UCLA Football: Bruins’ 2017 season preview and predictions
By Zach Bigalke
Offense
We’ve already begun to talk about Josh Rosen at quarterback, mainly because he is the catalyst for the Bruins’ hopes in 2017. When Mora was forced to turn to senior backup Mike Fafaul last season, the offense sputtered. Fafaul completed just 52 percent of his passes for only about 40 percent of the yardage per game accumulated by Rosen. This year, Rosen will be backed up by redshirt freshman Devon Modster.
More from UCLA Bruins
- UCLA football: 3 takeaways from Week 1 win over Coastal Carolina
- UCLA football: 3 breakout candidates for the 2023 season
- 3 hardest games on UCLA Football’s 2023 schedule
- UCLA football: Realistic post-spring expectations for 2023
- UCLA football: 3 newcomers that will have the biggest impacts in 2023
Where UCLA might be strongest is along the offensive line. The unit returns a group that has a combined 85 college starts between them. Four redshirt seniors and redshirt junior left tackle Kolton Miller all return from last season.
That continuity should help the team as they gel further. If any go down with injury, however, there is a lack of experienced depth. Three of the five projected backups are freshman who await their first college games.
Though the team has to replace tight end Nate Iese, the receiving corps returns both its top pass catchers from 2016. Darren Andrews and Jordan Lasley are both back, as is Eldridge Massington, a sprinter on the Bruins track team. Last year’s backup tight end Austin Roberts is back, though he will continue to compete with redshirt sophomore Caleb Wilson to take over Iese’s starting role.
Will anyone step up in the running game?
Last season, only Texas State averaged fewer yards on the ground than UCLA. The Bruins managed to run for fewer than 85 yards per game last season. That especially hurt Fafaul’s chances to beat defenses with his arm when he was forced to replace Rosen under center. It isn’t like Mora has never produced decent rushing attacks in Pasadena. But if the Bruins are going to capitalize on Rosen’s true potential, someone will need to take charge in the backfield.
Perhaps that will be senior Nate Starks, or maybe one of the juniors Soso Jamabo or Bolu Olorunfunmi. None of the three did particularly much last season to think they’ll be the one to step up production on the ground. But with a more veteran offensive line in 2017, it is not infeasible that one might break out. A quartet of sophomores could also get more chances to produce this season.