Cougars during the fourth quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. California won the game 37-3. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Head coach Justin Wilcox of the California Golden Bears looks on from the sidelines against the Washington State Cougars during the fourth quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. California won the game 37-3. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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BERKELEY, CA – NOVEMBER 04: Ross Bowers
BERKELEY, CA – NOVEMBER 04: Ross Bowers /

California Offense

Cal was not exactly an offensive threat last season. Though the team was in transition into the Wilcox era, the offense took a step back. The Golden Bears scored almost 10 points less and had nearly 130 less yards per game. In 2015, Cal was 1st in total offense with 513.2 yards per game.

This was mostly because everything was new, even their quarterback. Ross Bowers was a junior a year ago, and it was the first time he saw action under center and he did not do too bad of a job. He was 4th in the conference in passing yards per game (253.3) and was just behind Josh Rosen, Luke Falk and Sam Darnold. That is not bad company to be in. A lot will be expected of Bowers this season, if he keeps his job.

Cal returns the majority of their starters which will help with continuity. Unfortunately, what they lack is depth. That is the case at running back, which was not a productive group to begin with. Cal was 10th in rushing offense last season, but it was because the RB duties fell squarely on Patrick Laird. He was the 7th most productive back in the Pac-12 with 102.5 yards per game and will get the start because no other returning running back had more than 15 carries or 50 yards for the season.

California 2017 Offensive Stats

Total Offense Passing Offense Rushing Offense Scoring Offense
 384.5 (11th)  258.9 (5th) 125.6 (10th) 27.8 (10th)

( ) – denotes ranking in the TEAM CONFERENCE

The strength of the offense should come from the passing game as the run game continues to develop. With Bowers familiarity with the offense and its tools, receivers Vic Wharton III (67 receptions, 871 yards) and Kanawai Noa (56 receptions, 788 yards) will once again be his go-tos. Both were Cal’s top two receivers in 2018 and in the top six in receiving yards last season in the conference.

What will really help with consistency is that all five offensive linemen return. They did well helping to move the ball through the air, but now have to figure out how to run.

UCLA was bad against the run and great against the pass last year. That seems to be the case for 2018 except for the fact that the front seven are bringing the “violence”, a mantra in spring that stuck as a descriptor of the new UCLA defense.

This will be an experienced secondary against an experienced passing game. If UCLA wants to dominate on defense, they need to make things happen in the back field. Not only will they slow the run, they will disrupt the passing game.