Key Areas the Bruins Need to Improve vs Northwestern

The Bruins are fresh off their bye week, looking to gain some momentum against Northwestern this Saturday, both teams coming off huge losses, and are hoping that this game can act as a spark. After firing DeShaun Foster on Sept.14, the Bruins now look to Tim Skipper to turn this roller coaster of a season around.

Questions regarding the roster, as well as the team's transition to an interim head coach, won't make things easy for the Bruins. They need to clean up many things compared to Northwestern to give fans hope this season, or at the very least, make it watchable.

The matchup on Saturday is against a struggling 1-2 Northwestern team, which is desperately looking to turn things around after being stumped in their last game by a very good Oregon team. Both teams are looking to get their first conference win of the season.

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) runs the ball as offensive lineman Sam Yoon (64) provides coverage against Utah Utes linebacker Lander Barton (8) during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Tim Skipper will be inheriting an excess of problems plaguing the Bruins. If there is any hope for the season, Skipper will need to show that he is the right person for the job. Along with Skipper, more players on the team need to step up and answer the call.

All aspects of the offense need improvement; the run game has been lackluster, and the passing game hasn't been much better. This starts with Nico Iamaleava and Anthony Woods, two key players on the Bruins' offense who haven't been themselves as of late.

Along with the Bruins' two stars having trouble getting started, the offensive line as a whole has struggled, plagued by discipline and blocking issues. This has made it hard for the Bruins to get anything serious going.

The defense has also struggled to establish itself as a dominant force. While they have had key turnovers in the last three games, they can't rely on the offense to keep them off the field. Better tackling and discipline as a whole need to be addressed. They have an opportunity to shine against a very turnover-prone Northwestern team.

A way that the Bruins can get back on track this season is with consistent play-calling. The Bruins, to start the season, have been very pass-heavy. This has made it hard for the running backs to make an impact and set the tone. I mentioned in a previous article discussing UCLA's struggles that they have had trouble maintaining control in their games; this starts with better playcalling.

This Saturday is Time Skipper's head coaching debut. This past week, the Bruins have had time to reset and figure out how to overcome their issues. This game is more important than most people think; it is about finding a new identity as the Skipper era starts.

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