Price is right for UCLA’s defense

UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price may only be a sophomore, but he has already reached a level of importance in the program.

“When we go look at tackles for recruiting, if we see a guy like him, we know he’s a bona fide tackle,” defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. “Brian is really the example of what we’re looking for at that spot.”

Price, who will be a sophomore, has underscored that status with play during spring practice that is a reminder of why he was so heavily recruited.

Basically, he has caught up with a college career that was delayed last summer. Price’s whirlwind freshman season was put on hold while the NCAA Clearinghouse checked his paperwork. By the time he was cleared to play, he had missed training camp and the first three games of the season.

Price was given a crash course in defensive-line play and was in the starting lineup the eighth week. He finished with 14 tackles and was so effective that he was being double-teamed by the end of the season.

“He went through a lot,” Walker said. “Was he going to make it, then he did make it, then had to get cleared. Then, ‘OK, I missed training camp and now they want me to play next week.’ He has been building from that and has handled the thing he went through very well.”

Now Price has the time to learn the subtleties of the defensive line to go with his physical abilities.

“I’m getting to learn what the offense is running and what to do in situations,” Price said. “I’m picking up my football IQ. I was learning stuff on the run last season. Every week, something new was thrown at me.”

Price also shed 17 pounds since last season, down to 288, which has made him quicker as well as stronger. Said defensive line coach Todd Howard: “He still has a lot of rawness in how he plays. But he is picking up the finer points of playing defensive tackle, the hand placement, the footwork.”

The ceiling on Price’s potential remains high.

“He’s just so doggone explosive and he can run,” Walker said. “What we’ve seen from him this spring is consistent energy. Since we’ve been here [as coaches], we haven’t seen a guy like him. Even watching UCLA over the last five years, I haven’t seen a defensive tackle like him.”

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It was another rough day for the Bruins’ offense Monday, as the defense again overwhelmed it during light workouts – UCLA was in shoulder pads and helmets.

All three quarterbacks struggled, with Patrick Cowan, the Bruins No. 1 quarterback, leaving the field saying, “It was just a frustrating day.” Bruins quarterbacks had four passes intercepted during 11-on-11 drills.

Still, Coach Rick Neuheisel remained upbeat. He again placed part of it on the play of the defense and reiterated that this was a “process.”

“I was hoping we’d be a little further ahead, but I kind of expected this,” Neuheisel said. “There isn’t one guy on the offense who hasn’t dealt with at least three position coaches [since they have been at UCLA]. There isn’t one guy on the offense that isn’t learning at least his second offense. There are very few guys on offense who aren’t playing a new position, relative to where they were. Obviously, it’s a work in progress. But I’m encouraged by their attitudes.”

What has slowed progress, Neuheisel said, are little mistakes, something “the coaches have to eliminate.”

“It isn’t a wholesale epidemic,” Neuheisel said. “When one guy doesn’t do a thing exactly right, it shows up. We’re not far off.”

Still, the Bruins worked on everything from snaps to pass protection to accuracy on passes.

“I think it’s growing,” Neuheisel said. “It doesn’t always look like it when you’re out in competitive drills against our defense. But we’re gaining on it.”

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One quarterback competition still in progress is the one between senior Ben Olson and community college transfer Kevin Craft for the backup role behind Cowan.

Cowan worked exclusively with the first team. Olson did a few reps with the first team, but he and Craft split time with the second team, though Neuheisel said Craft did not take more reps than usual.

Craft, who enrolled in classes so he could participate in spring practice, had two passes intercepted.

“It’s rough on him now because everything is new to him,” offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. “He hasn’t played under center a lot; now he’s under center [instead of in the shotgun].”

Craft, while unhappy with his play Monday, thinks he’s making progress.

“All I ever want is an opportunity, that’s all you can ask for,” Craft said. “I think they’re giving me every chance.”

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Walker has been elected to the Pasadena Muir High School Hall of Fame… . Tailback Craig Sheppard was held out of contact drills after suffering a shoulder injury during Friday’s scrimmage… . Guard Nick Ekbatani (sprained ankle) returned to full practice Monday and quickly got acclimated to contact drills. He squared off with linebacker Kyle Bosworth after a play from scrimmage. It was over quickly, with Bosworth being the one left standing.

chris.foster@latimes.com