Time, Place and [Radio Waves in] Space • The Utes’ host UCLA in a Pac-12 Conference at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 7:30 p.m. (MDT) Friday. You can watch on FS1 or listen on ESPN 700 AM, Sirius 84/XM 84, Internet 84.
Line • Utah was a 6.5-point favorite as of Thursday.
Opposing coach • Jim Mora is in his sixth season at UCLA. He has a 45-28 overall record as the program’s coach and a 27-23 record in Pac-12 Conference play. UCLA won the South Division championship in his first season (2012). Mora came to UCLA after being an analyst for the NFL Network and NFL on FOX in 2010 and 2011. He had head coaching stints with the Seattle Seahawks (2009) and the Atlanta Falcons (2004-06). His coaching career started as a defensive graduate assistant in 1984 at his alma mater, the University of Washington.
Utah ties • Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Andre James is a Utah resident and a Herriman High School graduate. Utah cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah’s brother Karim Abdul-Jabbar is a former UCLA running back (1992-95) and the program’s sixth all-time leading rusher (3,812 yards). Utah defensive back Javelin Guidry is the son of former UCLA defensive back Javelin Guidry Sr. and the nephew of former UCLA defensive back Paul Guidry.
Game day threads • The Utes will wear black jerseys with red numbers outlined in white, red and white striped sleeves as well as red and white stripes going down the side of black pants. They’ll wear black helmets with the Circle and Feathers logo on the side. Friday is the annual blackout game at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Pregame quotable • UCLA coach Jim Mora on Utah being “wounded”: “We’re kind of wounded as well, so we’re birds of a feather in that respect. I just think it’s always tough to go to Rice-Eccles Stadium and play in that environment. You know that they’re a tough, physical, well-coached team in all three phases. They had a lot of success last year against us running the ball. You know they’re going to play really good, sound, solid defense regardless of who is in there.”
Media guide nugget • Three Bruins players have fathers currently coaching in the NFL. Tight end Austin Roberts’ father, Alfredo, is the running backs coach with the Los Angeles Chargers. Tight end Caleb Wilson’s father, Chris, is defensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Defensive back Quentin Lake’s father, Carnell, is defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three fathers played in the NFL. Carnell Lake was an All-America selection at UCLA and an All-Pro in the NFL.
Telling stat • The Utes’ offense has struggled on third downs. They converted just 33 percent of their third-down chances (34-of-104). That shortfall makes it difficult to sustain drives.
Also from earlier this week, Utah QB Tyler Huntley on team's mindset going into this week. pic.twitter.com/HWxv0hi4GO
— Lynn Worthy (@LWorthySports) November 1, 2017
Bruins offensive outlook • UCLA returned eight starters from last year’s offense, including four offensive linemen and starting quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen has completed 212-of-336 passes for 2,713 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He has for 300 yards or more in five games this season, including 491 yards in the season opener against Texas A&M. He passed for 292 yards in the fourth quarter of that game. He’s in his third season as the team’s starter. Redshirt senior wide receiver Darren Andrews ranks among the nation’s leaders in receptions (7.1 per game, 10th), receiving yards (707, 21st), and receiving yards per game (88.4, 23rd).
Bruins defensive outlook • UCLA returned six starters from last year’s defense. Four of the lost starters were drafted in the first five rounds of the NFL. Senior safety Jaleel Wadood ranks second in the Pac-12 in solo tackles (5.6 per game) and is tied for the team lead in total tackles with linebacker Kenny Young (57). He posted a season-high 11 tackles against Stanford. Wadood earned honorable mention Pac-12 honors last season. Young was second-team All-Pac-12 selection last season. Senior defensive lineman Jacob Tuioti-Mariner leads the defense with 2.5 sacks, and he is sixth on the team in tackles (46). Defensive back Nate Meadors leads the defense in pass breakups with five. One of his eight starts last season came against Utah. He has started every game this season.
Bruins special teams outlook • Redshirt junior punter Stefan Flintoft took over the punting duties in the middle of last season, and is on this year’s Ray Guy Award watch list. He has averaged 42.5 yards per punt this season, and 13 of his 31 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line. Sophomore kicker J.J. Molson has made 8-of-10 field goals this season, including a long of 45 yards. He has made 3-of-4 from between 40 and 49 yards. Adariu Pickett had returned four punts for an average of 10.2 yards per return. Darren Andrews has returned three for an average of 3.3 yards per return. Andrews’ longest return is just 12 yards.
Injury report • UCLA: Rosen suffered a hand injury that knocked him out of last week’s game against Washington. His status for Friday figures to be a game-day decision. Tight end Caleb Wilson suffered a foot injury that required season-ending surgery five games into the season. He had 490 receiving yards on 38 catches prior to his injury. Utah: Starting right guard Jordan Agasiva did not play last week due to a ankle/foot injury. Agasiva had started each of the first seven games this season.
Three Big Questions
1. Can the Utah defense tighten up after back-to-back sub-par performances?
Oregon gashed the Utes defense in the running game for 347 rushing yards one week after Arizona State rushed for more than 200 yards. This week presents a different challenge in UCLA’s pass-heavy offense. UCLA ranks fourth in Football Bowl Subdivision in yards per game (354.3). Quarterback Josh Rosen has passed for the sixth-most yards (2,716) in FBS.
2. Will the Utah offense demonstrate a commitment to the run game?
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has called for an increased commitment to the running game, and he has remarked that the offense has gotten away from the running the ball too quickly in recent weeks. Running back Zack Moss has averaged fewer than 15 carries per game despite gaining more than 5 yards per carry. UCLA has allowed an average of more than 300 rushing yards per game. If the Utes can’t run successfully this week, it will be reasonable cause for concern.
3. Can the Utah offense get past its red zone woes?
The Utes have left points on the field throughout the season. Last week’s game at Oregon served as another example with the Utes scoring one red zone touchdown in four chances. That touchdown came on a fourth-down pass that deflected to offensive lineman Darrin Paulo. Less than half of the Utes red zone scores have been touchdowns this season (18 of 39, 46 percent) and that rate has not changed from nonconference play (10 of 22, 45 percent) to Pac-12 play (8 of 17, 47 percent).