Round #13: UCLA Bruins2010 Record: 4-7 (2-6 in the Pac-10)
2009 Record: 7-6 (3-6 in the Pac-10)
Series History: USC leads 44-28-7 (Last meeting: Trojans won 28-7 in '09)
Head Coach: Rick Neuheisel (3rd season)
Rick Neuheisel has made some bold predictions (see right) since returning to his alma mater, but he has yet to truly deliver. He has won just 15 games and made one bowl appearance in three seasons. In Karl Dorrell's final three years, he won 23 games, including upsetting the Trojans.
Players to Watch: RB Johnathan Franklin (Sophomore, Los Angeles, CA); LB Akeem Ayers (Junior, Los Angeles, CA)
Johnathan "Jetski" Franklin followed Stafon Johnson as the primary back at Dorsey High School just down the road from the Coliseum. However, Franklin picked UCLA and he has been the bright spot in the Bruins' offense. UCLA has the 33rd best rush offense in the nation, while Franklin ranks 4th in the Pac-10 in rushing.
Ayers is a future 1st round draft pick. He is a freak athlete, who made one of the most amazing plays you will ever see last year against Oregon. The Butkus Award finalist scored three touchdowns last season.
Strength: Power Run
Norm Chow (right) and Neuheisel adopted the Pistol Offense this season to jump start their running game and to that end, it has been effective. When the Bruins have been good (their four wins), Franklin has run for 100+ yards. In their losses, he has not hit the century mark. In their signature win at Texas, they ran for 264 yards as a team.Weakness: Passing Offense
In that same game against the Longhorns, QB Kevin Prince passed for just 27 yards. In the last seven games, Richard Brehaut has taken over behind center. He struggled mightily up until last week when he threw for 321 yards on 56 attempts against ASU, which completely diverged from their season long strategy. The Bruins are ranked 116th in the nation in passing.
UCLA Verdict
The Bruins have lost five of their last six games, which is a disappointing downward spiral for a program that believed they were headed in the right direction after last year's bowl game and subsequent recruiting class. However, Neuheisel and Chow have been unable to ignite an offense despite their considerable coaching reputations. Defensively, they have big time talents like Ayers and DB Rahim Moore, but they give up over 30 points per game.
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