UCLA football had to pull away from Coastal Carolina in the fourth quarter of a game that was far too close for comfort. After entering the fourth quarter with just a one-point lead, Dante Moore found J.Michael Sturdivant for a 62-yard bomb that helped the Bruins put away this contest late.
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It was an up-and-down night for UCLA football, but at the end of the day, a win is a win.
Here’s what we learned during the Bruins’ season opener.
1. Dante Moore is the man
Ethan Garbers started the game at quarterback, but he couldn’t keep the offense moving consistently. He led a touchdown drive to open the game, but after that, the offense stalled mightily, including two Garbers interceptions.
It was Dante Moore who led UCLA to a victory. He sparked the offense with his 143 yards and two touchdowns, including the aforementioned bomb to Sturdivant.
The freshman quarterback will get the start next week, and if he continues to lead the offense as he did on Saturday, he’ll be able to cement himself as the starting man for Chip Kelly’s squad.
2. The Bruins commit far too many penalties
In a game like this, the negatives are more concerning than the positives are encouraging. For example, the defensive line was great against the run and provided significant pressure against the Coastal Carolina passing game. On the other hand, that unit committed six offside penalties, handing the Chanticleers a free 30 yards.
In total, the Bruins committed eight penalties for a total of 55 yards.
It was exciting to see the things UCLA football did right, but the mistakes will be back-breaking against USC, Utah, and Oregon State.
3. Pass defense must improve
Another aspect of the Bruins’ performance that will be back-breaking against future opponents was the pass defense which was porous at times. Sure, UCLA intercepted Grayson McCall twice, but they also allowed the Chanticleers to pick up big chunks of yardage at times.
Coastal Carolina receiver Sam Pinckney alone brought in nine catches for 139 yards and a score. If the Bruins can’t limit this offense, what’s going to happen against Caleb Williams, Cam Rising, and Sheduer Sanders?
Again, a win is a win. This win, however, wasn’t the most convincing.