Football struggles with offensive gains in Pac-12 play

UCLA came out swinging in the first half against Oregon, with the defense and punt coverage units producing a forced fumble and punt block helping the Bruins to hang 14 first-half points on the Oregon Ducks.

The Bruins’ offense would do little to repay the favor in the second act of a game that was tied at 14-14 during the intermission.

UCLA got the first crack at a lead in the second half, but a draw play to redshirt sophomore running back Steven Manfro at midfield on third and five set the tone for what would be a punchless, 0-28 second half.

Quarterback Brett Hundley had just 10 total pass attempts in the third and fourth quarters. After going down to Oregon at 21-14, the Bruins displayed little urgency in an offense that saw its redshirt sophomore signal caller throw just eight passes, with two of them going for negative yardage and the other six falling under either incomplete or being caught for modest yardage – Hundley’s final completion, for example, was an 11 yarder to Shaquelle Evans.

On an occasion when the offense did take a shot down the field, Hundley found himself picked off, setting up the Ducks on UCLA’s 38-yard line en route to making it a 28-14 affair.

Hundley admitted fault for some of the offense’s struggles. He said that his offensive line played “great” against Oregon, with his other words suggesting that improved pocket awareness on his part would go a long way in helping the team.

“Sometimes I just need to step up and make someone miss and keep my eyes down the field. If it comes just to me stepping up and taking a hit, that’s what I need to do,” Hundley said.

Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said that an overall conservative game plan resulted from an offensive line starting three true freshman and trotting out only one player playing his position to start the season. Mazzone’s idea was to stay out of situations where Hundley had to hold onto the ball and look down the field.

The game plan took the form of what’s become a familiar strategy for UCLA over the past few games: a series of shorter routes, including swing plays out with motion from the backfield that gain little to no yards at the catch, relying on receivers and running backs to do most of the damage themselves.

While the short passes generally worked against poorer defenses fielded by the likes of Nevada and Cal, they lack a dynamic component and do not provide the balance to sustain drives against national title contenders like Stanford and Oregon. Hundley owns just one completion of over 20 yards in his games against Stanford and Oregon, with that gain coming on an inconsequential final drive of a 24-10 Cardinal win.

Bruin runs, which made up 52 of UCLA’s offensive plays compared to the 19 through the air, against Oregon proved productive, but gains dwindled as the game wore on: 146 of 219 rushing yards came in the first half.

Mazzone said that redshirt freshman running back Paul Perkins and senior running back Malcolm Jones did a nice job running the football. Perkins’ 93 yards led the Bruins on the ground last Saturday, with Jones picking up 58 yards. Manfro got a single carry, presumably because of an injury that saw him leave Autzen Stadium .

Freshman center-turned-left guard Scott Quessenberry made his first start against the Ducks. But he said that a strategy heavy on runs and short passes made his job no easier or difficult, given that Quessenberry feels equipped to handle any emphasis, including deep throws, that the play calling might have.

Hundley and lead back Perkins have each carried the ball 26 times over the last two weeks, with Jones and Manfro combining for 20 rushes. The scrambling and option-keeping responsibilities Hundley saddles himself with remain part of a juggling act that he is still developing.

“There’s always opportunities to hold onto the ball longer or take off running … it’s hard to judge when to do either or,” Hundley said. “The one time you take off, you miss a receiver. … The one time you do hold the ball, the receiver might not be open. … When you’re in the game, you’ve just got to go with what feels right.”