Fansided

Unnamed coach: UCLA’s Josh Rosen the next Peyton Manning

By Josh Criswell

Nov 15, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; General view of an alternative black UCLA Bruins helmet on the sidelines during the game against the Washington Huskies at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; General view of an alternative black UCLA Bruins helmet on the sidelines during the game against the Washington Huskies at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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UCLA head coach Jim Mora has been extremely tough on freshman Josh Rosen, but one coach is calling the young quarterback the next Peyton Manning.

True freshman quarterback Josh Rosen arrived on UCLA’s campus this year as one of the most highly touted recruits in the country.

According to the 247sports Composite, an algorithm that compiles the rankings from all of the top national recruiting services in the nation, Rosen was the No. 1 quarterback recruit of 2015, and the No. 12 overall prospect in the country.

It should come as no surprise then, that UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora has been particularly harsh on him. Especially with Rosen looking to make the transition from high school phenom to Pac-12 starting quarterback as a true freshman.

At practice on Wednesday, Mora went so far as to berate his young quarterback in front of the media. Here are just a few of the remarks that the head coach hurled at Rosen, according to the LA Times.

"–“You’re not at Bellflower St. John Bosco (Rosen’s high school). That’s why you have not been named the starter.”–“You can’t hit an open receiver down field with no defense.”–“The ‘Anointed One.’”–“Go back to Bosco and beat some more [bad] teams.”Finally, Mora looked at the members of the media present and yelled, “Tell your readers that is why has not been named the starter.”"

While Mora may have been a little harsh on his quarterback, it is also an indicator that he is excepting big things from him this season. According to ESPN’s Joe Schad, an unnamed coach has given Rosen some very high praise, calling him ‘the next Peyton Manning.’

While comparing a true freshman to arguably the most talented quarterback of all-time is a little extreme, the two players do share some similarities. Primarily, in their prototypical quarterback frames.

Manning stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds. Rosen is 6-foot-4, and at 210 pounds, has the potential to become a spitting image of Manning, physically, by the end of his UCLA career.

While the Bruins appear to be on the rise after recording their first back-to-back 10-win seasons in 16 years, they are going to need exceptional play in order to win their first Pac-12 Championship under Mora’s tutelage. The conference is loaded at the top this season, with USC, Oregon and Arizona State all expected to be serious contenders.

If Rosen is as good as he has been hyped up to be, however, anything is possible.

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