LSU 2024 Opponent Preview: UCLA

Our opponent preview series continues today with UCLA, the third non-conference game on the Tigers schedule and another one against a new Big 10 program. LSU faces the Bruins on Sept. 21 with the kickoff time TBD on Week 4.

UCLA has a new regime in control as the Chip Kelly era came to a close last year, but LSU fans still remember the disappointing loss they suffered to open the season in 2021 in Ed Orgeron’s last year. Now, it’s the Tigers chance to return the favor with a new roster and new coaching staff three years later.

Here’s a deep dive into everything to know about UCLA entering the season.

Previous opponent previews: USC, South Carolina

Head coach: DeShaun Foster (1st season)

Offensive coordinator: Eric Bieniemy (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Ikaika Malloe (2nd season)

Last year

The Bruins’ final season under Chip Kelly, UCLA ended 8-5 with a win over Boise State in its bowl game. The defense led the way, while the offense continuously sputtered. In three of the five losses, the Bruins scored just seven points, then in another they scored 10. The losses to Arizona, Arizona State, and Cal in three of the last four games of the regular season sealed Kelly’s fate and forced a change as UCLA is now headed to the Big 10. It wasn’t an awful year, with wins over Washington State and USC, but ultimately it was far too inconsistent and a disappointing ending after a 6-2 start.

Offense

Injuries forced a rotating door at the quarterback position with Ethan Garbers and freshman Dante Moore taking turns trying to lead a lackluster offensive unit. Garbers was the more efficient quarterback, completing 67.1 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns to three interceptions, while Moore had a steep learning curve as a highly-touted first year player, completing 53.5 percent of his passes for 11 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Carson Steele and TJ Harden at running back were an excellent 1-2 punch, combining for over 1,650 yards and 14 touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to save the poor passing attack.

Defense

Led by Laiatu Latu, UCLA had one of the more daunting defenses in the country. Gabriel and Grayson Murphy were also awesome playmakers off the edge, giving UCLA excellent pressure off the edge. The Bruins ended the year No. 5 in sacks with 43 in 13 games, however the overall pass defense in the back-end was mediocre, allowing quarterbacks to complete 60.7 percent of their passes. The rushing defense was elite, though, allowing opponents to rush for just 80.8 yards per game and 2.65 yards per rush, both second best in the country.

Offseason moves

Notable Departures

Drafted: DE Laiatu Latu (15th overall), Darius Muasau (183rd overall)

Transfers out: WR Kyle Ford, WR Jerry McClure, S Kamari Ramsey. CB John Humphrey, QB Dante Moore, TE Carsen Ryan, S Williams Nimmo.

With only 15 transfer departures and two players drafted, There’s plenty of returning talent from a team that just won eight games last year. Dante Moore was the major move, going to Oregon after one year at UCLA where he was a five-star freshman with tons of potential. Kamari Ramsey and John Humphrey going to USC has to sting as On3 has both as four-star transfer portal players who helped the Bruins in 2023. Considering a coaching change, this is not an alarming amount of turnover and something the Bruins have going for them entering 2024.

Important additions

2024 Class: WR Kwazi Gilmer, OT Mark Schroller, CB JAmir Benjamin, IOL Marquise Thorpe-Taylor, RB Cameron Jones.

Transfers in: EDGEL Collins Acheampong, WR Rico Flores, CB Bryan Addison, LB Joseph Vaughn, QB Demaricus Davis, CB KJ Wallace, IOL Alani Makihele, DL Luke Schuermann.

The Bruins added 11 freshmen and 16 transfers, a reasonable number in total for a new head coach. The question becomes, in this rebuild, how many of these players are ready to step in and immediately help UCLA in year one? The freshman class is underwhelming, even beyond being small in numbers, with only two of the 16 commits checking in as four star prospects and those are the only two even ranked in the top 500 in the country. Without much from the freshman class, the transfers will need to be sharp despite not having a single four-star transfer in the class according to On3. There are some good players to work with like Flores, Wallace, and Acheampong, but the defense especially needs these transfers to hit to maintain the level they played at last year.

Going into 2024

Top returners: QB Ethan Garbers, LB Femi Oladejo, WR J.Michael Sturdivant, DT Jay Toia, CB Devin Kirkwood, DT Gary Smith, LB Kain Medrano, RB TJ Harden. 

UCLA returns two quality defensive tackles, its entire linebacking corps, most of its offensive line, and quality starters at quarterback and running back. There’s enough continuity to make UCLA a quality team in 2024, but now moving to the Big 10 presents new challenges for this program under a new head coach.

Expectations

I’m not sure how much more challenging UCLA’s schedule is compared to last year, but I do know the top-end of the schedule is brutal. Road games at LSU, Penn State, and Washington with home games against Oregon, Iowa, and USC lead off a schedule that I’m not sure this new UCLA regime is ready for. Vegas has the win total set for 5.5 and is leaning towards the under. There aren’t enough top-end talents on this team to really buy into. Unless Garbers takes a significant step forward, the offense will likely struggle again, while the defense lost all of its top pass rushers from last year. It’s an uphill climb for UCLA this year to make a bowl game and those fall games at Rutgers and Nebraska won’t be a lot of fun to play either. 

Early thoughts on LSU vs. UCLA

On paper, LSU has an overwhelming talent advantage when assessing these two offenses. Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU passing attack should be a problem for any defense, and considering how much better UCLA was against the run than against the pass last year, it could set up for fireworks in Tiger Stadium. The fact this game is in Baton Rouge is a significant advantage considering the travel across the country and the Tigers will have already played two high-level games against USC and South Carolina to this point, while UCLA will have played Hawaii and Indiana.

One main concern for LSU will be its run defense against Harden in this game. The Bruins could try to control the clock and keep the Tigers’ defense on the field by wearing it down on the ground, but overall the Tigers should have too much firepower for the Bruins to match.