2013 Pre-Season Preview: UCLA Bruins

2012 Record: 9-5 (6-3 in Pac-12)

Head Coach: Jim L Mora (second year at UCLA)

Last Bowl Game: 2012 Holiday Bowl: lost to Baylor 49-26

Stadium: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA (capacity = 91,136)

Home Field Advantage: ranked 36th out of 69 BCS teams

Schedule Glimpse:

2013 Schedule Link

Out of Conference: 8/31 vs Nevada, 9/14 at Nebraska, 9/21 vs NMSU

Toughest Home Games: 11/15 vs Washington, 11/23 vs Arizona St

Toughest Road Games: 10/19 at Stanford, 10/26 at Oregon, 11/30 at USC

Statistical Snapshot:

2012 Statistics Link

Stats to Fear: gave up 40 plays of 30 or more yards in 2012 (last in Pac-12), allowed 52 sacks (11th in Pac-12)

Stats to Cheer: had 46 sacks in 2012 (3rd in Pac-12), had 79 plays of 20 yards or more (2nd in Pac-12)

Advanced Stats (Football Outsiders 2012 FEI Ranking): 33rd out of 124 teams

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters: Offense: 7, Defense: 6, Special Teams: 1

Key Defensive Returnees: LB Eric Kendricks (149 tackles), LB Anthony Barr (82 tackles, 13 sacks), DE Cassius Marsh (49 tackles, 6 sacks)

Key Offensive Returnees: QB Brett Hundley (3740 yds pass, 66.5% completions, 29 TD, 11 INT), WR Shaquelle Evans (60 rec)

Top 2013 Recruits: S Priest Willis, S Tahaan Goodman, ILB Isaac Savaiinaea, QB Asiantii Woulard, DE Kylie Fitts

Verdict:

I wasn't crazy about the hiring of Jim L Mora but he had a really good first year for UCLA and has breathed new life into the program. Can he maintain the upward trajectory of the Bruins this season or will he see a bit of a sophomore slump?

Under OC Noel Mazzone, the Bruins increased their ppg from 23.1 in 2011 to 34.4 last season. QB Brett Hundley had a breakout freshman year and should only get better this season. Unfortunately, he will lose his security blanket as Johnathan Franklin and his 1,700+ yards rushing are now in the NFL. The Bruins have some options at RB but none with proven experience. The leading receiver, Shaquelle Evans, returns but they will need some secondary targets to step up to support him. The OL gave up 52 sacks last year, ouch. This year they lose Jeff Baca (45 career starts) but return five players with starting experience. The staff knows the OL is an issue and they went on a recruiting spree this off-season adding seven players along the line.

On defense, the Bruins return their top two tacklers and three of their top four but they must replace five of their top ten including Tevin McDonald, who was dismissed by Mora in March. UCLA made some improvements defensively last year but they still gave up over 27 ppg and 415 ypg. The DL is going to be a big question-mark for the Bruins. Not only do they lose Datone Jones (6.5 sacks) but they also have lost Owamagbe Odighizuwa with a season ending injury. Cassius Marsh and his eight sacks return but he doesn't have much in the way of experienced help. The LBs are without a doubt the strength of this defense as the top three (Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr and Jordan Zumwalt) all return. The secondary will be a work in progress as the Bruins lose all four starters from the back-end of their defense. There is talent but it's unproven. The Bruins might need some smoke and mirrors if they want to improve defensively this season.

With the exception of an early road trip to Nebraska, the season starts out giving UCLA a chance to ramp up. October 19th through October 26th is when we find out what the Bruins are made of as they travel to Stanford and Oregon in back-to-back weeks. After hosting Colorado, UCLA will have a pivotal stretch run that sees them face Arizona, Washington, Arizona State and USC in successive weeks. Those are UCLA's peers in the conference right now and those games will decide the Bruins season. Vegas has UCLA's over/under at 8.5. Right now, I'd take the under but I was wrong about UCLA last year so I could be wrong again.

Prediction: 7-5

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