Joe Fauria is serious about helping the UCLA football team take its game to the next level this fall. But the rising redshirt sophomore tight end is also just trying to have some fun.
“That’s an understatement,” he said. “I’m having a great time.”
The 6-foot-7-inch Fauria has been hard to miss at the Bruins’ spring practices, as both a vocal presence on the sidelines and a physical presence on the field.
It was no different on Sunday, when Fauria hauled in two passes over the middle for touchdowns, once during a red-zone seven-on-seven drill and another during the team’s first full intrasquad scrimmage of the season.
After his first catch, he celebrated with a little shake and a shout, something coach Rick Neuheisel called a “squirrel dance.” The fans sitting on the bleachers behind the Spaulding Field end zone ““ the biggest crowd so far this month ““ returned the gesture with delighted applause.
“I like getting the crowd into it,” Fauria said. “All these people come out here to see us play. I don’t want to go too overboard, but I like to give them a show.”
The Encino native played a season with Notre Dame before taking UCLA up on its original scholarship offer and transferring to Westwood in July 2009.
His time in the Midwest was cut short amid still unspecified circumstances. Notre Dame’s Office of Residential Life and Housing deemed him worthy of a semester-long suspension, and Fauria deemed himself worthy of a return trip home.
The tight end spent last season practicing with the Bruins’ scout team in his compulsory year off and now appears fully adjusted to his present surroundings.
“I love it here,” he said. “It’s a good group of guys, and I’m loving playing football again, being back in the mix.”
Fauria’s presence is welcome on a UCLA team that has lost two experienced players at that position, Logan Paulsen and Ryan Moya, since the transfer’s arrival. In his post-scrimmage address to the media, Neuheisel gave a shout-out to Fauria as one of the team’s rising stars.
“(He) looks to be a weapon for us,” Neuheisel said.
Fauria will most likely split time with rising junior Cory Harkey, who is hoping to build on the limited action he’s seen in the last two years. Fauria was obviously excited about the two playing together.
“We’re going to be the best tight-end tandem in the nation,” Fauria said. “We’re going to keep working hard, keep competing, keep making each other better, and there’s no one who’s going to be able to stop us as a duo.”
Fauria’s amiability didn’t stop there, as he acknowledged the bond he has with his former Crespi High School teammate, UCLA starting quarterback Kevin Prince.
Fauria said he believes his relationship with Prince, whom Fauria calls his best friend on and off the field, will end up paying big dividends this season.
“The sky’s the limit with him and I,” Fauria said. “We’ve built a lot of trust in the last six years.”
The Bruins have been in the bottom third of the Pac-10 in offensive touchdowns in each of the last few seasons. This could be due to a lack of playmakers at the offensive skill positions, but Fauria hopes to change that perception as part of a new UCLA offense, one that gets the job done and does it with passion.
“I just like having fun, man, and making plays is fun,” he said. “When you get that swagger, have that confidence, it’s good.”
Scrimmage results
There didn’t appear to be any clear winners or losers on Sunday in the Bruins’ first simulation of game play, as far as Neuheisel was concerned. Mostly, the coach said he was looking for impressive individual performances because the team is still in the process of finding a rhythm as units.
“I want to see individuals rise to the occasion so we can create the depth necessary to be successful,” Neuheisel said.
Prince showed why he has been labeled the starter behind center, completing eight of nine passes with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. Rising sophomore Richard Brehaut and redshirt sophomore Nick Crissman were each given a share of snaps at quarterback, but neither stood out especially.
“I’m pleased at where we are, but we’ve got to get a lot more work done in the second half (of spring practice),” Neuheisel said. “If we improve just a little bit more than we did in the first half, we’ll be right where we need to be at the conclusion of this spring football.”
All-American kicker Kai Forbath, in his fourth spring practice with the team, nailed both of his field goal attempts.
The Great One and son
High school recruits and their families made up a larger portion of the audience than normal at Sunday’s scrimmage. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky was just one parent among many in attendance. He was accompanying his son Trevor Gretzky, a quarterback prospect from Oaks Christian High who is considering becoming a Bruin.
Quick Hits
UCLA ran a light, no-pads practice on Monday following Sunday’s scrimmage. … Strong safety Tony Dye was held out of practice after undergoing precautionary tests for an irregular heartbeat.