Offseason edition looking back on the 2012 season

The start of a good run is here! The 2012 season was the first season under Jim Mora. The coach that would bring UCLA back to prominence and winning double digit games again while in the rankings. Mora came in and immediately put Brett Hundley as his starting quarterback. Who would go on to plant his name in UCLA record books in his three years as a starter for the team. UCLA’s offense would hit a new gear from the previous four seasons and score 34.4 points per game, good for 31st in the nation.

Hundley finished the season with 3,740 passing yards and 29 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. It was a great site to see the offense, moving the ball with ease again. Johnathan Franklin broke a UCLA record with 1,734 rushing yards and paired that with 13 touchdowns. Joseph Fauria also became one of the best tight ends in the nation as he caught 12 touchdown passes. Hundley’s legs made him one of the best dual threats in the nation as he ran for nine touchdowns as well.

The defense took a step forward from the previous two seasons. Giving up 27.6 points per game, which ranked 59th in the nation. They had tremendous talent with many first and second round draft picks in Datone Jones, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. Paired with Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Cassius Marsh as second day picks. The team was able to rush the pastor very well and get into the backfield for tackles for loss. It was a great start to hopefully building up the future.

UCLA finished 9-5 and got walloped 49-26 to BYU in the Holiday Bowl. But there was a lot of hope after the 2012 season with quite a few players coming back for 2013. They could put it all together on offense and defense and make a run at a big bowl game. Mora seemed to put aside the critics that he could coach at the college level. After only spending time mainly in the NFL up until his job with UCLA. He was the guy the team could trust to get the wheels back on.