Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports
UCLA redshirt junior Brett Hundley, considered one of the top quarterback prospects ahead of this year’s NFL Draft, showcased his improving skill set and was a difference maker in the Bruins’ Valero Alamo Bowl victory over Kansas State. It was an appropriate end to a noteworthy career in a UCLA uniform.
Hundley’s athleticism and elusiveness were on display early in the Jan. 2 contest. Looking the part of a dual-threat quarterback, Hundley sparked UCLA’s offense out of the gate. The Bruins scored on its first three possessions of the game to take a commanding 31-6 lead at halftime. Hundley finished the game an effective, but not spectacular 12-of-24 for 136 yards and a touchdown. He also demonstrated his explosive speed, gaining 96 yards on 11 carries, scoring on runs of 10 and 28 yards to put the Bruins in the driver’s seat in the early going.
Viewed as a Heisman Trophy candidate at the beginning of the season, Hundley had his share of highs and lows in his final campaign as a Bruin. While engineering a third consecutive win over cross-town rival USC in 2014, Hundley fell short and disappointed in losses to Oregon and Stanford. Despite the blemishes on his record, Hundley’s accomplishments are many. He ran or threw a touchdown in 39 of 40 career games at UCLA and has over 10,000 career passing yards, a mark he surpassed in the Alamo Bowl.
Hundley has plenty of work ahead to develop into a top-flight NFL quarterback, but he should relish going out a winner. UCLA’s triumph over Kansas State gave head coach Jim Mora’s squad back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since the 1977-78 season. Hundley is a big reason for their recent success, and the Alamo Bowl triumph is a fitting close to his impressive collegiate career.
Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.
