3. UCLA Bruins still have no running game after weak Cactus Bowl
A big reason why Modster’s numbers faded in the second half was the fact that Kansas State could largely tee off on the quarterback. They had little respect for UCLA’s running game, and with good reason. The Bruins came into the Cactus Bowl averaging just 117 yards per game on the ground, ranking 117th nationally in the process.
They couldn’t even hit their season averages on Tuesday night in Phoenix. The Bruins finished the night with just 69 yards on the ground despite carrying 25 times. UCLA took plenty of opportunities to figure out the ground game, but they couldn’t manage a single run longer than 11 yards against the Wildcats.
All year long, one of the most prolific passing offenses has carried the Bruins. It was barely enough to reach bowl eligibility. With a new quarterback getting his first college start, Modster really could have used some balance from the backfield to keep the Kansas State defense honest. Instead, the ground game did their signal caller few favors.
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Perhaps the biggest project for Chip Kelly in 2018 will be figuring out how to maximize the effectiveness of a UCLA rushing attack that has talented parts but little consistency. With Modster under center the passing attack should be just fine next year, but he will need better support from his running backs if the Bruins are going to challenge for the Pac-12 South in the next year or two.