Sheller, a projected starter, suffered a knee injury in an all-terrain vehicle accident this summer. The rest?
"It's been a bit of a disappointment, that's the bottom line," said Allen Wallace, national recruiting editor for Scout.com. "That was viewed as a recruiting class that was going to give UCLA a leg up in the trenches."
Instead, the Bruins keep digging deep holes.
Said Ekbatani: "I believe when it comes to game time, guys try to act like Superman and try to do something special. We just need to block. Don't fall down. That's our story right now, don't fall down.
"If we can just keep our feet moving, get our hands inside, block the right guy, we will improve."
View from the backfield
Kahlil Bell suffered a sprained ankle in the third offensive series against Tennessee, leaving the Bruins without their most experienced running back. Bell gained 795 yards last season.
In stepped Moline, then Carter. Moline, who has averaged 3.4 yards per carry in his career, had five yards in six carries against Tennessee. Carter, a redshirt freshman coming off knee surgery, was the team's leading rusher with 14 yards in 15 carries that game.
"We can't just blame the offensive line," Carter said. "The running backs have to do their part. We have to make our reads and make adjustments."
The coaching staff has also tried to make a couple.
Aundre Dean, a highly touted freshman, was sent into the Brigham Young game last week. He carried once for no gain and suffered a sprained ankle in UCLA's 59-0 loss.
Against Arizona today, Derrick Coleman, a 218-pound freshman, probably will get carries if Bell cannot play. Coleman gives the Bruins a big back who can gain yards after being hit.
"College football is a fast game," Carter said. "Holes open fast and they close fast. We have to do a better job of hitting them hard."
View from the sideline
Offensive line coach Bob Palcic knows what he's looking for after 30 years of forging lines, with a resume that includes Outland Trophy winners and Pro Football Hall of Famers. To run the ball effectively, Palcic said, "you have to have [linemen with] quick feet and lower-body strength. I need linemen who are smart, tough and have good feet. If you're lacking any of those, then you have a problem."
Palcic said that first-year strength coach Mike Linn has "revamped our strength program. He hasn't been here long enough for tremendous results, but it's going in the right direction."
