Week 3 brings Purdue to Pasadena, and UCLA has a few names worth tracking closely if it wants to keep its unbeaten start rolling.
Eric Odoms Morgan made a strong case for more targets in last week’s win over San Diego State. When Mikey Matthews went down and missed the rest of the game, Morgan stepped in and produced six catches for 73 yards, finishing as the Bruins’ top receiver.
With Matthews expected to remain out again, Morgan looks lined up for another busy night, especially after showing he can handle a bigger role. Nico Iamaleava should have reasons to keep feeding him.
On the other side of the ball, UCLA’s linebackers have been one of the team’s best groups early on, and Wesley Woods has been right in the middle of it. He and Sammy Omosigho have both been excellent, and Woods’ line from last week says plenty: nine tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss, and an interception.
That group’s next big job comes against Purdue running back Fame Ijeboi, who has already shown he can carry a heavy load. Ijeboi ran for 114 yards on 27 carries a week ago, and that kind of volume figures to keep coming.
UCLA has been average against the run so far, which makes this a useful early test in the first conference game of the season.
Then there’s Landon Ellis, a player Bruins fans were eager to see more of before the season even started. A head injury cut short his appearance against Cal and kept him out entirely in Week 2, but he is expected back in the rotation now.
Ellis has some of the most obvious upside in the receiving room, and UCLA could use him to help set the tone early. He wasn’t targeted much in the half he played against Cal, but that could change against Purdue.
There’s still plenty of room for this passing game to open up, and Ellis remains a big part of that equation. If Morgan, Woods and Ellis all deliver, UCLA has a strong chance to move to 3-0 and send the Boilermakers back home with a loss.
In Other News...
UCLA Sends A Clear Warning As Purdue Week Exposes One Concern
UCLAs weekly press conference circuit offered a pretty good snapshot of where the Bruins stand heading into Purdue week: encouraged by what they saw from quarterback Nico Iamaleava against San Diego State, but still sorting through some sloppier moments in practice that the staff would rather not repeat. Chip Kellys assessment of Iamaleava helped reinforce the belief that the offense has a higher ceiling, while Dean Kennedys admission that earlier sessions were not up to standard served as a useful reminder that progress around this team is still being judged day by day.
On the other side of the ball, Colin Hitschler spent part of the week laying out the challenge of Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne, a matchup that should test UCLAs discipline and communication. The late kickoff also adds another layer, because game-day routines will need to hold up when the usual rhythm is pushed back. For a Bruins team trying to build momentum, the concern is not whether the talent is there, but whether the details stay sharp enough when the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Dailey Jr. Gave UCLA Fans An Encouraging Summer Sign
Eric Dailey Jr. spent part of the summer giving UCLA fans a reminder of why his arrival matters, even in a setting far from Westwood. In Wuhan, China, the Bruins forward was a force for Team USA at the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup, where he finished as the teams leading scorer and rebounder while playing under coach Tavaras Hardy.
Team USA went 2-2 in pool play and had to navigate the tournament with only three healthy players after Alex Fudges injury, a tough setup in a format where every possession is magnified. Dailey still managed 28 points and 21 rebounds across five games, a productive showing that offered UCLA a useful glimpse of his versatility and toughness, even if the final result in the quarterfinals left a little more to be desired. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Faces One Big Doubt Entering Its Purdue Test
Before UCLAs third game of the season against Purdue, the conversation around the matchup has centered less on the opponents name than on whether the Bruins can justify a sizable spread. Two analysts split on the games direction, with one seeing UCLA as a team capable of controlling the day behind a disruptive defense, while the other expects Purdue to hang around and make the number more interesting than it looks on paper.
A key part of the intrigue is the return of receiver Landon Ellis, who could give UCLA an added target and help the offense settle in early. Even with that boost, the matchup is still being framed as one that asks a bigger question about the Bruins than their record: whether they can turn talent into a comfortable result, or whether Purdue can keep the pressure on long enough to make this a much tighter test. [Read more 🡒]