UCLA opens spring football practice today, the first of 15 workouts that will conclude with the annual spring game April 25 at the Rose Bowl. Coming off a 4-8 season, there are several issues to resolve and questions to answer. Staff writer Chris Foster looks at five of them:
Line items
Sure, the Bruins need to sort out their quarterback situation. But any improvement there will be for naught if the chosen one continues to have meet-and-greets with every opposing defensive player.
A year ago, the Bruins gave up 35 sacks, ranking them 110th out of 119 Division I teams. And the team's 2.6 yards-per-carry average was third-worst nationally.
And now?
Center Kai Maiava, a transfer from Colorado, is eligible after being a redshirt last season. Ryan Taylor has arrived from Tyler (Texas) Community College and will compete at guard and center. Stanley Hasiak and Xavier Su'a-Filo, upper-crust freshmen, will get a shot during fall camp.
"We got a couple guys who will probably be added to the mix when we get back to two-a-days in fall," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "The puzzle won't be solved [in spring], but we will come out of spring with seven or eight guys."
Expected to be part of that group are tackle Nate Chandler, a converted tight end who has grown from 260 to 290 pounds, and Jeff Baca, who got some experience as a freshman and tops the depth chart at left guard. Tackle Sean Sheller returns after sitting out last year following a knee surgery.
"A year ago, we were just trying to find bodies. Now we actually get to watch guys compete for jobs," Neuheisel said.
Thrown open
Quarterback Kevin Craft returns for his senior year after starting every game as a junior. He deserved a purple heart last season, engineering two late scoring drives behind makeshift lines that provided half the Bruins' victory total. But he also had a school-record 20 passes intercepted and did not throw a touchdown pass in the last five games.
Neuheisel has promised to give Kevin Prince, a redshirt last season, and Richard Brehaut, an incoming freshman who enrolled early, most of the work the first "three to five days." He also promised that Craft would get "a lot of meaningful snaps."
Neuheisel also said, "I'm on the record as saying we have to play better at this position."
Defense minister
Chuck Bullough takes over as defensive coordinator in place of DeWayne Walker, now head coach at New Mexico State.
