Getty Cam Akers takes the handoff from former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff during a November 2020 regular season game at Tampa Bay. One college football program ran a Rams-type play to pull off the upset against a ranked foe on Saturday, September 4.
Before LSU took on UCLA on Saturday, September 4, Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth help hype up his alma mater by narrating a pregame video.
Well, turns out the home team Bruins also turned to the Rams – by taking a page from the Sean McVay playbook to overpower the nationally ranked and heavily favored Tigers.
UCLA shook up the college football world by upending LSU 38-27 at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins (2-0) ran a balanced offense that racked up 260 yards through the air but also overwhelmed LSU with 210 rushing yards.
But it was one notable play UCLA used to snatch the oxygen from LSU that came via the Rams, as noted by one national analyst who is an expert at film breakdown.
‘The Windback’ Play
Ted Nguyen of The Athletic discovered a cutback run executed by Zach Charbonnet of the Bruins that has its own similar concepts from the team south of Pasadena the Rams.
Before the play, the Bruins line up in 13 personnel – with their trio of tight ends aligned to the left and the lone wide receiver lined up close to the offensive line. LSU overloads its defense to the side of the TE’s, thinking UCLA is running that direction.
Except, Charbonnet fools the Tigers by trekking left first, but then finding the open crease created by the interior offensive line and scampers for 43 yards. What Nguyen points out, though, is that the WR on this play helps create the run by becoming a decoy and getting the cornerback responsible for him to follow him.
UCLA has a really diverse run game with a few under center runs. Here, Kelly called the windback play with a WR lead that the Rams popularized.
Charbonnet can’t get outside because the end shed his block but finds the cutback lane for a big gain
The Rams themselves have used similar plays to what UCLA utilized. One came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2020 dissected here by Nguyen.
In these video clips, the Rams lined up in near identical overload formations that were accompanied by a WR fly motion to confuse defenders and bust the long gain. Except on L.A.’s end, they’ve ran these plays out of their famed 11 personnel, but with their WR’s lined up close to the offensive line.
In the NFC Wildcard playoff road upset of Seattle, the Rams used two similar cutback runs that the Bruins ran on Saturday to help wear down the Seahawks, which can be seen near the 2:30 mark and on the Cam Akers touchdown at the 3:15 mark of this video below. On one of the runs, the cutback lane helps open off of a receiver motion.
Watching UCLA perfect that Charbonnet run gave some Ram fans McVay playbook vibes.
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, now a Sirius XM radio personality, also pointed out how the play works by drawing in the linebackers.
Rams Defenders Throw Their Support of the Local NCAA Program Pulling the Upset
Perhaps much to the dismay of the LSU Tiger standout Whitworth who attended the game, there was an L.A. Ram player who posted their support and enthusiasm for the Bruins.
One was safety Terrell Burgess, who began to notice the Bruins wearing down the heavily stacked Tigers.
UCLA 👀
Burgess, who played in the Pac-12 at the University of Utah, also reacted to this touchdown by Kyle Phillips where he takes advantage of poor LSU tackling. Phillips happens to be from Burgess’ home town of San Marcos, California.
Also, UCLA had one notable alum from the Rams in the building at the Rose Bowl.
Welcome Back to the Rose Bowl @KennyYounggg of the @RamsNFL! 🐻🏈🙌
And, Young posted this post game reaction.
Geaux Bruinnsss!! Way to attack the Tigers!! 2-0 baby let’s go 💙💛
So there you have it. UCLA and former NFL head coach Chip Kelly used a splash of Rams to help knock off the heavyweight from the always stout Southeastern Conference.