At the start of the season, Jim Mora instituted a 24-hour rule.
Win or lose, the Bruins get a day to enjoy a win or deal with a loss.
Winners of the Pac-12 South, No. 17 UCLA has continued to string wins together and those 24-hour celebrations have carried over to the playing field. Now in the final week of the regular season but with plenty to still look forward to, the Bruins have made football fun again.
"These guys are excited to play football,"said an equally excited Mora. "They’re excited to line up next Saturday."
Tuesday’s practice, the first full practice since last Saturday’s 38-28 milestone victory over USC, had a different feeling than any other practice all season. The team was hungrier, more intense and more energetic.
"It’s a vibe, it’s a feel, based on being around many teams for many years," Mora said. "We’ve had success now and when you realize what it feels like to have success you want more success."
Linebacker Jordan Zumwalt added, "They say a sign of a good team is a team that can come out after a big win and win again. And that’s the plan – to just win again."
The Bruins (9-2, 6-2) haven’t lost since Oct. 6. In a disastrous showing at Berkeley, the defense coughed up 43 points in a 26-point loss. Three weeks later, the Bruins matched that season high in points allowed at Arizona State, but were able to come out on top in a 45-43 shootout.
Offensively, the chains always moved and the pieces – Brett Hundley, Johnathan Franklin and a slew of receivers – seemed to effortlessly fall into place. Defensively, the growing pains were more obvious.
Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos’ system was never the issue. It was whether or not his pieces within the system could perform the way he needed them to. What the UCLA defense did do was force turnovers. UCLA’s 20 interceptions leads the conference while its 12 recovered fumbles ranks second. Stealing away key possessions has helped the Bruins come through in tight situations. But when those turnovers didn’t come, the rest of the defense has struggled.
It took some adjustments and positional changes, but the team has put it all together. All it took was buying into the system and putting their trust in the coaching staff.
"We’ve come really far,"Zumwalt said. "It’s been progression, progression and now you’re just seeing the result and it’s finally showing up."
The aftermath
A win against USC is big no matter what the name on the front of your jersey says. Add in years of animosity as not only rivals but as the inferior team and a win is assured to bring about many emotions.
The underclassmen knew what this game meant for his senior teammates.
"I told the seniors that I would not let them go without (beating USC),"Hundley said. "I couldn't let them leave without feeling the emotions of beating Southern Cal. It’s huge for them."
"Nobody wants to go their whole collegiate career without beating one team," said redshirt sophomore safety Tevin McDonald. "So for our seniors to be able to rally together, manage the fourth quarter and finish the game...they knew how to approach it, and they really led us."
For the upperclassmen, it was a vindicating victory after years of humiliation. UCLA is no longer the second-best team in Los Angeles – it’s the best.
"It was a relief,"Zumwalt said. "We haven’t beat them in a long time so it was great to be a part of the team that finally did."
While the Bruins celebrated in the locker room in Pasadena, back in Westwood chaos ensued.
"I saw a group of people lit a couch on fire in the middle of Westwood," Zumwalt said. "People had some fun."
