UCLA Bruins 2024 Football Preview

Chip Kelly’s move from UCLA head coach to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator raised a lot of eyebrows, if not downright shocked many. At it’s core, it reinforced one of my beliefs, and that is that the job of a college head coach is more complex and thus much more difficult than any other role at any level of football. A college head coach not only is the head coach, but he’s also the general manager and quite possibly the team president as well. Kelly pretty much laid it out when he was introduced in Columbus. It’s a role where he simply just wants to coach his players. Let others handle all of the other headaches of handling recruits, boosters and NIL. Let others deal with the media and trying to build interest in the program in a market where fans are distracted by everything else in the southern California market.

So now DeShaun Foster inherits the job of not only building a competitive program worthy of the legacy of UCLA football, but also navigating through the transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. The change in coaches does mitigate one of the biggest complication from conference changes in that UCLA faces 11 different opponents in 2024. UCLA didn’t play Oregon or Washington last season, so the only common opponent the Bruins have from 2023 to 2024 is Southern Cal.

One thing Chip Kelly couldn’t figure out last season was who should replace Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. Injuries and coaching indecision resulted in a three-man rotation that didn’t really work. For 2024, two of those quarterbacks have transferred out, leaving senior Ethan Garbers (6’3” 210 lbs.) as the clear starter. (To be honest, other than injuries, Garbers established himself last season as the clear choice.) Last season, Garbers completed over 67% of his passes fro 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions. (The other two were both 53% passers with 11 interceptions combined.) If Garbers gets hurt again, look for sophomore Justyn Martin (6’4” 222 lbs.) or senior Chase Griffin (5’10” 190 lbs.). Martin’s likely the better long-term option, but Griffin has started two games in his career, completing 61% of his passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

At running back, junior TJ Harden (6’2” 210 lbs.) was the backup, rushing for 827 yards, but leading with eight touchdowns and a 5.3 yards per carry average. Senior Keegan Jones (5’10” 185 lbs.) has been a career backup who’ll need to do much more in 2024.

UCLA’s top three receivers from last season returns, and they add Notre Dame transfer Rico Flores (6’2” 205 lbs.) to the mix. As a freshman, Flores caught 27 passes for 392 yards and a touchdown for the Irish. Junior slot receiver Logan Loya (5’11” 180 lbs.) led the Bruins last season with 59 catches for 655 yards andfive touchdowns. Junior J. Michael Sturdivant (6’3” 205 lbs.) caught 36 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns. Senior tight end Moliki Matavao (6’6” 263 lbs.) caught 14 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. This probably is the most experienced UCLA receiver corps in some time.

UCLA returns three starters on the offensive line and is adding two experienced transfers. Senior left guard Spencer Holstege (6’5” 310 lbs.) was a multi-year starter at Purdue before transferring to UCLA last season. Junior right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio (6’6” 300 lbs.) started every game the last two seasons, while senior Josh Carlin (6’5” 315 lbs.) slides over to center from right guard. Houston transfer Reuben Unije (6’5” 310 lbs.) should slide in at left tackle while UNLV transfer Alani Makihele (6’3” 350 lbs.) should take over at right guard.

Defensively, 2024 is a rebuilding year, needing to replace two NFL draft picks with a new defensive coordinator. The big loss All-American and first round draft pick Laiatu Latu at defensive end. The Bruins do return senior nose gaurd Jay Toia (6’3” 325 lbs.) who had 28 tackles last year. They do add Navy transfer Jacob Busic (6’4” 260 lbs.), a multi-year starters at defensive end.

The strength of the defense will be the linebackers where seniors Kain Medrano (6’3” 230 lbs.) and Oluwafemi Oladejo (6’3” 255 lbs.) return. Weakside linebaker Medrano had 56 tackles last season while Oladejo had 54 at middle linebacker after transferring from Cal.

In the secondary, only junior cornerback Jaylin Davies (5’11” 180 lbs.) returns after a 43 tackle season in 2023. Georgia Tech transfer KJ Wallace (6’1” 195 lbs.) is slotted to be the nickle defender this season; he had 42 tackles and eight passes defended last season for the Yellow Jackets. Oregon transfer safety Bryan Addison (6’5” 195 lbs.) was a spot starter for the Ducks with 49 tackles in 11 career starts.

UCLA has to fill all of those holes with a pretty challenging schedule which features a non-conference matchup at LSU along with conference games against Oregon, at Washington and Southern Cal, plus two cross-country games at Penn State and Rutgers. New head coach Deshaun Foster is going to need time with the fans showing patience…and if the outcry over his Big Ten media days opening statement is any indication, patience might not be in the cards in Westwood.

Fun fact: Since joining the Big Ten, Nebraska has played UCLA (as a non-conference opponent) as many times as the Huskers have played Indiana or Maryland.