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UCLA Bruins: Expectations too high for freshman QB Josh Rosen?

By Chase Ruttig

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Jim Mora has placed the hopes of the Bruins on true freshman Josh Rosen, announcing that No. 1 pro-style quarterback recruit in the country will start the 2015 season at quarterback for UCLA.

Moving on from the Brett Hundley era, UCLA head coach Jim Mora has opted to press the reset button fully as he will be going with a true freshman to start the 2015 season when the Bruins take on Virginia on September 5. Giving the No. 1 rated pro-style recruit in the country, Josh Rosen, the starting job.

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Rosen beat out last year’s backup Jerry Neuheisel and Mike Fafaul.

Mora announced the move after practice Wednesday, telling the local media that Rosen will be his guy even if he is an inexperienced option despite being the top quarterback recruit in the country.

The Bruins head coach also made it clear that Rosen will be starting the entire way in 2015, claiming that he is a “one quarterback coach” to ensure that the quarterback won’t be looking over his shoulder as he goes through the growing pains of jumping from high school to the Pac-12 as a true freshman leading the UCLA offense.

“I made it very clear I’m a one-quarterback type of coach,” Mora said on Wednesday according to the LA Times. “I like to put a guy in that position, support the heck out of him, hope he has success and rally around him if he’s struggling.”

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Rosen will have a tough test in Virginia to start his UCLA career, but playing at the Rose Bowl in his first game before taking on UNLV should let the freshman get his feet wet before an all-important four game stretch that starts with BYU before being followed by three straight against Pac-12 opponents.

In that stretch of games against Arizona, Arizona State and Stanford we will learn if Mora made the right decision to start Rosen right away as the hyped freshman will be one of the biggest early stories in the conference as the world watches to see if the talented youngster is ready for the bright lights of the Rose Bowl for UCLA.

The decision to start Rosen is one Mora had to make with limited experienced talent, but having a true freshman at quarterback is going to come with the risk that grooming a young quarterback could come to haunt UCLA at the worst possible time this season.

After all, everything will be a new experience to Rosen and UCLA struggled in big games with the experienced Hundley under center in 2014. Therefore, it’s hard to expect a true freshman could lead the Bruins to a conference title and a spot in the CFB Playoff even with the praise that has been given to Rosen all over the country as a quarterback who should be ready to start right away.

UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins /

UCLA Bruins

It is hard not to see an early loss for UCLA regardless of who Mora decided to start, making it likely that even if Rosen is the best option he is set to struggle in keeping the Bruins undefeated through their early stretch. Games against BYU, Arizona, the Sun Devils and Stanford in the first half of the season put Mora’s team at risk of losing one, if not two games.

Fans of UCLA should expect struggles as a team regardless of Rosen’s composure in big games as a freshman, but it is extremely hard to see the Bruins running the table in a competitive conference that brings a difficult schedule.

While Rosen brings the risk of going through freshman struggles at quarterback, the good news for Mora and UCLA is whatever happens with the 2015 season will be a building block as the Bruins should have at least three seasons with their new quarterback under center.

UCLA is too good to count 2015 as a rebuilding season, but you can certainly call it a reloading season as they go from the Hundley era to the Rosen era in Los Angeles. An exciting prospect to fans of the program, even if it lowers their odds of a Pac-12 or National Championship in the short run of things.

Mora’s hope will be that Rosen can prove why he was touted as a can’t miss recruit before committing to UCLA by keeping a talented team on course and living up to the expectation that he is a star in the making.

Playing high level high school football in the area, Rosen is as ready as they come for a true freshman, but with a tough schedule in a Pac-12, the Bruins have an instant challenge in taking a quarterback short on experience and trusting him to run the table.

Mora’s faith in Rosen will define the Bruins season and make the team a must-watch, but with a true freshman running the offense the expectation of a conference title could be premature for UCLA.

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