As the 4-6 UCLA Bruins embark on their most important week of the season attempting to defend their Victory Bell, it’s vital they exhibit a self-awareness of their strengths and weaknesses after their 31-19 defeat at the hands of the Washington Huskies.
While the Bruins “fearsome foursome” of Carson Schwesinger, Kain Medrano, Jay Toia, and Femi Oladejo combined for 27 tackles, three TFLs, one interception, and general disruptive havoc on the Huskies that goes beyond the statistics, old emblematic habits from this team’s brutal 1-5 stretch started rearing their ugly head again.
UCLA Bruins Decimated Offensive Line
With Niki Prongos out prior to the game, the UCLA Bruins offensive line depth was highly compromised with an injury to Jaylan Jeffers.
Being down to third and fourth string at left tackle, along with also losing Michael Carmody later in the game, generated a ripple effect felt by the entire unit to the tune of giving up six sacks and nine tackles for a loss against a Huskies front that couldn’t generate a sack in its previous three games combined.
A unit that had turned the corner so significantly in their three-game winning streak, regressed to the group that was at the bottom of college football – unable to pass block per the statistics above, nor open up any running lanes as the Bruins ground attack was held to a paltry 52 yards on 33 attempts, a minuscule 1.6 yards per carry.
Erratic Ethan Garbers
With an offensive line unable to generate any consistency at the line of scrimmage, Ethan Garbers naturally reverted back to feeling uneasy and unsettled in the pocket. Sure, the numbers looked good going 27/44 for 267 yards and two touchdowns, but Garbers was erratic with his accuracy.
In particular, he missed two sure touchdowns – one to a wide-open Titus Mokiao-Atimalala in the end zone midway through the second quarter that could have changed the game’s complexion, and another to a breaking Kwazi Gilmer on a slant-go route in the fourth quarter.
That lack of composure from a struggling offensive line trickled down from Garbers to the rest of the offensive unit as, prior to the garbage touchdown at the end of the game with the score already out of hand, the Bruins first six possessions inside the Washington 30-yard line netted only 13 points, two fumbles, and a missed field goal.
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy also didn’t do Garbers any favors, retreating back to longer developing five and seven-step drop plays, underutilizing Logan Loya from the gameplan, and failing to get Keegan Jones a variety of touches in space – all strategic errors from the first half of the season.
Absent Discipline
UCLA continues to shoot themselves in the foot with inexplicable unforced errors. Washington’s first touchdown was significantly aided by Brody Richter’s shanked 17-yard punt that set up the Huskies on the Bruins 36-yard line to start an extremely short scoring drive.
The Huskies second touchdown would have been wiped away courtesy of a Bryan Addison interception if not for a late-hit roughing the passer penalty on Oladejo.
Finally, Washington’s last score to make it a three-score game was aided by Devin Kirkwood’s end zone pass interference on 4th & 1.
All in all, the Bruins’ nine penalties were arguably more impactful than anything the Huskies did Friday night.
Related: UCLA Bruins 2025 Recruiting Class
The Bruins have now lost for the third consecutive season to a Jedd Fisch-led team prior to playing their fiercest nemesis.
As UCLA now gets ready to face archrival USC at the Rose Bowl this Saturday night at 7:30 pm, the question remains – which team will show up to the 2024 edition of the Victory Bell?
The group we saw against Washington that exhibited the same characteristics from the season’s first six games of poor offensive line play, erratic offensive decision-making, and undisciplined? Or the team demonstrating physicality in both trenches with quick rhythm offensive decisions and opportunism with turnovers that enabled a three-game conference winning streak?
If it’s the latter, the Bruins have a legitimate shot to go 6-6, win the city championship back-to-back years, and be bowl-bound. If it’s the former, DeShaun Foster’s first year will end without the postseason compounded by a mass exodus of key talent. It’s gut-check time Bruins. Fours Up.