Jeff Locke

Jeff Locke , best known as UCLA's punter, improved his NFL stock with his two field goals against Texas last Saturday. Locke, subbing for the injured Kip Smith , made kicks of 49 and 51 yards. He is already considered one of the top punters in the nation and handles kickoff chores for the Bruins. "Obviously, he showed he is diverse," Coach Rick Neuheisel said, which should resonate with NFL scouts. "As you're trying to secure roster spots, he would be very valuable, especially on a 45-man roster," Neuheisel added.

UCLA ends practice the same way every day: Ka'imi Fairbairn stares at the goal posts from 52 yards away and to the left. Fairbairn stood at that distance and angle in December, watching his field goal attempt hook wide. He then watched Stanford celebrate a 27-24 victory in the Pac-12 championship game. “Coach puts me in that position every practice to help me get over it,” Fairbairn said. There is a need for Fairbairn to learn such things and grow - not so much as a kicker, but as a leader.

UCLA opens the 2013 season against Nevada at the Rose Bowl. There will be two noticeable holes in the Bruins' roster - running back Johnathan Franklin and punter Jeff Locke. UCLA has 18 seniors who must be replaced. Franklin and Locke present the biggest challenges. "You can't replace a Johnathan Franklin and Jeff Locke, both their production and the influence they have on the players around them," Coach Jim Mora said. TIMELINE: College football 2012-13 bowl schedule Franklin gathers UCLA running backs at the gate at Spaulding Field before practice.

Adrian Gonzalez hit a team-high .379 against left-handers in his partial season with the Dodgers last year. And he's doing even better in the early going this year after collecting two hits and three runs batted in against Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke on Sunday to raise his average against left-handed pitchers to .455. Gonzalez, a left-handed hitter, credits his approach for his success. "They allow me to simplify things," said Gonzalez, who is hitting .328 against left-handers over the last four seasons, more than 20 points higher than his average against right-handers.

UCLA's national signing day started with two players Wednesday morning, one who will make an immediate impact and another who could figure prominently. Sean Covington, a punter from St. Petersburg High School, and Caleb Benenoch, an offensive lineman from Katy (Tex.) Seven Lakes, have signed their letters of intent. Covington is expected to lessen the blow of losing Jeff Locke, arguably the top punter in UCLA history. Covington is ranked third at his position by Scout.com and 12th by Rivals.com.

James Washington's Shelter 37 Foundation will hold a free football clinic for youths from fifth to eighth grades on Saturday at Los Angeles Southwest College. The camp, in its seventh year, is open to 500. They will work with 60 coaches, players and former players. Washington, a former UCLA and NFL defensive back, formed the not-for-profit Shelter 37 in 1993. "I was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles and I never had the opportunity to go to these camps," said Washington, who attended Los Angeles Jordan High.

UCLA ends practice the same way every day: Ka'imi Fairbairn stares at the goal posts from 52 yards away and to the left. Fairbairn stood at that distance and angle in December, watching his field goal attempt hook wide. He then watched Stanford celebrate a 27-24 victory in the Pac-12 championship game. “Coach puts me in that position every practice to help me get over it,” Fairbairn said. There is a need for Fairbairn to learn such things and grow - not so much as a kicker, but as a leader.

UCLA rediscovered something during its 45-19 loss to Stanford Saturday night in Palo Alto. At 6 feet 8, you would think tight end Joseph Fauria would be hard to misplace, but it had been a while since the Bruins had used him. Fauria, a transfer from Notre Dame, had six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown against Houston in the season opener. He had only three receptions for 43 yards in the next three games. But he was back in the Bruins' plans against Stanford, catching three passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns.

USC rushing offense vs. UCLA rushing defense: The Trojans have been Tailback Who more than Tailback U this year. Leading rusher Marc Tyler has had stellar moments, as has Allen Bradford. But freshman Dillon Baxter traveled farther on a golf cart than he has on the field. The flip side is that UCLA's youth, inexperience and shoddy tackling have led to big days for running backs, though linebacker Akeem Ayers can have a dramatic impact on a game. Advantage: USC. USC passing offense vs. UCLA's passing defense: If Matt Barkley plays, the Trojans are more dangerous.

Jordan Zumwalt , UCLA's freshman middle linebacker, has a warning for opposing teams. The Bruins' defense has been trampled over this season, allowing 200 or more yards rushing in six games, but Zumwalt said, "You're not going to get it in the future, that's for sure. As soon as we get a year of college under our belts, college workouts, we're going to be beasts. We've got nothing but big things ahead of us. " There are up sides to the Bruins' defensive front. Zumwalt, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa and defensive tackle Cassius Marsh all are freshmen.

UCLA's national signing day started with two players Wednesday morning, one who will make an immediate impact and another who could figure prominently. Sean Covington, a punter from St. Petersburg High School, and Caleb Benenoch, an offensive lineman from Katy (Tex.) Seven Lakes, have signed their letters of intent. Covington is expected to lessen the blow of losing Jeff Locke, arguably the top punter in UCLA history. Covington is ranked third at his position by Scout.com and 12th by Rivals.com.

UCLA opens the 2013 season against Nevada at the Rose Bowl. There will be two noticeable holes in the Bruins' roster - running back Johnathan Franklin and punter Jeff Locke. UCLA has 18 seniors who must be replaced. Franklin and Locke present the biggest challenges. "You can't replace a Johnathan Franklin and Jeff Locke, both their production and the influence they have on the players around them," Coach Jim Mora said. TIMELINE: College football 2012-13 bowl schedule Franklin gathers UCLA running backs at the gate at Spaulding Field before practice.

Three UCLA football players and two from USC were first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selections, it was announced Monday. USC receiver Marqise Lee was chosen offensive player of the year. Trojans center Khaled Holmes and UCLA offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo, linebacker Anthony Barr and punter Jeff Locke also were first-team selections in voting by coaches. Oregon and Stanford each placed five players on the first team, Oregon State four. Lee, a sophomore, has 112 receptions for 1,680 yards, both conference records.

It was a simple plan and UCLA kicker Jeff Locke had the leg to implement it. USC's Marqise Lee came into Saturday's game averaging nearly 30 yards a kickoff return. His game-changing returns were well documented. He didn't get much of a chance in UCLA's 38-28 victory. Locke buried his first six kickoffs, all of them clearing the back of the end zone. Lee returned the last kickoff 27 yards. "I wanted those kickoffs so bad," Lee said. "He's a great kicker. That dude was kicking it out of the end zone.

How important is punting? All you have to do is watch UCLA's Jeff Locke perform his specialty. Sure, Locke has a boomer-type leg. He was 12th nationally last season when averaging 44.3 yards. But it's his soft touch that really impresses. He dropped a kick dead on the five-yard line last week. On the next play, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez was sacked by Datone Jones for a safety to give UCLA a 29-27 lead. "Any time we get in that area, inside the 50-yard line, he's very capable and more than likely to pin our opponent inside the 10," UCLA Coach Jim Mora said.

Brett Hundley was picking out footballs to use in UCLA's season opener. True, he was getting unsolicited advice from punter Jeff Locke after practice Sunday. But this was Hundley's call. His first big decision as the Bruins' quarterback. "I guess things are getting close," Hundley said. "That's pretty cool. " On Thursday, Hundley will take the field against Rice, his first game since his senior season at Chandler (Ariz.) High. The redshirt freshman will run an offense that UCLA players have never used in a game.

UCLA has been a difficult opponent to get a handle on. Houston's football coaches have tape from their 31-13 loss to the Bruins last season, and UCLA returns many of the same players. But the changes to the Bruins' coaching staff meant a lot of time watching tapes. "They have a lot of the same players, but they have four new coaches — primarily two new guys on offense, including Mike Johnson , who I have a lot respect for," Houston Coach Kevin Sumlin said. "We have watched a lot of different videos of a lot of different teams in the last month.

UCLA plays Arizona State this week, and that comes with one all-important chore — figuring out where Vontaze Burfict is and what he is up to. The Sun Devils' highly volatile linebacker comes with everything — speed, strength, instincts and a warning label. "We've got to be disciplined out there, for sure," Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince said. "He tends to definitely do some things to try to provoke the opponent. " Burfict, a junior, has an effect on the field that extends beyond his play at times.

Jeff Locke's roommates are not entirely fond of the baseball-style cap that the UCLA punter insists on wearing. "Disgusting," is the way Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince describes it. "I refuse to touch it," says long snapper Kevin McDermott. Locke couldn't care less what his buddies think. "All's fair in friendship," he says with a smirk. The cap — a UCLA model, white with a powder blue brim — means a lot to Locke. Somewhere under the grime are dozens of signatures, scribbled by UCLA players as a prank orchestrated by Prince in 2009.

It's pretty simple. A victory over No. 20 Arizona State on Saturday and UCLA is tied for first place in the Pacific 12 Conference's South Division. The Sun Devils can all but wrap up the division -- and a place in the conference championship game -- with a win. Staff writer Chris Foster examines the game's issues and matchups: Take it away Turnovers are the key to winning -- and losing -- football games. Has there ever been a coach who didn't have that go-to line ready?