Jim Mora didn’t waste much time before mentioning the offensive line.
The UCLA football coach singled the position group out in his opening statement at Wednesday’s Pac-12 Media Day, and redshirt senior center Scott Quessenberry agreed with the point of emphasis.
“At the end of last season, that was a big question mark,” Quessenberry said of the offensive line. “All eyes are going to be on us this season, and we’re up for the challenge.”
The group’s sub-.500 performance in 2016 was connected to two of UCLA’s biggest problems: an inability to protect then-sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen – who missed half the season with a shoulder injury – and a running game that collected just 84.3 yards per game, the second worst mark in the country.
“Our running game was awful, and I’m hopeful that it will be improved,” Mora said. “We’ve got a good scheme. It’s well coached. And the players understand and we understand that it needs to be better.”
UCLA’s coaching staff features four new offensive coaches, most notably offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch. But one new coach that Mora made specific mention of on Wednesday was offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
Mora noted that Fraley’s coaching career consisted of both college and professional football, adding that his NFL career was probably built more on technique, intelligence and work ethic than it was on talent.
“Coach Fraley watched every single game multiple times when he first came in,” Quessenberry said. “Myself and him watched (tape) together and took from it where to get better: foot placement, hand placement, all that good stuff. It’s been great to have him.”
Another part of the offseason that may lead UCLA to a better offensive line is the Bruins’ commitment to player-run practices.
Mora said the team has had 25 such practices. The players follow a script, complete with individual work, one-on-ones and seven-on-sevens. Regulations restrict the coaches from watching both the practice and tape of the practice.
“We’ve bought into our player-run practices and are really buying into wanting to learn the playbook more than ever,” Quessenberry said. “That’s something that we’ve done differently and I think that’s something that will help us down the road.”
Even more help could come from Rosen’s return from his shoulder injury. Quessenberry made a similar return last season, after sitting out his junior year with an injury.
“You want to help the team so badly and you can’t; it’s like you’re in a straight jacket,” Quessenberry said. “I think he realized how much football means to him when he wasn’t playing.”
Mora echoed that sentiment, saying that Rosen had a productive offseason due to a few factors, the injury among them.
“Certainly being injured and having football kind of removed from his life as a player at the time that he did, that affected him,” Mora said. “Humbling himself to a certain degree and accepting coaching.”
Fall practice no longer open
For the first time in the Mora era, no fall practices will be open to the public this year.
UCLA held its fall camp at Cal State San Bernardino for the last half of a decade, but starting this year, the Bruins will hold camp at the Wasserman Football Center on campus, with no public access and limited media availability.
Preseason poll
UCLA came in at No. 3 in the Pac-12 South in the conference’s preseason media poll. USC snagged the No. 1 spot, with Utah at No. 2. The Bruins and Utes each received one first-place vote to the Trojans’ 49.
USC was also picked to win the Pac-12 title game, beating out Washington – the poll’s favorite to win the north division – 28 votes to 22.
Commissioner’s notes
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott spoke to open the event.
The main topics of discussion were efforts to shorten the length of games, the potential for an over-the-top media platform and efforts to protect student-athletes from concussions.