UCLA Football: 5 Most Important Adjustments That Need to Happen During Bye Week
With a bye upcoming this week, it provides head coach Jim Mora and the UCLA football team a perfect opportunity to recalibrate things.
Sitting at 3-0, a huge conference test versus the Arizona State Sun Devils awaits on Sept. 25 in Tempe, Arizona. Before this contest, there are a few aspects of the team that need to be ironed out.
This piece will speak about five adjustments in particular that need to happen during the open week. Much of it stems from a schematic view. Other issues deal strictly with personnel usage.
Here are the five most important adjustments needing to happen during the bye week for the UCLA Bruins.
Integrate Young Offensive Skill Players
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The bye week will (in theory) allow for offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone to install more of the playbook.
Personnel groupings will likely be diversified, depending on the specific formation. The extra week of work offers Mazzone the opportunity to incorporate younger players into the mix. Three in particular include freshman running back Nate Starks, sophomore wide receiver Kenny Walker and freshman receiver Mossi Johnson.
Starks has flashed potential in his minimal time on the field. Although he only has five carries through the first three games, he's rushed for a 4.4 yards-per-carry average. He's the biggest back on the roster and adds a physical element somewhat lacking within the scheme.
Should Jerry Neuheisel start versus Arizona State, expect plenty of horizontal passes to the perimeter. UCLA needs quick, shifty players to make defenders miss in space. Both Johnson and Walker have the ability to perform in this capacity.
Through three games, both have one catch apiece. Johnson got his first taste of action this past weekend, while Walker's lone catch was a 62-yard touchdown versus Memphis.
Both also have the ability to be dynamic receivers down the field. The pure speed aspect both bring to the table warrants more of a look going forward.
Blitz More
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The transition from position coach to coordinator is never seamless. Undoubtedly, there are kinks to work out.
Jeff Ulbrich's defense has given up 24.0 points per game. At times the unit has looked very good. However, there have been issues generating sacks. The team has only three sacks through the first three games.
The defensive line has been performing well as a whole. When watching the games, the pressure has been noticeable. Kenny Clark and Eddie Vanderdoes have been stout inside, and the duo of Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Deon Hollins have been very good off of the edge.
Ulbrich hasn't been blitzing with extra players. He seems hopeful his front four can generate pressure. As a result, the scheme has looked rather vanilla.
There were times versus Texas in which Ulbrich's blitzes were effective. He also went incredibly conservative at times, dropping eight in coverage on third-down situations. Texas signal-caller Tyrone Swoopes was able to convert and get several first downs, often when the pressure was absent.
Going forward, Ulbrich needs to become more diversified and exotic with his blitz packages. It could ultimately lead to more turnovers.
Attack the Field Vertically
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Mazzone called a great game this past Saturday. He had a great rhythm—especially in the second half—of mixing up bubble screens with slants and draws. He kept Texas off balance, and it ultimately led to the game-winning touchdown throw from Neuheisel to Jordan Payton.
Texas was not expecting Neuheisel to play. I'm sure there was no game plan in place for the reserve signal-caller. However, Arizona State is now afforded game tape on Neuheisel. Should UCLA's backup quarterback play versus the Sun Devils, ASU will have a good idea of how the UCLA offense will operate with Neuheisel at the helm.
UCLA played to Neuheisel's strengths, which includes getting the ball quickly out of his hand. His lack of arm strength won't allow for consistent shots down the field. Regardless (if Neuheisel does indeed play), UCLA has to keep the opposing defense honest by attacking the field vertically.
Additionally, throws down the field could lead to big plays.
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Expand Myles Jack's Role Even Further
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If he played the running back position full time, Myles Jack would be UCLA's best runner.
His value on the defensive side of the ball will never allow for this scenario to unfold. However, Jack's involvement within the offense should be expanded.
Last weekend, two of Jack's five carries were arguably two of the bigger plays in the game. A key fourth-down rushing conversion kept a UCLA drive alive. On a 3rd-and-short attempt, Jack was able to break a tackle and get the first down, which effectively ended the game.
With the bye week, Mazzone could opt to implement passing plays featuring Jack. His involvement offensively up to this point has strictly been as both a runner and as a blocker. In terms of running plays, formations can be altered to further enhance Jack's effectiveness running the football.
Get the Punting Situation Figured out
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The unexpected departure of starting punter Sean Covington, per Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times, has left a sizable hole within UCLA's special teams unit.
Scholarship punter Matt Mengel hasn't shown the propensity to boom the ball down the field. Through three games, he has a paltry 37.1 yards-per-punt average on his 17 attempts.
Due to the shortness of his kicks, UCLA has a hard time of flipping the field. As a result, the opposing offenses have been gifted good field position to starts drives.
The other option UCLA has is walk-on Adam Searl. When Mengel went out with a minor injury versus Texas, Searl punted three times for a 35.0-yard average.
UCLA has to get this position figured out going forward. It could be a case of an open competition throughout practice until one punter separates himself from the pack.
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