Around midway through the 3rd quarter my mind shifted away from the sunshine and game on the field, to watching and wondering if RU is actually capable of beating UCLA. My initial thoughts at the beginning of the season was, if there is a game on the schedule, RU should win in the B1G, it would be UCLA and then Minnesota.
After looking at what UCLA actually does well and what RU doesn't do well, this game is up for grabs for 3 reasons.
UCLA gives up a lot of yards passing, BUT RU is a poor passing team with no imagination on offense.
UCLA has (on paper) a very good run defense, which is what RU wants to do.
UCLA doesn't have a very explosive running game BUT, RUs run defense is now more than a concern, it is a flat out weakness against anyone with a pulse at Running back.
UCLA ran 26 for 93 at Penn State last week, losing 27-11. UCLA gave up 237 passing.....more concerning is PSU ran 30 times for only 85 yards, which is under 3 per carry.
UCLA gave up 153 vs Oregon (36 carries), 103 vs LSU (28 carries), 123 vs Indiana (29 carries).
UCLA on offense only ran for 47 yards vs Oregon (24 carries) and only 14 yards vs LSU, but threw for almost 300 on LSU in a 34-17 loss.
Does that mean we won't have success with Kyle Monangai vs UCLA?? I am not betting against Kyle, but any realistic Defensive Coordinator, is going to stack the box and make Athan pass and complete passes downfield.
Minnesota is at UCLA tonight at 9PM on BTN and with much better games on tonight (Ohio State at Oregon etc), it may be worth an occasional peek ahead. I have legitimate concerns that UCLA is up for grabs, if we can't bulldoze them and with Sam Brown clearly injured and likely finished for this season, it is now a Kyle dependent rushing attack.
I'm seeing people posting that next week is a game to "get right", or an assumed win.....if UCLA does a good job against Minnesotas run game, Schiano and Ciarrocca, AK better have something else in mind, in terms of offense....asking a beaten up run defense to shut down UCLA, doesn't seem realistic right now.
After looking at what UCLA actually does well and what RU doesn't do well, this game is up for grabs for 3 reasons.
UCLA gives up a lot of yards passing, BUT RU is a poor passing team with no imagination on offense.
UCLA has (on paper) a very good run defense, which is what RU wants to do.
UCLA doesn't have a very explosive running game BUT, RUs run defense is now more than a concern, it is a flat out weakness against anyone with a pulse at Running back.
UCLA ran 26 for 93 at Penn State last week, losing 27-11. UCLA gave up 237 passing.....more concerning is PSU ran 30 times for only 85 yards, which is under 3 per carry.
UCLA gave up 153 vs Oregon (36 carries), 103 vs LSU (28 carries), 123 vs Indiana (29 carries).
UCLA on offense only ran for 47 yards vs Oregon (24 carries) and only 14 yards vs LSU, but threw for almost 300 on LSU in a 34-17 loss.
Does that mean we won't have success with Kyle Monangai vs UCLA?? I am not betting against Kyle, but any realistic Defensive Coordinator, is going to stack the box and make Athan pass and complete passes downfield.
Minnesota is at UCLA tonight at 9PM on BTN and with much better games on tonight (Ohio State at Oregon etc), it may be worth an occasional peek ahead. I have legitimate concerns that UCLA is up for grabs, if we can't bulldoze them and with Sam Brown clearly injured and likely finished for this season, it is now a Kyle dependent rushing attack.
I'm seeing people posting that next week is a game to "get right", or an assumed win.....if UCLA does a good job against Minnesotas run game, Schiano and Ciarrocca, AK better have something else in mind, in terms of offense....asking a beaten up run defense to shut down UCLA, doesn't seem realistic right now.
