UCLA Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Cincinnati in Week 1

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PASADENA, CA – OCTOBER 20: Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #7 of the UCLA Bruins passes the ball during the first half of the NCAA college football game against the Arizona Wildcats at the Rose Bowl on October 20, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

2. Bruin offense will show significant improvement

Last season, the Bruins’ offense managed 393 yards and 24.6 points per game. They shifted between Michigan-transfer Wilton Speight and Dorian Thompson-Robinson early in the season until finally settling on the true sophomore.

Moreover, three of UCLA’s five best scoring games came late in the season including going over 40 points against Stanford.

The run game should be strong with bellcow redshirt senior tailback Joshua Kelley coming off of a 1,243-yard 12-touchdown season. One of the staples of a strong Chip Kelly offense is the run game. Think about LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner of Oregon lore. If they can throw off of their run game, the offense should be able to put points on the board.

The key to UCLA’s offensive improvement is the learning curve of Thompson-Robinson. He’s the type of quarterback Kelly wants running the show. He’s a competent runner with a good arm. If he can improve the completion percentage, and the running game get’s going the Bruins should be able to score some points against the Bearcat defense.

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