UCLA kicked off its first day of spring ball Tuesday morning, and there were a ton of news and notes to get through. So here we go:
-Jim Mora confirmed Devin Lucien will no longer be on the UCLA roster. Then, he had kind of a weird quote about his possible transfer, saying, "I thought I knew what that direction was, but as of this morning, I don't know."
-Mora said redshirt sophomore receiver Ahmaad Harris was not out with the team today as he's dealing with an "off the field issue that he's trying to take care of."
-The four early enrollees - QB Josh Rosen, LB Josh Woods, DB Nate Meadors and OL Zach Bateman - all were on Spaulding Field today. Woods and Meadors didn't see the field in scrimmages. Bateman ran with the second team at right tackle. Rosen's snaps were limited (more on his day below).
-UCLA has moved Colby Cyburt to tight end. And he's not a tight end. I think it's pretty clear this is just a move to get a big body in there to replicate what Chris Clark will bring in the new pro-style packages in the fall. UCLA has also moved Dwight Williams to safety, Najee Toran to defensive end and Myles Jack to inside linebacker.
-On the injury front, UCLA is pretty healthy heading into April. OL Caleb Benenoch was very limited, OL Scott Quessenberry was a no show after recent surgery, DB Randall Goforth participated with a red jersey on, LB Cam Griffin returned to the second string lineup and looked solid, RB Steven Manfro was back after a torn ACL, WR Austin Roberts was moving very gingerly on his repaired ACL but still worked out, WR Darren Andrews was back out there, LB Kene Orjioke worked out with Sal Alosi, DL Eli Ankou only did individuals after he fractured a bone in his wrist, and OL Simon Goines made his return to the starting lineup at right tackle and looked fine there today.
-Adrian Klemm was not out there today and Mora said he could not talk about any possible deadline or timeline for the investigation process. Blake Bentz, an assistant on the staff, was the one primarily handling Klemm's duties today. Mora said David Marsh, Noel Mazzone and Kennedy Polamalu will also help coach the O-line while Klemm is suspended.
-The other big storyline of the day was obviously the quarterbacks. In my opinion, Josh Rosen is the best QB out there and I'm not sure it's even close. Jerry Neuheisel was very solid, and looked like he always looks, but the arm strength is still lacking. Asiantii Woulard had a bit of an up and down day, looking confident at times but also inaccurate. Mora said two quarterbacks will get the majority of snaps every day in April, but today was Neuheisel and Woulard's day, so we didn't get to see any of Rosen in 11-on-11. Yet Rosen still had the throw of the day ripping a dime to Thomas Duarte in 1-on-1s, and he also led a nice touchdown drive in his lone 7-on-7 drive.
-Here's how the starting offense looked today: QB Neuheisel, RB Paul Perkins, WR Jordan Payton, TE Thomas Duarte, F Devin Fuller, WR Eldridge Massington, LT Conor McDermott, LG Kenny Lacy, C Jake Brendel, RG Alex Redmond and RT Simon Goines.
-Here's how the starting defense looked today: CB Fabian Moreau, DE Takkarist McKinley, DT Kenny Clark, DE Eddie Vanderdoes, CB Ish Adams, OLB Deon Hollins, ILB Myles Jack, ILB Kenny Young, OLB Aaron Wallace, S Jaleel Wadood and S Randall Goforth. The backup defense looked like this: CB Priest Willis, DE Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, DT Carl Hulick, DE Matt Dickerson, CB Marcus Rios, OLB Cameron Judge, ILB Jayon Brown, ILB Isaako Savaiinaea, OLB Cam Griffin, S Tahaan Goodman and S Adarius Pickett.
-It was a really light day out there today with no pads, so there weren't too many standouts. But I thought Kenny Young and Thomas Duarte were the top performers of the afternoon. Young was very instinctual at inside linebacker and Duarte caught everything. I thought outside of one big drop, Jordan Lasley was probably the standout wide receiver on the afternoon as well.
-CB Johnny Johnson returned to the field after multiple shoulder surgeries, but he's got a long ways to go before he's the Johnny we all remember in high school.
-Myles Jack and Mossi Johnson had probably the most entertaining play of the afternoon, with the two wrestling for a shared ball that Johnson had just caught in the endzone. Jack tried to rip it away, but Johnson wasn't letting go, so the two rolled around in the endzone for a good 30 seconds trying to come away with the football. Jack eventually left the scrum with the football, which was met with laughter from the sparse crowd in attendance.
-Devin Fuller probably had the catch of the day in 11-on-11s, snagging a pass left-handed from Neuheisel.
-2015 CB signee Colin Samuel was out taking in practice this morning.
-Former Bruins Robert Thomas, Ian Taubler and Librado Barocio are now helping assist the staff this spring.
-Jim Mora confirmed Devin Lucien will no longer be on the UCLA roster. Then, he had kind of a weird quote about his possible transfer, saying, "I thought I knew what that direction was, but as of this morning, I don't know."
-Mora said redshirt sophomore receiver Ahmaad Harris was not out with the team today as he's dealing with an "off the field issue that he's trying to take care of."
-The four early enrollees - QB Josh Rosen, LB Josh Woods, DB Nate Meadors and OL Zach Bateman - all were on Spaulding Field today. Woods and Meadors didn't see the field in scrimmages. Bateman ran with the second team at right tackle. Rosen's snaps were limited (more on his day below).
-UCLA has moved Colby Cyburt to tight end. And he's not a tight end. I think it's pretty clear this is just a move to get a big body in there to replicate what Chris Clark will bring in the new pro-style packages in the fall. UCLA has also moved Dwight Williams to safety, Najee Toran to defensive end and Myles Jack to inside linebacker.
-On the injury front, UCLA is pretty healthy heading into April. OL Caleb Benenoch was very limited, OL Scott Quessenberry was a no show after recent surgery, DB Randall Goforth participated with a red jersey on, LB Cam Griffin returned to the second string lineup and looked solid, RB Steven Manfro was back after a torn ACL, WR Austin Roberts was moving very gingerly on his repaired ACL but still worked out, WR Darren Andrews was back out there, LB Kene Orjioke worked out with Sal Alosi, DL Eli Ankou only did individuals after he fractured a bone in his wrist, and OL Simon Goines made his return to the starting lineup at right tackle and looked fine there today.
-Adrian Klemm was not out there today and Mora said he could not talk about any possible deadline or timeline for the investigation process. Blake Bentz, an assistant on the staff, was the one primarily handling Klemm's duties today. Mora said David Marsh, Noel Mazzone and Kennedy Polamalu will also help coach the O-line while Klemm is suspended.
-The other big storyline of the day was obviously the quarterbacks. In my opinion, Josh Rosen is the best QB out there and I'm not sure it's even close. Jerry Neuheisel was very solid, and looked like he always looks, but the arm strength is still lacking. Asiantii Woulard had a bit of an up and down day, looking confident at times but also inaccurate. Mora said two quarterbacks will get the majority of snaps every day in April, but today was Neuheisel and Woulard's day, so we didn't get to see any of Rosen in 11-on-11. Yet Rosen still had the throw of the day ripping a dime to Thomas Duarte in 1-on-1s, and he also led a nice touchdown drive in his lone 7-on-7 drive.
-Here's how the starting offense looked today: QB Neuheisel, RB Paul Perkins, WR Jordan Payton, TE Thomas Duarte, F Devin Fuller, WR Eldridge Massington, LT Conor McDermott, LG Kenny Lacy, C Jake Brendel, RG Alex Redmond and RT Simon Goines.
-Here's how the starting defense looked today: CB Fabian Moreau, DE Takkarist McKinley, DT Kenny Clark, DE Eddie Vanderdoes, CB Ish Adams, OLB Deon Hollins, ILB Myles Jack, ILB Kenny Young, OLB Aaron Wallace, S Jaleel Wadood and S Randall Goforth. The backup defense looked like this: CB Priest Willis, DE Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, DT Carl Hulick, DE Matt Dickerson, CB Marcus Rios, OLB Cameron Judge, ILB Jayon Brown, ILB Isaako Savaiinaea, OLB Cam Griffin, S Tahaan Goodman and S Adarius Pickett.
-It was a really light day out there today with no pads, so there weren't too many standouts. But I thought Kenny Young and Thomas Duarte were the top performers of the afternoon. Young was very instinctual at inside linebacker and Duarte caught everything. I thought outside of one big drop, Jordan Lasley was probably the standout wide receiver on the afternoon as well.
-CB Johnny Johnson returned to the field after multiple shoulder surgeries, but he's got a long ways to go before he's the Johnny we all remember in high school.
-Myles Jack and Mossi Johnson had probably the most entertaining play of the afternoon, with the two wrestling for a shared ball that Johnson had just caught in the endzone. Jack tried to rip it away, but Johnson wasn't letting go, so the two rolled around in the endzone for a good 30 seconds trying to come away with the football. Jack eventually left the scrum with the football, which was met with laughter from the sparse crowd in attendance.
-Devin Fuller probably had the catch of the day in 11-on-11s, snagging a pass left-handed from Neuheisel.
-2015 CB signee Colin Samuel was out taking in practice this morning.
-Former Bruins Robert Thomas, Ian Taubler and Librado Barocio are now helping assist the staff this spring.
