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September 10, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Brandon Stephens (20) runs the ball against the UNLV Rebels during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Here is Go Joe Bruin’s position group report card for the UCLA Football team after their 42-21 win against the UNLV Rebels.
The UCLA Football team had an interesting game against the UNLV Rebels on Saturday that was mixed with highs and lows.
For the most part, they were able to pull out a victory with some offensive highlights, but there was also a bit of stagnation on the defensive side of the ball. With that, let us look at each individual position group as we grade the Bruins vs the Rebels.
Quarterbacks: B-
Josh Rosen looked better than he did against Texas A&M, but only slightly. He was still holding on to the ball too long and was off on some of his throws, but he also looked more comfortable in the pocket. He only had 1 touchdown, but had 267 yards through the air.
Running Backs: A
Soso Jamabo had a field day in the first half with three touchdowns. True freshmen Jalen Starks and Brandon Stephens also got into the mix with the latter running for 71 yards. Bolu Olorunfunmi, who seemed to be passed up for the freshmen, added 20 yards and a touchdown. Yes indeed, this was a good group of players versus UNLV.
Receivers: B-
This is a hard one to grade. Fourteen players were able to get at least one catch, which is good in terms of spreading the ball around. There were several key receptions by Jordan Lasley, Mossi Johnson and Ishmael Adams which helped the Bruins, but there were still a lot of dropped balls, which is something that needs to be shored up if UCLA wants to have a powerhouse offense.
Offensive Line: A-
The line held its own and allowed Rosen to operate. Though UNLV did not have a fierce pass rush, the O-line did well protecting Rosen and pushing back the defense for the running backs to operate.
September 10, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; UNLV Rebels running back Lexington Thomas (3) runs the ball against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Line: C
UCLA’s defensive front once again showed some weaknesses, especially in defending the run. UNLV RB Lexington Thomas and QB Johnny Stanton averaged 5.9 and 4.6 yards per carry, respectively, against the Bruins. Missed tackles and missed opportunities hampered UCLA who are making average defenses look stellar.
Linebackers: B-
There were a few missed tackles with the LBs and the run defense is partially on them, but for the most part, they played a decent game. Kenny Young registered the first sack of the season for the Bruins which added to his five tackles. Jayon Brown, Josh Woods and Isaako Savaiinaea were also vital and helped keep the UNLV defense in check, sans the 3rd quarter.
Defensive Backs: B+
The Bruins limited Stanton to 11 completions on 28 attempts. They also knocked balls out of hands, kept the pressure on receivers and had two interceptions by S Randall Goforth. They did give a 31 yard reception to Devonte Boyd, but disallowed any scores from him.
Special Teams: A-
They were not necessarily needed in this game, but when called upon, they delivered. JJ Molson was not needed for field goal duty but hit every extra point. Austin Kent was once again sending punts out of his zone and helping the defense.
Overall Grade: B-
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