UCLA heads into Saturday's Nevada Vs Ucla matchup with a clear offensive theme in mind: lean on the ground game and keep doing what has worked during one of the second-half darlings of college football.
The Bruins will host Nevada at the Rose Bowl in their last nonconference game of the season, and the matchup lines up well for a team that has been getting production on the ground even while dealing with offensive line injuries. Last week, UCLA rushed for 245 yards and scored three times against Michigan State, a reminder that the run game can carry the offense when the Bruins need it most.
Why the matchup points to the run
Nevada's defense has been described as strong against the pass but vulnerable against the run, which gives UCLA a natural path to control the game. That matters because the Bruins have shown they can win with their rushing attack, and they may need that formula again against a Nevada team that sits at No. 100 against the run.
Bob Chesney said the Bruins may have to go back to their fastball, and the strength of the running backs is a big reason why. He pointed to the group as one that has been strong, explosive and physical from the start.
"They were this way from the beginning. When we were just starting the winter conditioning and in the weight room, that was a group that we looked at and just said, ‘Man, they’re strong, they’re explosive, they work really hard,’" Chesney said.
He also added, "I wish everybody on our team could be like them. You’re batting 1.000 in that room on guys that push weights, that are physical, that are tough, that bring it every single day."
Who's expected to carry the load
UCLA's backfield depth has mattered all season, and it could matter again here. Wayne Knight was a fifth-year running back before the Michigan State game, while Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas give the Bruins more options if they want to keep rotating fresh legs through the offense.
There has also been some injury-related uncertainty. Over the last two games, Jordan Davis missed time because of an injury, and Eugene Brooks also missed time because of an injury. Even so, UCLA has continued to produce on the ground, which is a good sign as it approaches its final nonconference game.
The offensive line has been part of the story, too. Dean Kennedy praised the group for handling pressure and disguises well, while also noting that Nevada brings heat in different ways.
"They play really hard. They have some good pressures where they bring two to a side, and the defensive ends, they get after it a little bit too," Kennedy said. "But the big thing from the back end standpoint is how they mix things up and try to confuse quarterbacks."
Kennedy also praised coach Smith for the way he prepares the offensive line and keeps multiple players ready, something UCLA has had to lean on while dealing with injuries.
"Coach Smith does an unbelievable job. He’s one of the best in the business in terms of getting his players prepared, so it obviously starts with him preparing the offensive line and getting multiple people ready, and that’s the big thing," Kennedy said. "You have to be able to get those next people that you may not have thought of in fall camp ready, and that’s just where he holds that O-Line room to a standard."
UCLA entered the season at 7-0, while Nevada is 3-4, but records only tell part of the story here. The better indicator is how the Bruins have been winning lately: by running the ball, protecting the offense and forcing opponents to deal with a physical rushing attack for four quarters. If that continues on Saturday, UCLA should have a strong chance to close its nonconference schedule the same way it has handled much of its recent rise.
