DB reporter rips coaches for misuse of Osaar Rasshan

Before this article, I had never seen anyone in the media (outside of Bruins Nation) write anything about how Osaar Rasshan has been misused, like not being switched back to quarterback after both Ben Olson and Pat Cowan had injury problems.

Well, Daily Bruin football reporter/columnist Adam de Jong wrote the following:

"On Tuesday, he practiced with the first unit for the first time in his UCLA career. The term "career" is used loosely, because the mismanagement of Rasshan's talent reflects a lot about the chaotic direction of the UCLA football program." Later, de Jong also criticizes the coaching staff for not turning Rasshan's talents into a productive player on the field. And for the record, I don't think de Jong means that UCLA should be a midlevel program, but means that midlevel is where UCLA is at right now. "This is not to suggest that there's a conspiracy to keep Rasshan from playing. But it's disconcerting that UCLA, a midlevel program that could desperately use some playmakers, has put unnecessary obstacles in his way. Programs that climb the ranks don't usually do it instantly by recruiting well. They do it by recruiting gifted athletes, and coaching them into better football players. Rasshan sounds like a nice guy in the article, and is careful not to say anything negative.

It amazes me that he wasn't at the very latest practicing at quarterback the day after the Washington game when Bethel-Thompson had to play. It's even more mindboggling that Rasshan had never practiced with the first team until Tuesday.

I'm fully aware we don't know for sure what Rasshan can do at quarterback. For all we know, he could be worse than Bethel-Thompson. But Rasshan should have been at least practicing at quarterback, just to show off what he can do. The quarterback is kind of important for an offense -- more important than a backup wide receiver.