Are Loaded UCLA Bruins Thinking Playoff or Bust?
Defense
A pretty good defense that only allowed 23 points per game last year is great news for the Bruins with so many starters back on this unit as well. Going up against Pac 12 competition, teams who play good defense have an edge because all of the offenses are great. For the Bruins to win the Pac 12, defense will have to be the name of the game.
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Despite being a 3-4, the Bruins often used a 4-3 set last year, which makes them very capable of being a multiple D and adapting to their personnel. This year, the line is loaded despite the loss of Cassius Marsh. Senior Owamagbe Odighizuwa is back from injury at end after 34.5 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2012, and sophomore end Eddie Vanderdoes will turn into a superstar this year after 29 tackles and 4.5 tackles for a loss as a freshman. Sophomore Kenny Clark will be the main guy in the middle, and he could become another star after 23.5 tackles and 4 tackles for a loss as a freshman last year, and junior Ellis McCarthy could line up anywhere after being recruited as a 5-star end but standing at 6’5″ 330 pounds and recording 3 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks last year. Together, these guys should make up a superstar line, potentially the best in the Pac 12 and one of the best in college football, despite being ranked 71st last year with so much inexperience. Add the fact that Mora brought in three highly recruited freshmen in Matt Dickerson, Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, and Ainuu Taua, and you have a pretty deep line provided they operate more out of the 3-4 base this year. If it goes more to a 4-down linemen, things could be a problem with only seven guys. But these are seven very talented players.
The linebacker position takes a huge hit with the loss of Anthony Barr, who had 20 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks last year, but sophomore Myles Jack could become the superstar of the team working as a playmaker on offense and starting at linebacker after 63.5 tackles and 7 tackles for a loss as a freshman last year. Jordan Zumwalt is a loss inside, but senior Eric Kendricks is still there and was the best inside player anyway after 84.5 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, and an interception. Sophomore Isaako Savaiinaea and Ryan Hofmeister are both good enough to fill the void at inside linebacker and provide a three-man rotation, and 4-star freshman Kenny Young has impressed coaches enough to earn his way into the rotation. Junior Kenny Orjioke and sophomore Jayon Brown on the outside round out a very strong seven-man rotation at outside linebacker. Add sophomores Cameron Judge and Deon Hollins to go along with that and highly recruited freshman Zach Whitley, and this is a very deep, talented unit that’s better than last year and has a great future.
Nov 30, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes (47) celebrates after scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
A secondary that managed to rank in the top 40, giving up only 217.6 yards per game while going against Pac 12 quarterbacks, returns everybody. Senior safety Anthony Jefferson and junior safety Randall Goforth are very good playmakers who combined for 127 tackles, 9 passes broken up, had 2 interceptions each, 3 forced fumbles for Goforth. Junior cornerback Ishmael Adams had 4 interceptions last year and could breakout into a star last year, and junior Fabian Moreau is back as the other starter. Add in sophomores Tahaan Goodman, Priest Willis, Justin Combs (son of Diddy), and Marcus Rios, who missed all of last year due to a deadly infection, and this is a group of very highly recruited players that will make for a very deep and experienced unit. Mora also has five highly recruited freshmen, so the secondary should be better than it was last year and is set for the future.
The defense as a whole was pretty good last year, but it should take another step forward this year. There is lots of talent all over the field, and most of it is still made up of underclassmen, so Mora has this unit set for the future as well. Continue to Next Slide for Special Teams