A new era will begin next week at the Rose Bowl when UCLA, coached for the first time by Rick Neuheisel, faces Tennessee.
The lights are expected to be a little brighter, the fans a little louder, the enthusiasm just a little more palpable.
And, for that reason, there is a lot of hope and optimism swirling around the UCLA football program right now. But, realistically, this team might be lucky just to reach a bowl game. Their schedule is one of the hardest in the country. Veteran quarterbacks Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson have both suffered serious injuries. Aleksey Lanis, the team’s top offensive lineman, retired in the spring. And, even with a top-rated incoming freshman class, the Bruins don’t have the talent that Pac-10 rivals California, Oregon, Arizona State and USC boast.
Needless to say, it should be an interesting season.
Quarterbacks: As crazy as it may be, junior Kevin Craft is the guy.
Craft only arrived in Westwood this spring, as a transfer from Mount San Antonio Junior College. A career-ending knee injury to starter Patrick Cowan and a recurring foot injury to veteran Ben Olson opened the door for Craft. He beat out redshirt sophomore Chris Forcier for the starting job this fall, and he should have it for at least the first half of the season, after which Olson could return.
Craft looks like a quarterback. He stands 6 feet 4 inches and has good mobility. At times, he seems to hesitate in the pocket, but he has a strong-enough arm. His junior college team played in a shotgun offense, so Craft must adjust to playing under center.
Player to watch: Forcier. If he improves his game-management skills and Craft slips, Forcier could see the field very early in the season.
Backfield: Some running backs take a full year to recover from a torn ACL, but so far Khalil Bell looks like he’s in top shape after tearing his ACL last season. Bell, a senior, will carry a big load for the Bruins because he has by far the most experience and he is the strongest, and possibly the fastest, of all the Bruin runners.
Behind Bell will be redshirt freshman Raymond Carter. Carter was a highly touted recruit, but also tore his ACL in fall training camp before the 2007 season. He still hasn’t seen the field.
Carter will split carries with freshman Aundre Dean.
Fullback Trevor Theriot should have a much bigger role in the offense this year, but he will be crucial no matter what because of his blocking ability.
Player to watch: Dean. He has remarkable size for a freshman.
Offensive line: This is by far the biggest concern for UCLA. The unit has been bitten badly by the injury bug. Sean Sheller tore his ACL while riding an all-terrain vehicle this summer. Left tackle Micah Kia broke his hand in fall camp. Almost all of the players up front have little or no game experience and that makes it very hard to predict success.
Micah Reed started last year as a guard, but he will now shift to center. Both guards, Nick Ekbatani and Darius Savage, have potential but no on-field experience at their positions.
If Kia can return quickly, he may be the Bruins top lineman. Sonny Tevaga, Scott Glicksberg, Brandon Bennett and Mike Harris will also compete for playing time. Offensive line coach Bob Palcic said he will switch players around a lot because of the injuries.
Player to watch: Nate Chandler. The redshirt freshman was one of the Bruins’ top young tight ends before he made the switch to offensive tackle this summer. He has a lot of potential, but also a lot to learn.
Receivers and tight ends: Redshirt senior Marcus Everett and redshirt sophomore Dominique Johnson will start, but the Bruins will need contributions from a cast of younger receivers. Junior Terrence Austin has improved. Freshmen Nelson Rosario and Antwon Moutra look like they are ready to contribute right away. The Bruins are still waiting on a breakout season from 6-foot-5-inch junior Gavin Ketchum.
At tight end, Logan Paulsen is perhaps the offense’s most experienced player. He had a bit of a down year last year, after catching 27 passes in 2006. Ryan Moya will also see the field as a back-up tight end.
Player to watch: Rosario. He was a favorite target during the fall scrimmage, and at 6 feet 5 inches, he has big-play potential.
Defensive line: The Bruins are very, very strong up the middle, with the sheer strength of tackles Brian Price and Brigham Harwell.
If Price and Harwell can stay healthy, the pair will anchor the Bruins’ run defense. Price, who is a sophomore, might have the most NFL potential of any Bruin, and Harwell, a fifth-year senior, is one of the team’s most experienced players.
At end, the Bruins will start senior Tom Blake and junior Korey Bosworth. The Bruins will have to replace a lot of production from departed ends Bruce Davis and Nikola Dragovic.
Player to watch: Datone Jones. Although he is only a freshman, Jones has the talent to become the next Bruin “sack-master.”
Linebackers: Redshirt junior Reggie Carter is the anchor of the defense and this unit. He will shift to middle linebacker after two years of playing linebacker on the weak side. Junior Kyle Bosworth will fill Carter’s old spot, and senior John Hale will play strong-side linebacker. Both Hale and Bosworth are big, strong and experienced players.
Backups for this unit will be outside linebacker Akeem Ayers and middle linebacker Steve Sloan. Defensive coordinator Dewayne Walker likes both players a lot, but neither is very experienced.
Player to watch: Carter. He said he wants to be the best linebacker in the Pac-10, and his success is crucial to the success of the defense.
Secondary: This may be the team’s youngest unit. Alterraun Verner is the most experienced of the defensive backs, even though he is just a junior. Verner will play at corner along with senior Michael Norris.
Strong safety Brett Lockett was suspended for the game against Tennessee for violating team rules, and freshman Rahim Moore will start in his place. Moore was one of the top high school safeties in the country last year, but he’ll have to adjust to the college level very quickly.
Junior Aaron Ware will start at free safety, and he will be backed up by redshirt freshman Glenn Love.
Coach Walker said he may consider shifting some players around after Lockett’s return.
Player to watch: Courtney Viney. At 5 feet 8 inches, Viney may be the smallest player on the defense, if not the team. But he’s a gifted cornerback, and as defensive tackle Brian Price said, “Viney plays like a big man.”
Special teams: This unit may be the strength of the Bruin team. Senior punter Aaron Perez is one of the best in the country, and he boomed all of his punts in the fall scrimmage.
At kicker, UCLA features redshirt sophomore Kai Forbath, who has a strong leg and is very consistent. In his first season with the team, long-snapper Christian Yount was close to perfect.
The Bruins have a few options at kick returner: freshmen running backs Aundre Dean and Milton Knox, cornerback Michael Norris, and wide receiver Ryan Graves.
Wide receiver Terrence Austin will return punts for a second straight season.
Player to watch: Forbath. The Bruins need him to be perfect, because they will likely be in a lot of close games.