There was a bit of everything during the UCLA football team’s final week of Fall Camp practices.
There were injuries, the most notable coming on Wednesday when senior offensive lineman Micah Kia tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Kia, who was competing for the starting left guard position, will have surgery and is expected to miss the entire season.
There was a conditioning session after the final play of Tuesday’s practice, which had to do with discipline more than anything according to coach Rick Neuheisel, who also added that his players were “getting a little lackadaisical with punctuality.”
On the field, there were glimpses of offensive improvement, as both the passing and running games broke big plays throughout the week.
And then there was the sudden realization that the Bruins’ 2009 season ““ which kicks off Sept. 5 against San Diego State at the Rose Bowl ““ is less than two weeks away.
“It’s pretty crazy,” starting quarterback Kevin Prince said. “We have a countdown clock outside our locker room and I remember when that thing was up to 200 days.”
The 19-year-old Prince, who virtually missed his entire senior season at Crespi High School and then took a redshirt year last fall, has reason to be keeping a close eye on that countdown clock.
Heading into Fall Camp, the redshirt freshman was mostly concerned with proving that he was the rightful starter ““ a label he earned at the end of Spring Practice. He did enough this summer to maintain that status.
“He has good timing with the deep ball,” said senior wide receiver Terrence Austin, who was on the back end of a number of Prince touchdown passes throughout the week. “He has a feel for where I’m supposed to be at and I have a feel on where he’s going to put the ball.”
Prince also notices the rhythm he’s developed with the receiving corps and attributes it to their offseason work.
“Throughout the whole summer, coaches are not allowed to work with us,” Prince said. “We came out here four times a week and worked seven on sevens and routes. That has helped us a lot.”
That work was evident when Prince connected with sophomore wide receiver Nelson Rosario, who was streaking down the left sideline, for a long touchdown pass early in the week.
“We had a little double-move going,” Rosario said. “From there I just had to concentrate on the ball. The play turned out beautiful.”
Despite the promising signs, there were also moments that showcased the offense’s collective inexperience. Neuheisel put it into proper perspective.
“With the exception of (redshirt senior quarterback Kevin Craft), we’re talking about a bunch of freshmen,” he said.
The three other quarterbacks ““ redshirt freshman Nick Crissman, true freshman Richard Brehaut and walk-on freshman Ted Landers ““ have played but have not had many reps.
Yet Prince does not use inexperience as an excuse.
“When we go out there focused and thinking about what we’re doing, we’re a pretty good football team,” Prince said.
LACK OF FOCUS: Neuheisel was less than pleased with what he called “punctuality” issues during Tuesday afternoon’s practice at Spaulding Field.
So after the final play, every player on the team lined up and began running sprints.
Then Neuheisel made them run some more.
“I was disappointed that we were getting a little lackadaisical,” he said afterward. “I wanted the guys to understand that to make the jump that we plan to make as a program, we cannot let the little things slide.
“It was just an effort to make sure everybody understands the mission that we’re one.”
INJURIES: Aside from Kia, three others also had MRI exams to determine the extent of their injuries.
Redshirt senior defensive tackle Jess Ward (medial collateral ligament sprain in his right knee) will be sidelined two to three weeks. With senior defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski nursing a back injury, redshirt junior David Carter has been playing alongside All-Pac-10 junior Brian Price.
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Nick Ekbatani (medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee) is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Redshirt junior defensive end Reginald Stokes tore cartilage in his right knee and will undergo arthroscopic surgery. Neuheisel said that he anticipates Stokes to rejoin the team for the last half of the season. As a result, redshirt freshman Damien Holmes has moved up the depth chart.