Let's take in the video highlights posted by Ralph on the AD's official youtube channel (they finally have one). Ralph has post game comments from Brett Hundley, Shaq Evans, Jordon James (looking good without the mohawk), XSF, Eric Kendricks, Jordan Zumwalt, Myles Jack and Eddie Vanderdoes. The clips of TDs from Hundley, James, Shaq, and the hits from our defensive guys - especially the frosh - are worth checking out.
After you see those highlights you can take in comments from Mora's post-game presser:
Mora suggested that the defense started a little slow because of two primary reasons. First, we played against a pretty solid dual-threat QB (he is right). Second, he talked about "first game anxieties," as some of our guys tried to do a little too much going beyond their assignments. We played much better once we settled down in the first half.
Mora hit on all the positives about freshmen playing well and a good offensive performance. I am not going to belabor the penalty issue at this point. Mora talked about it and acknowledged it in his comments.
I liked Mora's observations on Jordon James. Mora mentioned that Jordon always had the moves but in the past he was trying to get his "first shake" in before he hit the line, but last night Jordan was making his "first shake" once he got down field.
Mora also talked about how playing Cody Fajardo was good preparation for Taylor Martinez and other college QBs who tend to be lot more threats as runner than they are in the pros. Kevin Gemmell zeroed in those comments on tWWL's Pac-12 blog:
"I think it's invaluable," said UCLA coach Jim Mora. "(Nebraska's) Taylor Martinez, who we see next, to me is one of the top running quarterbacks in football - at any level. For us to play a guy like we did today and for him to have the success he had and learn from it is really going to help us. To see it on film is really going to ingrain the learning in our young men. And it's a chance for us to say what are we doing right, what are we doing wrong? What do we need to adjust? What do we need to do better?
"We can't let quarterbacks do that to us. That's what interesting about this college game. These quarterbacks are such threats running the football. I'm still adjusting to it. I better adjust darn quickly."
Thankfully the Bruins have two weeks prepare for Martinez and get out the first game kinks from their system.
Overall, Bruins have lot of reasons to be optimistic after an opening performance that left a lot of room for improvement but as Mora suggested was a "a good first step."
GO BRUINS