From the primary snap of coaching camp, DeShaun Foster tightly managed any narratives about his crew.
Reporters by no means knew how a lot — or little — of UCLA’s observe classes they’d get to observe, sooner or later being restricted to eight minutes of stretching. Principally they noticed particular person drills, discipline targets and — in latest weeks — one snap of the complete offense going in opposition to the protection.
Images and video have been banned, even at a Rose Bowl observe open to spectators who confronted no such restrictions. Foster most well-liked to let the crew’s social media posts and internally produced video collection suffice because the story of his crew.
As of late Saturday evening, the story may not be saved secret.
The Bruins don’t look like any good.
In a clunker of a season opener, they couldn’t deal with on protection or persistently transfer the ball on offense behind new quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Whereas it’s essential to throw within the caveat that it’s only one recreation, UCLA’s 43-10 loss to Utah on the Rose Bowl represented an enormous step backward after the Bruins had closed their first season beneath Foster with 4 wins of their ultimate six video games.
Eleven NFL scouts, together with representatives from the Rams and Chargers, in all probability gained’t be returning to observe anybody on a UCLA protection that missed a slew of tackles and did not put any semblance of stress on Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, whose fingerprints and footprints may very well be discovered throughout this recreation.
Dampier accomplished 21 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns whereas operating for 87 yards. He principally put the sport out of attain late within the third quarter when he ran untouched into the top zone on fourth and aim from the UCLA two-yard line. Utah rolled up 492 yards of offense whereas changing 14 of 16 third downs.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier scores a landing in opposition to the Bruins within the third quarter Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
In the meantime, Iamaleava loved only some pockets of success throughout his first recreation operating new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s scheme. Iamaleava accomplished 11 of twenty-two passes for 136 yards with one landing and an interception halfway via the fourth quarter that despatched giant swaths of followers headed for house. He ran for 47 yards in 13 carries, proving to be his crew’s best choice on the bottom.
UCLA’s operating backs weren’t practically as productive. Tailbacks Jalen Berger, Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods mixed for simply 37 yards, averaging 2.5 yards per carry. Broad receiver Kwazi Gilmer compounded his crew’s incapacity to maneuver the ball by dropping a cross whereas slicing throughout the sphere on third and 4.
UCLA’s preseason secrecy appeared warranted by halftime, when the Utes outclassed the Bruins on the way in which to a 23-7 benefit.
The Bruins’ incapacity to get any stress on Dampier was the massive story. Dampier had on a regular basis he wanted to throw and run whereas accounting for 170 yards (together with 78 on the bottom) and finishing 10 of 13 passes. The one solution to cease him gave the impression to be having his helmet come off within the second quarter, which might have compelled him to come back out for a play had the Utes not well known as a timeout in order that he may return.
UCLA coach DeShaun Foster runs onto the sphere earlier than Saturday’s loss to Utah on the Rose Bowl.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Instances)
Utah transformed its first six third-down makes an attempt, together with a 3rd and 4 through which Wayshawn Parker ran off deal with for a 13-yard landing and a 3rd and three through which UCLA security Key Lawrence missed a possible deal with for loss, permitting Smith Snowden to run for an eight-yard landing.
Every part was tilting within the Utes’ favor when Dampier discovered linebacker — you learn that proper — Lander Barton in the long run zone for a 13-yard landing. Utah led 20-0 and it was honest to surprise if UCLA may mount a sustained drive.
Iamaleava answered emphatically, exhibiting some slippery strikes on a 21-yard run and later finishing a 21-yard landing cross to operating again Anthony Woods on a wheel route that lastly put the Bruins on the board halfway via the second quarter.
There wouldn’t be many positives for UCLA the remainder of the way in which.
