After a 3-9 record in 2018, UCLA football is at a crossroads, and it is time for Head Coach Chip Kelly to show signs that things are in the right direction.
When Chip Kelly arrived in Westwood, the hope was that he could transform UCLA football quickly much as he did with Oregon. However, that was always more of a pipe dream than reality given what was on the Bruins roster. Though fans couldn’t have anticipated reality would smack them as hard as it did with the team’s worst start since 1943.
Now as they head into 2019, things seem a little brighter, but with another grueling schedule will it result in more wins
- 2018 Record: 3-9
- Spring Game Date: Saturday, April 20
Biggest spring storylines
If UCLA has any chance of turning things around quickly, it will start with improvement at the quarterback position. The keys are entirely in the hands of Dorian Thompson-Robinson and with a full offseason to work with the first unit it is time to see signs of why he was so highly touted coming out of high school. It will be interesting to see if Kelly begins to unleash the full scope of his offensive playbook and use Thompson-Robinson not only as a passer but as a runner too.
Thompson-Robinson has all the tools to be a successful quarterback in a Chip Kelly style offense, but consistency will be paramount in year two. He completed 57% percent of his passes in 2018 sprinkling in great performances like week six against Cal with awful outings like week four versus Colorado.
It is crazy to think one position garners so much pressure, but that is where the game is in 2019. Thompson-Robinson is no stranger to pressure coming from high school powerhouse Bishop Gorman, and it’ll be exciting to see him develop.
The biggest cause for concern
The UCLA defense ranked 97 in defensive S&P and the pass rush, in particular, was a big struggle in 2018. They tied with Oregon State for last in the Pac 12 and 119th nationally with only 15 sacks total.
The team asked a lot from multiple freshmen and sophomores and with those guys having another year to get healthier, stronger and more comfortable in the system things could improve. It is time for someone amongst the crowd to separate themselves as the main guy when it comes to consistently getting in the backfield. Even if defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro continues to rely on more of a rotation on the defensive line, they need guys to trust in high-pressure situations. Fifth-year senior Keisean Lucier-South is the best of the group and the returning sack leader, but three sacks aren’t enough. Though on a positive note, he’s received high praise in the early spring practices.
It is unfortunate that former 5-star Jaelan Phillips who transferred to Miami earlier this year never panned out because everyone thought he would fill this pass rush role.
Biggest offseason additions
After having another top 20 recruiting class in 2018, UCLA took a dip in 2019 to No. 41, which was their lowest-ranked class since 2011. It was a rough cycle for Kelly and his staff who have always been selective with their offers, but that worked a lot better when he had a proven entity during his time at Oregon.
UCLA had six players from the 2019 class enroll early those being Chase Griffin (QB), Keegan Jones (RB), Jaylen Erwin (WR), Datona Jackson (DL), Willaims Nimmo and Carson Olivas (P). It’ll be interesting to see if they can make any noise in the spring game. Jackson, as a community college transfer would have to cleanest route to getting snaps given UCLA’s rotation style but his first couple spring practices have drawn mixed reviews. On offense, Erwin who’s another junior college transfer has had some nice days early in spring practice, and coach Kelly talked about him flashing on tape.
Biggest game to look forward to in 2019
The matchup with USC will always take precedence over anything else on the schedule and UCLA is coming off an impressive 34-27 win over their longtime rival and hope to make it two in a row in 2019. Another big game to keep an eye on is on Sept. 14 when Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooner come to Pasadena. Despite losing back to back Heisman winners at quarterback in the NFL, Oklahoma still has plenty of talent and with it’ll be interesting to see what transfer Jalen Hurts can do in this offense.