Key for UCLA’s offensive line might be wider splits

After struggling all season to find consistency in its running game, UCLA might have found its solution last week against Oregon: wider splits between linemen.

Against the Ducks, the Bruins spaced out their offensive line a bit, hoping to spread the defense out. That scheme allowed quarterback Brett Hundley to keep the ball more on zone-option reads. He set a career-high with 22 rushing attempts and was a nice complement to running back Paul Perkins, who ran for 187 yards.

UCLA lost to Oregon, but the offensive line still looked much more comfortable than it did the week before against Utah. So, the new look is definitely on the table for UCLA’s upcoming game against Cal.

“Why would I want to do them again if they worked last week?” offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said with a laugh. “It’s something different for the defense. We’ve been moving him in and out of the pocket to help with our running game .… [and] some things are starting to come together.”

Mazzone compared getting Hundley outside the pocket to a baseball pitcher having a solid off-speed pitch. The change of pace keeps the defense on edge.

“It’s like anything — you kind of throw some stuff out on the table in the first quarter of the game, and say, ‘Well, OK, this is giving them issues.’” Mazzone said. “If something is working, I run it until they can show they can stop it. Make them adjust.”

From a personnel point of view, the wider splits work a lot better when offensive tackle Conor McDermott is in the game. At 6-foot-9, he’s UCLA’s biggest offensive lineman, but has dealt with shoulder injuries over his career. He played in the fourth quarter against Oregon, and his emergence might give the Bruins more flexibility with their splits against Cal.

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