Rick Neuheisel had a lot to say when he kicked off the UCLA football team’s 2010 fall camp. But one of his words fittingly separated itself from the rest: run.
“Run,” as in Neuheisel ““ in year three of his program-building process ““ needs things to run far more smoothly than they have in the first two.
“Run,” as in the Bruins are anxious to get a look at the newest batch of recruits, the majority of whom are recruited largely on their ability to move quite quickly.
And “run,” as in the reinvention of a running game that finished 98th in the country in yards per carry, a statistic that, among others, led the UCLA coaching staff to implement an entirely new offensive formation.
“I believe that we’re going to be a faster team than we were a year ago,” Neuheisel said. “We recruited well in terms of speed. I’m very optimistic about our ability to run at the level that we can.”
A week into practice, and although a rash of injuries has dampened some spirits, the mood around the team remains generally upbeat.
That’s due, in large part, to the presence of the incoming freshmen, a group of burners and bruisers anxious to prove themselves in the August heat. And if their coach’s comments are any indication, the Bruins are off to a quick start out of the blocks.
“It’s a bunch of guys trying to get to the front of the line,” Neuheisel said. “They’re learning, and even though they’re making mistakes, they’re making them fast.”
Fast seems to be an apt description for this group, which features shifty running backs Malcolm Jones and Jordon James and athletic defensive backs Dietrich Riley and Anthony Jefferson to go along with other rookie standouts, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, defensive tackle Cassius Marsh, offensive lineman Chris Ward and F-back Anthony Barr.
“It’s going to be wonderful (to have so much team speed),” Jefferson said, before perhaps revealing Neuheisel’s recruiting plan. “You want a player that’s going to fly to the ball. Fly to the ball, make tackles, make plays.”
Playmaking will be key to revamping the running game ““ a project that could eventually depend on the impact of a Malcolm Jones or a Jordon James. But for now it’s all about the pistol, a formation that Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow borrowed from Nevada that is best described as a hybrid of the shotgun spread offense and the veer offense.
On the other side of the ball, a potentially loaded secondary highlights a defense that has plenty of holes to fill and thus must get a bevy of new players acclimated, well, quickly.
“Speed helps in everything,” said sophomore cornerback Sheldon Price, his words applying to both the playing field and the learning curve. “Knowing what you’re doing out there can help you do things a lot faster.”
Rapid progress in August practice will be paramount, as UCLA opens its season in daunting fashion. Trips to Big 12 environments at Kansas State and Texas bookend a September that also has the Bruins hosting Stanford and Houston. Talk about hitting the ground running.
Practice pains
The first week of practice was not without its fair share of injuries.
The most significant loss for the Bruins was junior defensive end Datone Jones, who broke his right foot and had to have surgery Friday to place a screw on the fifth metatarsal. There’s a chance that the junior, who does have a redshirt year remaining, could miss the entire season.
“Such a great kid, such a great citizen on our team and a leader on our team, we’re going to miss him,” Neuheisel said of Jones, who was going to be counted on to provide experience on a rebuilt defensive line.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince suffered a strained left oblique and missed a number of practices in the latter portion of the week, but the injury wasn’t considered serious. Prince is expected back early this week.
Junior transfer wide receiver Josh Smith, who sat out last season after transferring from Colorado, tweaked a groin muscle during practice Aug. 9 and was unsure of when he would be able to return to the field. Smith also missed a portion of spring practice with a knee injury.
Freshman linebacker Aramide Olaniyan sported a walking boot later in the week after spraining his left foot, but the injury was not deemed to be serious.
Meanwhile, off-the-field issues are threatening UCLA’s already-shaky offensive line depth. After Neuheisel suspended guard Mike Harris for the team’s opening game for a violation of team rules, it was announced that lineman Jeff Baca had been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA.
Baca immediately appealed the ruling, which could be reversed in time for UCLA’s clash with Kansas State. He did, however, suffer a stress reaction in his right foot that could keep him out of practice for another week.