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UCLA Football: 5 takeaways from Bruins’ 2018 season

By Connor Muldowney

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Running back Joshua Kelley #27 of the UCLA Bruins looks over his shoulder as he heads for the end zone during the first second of a football game at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Running back Joshua Kelley #27 of the UCLA Bruins looks over his shoulder as he heads for the end zone during the first second of a football game at Rose Bowl on November 17, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /
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NORMAN, OK – SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bruins 49-21. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bruins 49-21. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

1. Chip Kelly needs time, but UCLA is headed in the right direction

It was an ugly start to the year. The Bruins were 0-5 with losses to Cincinnati and Fresno State and it looked like the team might never win a game, but that’s when the road game at California happened.

A 37-7 thrashing of the Golden Bears gave the Bruins new life and they carried that over into a one-point win against Arizona. Sitting at 2-5, the team felt like a good run could carry it into the postseason, but Chip Kelly knew better than to expect his team to completely turn things around, especially with so much youth on the roster.

The Bruins went on to lose three straight from there before topping rival USC and losing by seven to Stanford to end the season. There were three games decided by a touchdown or less and with the bounces going the Bruins’ way in those contests, we could be talking about a team that won 6-7 games, including a bowl

Kelly’s offense picked up as the season progressed and he developed a pretty solid running back but he still has a ways to go before he can get UCLA back to the top.

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The Bruins are trending in the right direction, but fans must be patient with Kelly. Give the head coach time and good things will come.

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