dailybreeze
UCLA cannot afford another scoreless first half if it hopes to defeat an improved Purdue squad, as the two programs are set to begin Big Ten Conference play at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
"We can't wait," Bruins offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy said. "In any team in college football, they're good enough to beat you, and you're good enough to beat them. I think the biggest piece for us is a huge stress point of putting our foot on the pedal for all four quarters."
UCLA junior quarterback Nico Iamaleava has continued to make adjustments under Kennedy. In Saturday's 28-10 victory over San Diego State, he completed 14 of 22 passes for 151 yards and threw one interception from the 2-yard line while attempting to find tight end Brayden Loftin in the end zone.
"Everything is about trust, and you got to prove that you have their back and they have to prove that they have our back and it's about time," Kennedy said. "It's about football, but it's also about a lot of the things from the meeting rooms from spring and fall camp just in terms of getting to know each other and proving to each other that you have each other's best in mind."
A quicker start on offense begins with quality reps in practice, an area Kennedy believes showed improvement over the last three days leading up to Purdue compared to the previous week's Rose Bowl opener against the Aztecs.
UCLA will be tasked with limiting the contact from linebacker Charles Correa and junior college transfer defensive end Jeremy Lewis. Correa, a 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree, made 12 tackles Saturday in a 38-26 loss to Wake Forest; Lewis recorded five tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
"It's interesting because Tuesdays are base downs, Wednesdays are situations, and Thursdays are the day you put it all together," Kennedy said. "You're going to have mistakes on Wednesday when you're talking about its new scheme on third down, and they'll showcase different blitzes we haven't seen up to this point. They'll do different things in coverage. You're talking about the stress point of Thursday, that's a day where you put it all together. Tomorrow is a huge day for us."
There is also a connection between Purdue and UCLA. Leading Purdue rusher Fame Ijeboi attended the same high school, William Penn Charter in Philadelphia, as UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler.
"He's a good player, and it's been fun to watch his growth and following him through high school and watching him earn those scholarships and opportunities," Hitschler said. "Those first two games, he's jumped off the tape, and it's exciting to watch a guy grow into that. He's got great potential in this game, and he's going to go a long way. We have to do a good job of putting a physical shoulder on him and knocking him down because he'll run through contact."
Along with the run game of Purdue (1-1) comes the development of quarterback Ryan Browne. The junior has completed 32 of 42 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown and hasn't thrown an interception. The Boilermakers have also upgraded at wide receiver with the additions of junior 6-foot Florida Atlantic transfer Asaad Waseem and 5-foot-11 Iowa State transfer Xavier Townsend.
"He was a good quarterback last year," Hitschler said. "They've got better weapons around him, and you're starting to see his potential pay off with more open guys, finding the open seam, and basically not having to win games by himself last year, which put him in danger of throwing takeaways. We have to find a way of creating takeaways."
Key Analysis
UCLA's focus on starting efficiently reflects a broader strategic shift under Kennedy, who has emphasized trust-building and consistent execution from spring through fall camp. The Bruins' ability to limit Purdue's dynamic playmakers, particularly Ijeboi and Browne, will be crucial in a conference opener that could set the tone for their Big Ten campaign. With Purdue showing improved offensive weaponry, UCLA's defense must generate takeaways to avoid another slow start.
Originally reported by dailybreeze.