Interview with UCLA DC Chuck Bullough from ESPN

Typically when I post something like this five people immediately email me to tell me that it's already up on the site. In this case, I promise I checked and searched and read everything I could ... I'm sure I missed it, but I did try.

Anyway ...

Ted Miller interviewed UCLA defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough. Here's part of the interview:

You lost a lot of guys who saw a lot of action: Who's going to be hardest to replace?

Chuck Bullough: All of them were good. The hardest to replace? It's really different aspects. Obviously, Brian Price being such a disruptive force up front -- that's a guy you're going to miss. Then we have our two linebackers. Reggie Carter was a four-year starter, so obviously his experience, him knowing everything. He was a team leader of the defense. And obviously Alterraun Verner, who was one of the best corners to ever play here. But we have young guys who played well in spring who we hope can step up. Now, I don't know if they will be at the same level as those guys were because those guys were obviously seniors and these guys are younger. But these guys have the ability to get to that level.

How might the 2010 defense be different than the 2009 unit?

CB: We'll be a little younger. We lost those five seniors. But the guys who played this spring -- [middle linebackers] Steve Sloan and Patrick Larimore -- played really well. Replacing Kyle Bosworth at "will" linebacker we've got [Sean Westgate] and we moved a safety down there, Glenn Love, who played real well and was a real surprise of spring. They have a chance to be comparable to the guys from last year. We moved Nate Chandler over from tight end to defensive tackle. He's a big 6-foot-5, fast with great feet. Between him and David Carter and a couple of the young puppies coming in, we'll replace Brian Price. Well, a Brian Price only comes along every once in a while with his explosiveness. But these guys are good football players. The guy stepping in for Verner would be Sheldon Price. He was a freshman last year but he started as a true freshman just like Verner did. It all depends on them taking that next step and being leaders. We lost all our leadership. So I think, with the defense, it will have to be seen as to who takes over the leadership role with these guys gone, when it comes to the fall and it's time to play games, who are the leaders of the defense.

Here is the rest.

Overall, I don't have much to comment other than the fact that Bullough seems cautiously optimistic.

I'm glad he's showing so much confidence in the revamped defensive line, because that is a concern of mine -- mostly because our best player from last year is now with the Tampa Bay Bucs. But in reading the article, it's pretty clear we have some very talented kids on the defensive side of the football field, including some real studs in Rahim Moore and Akeem Ayers.