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 look at, sooner or later being restricted to eight minutes of stretching. Principally they noticed particular person drills, subject targets and — in latest weeks — one snap of the complete offense going towards the protection.
Pictures and video had been banned, even at a Rose Bowl observe open to spectators who confronted no such restrictions. Foster most popular to let the crew’s social media posts and internally produced video sequence suffice because the story of his crew.
As of late Saturday night time, the story might now not be saved secret.
The Bruins don’t seem like any good.
In a clunker of a season opener, they couldn’t deal with on protection or constantly transfer the ball on offense behind new quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Whereas it’s vital 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 closing six video games.
“We went on the market and, you realize, we acquired punched within the mouth, man,” Iamaleava stated.
Eleven NFL scouts, together with representatives from the Rams and Chargers, in all probability received’t be returning to look at 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.
“Only a slippery man,” Foster stated. “You understand, it was arduous to get our arms on him and actually get him down.”
Dampier accomplished 21 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns whereas working 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 purpose from the UCLA two-yard line to provide the Utes a 30-10 cushion. Utah rolled up 492 yards of offense whereas changing 14 of 17 third downs.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier scores a landing towards 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 working new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s scheme. Iamaleava accomplished 11 of twenty-two passes for 136 yards with one landing and an interception halfway by means of the fourth quarter that despatched massive swaths of followers headed for residence. He ran for 47 yards in 13 carries, proving to be his crew’s best choice on the bottom.
UCLA’s working backs weren’t almost as productive. Tailbacks Jalen Berger, Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods mixed for simply 37 yards, averaging 2.5 yards per carry. Huge receiver Kwazi Gilmer compounded his crew’s incapacity to maneuver the ball by dropping a move whereas slicing throughout the sector on third and 4.
“All self-inflicted,” Iamaleava stated of the errors that saved the Bruins from constantly shifting the ball. “You understand, we didn’t execute nicely tonight.”
UCLA’s preseason secrecy appeared warranted by halftime, when the Utes outclassed the Bruins on the best way to a 23-7 benefit.
The Bruins’ incapacity to get any stress on Dampier was the large 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 pressured him to come back out for a play had the Utes not neatly referred to as a timeout in order that he might return.
UCLA coach DeShaun Foster runs onto the sector earlier than Saturday’s loss to Utah on the Rose Bowl.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Instances)
After dragging down Dampier for a one-yard loss within the second quarter — one in all his crew’s two tackles for loss within the recreation — UCLA linebacker Isaiah Chisom discovered himself outmaneuvered by the quarterback within the backfield within the third quarter. Chisom pinned the tackling points on an absence of self-discipline.
“With my play, it’s actually about eye place,” Chisom stated. “In the event you attempt to attain round any individual’s shoulders, you’re — irrespective of how robust or how a lot you bench or squat — you’re going to fall off.”
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.
The Bruins did nearly as little tackling of their opener as they did within the preseason.
“We’ve simply acquired to come back again in, regroup and actually simply grade your self and be arduous on your self,” Foster stated. “This isn’t going to be straightforward and you may’t simply go in there and level the finger at different individuals — you’ve actually acquired to see, what did I do to assist this crew?”
All the pieces was tilting within the Utes’ favor when Dampier discovered linebacker — you learn that proper — Lander Barton ultimately zone for a 13-yard landing. Utah led 20-0 and it was truthful to surprise if UCLA might mount a sustained drive.
Iamaleava answered emphatically, exhibiting some slippery strikes of his personal on a 21-yard run and later finishing a 21-yard landing move to Woods on a wheel route that lastly put the Bruins on the board halfway by means of the second quarter.
There wouldn’t be many positives for UCLA the remainder of the best way.
Foster stated his one promising takeaway was the resolve his gamers confirmed within the locker room afterward, indicating they had been able to get again to observe to repair the various issues that went improper.
“They perceive that we’ve acquired to remain collectively and we will’t splinter,” Foster stated. “We’re a crew, we’ve constructed this brotherhood over these previous few months and I feel that they’re simply disillusioned in what occurred, the end result of this recreation, however they’re able to work and keep collectively and transfer ahead.”
UCLA was equally overwhelmed down by Indiana on its residence subject final season as a part of a 1-5 begin earlier than sparking a late-season turnaround. The hope is that these Bruins can rebound a lot sooner, beginning with Nevada Las Vegas subsequent week.
“The one means is up from right here,” Iamaleava stated. “We’ve acquired to proceed to get higher.”
