Bruins RB Speaks on Season-High Performance

The UCLA Bruins picked up a massive win on Friday night, defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes on homecoming. Their player of the game was junior running back TJ Harden.

Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back TJ Harden (25) reacts after scoring a touchdown against Boise State Broncos during the third quarter of the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-5) received a season-high performance from junior running back T.J. Harden in their 20-17 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Homecoming night at the Rose Bowl. Harden ran for more yards on Friday than he had over the previous three weeks combined.

"We just did a great job of consistently picking up blocks," Harden said after the win. "We opened up our playbook more, we did like different types of runs as you saw more stuff to the outside, counter stuff like that. We just put us in the best position to go out there and make the plays."

Harden recorded 125 yards on 20 carries, the second-highest rush total in his career as a Bruin. The Bruins came into the game as the lowest rushing team in the Big Ten (73.9 yards per game) and were able to turn the tables with an incredible performance from Harden.

He was asked about the comfort level in running the football after this game compared to weeks past.

"Yeah, I'll say so," Harden said. "It's just weeks of experience and just learning every week. We just learn to put it together this weekend, just stay consistent in the run game."

Harden was aware that if the Bruins wanted to upset the Hawkeyes at home, the run game had to be on point. He did not miss, delivering one of the best performances of his collegiate career. With three regular-season games left to play, expect Harden to have a few more of these stellar performances.

"Going into this game, I knew I had to have a game like this," Harden said. "We've seen a lot of stuff with their defense which caused us to run the ball more and expand the plays as far as the run game. So, we just saw like the opportunity that we had to run the ball against them."

The Bruins will look forward to traveling north to face the Washington Huskies next week. It will be another great opportunity for Harden and the rest of the rush game, considering the Huskies rank toward the bottom of the Big Ten in opposing rushing yards per game.

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