Defense help Bruins edge Maryland

(News4usOnline) – The UCLA Bruins are making believers out of a whole lot of people these days. After starting the season going winless through their first four games, the Bruins have seemingly turned their team around. 

Since those four straight defeats that eventually cost DeShaun Foster his head coaching job, UCLA has played wild and loose. Since then, the Bruins have reeled off three consecutive wins in a row. The latest casualty of the Bruins’ winning ways was Maryland. 

UCLA used a mixed assortment of plays from the offense, defense and special teams to come away with a 20-17 win at the Rose Bowl Stadium. UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper said there is no particular method that the Bruins are using to keep their winning streak intact. 

“We talked about things we needed to do to win,” Skipper said. “Our whole motivation this week was the standard is the standard, and that’s playing winning football, executing and doing what we needed to do. Disciplined football also, that goes hand in hand. 

“We have identified our style of play. Now we need to match it every single Saturday. That will continue every single week. Preach from day one, always be on the rise, that is our standard, and next is going to need to be better than it was today.” 

UCLA’s offense came out with a big game but needed to outscore Maryland 13-7 in the last quarter to come out on top. The Bruins totaled 414 yards in offense for the game. However, UCLA’s defense was the star of the game. The Bruins came up with 13 pass breakups in their third Big Ten Conference win. 

Those breakups came from eight different players. Roderick Pleasant led the Bruins with three of those pass-breaking plays. 

“We took this game with pride,” Pleasant said. “We knew it was going to be on us; they throw the ball a lot. That was our motto this week, put it on us; we have to do what we have to do. The guys played really good. I’m happy for Scooter and the rest of the guys. It was an exciting game. I can’t wait to watch it back.”

With the defensive secondary playing lights out, the Bruins held Maryland to under 400 yards (337 yards) in total offense. 

“We threw a lot at those guys this week,” Skipper said. “We wanted to stop the run. And then when we got in the longer yardage stuff, we had all kinds of defense, and the guys learned it in a short amount of time and we executed it pretty well. I think we could have had a couple more turnovers out there, that we left hanging. But the guys bought in. We kept another offense under 400 yards; they had 337 yards. We played four quarters; just one drive got away from us. We can build from that and we will keep on working.”

The productivity was not limited to one side of the ball. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava came through with a decent game, completing 21 of 35 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. He also had two interceptions. 

UCLA running back Anthony Frias II complemented the pay of Iamaleava by rushing for 97 yards on four carries, including getting loose on a 55-yard run.  

“It means the world to me,” Frias said. “God is good, I am just so grateful. When I came here with my dad to watch that Rose Bowl game, it is amazing to see it come to fruition. I am blessed and so happy that all the work that has been going on is finally coming, and I was able to get an opportunity and make the most out of it. Just thankful for my coaches for letting me do that tonight.”