Position switch takes Rasshan off bench, puts him on field

Osaar Rasshan has been hard to miss at the UCLA football team’s training camp.

The 6-foot-4-inch sophomore stood out as he made the transition from quarterback to wide receiver. He’s done well already in his short time as a member of the receiving corps.

“I just want to get on the field, that’s my first goal,” Rasshan said.

That determination to get on the field and help his team certainly played a factor in Rasshan’s switch. As one of the best athletes on the team, it was reasonable that the UCLA coaching staff would want to find any way possible to get him on the field. This summer they approached him about making the change.

It wasn’t a hard decision. With juniors Ben Olson and Pat Cowan clearly holding the top two spots at quarterback, walk-on sophomore McLeod Bethel-Thompson improving quickly, and freshman Chris Forcier joining the team, Rasshan’s chances at seeing the field were dwindling.

“It only took me two or three days (to decide),” Rasshan said. “I had never thought about it before. But when I looked at the depth chart, and when I saw that I could get some playing time sooner than later, I thought that would be the best thing for the team.”

Rasshan’s prospects at playing have skyrocketed thanks to his seamless transition. He uses his height and reach effectively, and seems to have a knack for finding the open space. He hasn’t been as consistent as coaches would hope, but he could still be used early this year, despite suffering concussion symptoms that forced him to miss a few practices.

And it seems that everyone around the program feels Rasshan made the right choice.

“(Rasshan) continues to impress,” coach Karl Dorrell said. “He’s going to be a guy that can add some size and depth for us.”

Rasshan has already put in a lot of time practicing with Olson and working with two new coaches, offensive coordinator Jay Norvell and wide receivers coach Eric Scott.

Scott has especially eased the transition for Rasshan.

“Coach Scott is vocal, and he really inspires,” Rasshan said. “He definitely makes you play your A game.”

Rasshan is confident that knowing the Bruins’ complex, NFL-style offense from a quarterback’s perspective will help him succeed at his new position.

“It’s definitely an advantage to have been a quarterback,” Rasshan said. “I’ve had to study defenses to know what’s going on and be able to know the open spots. That’s definitely going to help me out now (as a receiver).”

It’s a fairly common move; quarterbacks with enough athletic ability usually have the savvy to understand the nuances of the receiver position.

Rasshan thinks it will be a natural switch, and he’s excited to finally get in the game.

“I feel like once the coaches put me in there, it will be second nature,” he said. “I just want to go out there and shine.”

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