UCLA Football Preview: UC Berkeley's Defense Matches Up Well Against Bruin Offense
The Bruin offense could face challenges moving the football against a very good Bear run defense.

UC Berkeley enters this week’s game ranked as the 45th best rushing defense in the country. Now, that isn’t quite as good as UCLA’s best in the nation rushing defense, but, considering that the Golden Bears are giving up less than 140 rushing yards per game, it’s still impressive.
What makes it even more interesting is that the four Pac-12 teams which beat the Bruins are all ranked no lower than 41 in the nation in rushing defense while the teams UCLA beat are all ranked no better than 51st.
When you consider much how the Bruins rely on the running game to keep their offense moving, it makes the Pac-12 regular season finale quite interesting, and it raises a few questions like: Will UC Berkeley’s rush defense will play well enough to prevent a win by UCLA? Or, will the Bruins be able to run the ball well enough to defeat the Bears?
Interestingly, you may assume that, because the staff remained entirely intact on the defensive side of the ball, that there wouldn’t be any major changes to the Golden Bears’ defense. You would be wrong. Last season, Berkeley ran a 3-4 base defense and they went to a nickel as needed. However, this year, the Bears have modified their defense to a 2-4-5 base defense.
That modification means that the team’s depth chart for two defensive tackles is now a blend of what we saw last year with two ends and a nose tackle.
Let’s look at the Bears’ defensive personnel.
Defensive Line
According to the Berkeley depth chart, the two starters on the defensive line should be Ethan Saunders and Brett Johnson. Sanders hasn’t played since the Bears’ game against Auburn, though. So, if he does play, it will be interesting. In just two games this season, Saunders has made just two tackles including one TFL.
In the event that Saunders can’t play, expect to see Nate Burrell getting the start. Burrell has 15 tackles including 1.5 TFLs and a sack. Meanwhile, Johnson should start on the other side of the defensive line. He has made 19 tackles this season including half a sack.
Linebackers
One of the biggest differences between the UCLA football program and the UC Berkeley program is that the Bears don’t hesitate to update their depth chart based on whether a guy is hurt.
If you’ve follow our How to Watch articles this season, you’ve certainly seen how the Bruin depth chart is stagnant with almost no changes made to it each week.
In contrast, Justin Wilcox actually updates his team’s depth chart as the season progresses. That’s evident due to the fact that starting inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon, who suffered a season ending injury against Oregon State, isn’t listed on the depth chart.
Instead of Sirmon, the Bears will start true freshman Cade Uluave as one of the inside linebackers. Uluave had some big shoes to fill, given that Sirmon had made 50 tackles in just six games. Uluave hasn’t completely replaced him. Despite playing in 11 games, Uluave still hasn’t made more tackles that Sirmon. Uluave has made just 46 tackles all season including 4.5 TFLs and a sack. He also has three pass breakups, an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
In Sirmon’s absence, redshirt sophomore Kaleb Elarms-Orr has seemed to step up. He leads the team in tackles with 84 including 3.5 TFLs and a sack. Elarms-Orr also has five pass breakups, four QB hurries, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Xavier Carlton will start at one of the outside linebacker spots. Carlton has made 39 tackles including four TFLs and three sacks. He also has four QB hurries and a fumble recovery.
One change which hasn’t shown up on the depth chart appears to have been made at outside linebacker where David Reese appears to have replaced Myles Jernigan as one of the starting OLBs. Reese, who has started the past two games, leads the team in sacks with 4.5 despite making just 27 tackles all season. He also has four QB hurries, two breakups and two forced fumbles. Jernigan, who has continued to play in a reserve role, has 20 tackles including 2.5 TFLs and a sack.
Secondary
The Bears will start a pair of true juniors at the corners where Lu-Magia Hearns III and Nohl Williams will start the game. Hearns has made 19 tackles and broken up four passes. He has also intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. Meanwhile, Williams has 39 tackles to go with his team-leading two interceptions. He also has three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble.
Senior Patrick McMorris and redshirt junior Craig Woodson will be the starting safeties. These two guys are tied for second on the team in tackles with 71 each. They also have 2.5 TFLs each while McMorris also has a sack to go with his five breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Woodson also has two breakups and two forced fumbles.
Nickel back Matthew Littlejohn has made 34 tackles including a TFL. He also has a pass breakup, a QB hurry and an interception.
Analysis
Tonight’s game may be surprisingly close due to the fact that the teams matchup well against each other, at least on paper. UC Berkeley’s offense focuses on the running game while UCLA’s defense is the best in the nation against the run. The Bruins’ offense also focuses on the run while the Bears have a Top 50 rushing defense.
This game may come down to whichever team can throw the ball more effectively since both UCLA’s and Berkeley’s pass defenses are not as strong as their run defenses.
Ultimately, this game could go to the defense which is more effective at turning the ball over. UCLA’s offense has struggled with giving the ball away all season long, but the Bruin defense has also made up for the offensive turnovers by generating takeaways and the same seems true for the Golden Bear defense.
The Bruins need to remain focuses after beating Southern Cal last week because UC Berkeley is playing for bowl eligibility tonight. So the Bears have something to play for tonight. The only thing which may be on the line tonight for the Bruins could be Chip Kelly’s job. A UCLA loss tonight would mean the Bruins would have lost three of the final four games. Could that tip the scales against Kelly’s future in Westwood? Never say never, even though I think it’s more likely that last week’s wine allows him to return his job.
Go Bruins!!!
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What I worry about more than all the analysis of this game would be, are the Bruins going to show up after their big win over U$C? Over the years, Kelly’s teams have demonstrated a big let down. And after that phenomenal play by the defense last week, I can only guess the worse will happen. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
It appears to me the Kelly situation will remain until we get a new Chancellor.