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Scouting Report: UCLA vs. Arizona

By Jack Perez

Sept. 27, 2019 12:58 p.m.

Fresh off their first win of 2019, UCLA football (1-3, 1-0 Pac-12) will head to Tucson to face the Arizona Wildcats (2-1, 0-0). Will the Bruins be able to stage a second straight road upset, or will the legs of the Wildcats’ quarterback stop them in their tracks? Here is this week’s scouting report by Daily Bruin staff writer Jack Perez –who missed last week’s thrilling historic comeback due to pesky time zones.

Arizona’s offense

Base formations: Spread

Run-pass percentage: 60.7% run, 39.3% pass

Strength: Running game

Weakness: Long throws

X-factor: QB Khalil Tate

In 2017, Tate was a new starter for the Wildcats when the Bruins came into Tucson. Facing off against Josh Rosen, Tate threw just 13 times, completing nine of the passes for 148 yards.

He also rushed for *checks notes* 230 yards.

Wait.

Yes, Tate is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league, and he lit up the Bruins for three total touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 47-30 win. While he missed last year’s matchup at the Rose Bowl, he is back and projected to start on Saturday.

Arizona owns the fifth-best rushing attack in the nation, averaging 307.7 rushing yards per game. Tate is the leading rusher with 238 yards in three games and is closely followed by running backs Gary Brightwell and J.J. Taylor, who have 226 and 208 yards on the ground, respectively.

Brightwell has a 94-yard rush this season, while Tate has one rush for 84 yards. This big play ability could hurt a Bruin defense that allows 178.5 rushing yards per game.

If history repeats itself, the UCLA defense will need to improve on its 97th-ranked rushing defense in order to give itself a chance.

On the other hand, if the Wildcats fall behind, their passing game could struggle to bring them back into the game. Against Texas Tech, Tate had just one passing touchdown with two interceptions.

The Bruins will have to force the Wildcats into long third downs and force Tate to beat them through the air – which isn’t particularly comforting considering they allowed 570 yards and nine touchdowns to Washington State last Saturday.

Arizona’s defense

Base defense: 4-2-5

Blitz tendency: Medium

Strength: Forcing turnovers

Weakness: All or nothing pass coverage

X-factor: Pass rush

The Arizona defense is a bit of a mixed bag and defensive coordinator Marcel Yates may still be figuring out his unit’s true strengths and weaknesses.

The unit has been formidable when facing the run so far this year. They are 35th in the nation with 110.7 yards allowed on the ground on average.

However, they have been up by a large margin on their opponent twice in three games this season, prompting them to face more passes than usual. The third game was against Texas Tech, who have the fifth-best passing attack in the nation and run an Air Raid scheme.

While this may explain why their rushing defense seems better than average, it could also be the reason why the Wildcats own the country’s second-worst passing defense with 372 yards allowed per game. The Red Raiders only had 307 yards throwing through the air against the Wildcats, so Arizona might actually be getting better on that front.

One part of the defense that has shined in nonconference play is its ability to force turnovers. The team has forced 10 turnovers in 3 games, tied for fifth best in the country, which could spell a messy night for the Bruins, who rank 86th in turnovers lost.

Saturday’s game could come down to sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s ability to limit turnovers. He has five interceptions and three lost fumbles, so he must avoid those if the Bruins are to walk out of Tucson with a victory.

Otherwise, the Arizona defense will quickly get the ball back to their dangerous weapons on the offensive side and dominate possession and the scoreboard.

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Jack Perez | Alumnus
Perez was the Sports editor for the 2020-2021 school year. He was previously an assistant Sports editor for the men's volleyball, women's water polo and track and field beats during the 2019-2020 school year and a staff writer on the gymnastics, beach volleyball, women's water polo and men's water polo beats.
Perez was the Sports editor for the 2020-2021 school year. He was previously an assistant Sports editor for the men's volleyball, women's water polo and track and field beats during the 2019-2020 school year and a staff writer on the gymnastics, beach volleyball, women's water polo and men's water polo beats.
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