They do not know what they’re facing.
And that is the point.
With Nebraska’s starting quarterback Dylan Raiola ruled out for the rest of the season following a broken fibula sustained Saturday, UCLA football enters the weekend facing a signal-caller they have barely seen – an athlete without a collegiate start but with the tools to potentially break structure and expose a Bruin defense scrambling to steady itself.
“We know we’re going to get some unscouted looks, unscouted plays,” said interim head coach Tim Skipper. “He has a strong arm, and he can run. He’s going to give problems to defenses.”
That quarterback is freshman TJ Lateef, who has taken over for the Cornhuskers after Raiola’s season-ending injury last week. The Compton local has taken just 16 pass attempts this season, and with limited game tape to pull from, the UCLA staff turned to his high school film from Orange Lutheran High School to build a plan.
Skipper described Lateef as a dual weapon – and in a season where containment has already been a challenge, improvisation from the quarterback spot poses added risk.
“It’s about fundamentals, little details,” Skipper said. “We’ve been harping on our eyes, feet and hands, just getting back to the basics.”
That theme of adjusting and resetting has defined the week for the Bruins, who are coming off a bye week. UCLA has focused on its own defensive breakdown, which has left little margin for surprise heading into week 11.
The Bruins are allowing an average of 31 points per game and 378.6 yards per contest, with opponents averaging 5.7 yards per play.
After surrendering 56 points to No. 2 Indiana two weeks ago – the most in any game this season – UCLA’s defensive shortcomings were laid bare. The Hoosiers averaged 7.1 yards per play and converted 12-of-16 third downs, exposing coverage gaps and missed tackles that defined the afternoon.
Transitioning into the Bruins’ next game, redshirt junior linebacker Jalen Woods said the defensive emphasis this week was clear and consistent.
“Doing better on tackling,” Woods said. “The fundamentals and just getting closer, like taking one step, one step more to be able to tackle.”
Woods pointed to linebacker drills against scout team running backs early in practice – live-speed reps designed to replicate game-day tempo and decision making as areas of focus.
Those adjustments will need to hold up against Emmett Johnson, Nebraska’s lead back and one of the most efficient runners in the Big Ten. Johnson has passed the 1,000-yard mark on the season, with 33 receptions and 197 receiving yards.
“21 (Johnson) has got to be an emphasis for us,” Skipper said. “He does a great job of just making people miss. I’ve watched a lot of backs, and he’s got to be one of the top guys I’ve ever seen.”
UCLA has struggled to limit opposing ground games, allowing 1,480 rushing yards through eight games and giving up 18 rushing touchdowns – ranking near the bottom of the Big Ten.
Skipper said the bye week was about sharpening the skills the team has been focusing on all season.
“Once we were done with our meetings on Tuesday, we put that last game to bed and moved forward,” Skipper said. “By Thursday, we were back to normal, and guys were flying around.”
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio echoed the same tone from the other side of the ball.
“Every little detail matters right now,” DiGiorgio said.
As the Bruins prepare for Saturday’s matchup, they’ll face a defensive powerhouse – a top-15 unit allowing just 289.9 yards per game.
And now, with an unpredictable quarterback and a dangerous backfield coming to town, the Bruins likely will not know what’s coming until it’s already here.
“You need to see what kind of plays they’re going to do, how they’re going to move the pocket, things like that,” Skipper said. “We’re going to have to adjust as the game goes.”
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