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UCLA Football: 15 Things to watch for in the season opener vs Cincinnati

By Mike Regalado

WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference after being introduced as the new UCLA Football head coach on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference after being introduced as the new UCLA Football head coach on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Theo Howard
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Theo Howard /

7. Zone Read, RPO and… Triple Option? Quadruple Option???

The Spring Game gave us a look at a vanilla offensive scheme full of zone reads and Run-Pass Options (RPO) but we just can’t believe that this is all Kelly is bringing to the Bruins. There is a reason fall camp has been mostly closed and it is because Kelly is working up something special. One thing we expect him to employ is that of the triple-option. In spring we saw elements of it and it also helps that Kelly hired former Navy OL coach and triple-O expert Bryce McDonald as an offensive analyst. This is not by accident, this is a planned strategy and it will show itself this season.

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8. Long Routes or Short Routes?

This may be a run-based offense, but Kelly is going to use a variety of plays to get the ball downfield. Though he will implement a lot of short passing routes to get quick yards, the Bruins are not against going long, though it will be used sparingly. Kelly is not going to go short every single time. He wants to create mismatches and exploit his opponent’s disadvantages and if there is an open shot downfield, UCLA is going to take it. One thing Bruins fans should be mindful of is how they get their receivers into the open field to make plays. If the Bruins can break away from their defenders, there will be a lot of plays going for a lot of yards, especially in this game.

9. The Use of Several Freshmen

There has been a lot of turnover since the end of the 2017 season. Many players have left, but a lot of new faces has been brought in to reload. The thing is, A LOT of freshmen have been brought in. This is a young team as freshmen and sophomores comprise more than half of the roster. That means a lot of newbies will be getting playing time. UCLA already released their depth chart and it has several true and redshirt freshmen in a handful of reserve roles. This will definitely be a learning curve and could spell trouble from time to time, but think of this, in 2019, these players will already have a lot of experience under their belt. UCLA might not be successful this year, but they are laying the foundation for the future.