This post was updated Oct. 17 at 9:27 p.m.
Coach Chip Kelly provided a simple summary of what went wrong for the Bruins this past weekend.
“We gave up 13 points on three turnovers,” Kelly said Monday. “We can’t turn the ball over on the offensive side of the ball. It was a 12-point game.”
Turnover woes have continued to plague freshman quarterback Dante Moore and No. 25 UCLA football, as the former five-star recruit threw three first-half interceptions in his team’s 36-24 loss at No. 12 Oregon State on Saturday. Moore’s mistakes made it three consecutive games with both a pick six and opening-drive interception.
The Bruins’ 13 turnovers for the season are tied for the fourth-highest total in the entire country.
But even that mark doesn’t tell the full story.
Of the 10 teams with more turnovers than UCLA, five of them have played at least one more game than the Bruins. UCLA has turned the ball over seven times in its first three conference games of 2023 – all seven of which came out of Moore’s hand.
The young quarterback had an interception and fumble in his conference debut at Utah, a pair of interceptions at home against Washington State and the aforementioned three picks at Oregon State.
Despite the run of giveaways, senior wide receiver Kam Brown defended his signal caller Monday.
“We all had mistakes out there, and turnovers is a part of football,” Brown said. “If you went through your whole career with no turnovers you’d probably be the greatest player alive.”
Kelly also placed blame on multiple facets of his offense for the turnovers that Moore committed Saturday.
“All the turnovers came different ways,” Kelly said. “We need to protect better, we need to route run better, and we need to throw the ball better. The front, the receivers and the quarterback all had a part of it.”
On Moore’s second interception, the freshman was hit by a free pass rusher as he released the throw. Redshirt sophomore tight end Moliki Matavao and junior running back Carson Steele both missed the block on Beavers’ defensive lineman Isaac Hodgins.
On the pick six, redshirt sophomore wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant’s out route was undercut by Oregon State cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr., who took Moore’s mistimed pass the other way for UCLA’s third pick six thrown in as many games.
Despite Moore’s mistakes, Steele said Monday that the entire offense could have done more to support its quarterback.
“After watching film and stuff, there was things we (the running backs) could have done better too,” Steele said. “It’s a little inconsistency all over the field. Very winnable game, something that really hurts us.”
Moore has received plenty of support from his team’s running game in the past two contests, particularly from Steele. The Ball State transfer has taken 52 carries for 251 yards over the past two games, including 110 of UCLA’s 287 rushing yards Saturday.
The Bruins’ quarterback praised his team’s ground attack after his interception-laden performance against the Beavers.
“Our run game is dangerous for sure,” Moore said. “I feel like our run game cannot be stopped at all, so it’s good to have that, especially as a quarterback.”
In addition to the No. 10 rushing offense in the country, UCLA’s defense has forced 14 turnovers, tied for the third-highest total in the nation.
But because of the Bruins’ offensive blemishes, primarily from Moore, the team has a positive turnover margin of just one on the season and is in the negative through its first two conference road games.
With another road Pac-12 game coming up, UCLA’s coach said that trend can’t continue.
“You can’t lose the turnover battle on the road in this conference and expect to win a football game,” Kelly said.
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