Fall camp is giving UCLA a clearer picture of what this new offense might become, and the early read comes with a mix of encouraging signs and a few alarms.
The biggest positive so far has been James Madison transfer running back Wayne Knight. He’s been stacking good days throughout camp and, based on what’s being seen, he looks like he can handle himself against this UCLA defense.
There’s been real speculation about how his game will translate to the Big Ten, and right now he’s answering that with strong play. Of course, that also raises the question of how sharp the Bruins’ run defense has been, especially with plenty of talent along the defensive line.
But the main takeaway is simple: Knight has looked promising.
At quarterback, the picture is less clean. Nico Iamaleava has had a rough stretch getting comfortable in camp, with his throws landing both short and long of his targets as he works through routes.
That’s not the kind of start UCLA wants, especially with Week 1 approaching and Chesney needing this team to get moving quickly. A slow opening is not something the Bruins can afford.
There is at least some help on the way. Former long-time NFL quarterback Derek Carr has been brought in as a special advisor, and he’ll work with Chesney and offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy as they try to get Iamaleava ready to go by the start of the season.
Even with the missed throws, there’s a silver lining in the quarterback work. Iamaleava is missing open receivers, which at least means those windows are there.
And one name keeps popping up in that part of the offense: Aiden Mizell. He looks like the receiver to watch as the battle for Iamaleava’s top target starts to take shape, and the connection between the two appears to be building.
The rest of the receiver room has plenty of competition too. Landon Ellis, the James Madison transfer, Brian Rowe Jr. from South Carolina, Leland Smith from San Jose State, and Semaj Morgan from Michigan are all in the mix for targets. It’s the kind of depth that creates a good problem for an offense, with more players pushing for the ball than there are catches to go around.
For now, UCLA’s camp is trending in a direction worth watching. The offense has some real promise, but it also has some kinks to iron out before the season gets here.
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