The UCLA Bruins are coming off a rough 2016 season, and fans will get to see what 2017 may hold when the team plays it’s annual Spring Football Showcase.
The 2016 season was a rough one for the UCLA Bruins, who went into the season with such high expectations. Quarterback Josh Rosen was a preseason favorite to make a run for the Heisman Trophy, but the wheels really fell off the wagon early. Rosen ended up spending more time hurt than on the field, and the Bruins lost six of their last seven games without him under center.
In 2017, there is a renewed sense of hope, as Rosen is expected be ready to go by the team’s opener in September. It remains to be seen how much, or if any, time he will spend on the field during the Spring Game, as his role as the team’s starting quarterback is set in stone. He is the key piece to the puzzle for the Bruins this season, and without him leading the way, this team is likely headed back to the bottom of the Pac-12.
This unit has a ton of question marks heading into next season, but wide receiver is not one of them. Jordan Lasley and Darren Andrews will both be back for the Bruins, and they were the top players at their position last season. Rosen will have his full compliment of weapons if he can stay on the field, which could make the Bruins much better than the 4-8 team that failed to make a bowl game in 2016.
Fans of the Bruins will get their first look at the team on Saturday, April 29, with the UCLA Spring Showcase slated to kick off at 4:00pm ET.
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The Bruins are going to be very young on defense, and it could be at least another year before they are a legitimate contender in a very deep Pac-12. Rosen will likely be gone after this season, so this year is a make-or-break year for the program. If Rosen can pick apart defenses, they should at least be a bowl team in 2017, but if they cannot find someone to run the ball, and defenses are allowed to pin their ears back and get after their star quarterback, it is going to be another long season for the Bruins.