Running back edition season review Jalen Berger

Jalen Berger broke onto the scene this season for the Bruins against Michigan State. He hadn’t done much the first five weeks of the season. Then came out and had 113 total yards and three touchdowns in that game. He was the best player on the field and was making defenders miss left and right. It was a glimpse of what he could do in space. He followed that game up against Maryland with 19 carries for 65 yards. Which would’ve been over 100 yards if it wasn’t for one of the craziest calls in college football history.

Berger bounced around college football. He spent two seasons at Wisconsin, transferred to Michigan State where he spent two seasons there then ultimately wound up with UCLA and spent two seasons there. If you are going to have a game for the ages, might as well make it against your former team. Which Berger did just that against Michigan State. Most of the season there were not too many running lanes for UCLA running backs.

The offense did a very good job against Michigan State and Penn State. But defensive coordinators started to catch on to Jerry Neuheisel’s schemes. Forcing the Bruins to throw the ball, knowing that the pocket collapsed a very quickly. When you are not able to throw the ball that doesn’t give the running backs much chance for success. We will not be able to see what most of Bruins players could do with an effective offensive line and playcalling. As most of the players will be gone under Bob Chesney or graduating out.

On the season Berger had 81 carries for 364 yards and added 10 catches for 70 yards. Totaling four touchdowns. He displays good shifting ability and is a threat out of the backfield to catch. For those that just look at the stat sheet. They will believe he did not have a very good season. But his vision is above average, and he is not afraid to go inside the tackles. It is hard to gauge success under so much change there was in one season.