After their podium session on Friday, UCLA coach Jim Mora and players Conor McDermott and Jayon Brown sat down with us for a minute. Here were the notes from those conversations:
Mora
-Mora said earlier that everyone would be back for fall camp, but he told us out there at lunch that OL Tevita Halalilo is likely done for the season after offseason surgery on his re-injured leg.
-Mora said Alex Akingbulu will redshirt this season as the Bruins try to beef him up to Conor McDermott's size. Mora said he's currently 254 or 255 pounds.
-Mora spoke a lot more about Josh Rosen's Donald Trump tweet, saying they had a "rather serious" conversation about it. In fact, Mora said he got Rams GM Les Snead to speak with him about the importance of controversial issues.
-Mora's daughter was out with him this week at Media Day. He said she and Rosen are "thick as thieves" and he joked he has her keep an eye on Rosen when he can't. Mora also said his daughter is helping teach him how to use Snapchat.
-Mora said UCLA will have an alternate jersey this season. It will be navy blue with navy blue pants. He said it will be "traditional."
-Mora said the new football facility will be done in May. He also said when they move back to Spaulding Field, they will have a screen up to make sure people can't watch their practice from the new hotel.
-Mora spoke about how he was "disappointed" Jake Raulerson didn't make it into UCLA. Both he and McDermott said it was a loss.
-Mora had big praise for Kolton Miller, saying he's bigger than McDermott and squatted around 600 pounds this offseason.
-Mora said if Eddie Vanderdoes has a good year, he expects him to be a first-rounder like Kenny Clark.
McDermott
-McDermott said Kolton Miller is his "mini-me."
-McDermott said Alex Akingbulu reminds him of when he was a freshman several years ago trying to go from mid-200s to 300-plus. He said they've had plenty of conversations about it.
-McDermott said he and Scott Quessenberry have been very active in organizing meetings with the O-line this offseason.
Brown
-Brown said he and the team are "hyped up" to not have to go to San Bernardino for two weeks this year.
-Brown said the transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3 should help UCLA's run defense.
-Of this offseason, Brown said "people are getting huge this summer." He called Fabian Moreau "an animal" for his efforts.
-Brown said UCLA players have plenty of meetings to discuss how to handle themselves on social media.
-Brown said he bowled in the 200s this week. McDermott thinks he's lying.
Mora
-Mora said earlier that everyone would be back for fall camp, but he told us out there at lunch that OL Tevita Halalilo is likely done for the season after offseason surgery on his re-injured leg.
-Mora said Alex Akingbulu will redshirt this season as the Bruins try to beef him up to Conor McDermott's size. Mora said he's currently 254 or 255 pounds.
-Mora spoke a lot more about Josh Rosen's Donald Trump tweet, saying they had a "rather serious" conversation about it. In fact, Mora said he got Rams GM Les Snead to speak with him about the importance of controversial issues.
-Mora's daughter was out with him this week at Media Day. He said she and Rosen are "thick as thieves" and he joked he has her keep an eye on Rosen when he can't. Mora also said his daughter is helping teach him how to use Snapchat.
-Mora said UCLA will have an alternate jersey this season. It will be navy blue with navy blue pants. He said it will be "traditional."
-Mora said the new football facility will be done in May. He also said when they move back to Spaulding Field, they will have a screen up to make sure people can't watch their practice from the new hotel.
-Mora spoke about how he was "disappointed" Jake Raulerson didn't make it into UCLA. Both he and McDermott said it was a loss.
-Mora had big praise for Kolton Miller, saying he's bigger than McDermott and squatted around 600 pounds this offseason.
-Mora said if Eddie Vanderdoes has a good year, he expects him to be a first-rounder like Kenny Clark.
McDermott
-McDermott said Kolton Miller is his "mini-me."
-McDermott said Alex Akingbulu reminds him of when he was a freshman several years ago trying to go from mid-200s to 300-plus. He said they've had plenty of conversations about it.
-McDermott said he and Scott Quessenberry have been very active in organizing meetings with the O-line this offseason.
Brown
-Brown said he and the team are "hyped up" to not have to go to San Bernardino for two weeks this year.
-Brown said the transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3 should help UCLA's run defense.
-Of this offseason, Brown said "people are getting huge this summer." He called Fabian Moreau "an animal" for his efforts.
-Brown said UCLA players have plenty of meetings to discuss how to handle themselves on social media.
-Brown said he bowled in the 200s this week. McDermott thinks he's lying.
