Before each Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get their perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
UCLA
Bruins
This week, we welcome in Ben Bolch, who covers UCLA for the Los Angeles Times, for a Q&A on the Bruins’ roller-coaster season, what they must do to become contenders in the Big Ten, their potential move away from the Rose Bowl, the play of quarterback Nico Iamaleava and how Saturday’s game at Ohio State could play out.
UCLA went 0-4 in September, then rattled off three straight wins, but has now lost two in a row. Overall, where do you think the Bruins have improved most since the start of the season, and where are they still struggling?
Bolch: The Bruins got more aggressive on defense during their winning streak, mixed in some trickery – a successful onside kick against Penn State, a successful fake punt against Michigan State – and got their previously inert running game going. It appears that teams have since better scouted the tendencies of de facto offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel and defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, largely neutralizing those gains. But UCLA did run another successful fake punt against Nebraska last weekend.
Where do things stand right now in UCLA’s coaching search? Has anyone emerged as a top candidate for the job?
Bolch: It appears fluid, and I would doubt that serious candidates start to emerge until the week after the season. But I expect things to move very quickly at that point.
How realistic do you think it is for UCLA’s next coach to make the Bruins a Big Ten contender? What are the biggest improvements they need to make in the program?
Bolch: It's going to be hard to envision the Bruins as a Big Ten contender unless they make a larger commitment to NIL, which will help them land more top players in the transfer portal. Nico Iamaleava was a big splash, but UCLA needs to haul in a lot more than one great player.
You and others have reported that UCLA could move its home games from the Rose Bowl to SoFi Stadium as early as next season. Why does UCLA want to make this move, and how is it being received by Bruins fans?
Bolch: This is all about the money. UCLA has calculated it will make considerably more off playing at SoFi Stadium than the Rose Bowl, even taking into account a large expected payout to the latter stadium as part of the move. But there is resistance from beyond the Rose Bowl and the City of Pasadena – a recent poll conducted by The Times revealed that almost 80% of the more than 1,000 respondents wanted the Bruins to stay put at their current home stadium.
Nico Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA came with plenty of hype. How would you assess his performance relative to expectations this season?
Bolch: Iamaleava has been everything expected and more – he runs the offense, is the team's leading rusher, takes more than his share of hits and keeps on rolling. He's also been a true team leader beyond the cliches, meeting with the media after every loss and rallying his teammates even after the team's 0-4 start.
Who are the other UCLA players Ohio State fans should know about entering Saturday’s game?
Bolch: On offense, wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer has big-play potential and should be the focus of Ohio State's secondary. Running back Jaivian Thomas hasn't looked as good as he did last season as California's leading rusher but is always a threat to break off a long run. On defense, safety Key Lawrence has a tendency to make big plays and fellow defensive back Cole Martin has been responsible for two of the team's successful fake punts. If the game comes down to a field goal, kicker Mateen Bhaghani is probably going to make it.
Kwazi Gilmer is UCLA’s leading receiver this season with 33 catches for 395 yards and two touchdowns. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)
UCLA is a 31.5-point underdog for Saturday’s game. Do you think the Bruins can keep it competitive, or do the Buckeyes win big?
Bolch: The Bruins feel like they have something to prove and have made a point of wanting to get off to a better start after having fallen behind big the last two weeks, including in a similar situation on the road against No. 2 Indiana. I'd expect some fight from UCLA early and definitely some trickery if they are able to keep the game relatively close before halftime. But ultimately, Ohio State has too much talent and pulls away to win comfortably.
