After two weeks, UCLA’s secondary continues to struggle

Throughout training camp, the unit that the UCLA defense was supposed to be able to rely on was the secondary. It was a veteran group that was as deep as ever, with talent across the board. UCLA Coach Jim Mora even said that he considered junior cornerback Fabian Moreau a potential first-round NFL draft pick.

The season is young, but so far, the secondary hasn’t resembled the group it was supposed to look like before the season.

Virginia finished 2013 ranked 87th nationally in passing offense by yardage. Against UCLA, the Cavaliers threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Despite two Bruins interceptions, completed deep passes in the second half kept Virginia in the game.

Memphis finished 2013 ranked 107th nationally in passing yardage by offense. Against UCLA, the Tigers threw for 305 yards and a score. Short screen passes and slants kept them in the game.

After two weeks, the Bruins have given up an average of 70 more yards per game than they did last season through the air. They are 100th in the country in passing yards allowed.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich blamed himself after the game, saying that his scheme was too simple and that Memphis surprised them with some offensive wrinkles. But on Monday, some UCLA defenders disagreed.

“When it comes down to it, I feel like they’ve always put us in a position where we can make plays,” junior defensive back Ishmael Adams said.

Fifth-year senior linebacker Eric Kendricks added: “I just believe that we got out of what our assignments were. I definitely put the blame on myself and I’m sure my teammates put the blame on themselves for not doing their job some of the time.”

UCLA has been playing a lot more man-to-man coverage in Ulbrich’s first year as defensive coordinator, which puts a lot of pressure on defensive backs. They’ve been slow to adjust.

One Bruin in particular, Moreau, struggled against Memphis. He was beaten multiple times on slants, and isn’t looking like the same player he did in training camp.

“The first week, he got beat on the fade,” Mora said in a conference call Sunday. “He was right there, but he didn’t make the play. The sign of a great cornerback to me is not always just being in position, but being in position and making the play. I’m not going to back off of what I feel about Fabian because I think he can be an outstanding corner. But what we need Fabian to do is to step up and be that outstanding corner.”

Mora added: “When you play as much man as we’ve been playing lately … you’re going to give up some catches. You just are. It’s inevitable. You can’t go out there the whole game in single coverage and not think you’re going to give up some catches. That being said, I think it’s time for Fabian to come up with some plays. I think he’ll accept that challenge, and we’ve talked about it.”

UCLA takes on Texas on Saturday, and while Longhorns starting quarterback David Ash is out because of a concussion, backup Tyrone Swoopes might be an even bigger challenge. The sophomore was one of the high-rated recruits in the country out of high school, and is a mobile quarterback despite being listed at 6 feet 4 and 243 pounds.

On top of that, the Bruins will also probably be without one of their starting safeties, Randall Goforth, who left the Memphis game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. Mora didn’t want to rule Goforth out but said that he’s leaning toward being doubtful for Texas.

Regardless of matchups, or injuries, the Bruins maintain that the issues just come down to execution.

“We were all in position to make these plays, it just comes down to making them,” Adams said. “We know what we have to do, and we’re getting even more prepared to do those things. We haven’t been … we’ve done what we should, but we just haven’t taken it to the level that we needed to.”

For more Bruins observations, follow Everett Cook on Twitter @everettcook