UCLA
Bruins
Preview 2008
- Offense
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2008 CFN UCLA Preview |
2008 UCLA Offense
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2008 UCLA Defense |
2008 UCLA Depth Chart
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2007 CFN UCLA Preview |
2006 CFN UCLA Preview
What you
need to know:
The hope is that Chow can do for the UCLA quarterbacks what he
did for the USC passers earlier this decade. It won’t happen
overnight. The long-time coordinator has the indisputable track
record as a quarterback guru, but Patrick Cowan is done for the
year with an ACL tear, and Ben Olson is nursing a broken foot
that won’t be healed until the summer. Olson hasn’t come close
to fulfilling his prep hype, falling prey to injuries and
inconsistency, but still has the natural gifts needed to be the
next hurler in Chow’s long line of success stories. While the
receiving corps will be solid, the Olson has to be healthy and
productive of the attack will initially lean heavily on RB
Kahlil Bell and short passes to TE Logan Paulsen.
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Returning
Leaders
Passing: Ben Olson
71-147, 1,040 yds, 7 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Kahlil Bell
142 carries, 795 yds, 5 TD
Receiving: Dominique Johnson
25 catches, 322 yds, 4 TD
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Star of
the offense: Senior RB Kahlil Bell
Player who has to step up and become a star: Senior QB
Ben Olson
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR Dominique Johnson
Best pro prospect: Senior TE Logan Paulsen
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Bell 2) Johnson 3)
Paulsen
Strength of the offense: Depth at receiver
Weakness of the offense: Uncertainty at quarterback, the
offensive line
Quarterbacks
Projected Starter: If anyone has placed a curse on
the Bruin quarterbacks, mission accomplished. Over the past
year, UCLA has been snake-bitten at the position, losing its two
best players to injuries last season and then again this spring.
Shortly after receiving a vote of confidence for the starting
job, senior Patrick Cowan tore his ACL and will be lost
for the season. Right around the same time, senior Ben Olson
broke a bone in his foot and finished the spring on
crutches. While he’ll be back in time for summer practice,
that’ll only be good news if he finally approaches the potential
that made him one of the nation’s top recruits six long years
ago. At 6-4 and 235 pounds, Olson’s strong left arm conjures up
images of a young Boomer Esiason, but he’s never been healthy
long enough to get into a rhythm. After a monumental
five-touchdown start in the opener, he was on and off the
injured list, finishing the season with just seven touchdowns,
six interceptions, and 1,040 yards passing.
Projected Top Reserves: When the Bruins signed
junior Kevin Craft out of Mt. San Antonio (Calif.)
College, by way of San Diego State, he was viewed as an
afterthought who’d be buried on the depth chart until 2009. That
changed in April. His play in the spring, combined with the
injuries to Cowan and Olson, have him in the No. 2 hole with a
shot at winning the job in the summer. At 6-5 and 210 pounds, he
shows good arm strength and, like Cowan, can avoid pressure and
pick up a first down when flushed from the pocket.
The long-term future at the position might belong to 6-3,
185-pound redshirt freshman Chris Forcier, who had the
benefit of additional reps this spring. Easily the best athlete
among the quarterbacks, he’s dynamite in the open field, needing
to polish up his presence in the pocket, something that’ll come
with more reps and more time in the system.
Watch Out For… Olson’s medical status. The Bruins
can probably survive with Craft at the helm, but would prefer
one final attempt at thriving with Olson. If he can stay healthy
for an entire season, there’s still a sliver of hope that he can
be an effective downfield distributor.
Strength: Norm Chow. As it stands now, there’s not
a lot to love about the UCLA hurlers, but it helps that their
new offensive coordinator is one of the best quarterback tutors
in the business. The mere presence of Chow will have a positive
impact on the Bruins, especially the younger ones.
Weakness: Instability. If Cowan and Olson were
both at full strength, you could argue that quarterback would be
a strength heading into the season. That Craft is already being
hailed as a key player in 2008 is a curve ball the program was
not expecting to see.
Outlook: While it makes for good copy, don’t
expect Chow to do for Olson in his final season what he did for
Carson Palmer across town at USC. They’re two very different
quarterbacks, plus Olson is unlikely to last the entire year
playing behind a rebuilt offensive line. It’s only a matter of
time before Craft gets called off the bench to help bail out the
offense.
Rating: 7
Running Backs
Projected Starters: Now that Chris Markey has
graduated, senior Kahlil Bell is no longer expected to
share the carries. A solid compliment the last three seasons, he
had rushed for 795 yards and five touchdowns on 142 carries
before suffering an injury to his right knee that limited him to
eight games. A powerful 6-0, 206-pounder, Bell is terrific in
short yardage and tough to bring down on first contact. He’s
also the team’s best pass blocker, an underrated bonus for an
offense that could struggle at protecting the quarterback.
Junior Trevor Theriot is back at fullback a year after
starting six games and appearing in all 13. Strictly a lead
blocker, the 6-0, 233-pound former walk-on did not log a carry
last season and won’t be asked to do much with the ball this
fall.
Projected Top Reserves: Before tearing his ACL in
training camp last August, there was hope redshirt freshman
Raymond Carter. Instead, he’ll make his Westwood debut this
fall, aiming to add a little flash to the methodical UCLA
running game. One of the program’s signature recruits of 2007,
he’s 5-11, 202-pound cutback runner with the extra gear and
vision in the hole to be an ideal change-of-pace to Bell.
At 6-1 and 236 pounds, junior Chane Moline is a tailback
in a fullback’s body. Primarily used in short yardage, he often
gets the call when the Bruins are near the goal line or nearing
a first down. In his first two seasons, Moline has scored six
touchdowns and will occasionally be used as a receiver out of
the backfield.
Watch Out For… true freshman Aundre Dean.
Part of Neuheisel’s deep recruiting class, Dean was considered
one of the top high school recruits in the country. A tall,
slashing gamebreaker at 6-1 and 210 pounds, he’ll get on the
field early if he proves to be ready in August.
Strength: Bell. He’s experienced, tough between
the tackles, and surprisingly quick for his size. In other
words, he’s a potential 1,000-yard rusher who the Bruins will
ride until the underclassmen are ready to shoulder some of the
load.
Weakness: Proven long ball threat. Ideally, UCLA
would have a dangerous seam-buster capable of complimenting
Bell’s bruising style. Carter is supposed to be that guy, but
until he gets on the field, he’s yet to prove he can handle the
job.
Outlook: Assuming he’s completely healthy, Bell
will be the workhorse, occasionally giving way to Carter and
possibly Dean. With less competition than the past, Bell’s
capable attracting the attention of NFL scouts and piling up
solid numbers in a system that wants to establish the run.
Rating: 7.5
Receivers
Projected Starters: Like so many Bruins in 2007,
senior Marcus Everett appeared headed for a breakout
season before injury struck, limiting him to just three games.
For his career, the 6-1, 212-pound flanker has caught 82 passes
for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns, peaking in 2006. While not
a speedster, Everett has good hands, runs well after the catch,
and can shake off press coverage.
The budding star of the unit is sophomore Dominique Johnson,
who only scratched the surface of his vast potential, catching
25 balls for 322 yards and four touchdowns. A long and lean
target at 6-3 and 208 pounds, he has good wheels, but is even
more effective using his long arms and elevation to pluck passes
out of the sky.
Senior Logan Paulsen is headed toward becoming one of the
Pac-10’s better pass-catching tight ends, making 39 grabs over
the last two seasons. Now up to 6-6 and 252 pounds, he’s a
hard-to-miss target and an improving blocker in the running
game. Underutilized a year ago, the Bruins will try to get him
more involved in the passing game this fall.
Projected Top Reserves: Steady junior Gavin
Ketchum is running behind Johnson at split end. A
letter-winner in each of the last two seasons, his year was cut
short by an ankle injury in September. At 6-5 and 209 pounds,
Ketchum is a huge, polished receiver who can bury defensive
backs with his downfield blocking.
Providing some shiftiness and flash will be junior Terrence
Austin, the quickest and most dangerous of the Bruin
receivers in the open field. While only 5-10 and 160 pounds,
he’s capable of taking a short hitch and transforming it into a
big gainer. In his most extensive action outside of special
teams, he caught 17 passes for 248 yards.
Behind Paulsen at tight end will be junior Ryan Moya, who
sat out all of 2007 for personal reasons. In his first two
years, the 6-4, 229-pounder showed plenty of promise as a
receiver running good routes, rarely dropping a ball, and making
at least 10 grabs each year. A terrific second option, Moya is
like having another starter on the B team.
Watch Out For… Johnson. Sure, he’s still a little
raw, but he also possesses some tremendous physical traits that
can’t be taught. Johnson’s spectacular one-handed touchdown
grab versus USC last December gave a glimpse of his boundless
upside.
Strength: Big, physical receivers. Austin aside,
all of the Bruins have great size and will use that advantage to
box out defenders. When Everett and Johnson are on the field at
the same time, they’ll cause match up problems for smaller
defensive backs.
Weakness: Lack of a go-to receiver. Is it Everett?
Is Johnson ready to assume the role in his second season? Until
proven otherwise, UCLA has a bunch of good receivers, but lacks
that one headliner who makes defensive coordinators tweak the
gameplan to stop him.
Outlook: As it stands now, the Bruins have a
slightly better than average receiving corps that’s still
seeking its identity. The potential is there, however, for it to
exceed expectations. With Everett, Ketchum, and Moya back after
missing all or most of last season, and Johnson about to
explode, UCLA could surprise in the passing game with a little
more help from the quarterbacks.
Rating: 7.5
Offensive Line
Projected Starters: As if replacing three starters
wasn’t going to be challenging enough, the Bruins learned in the
spring that veteran Aleksey Lanis had succumbed to
persistent injuries and retired from football. The patchwork
line is expected to be built around 6-6, 298-pound junior LT
Micah Kia, the closest thing the program has to an anchor.
He laid the foundation for his career with eight starts a year
ago, showing nice agility and a great motor, especially as a
pass protector. With continued development, he’ll be in a
position to impress NFL scouts in 2009.
Settling in at right tackle is sophomore Sean Sheller,
another of the Bruins’ recent top recruits who’s expected to
develop into a fixture. Still a little light at 6-5 and 282
pounds, he has the footwork and athleticism in space to
eventually excel in pass protection. Sheller has yet to play a
snap, so he’ll be undergoing a baptism under fire in September.
Along with Kia, the other returning starter is senior Micah
Reed, a converted guard making the move to center. A 6-4,
316-pound former walk-on, he earned a scholarship before the
start of last season. While he’s a rugged, steady blocker, he’s
liable to get exposed by some of the league’s better defensive
linemen.
After seeing limited action on special teams, sophomore
Darius Savage is on target to be the Bruins’ starting left
guard. It’s a big leap for one of the program’s biggest players,
a 6-4, 338-pound mauler as a run blocker. One of the country’s
best discus and shot put throwers, he has a good burst and
excellent upper body strength.
The battle at right guard is between senior Scott Glicksberg
and junior Nick Ekbatani. A former defensive lineman
and blocking tight end, Glicksberg is taking his first stab at
being an offensive lineman for the Bruins. Hailed by the coaches
for his toughness and resiliency, he’s just 6-4 and 269 pounds,
and will need every ounce of grit to hold up in the Pac-10.
At 6-4 and 290 pounds, Ekbatani has more size and experience,
but has been unable to shake Glicksberg. Since transferring from
Harbor College, he hasn’t seen much action, sitting out all of
last season to get bigger, stronger, and better acclimated to
the speed of the game.
Projected Top Reserves: Sophomore Brandon
Bennett is being groomed to be the eventual successor to Kia
at left tackle. A big, physical body at 6-4 and 319 pounds, he
needs to improve his endurance, get in better shape, and
continue working on his lateral speed and quickness.
If Reed has any problems at the pivot, 6-4, 286-pound sophomore
Jake Dean is being viewed as the insurance policy at the
position. One of the nation’s top center prospects coming out of
high school, he’s yet to get on the field in two seasons, but is
poised to earn his first letter this fall.
Sophomore Sonny Tevaga is working to become UCLA’s first
guard off the bench this season. The 6-3, 337-pound brother of
former Bruin Shannon Tevaga is light on game experience, but the
coaches like his intensity and physicality as a run blocker.
Watch Out For… this unit to struggle badly all
year to find its groove. There are too many new regulars in the
rotation and not enough proven commodities to feel anything but
uncertainty.
Strength: The tackles. Relatively speaking, the
strength of the front wall will be on the outside, where Kia and
Sheller have good athletic ability and large reserves of
untapped potential.
Weakness: Proven blockers. The guards have limited
experience, the center used to be a guard, and the reserves will
offer little support in the short-term. There are no sure-things
on this unit, which is bad news in a conference flush with
quality defensive linemen.
Outlook: Outside of the quarterbacks, this will be
the single biggest concern for the Bruins and their new staff.
Brighter days lie ahead, but those are unlikely to come until
2009 when the young players gain a year of experience.
Rating: 7