UCLA Football Recruiting: A Look at the Bruins' Offensive Philosophy

The offensive philosophy of Jim Mora and the UCLA football team has seemingly been adapted from where it was when Mora first took over. This has been readily apparent in the 2015 class, as well as early in the 2016 class. 

When looking at Mora's first three recruiting classes, he recruited exceptionally well—particularly on the defensive side of the ball. His efforts have netted integral players such as Myles Jack, Eddie Vanderdoes, Deon Hollins, Kenny Clark and Fabian Moreau, among others. 

The talent across the board is a big upgrade from the previous regime. Not only is the depth exponentially improved, but the amount of athleticism has been considerably enhanced.

With that said, there have been some areas of concern. These issues reside primarily on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback depth hasn't been great, athleticism at wide receiver has been a question mark, and the level of potentially elite talent on the offensive side of the ball hasn't quite matched up with the defensive personnel. 

The offense has lacked dynamic playmakers—especially within the wide receiver corps. A significant staple of offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone's offense is quick passes to the perimeter. Receivers need to be able to block effectively out on the edge. As a result, UCLA has targeted bigger, more physical players for the position. 

While this certainly has helped in regard to blocking, there has been a glaring absence of speed. There really hasn't been a receiver in the Mora era to consistently take the top off of an opposing defense. UCLA's passing attack has undoubtedly been more horizontal rather than vertical—largely due to the high number of possession options. 

In order to combat these issues, UCLA has looked to add speed to its roster. 

The 2015 class saw the Bruins add athlete Stephen Johnson III. The San Leandro, Calif., native runs a legitimate, sub-4.4 40-yard time. Capable of playing on both sides of the ball, he'll likely start in the slot for UCLA. Johnson instantly becomes one of, if not the fastest, members of the football team. 

Unfortunately for UCLA, it lost out on slot target Ryan Newsome on signing day this past year. In 2016, however, there has already been a mass effort to address the quickness, elusiveness, agility, and speed the team needs at the receiver position. 

The Bruins already have a commitment from Scout.com 4-star receiver Demetric Felton. Per his highlight tape, Felton appears to be a dynamic runner with the ball in his hands. He's also versatile in that he can line up at multiple receiver spots, as well as at running back. 

UCLA also is heavily recruiting the skill position trio of Sean McGrew, Damian Alloway, and Darian Owens. All Scout.com 4-star prospects, it would be a relative shock if McGrew and Owens didn't end up Bruins. At the very worst, Alloway is down to Cal and UCLA, per Adam Gorney of Rivals.com. 

McGrew is another exceptional athlete from the running back position. Perhaps one of the fastest players in the entire state of California, he looks like a perfect fit for the role former UCLA running back Damien Thigpen played a few years ago. 

Alloway is a pure burner. Capable of playing on the outside and in the slot, he would instantly upgrade the offense's speed. Perhaps most significant for UCLA, four of Alloway's 7-on-7 teammates—Felton, Lokeni Toailoa, Krys Barnes, Breland Brandt—are committed to the Bruins. 

Ringo H.W. Chiu/Associated Press

Owens is the biggest and most physical of the aforementioned 4-star troika. But don't let that fool you, as Owens is a fantastic athlete in his own right. He would be a very nice replacement for current UCLA receiver Jordan Payton. 

In order to compete with the class of the Pac-12, as well as against prominent national programs, the amount of elite talent on the offensive side of the ball needed to improve. Depth at quarterback also needed a jolt in the proverbial arm. 

UCLA killed two birds with one stone when it signed exceptional quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen's signing might be the most significant addition to the program dating to 2011, when the Bruins signed Brett Hundley.

Rosen is already killing it in spring practice, and is most likely headed for a starting spot as a true freshman. While Hundley put UCLA on the map—and truly got the ball rolling—Rosen has the talent to take the program to unseen heights. 

Paul Perkins is an absolute stud at running back. The redshirt junior led the conference in rushing a season ago, and figures to be one of college football's best backs in 2015. With the shelf life for running backs being short, it's doubtful he'll return for a senior year. 

Therefore, UCLA needed to replenish the talent within its running back corps. The Bruins were able to sign Scout.com's No. 1 running back nationally in Soso Jamabo. UCLA also signed the Scout.com No. 1 tight end in the country in Chris Clark. 

The addition of both demonstrates the UCLA recruiting staff's prowess. Jamabo hails from Texas, whereas Clark comes to UCLA from Connecticut (via New Jersey). 

Jamabo is supremely versatile. At 6'3", he can line up as a receiver with his ability to catch the ball. However, he makes his living on the ground as a smooth, explosive running back. 

Clark represents an element UCLA hasn't had since the days of Joe Fauria. He's a true tight end at 6'6", 250 pounds. Not only can he go up and make the grab in traffic against smaller players, but Clark can be a mauler in the run game.

UCLA often relied upon defensive players playing offense when it needed to pick up short yardage on the ground. As a result, the opposing defense almost always knew the Bruins were running the ball. With Clark, the threat of utilizing play-action is there. He should be a monster in red-zone situations as well. 

It is apparent that UCLA has transitioned from signing good talent across the board to fulfilling specific needs while also inking elite talent at significant positions. It will be fascinating to see how this development impacts UCLA chances at potentially winning a conference title for the first time under Mora.