The UCLA Bruins offseason is full of questions. What is this team going to look like under first-time head coach DeShaun Foster? Can the defense maintain excellence after losing D’Anton Lynn and several players? And how will Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense translate to the college game and to a quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes?
UCLA Bruins Now Sport “Huge” Playbook
Last week, Bruins receiver Logan Loya gave his impressions of offense so far;
“Everyone eats,” Loya said, “and we don’t just do short [passes], we don’t just do long, we don’t just do medium, we don’t just run to the inside, to the outside, we’ve got everything in there. I mean, the playbook is huge. We’ve got every play you could think of.”
Variety is always good for a game plan, but bigger isn’t always better when installing the offense, especially with players at the collegiate level.
Earlier this month, quarterback Ethan Garbers described the plays as, “…just long and a little wordy.”
The LA Times reported that “Screens appear to be a staple of Bieniemy’s playbook, including bubble screens, slip screens and other screens that involve the running backs. Bieniemy also heavily uses the tight ends and occasionally a fullback.”
Loya enters the season as a fifth-year senior and his second as a full-time starter. Last season, he caught 59 passes for 655 yards and five touchdowns, which led the team in all respects. His biggest game came against Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. He caught seven passes for 111 yards in that game.
Loya and 2023 transfer J. Michael Sturdivant will be the twin propellers that drive this offense.
The UCLA Bruins offense will get their first test against the Rainbow Warriors in Honolulu on Saturday, August 31st.
