The UCLA Bruins Offense Has An Identity…Finally

Something finally clicked in Westwood. After opening the season 0 and 4, the UCLA Bruins have completely flipped their offense under interim head coach Tim Skipper and playcaller Jerry Neuheisel. The Bruins have scored 80 points in their last two games, more than they managed in their first four combined.

At the center of it all is quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He leads the team in both passing and rushing, with 1,134 passing yards, 335 rushing yards, and 13 total touchdowns through six games. The offense now runs through him in every sense, and rightfully so.

Iamaleava has become a one-man engine, creating with his legs and commanding a faster, simpler attack that suits his style. For a quarterback who was supposed to be inserted into the offense and provide a spark, he’s just now showing what he came here to do.

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Neuheisel has leaned into what works. UCLA’s offense is built around quick reads and the freedom for Iamaleava to improvise. If a play breaks down, he just takes it himself, something that will happen often with bad protection. Defenses can’t sit back in coverage anymore, and broken plays are suddenly turning into first downs.

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Against Penn State, he ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns. A week later, he added 180 passing yards and another rushing score at Michigan State.

The run game now has rhythm to match. UCLA has rushed for 1,004 yards on the season, with Iamaleava accounting for a third of it. Anthony Woods, Jaivian Thomas, and Jalen Berger have all contributed, helping the Bruins control tempo and wear down defenses. Expect the run game to be more involved in future matchups, as they were versus Michigan State, to take some pressure off of Nico.

Skipper’s presence has steadied the program. His players talk about belief returning to the locker room, and it shows in how they play. The Bruins are finishing drives, protecting the ball, and moving with purpose.

It’s still early, but the shift is obvious. A team that looked lost three weeks ago now looks confident and dangerous. Morale is at a season high, and the Bruins have the media turning heads.

With Skipper’s leadership and Neuheisel giving Iamaleava room to play free, the UCLA Bruins offense finally has an identity.