Pac-10 Position Breakdown: Running Back – UCLA Bruins
Comments (2) Last season, the UCLA running game ranked 116th nationally (out of 120 teams). While these numbers still have head coach Rick Neuheisel scratching his head, blame for the pitiful production must be split equally among the backs and the offensive line. Still, there is hope in Westwood for 2009. Offensive coordinator Norm Chow has a solid stable of backs to work with despite losing a few from last year.
The off-season started with some tough losses for the Bruins running game. Last year’s leading rusher Kahlil Bell is gone. Bell finished his four-year Bruin career with over 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Next, talented sophomore Aundre Dean announced that he was transferring to TCU. Not long afterwards, Raymond Carter, another highly regarded runner, announced that he was headed to Colorado State. Both Dean and Carter were four-star talents that coach Neuheisel expected to use as feature backs one day. Losing both of them was a big blow for a unit desperate for explosive talent.
Now, it’s up to a group of relatively unproven tailbacks to revive the UCLA ground game.
Christian Ramirez takes the handoff
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