UCLA Football: 5 players to watch in 2017 spring game
By Zach Bigalke
The Bruins missed out on the postseason after entering 2016 with high hopes. Which UCLA football players should you watch this spring?
Last year UCLA tumbled to 4-8, suffering the first losing season in Jim Mora’s five years as the head coach. Along the way the Bruins lost quarterback Josh Rosen to a shoulder injury midway through the season. The team responded by losing six of its last seven contests and missing out on a bowl game.
With USC rebounding on the other side of town, the window seems to be rapidly closing on the Bruins’ chance to regain the upper hand in Los Angeles. That isn’t to mention all the other competition in the Pac-12 South. UCLA finds itself at a crossroads, and it could be the last chance to win with the quarterback who came to Westwood amid such high hopes.
Though the offense is almost intact, the defense loses nearly half of its starters from last year. This spring will be critical in helping Mora and his staff determine who can replace players like Eddie Vanderdoes and Takkarist McKinley. Click ahead to see which five players to keep an eye on when UCLA plays its spring game on April 29.
Back in 2015, Josh Rosen was the top-rated quarterback recruit in the country. He could have played anywhere from Florida State to Texas to Notre Dame to Tennessee. He was recruited by crosstown rival USC. But Rosen held firm to the commitment he made the spring before his senior season of high school. His arrival harbored hope that the Bruins were building a consistent powerhouse.
Fortunes, however, have not favored Rosen during his time playing in the Rose Bowl.
As a true freshman, Rosen completed 60 percent of his passes and threw for nearly 3700 yards. The Bruins went 8-5 that year, and he was expected to take a developmental leap in 2016. Instead he made only marginal progress before his shoulder injury prematurely ended his sophomore year.
This spring, it will be interesting to see how many reps Rosen receives with the offense as he continues to recover. Watch to see whether Mora gives him any substantial playing time in the spring game.