Spaulding Roundup: Neuheisel’s Thoughts On Jones/Baca, Hester’s Good Start & Other UCLA Notes
by Nestor on Aug 11, 2010 5:56 AM PDT
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PrintOne of the best aspect of UCLA athletics putting up videos of post-practice Q&As is that we no longer have to depend on the local papers as primary source of info when it comes to hearing our head coach and players. When you see and hear the comments from Coach Rick Neuheisel and our players, the difference in tone what they are saying versus what the concern trolls are writing in the papers couldn't become more clear.
Yesterday was probably the most vivid case in point. While the entire UCLA beat reporting contingent were falling all over themselves to thread a gloom and doom mood around practice, Bruins put together a strong front following second day of practice. Here are Coach Rick Neuheisel's comments following second day of practice when he talked about how it all went including addressing questions on Datone's injury and Baca's eligibility issues:
Yeah, not a lot of gloom and doom there. Sure he along with rest of us are bummed about Jones. Yet as he mentioned, it was a freak injury. It happened. We have to get over it at this point and move on. Let's hope Jones has a healthy recovery and doesn't rush back into Spaulding.
It would be great to hear more from both Neuehisel and Chuck Bullough about their thoughts on filling in for Jones. I know, we expressed reservations about "moving" Chandler from DT to DE. However, the more I thought about it, I remember how last year the coaches also moved around Brian Price. One school of thought is that Chandler is such a naturally explosive athlete (with 4.6 speed) it might not be a bad idea to move him around so that the opposing team cannot peg him in one place.
Ultimately it will be about Bullough figuring out to put together his most explosive combination of defensive linemen out there at the same time and rotate them in and out in a way so that they can stay fresh. If Justin Edison emerges as a viable starting option at DT (along with David Carter) and the coaches are putting in Chandler to pack in as much explosive athleticisms as possible in our defensive frontline, it would make a lot of sense. So, let's wait and see a bit how the guys are performing out at Spaulding in the next few days.
In terms of Baca's situation, CRN indicated above that he feels "optimistic" about a "favorable response" from the NCAA. CRN also mentioned that UCLA feels like it has a "compelling case" with the NCAA. So we will see how that situation resolves in the coming days. As for Baca, he is in a "waiting" mode:
"We have an appeal process going, but the tough part is, there's really no timetable on it," Baca said. "We'll see, we'll sit around and wait, and in a couple days, I'll start working with the later groups and getting the other guys some good reps if things don't swing my way. The waiting is the hardest part."
Well, let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Without Baca and Harris in the lineup, here is a tentative look at the current depth chart:
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Sean Sheller (6-5, 300, Sr.**) | Ryan Taylor (6-3, 298, Sr.**) (2 at RG) | Kai Maiava (6-1, 298, Jr.**) (12) | Eddie Williams (6-1, 329, Sr.) (6) | Micah Kia (6-5, 321, Sr.) |
| Brett Downey (6-7, 302, So.**) | Darius Savage (6-4,330, Sr) | Greg Capella (6-4, 320, Fr.**) | Wade Yandall (6-4, 329, Fr.) | Kody Innes (6-4, 279, Fr.) |
| Jeff Baca (6-4, 305, Jr.)(13) | Chris Ward (6-4, 318, Fr.) | Casey Griffiths (6-4, 280, Jr) | Mike Harris (6-5, 319, Jr.**) (13) |
() game started
** indicates redshirt season
Italic indicates player who are currently suspended or questionable for season opener
Obviously Sheller and Kia are question marks because they are coming back from injuries. However, they are seniors, who have been in Palcic's program for a while. Let's see how they respond in the coming weeks. Note Coach Palcic usually like using a rotation of 8 linemen. I am pretty sure he is not going to burn redshirts of any of our true freshman unless he absolutely has to. So the actual depth chart in his mind and what transpires on practice will most likely be different than what I have thrown up here.As for Harris he sounded contrite following practice yesterday:
"I broke team rules," Harris said after Tuesday's practice. "I know I've been playing for the past three years but I know when I break a rule that the team sets for us, no one can get away with it."
Harris described his offense as being "at the wrong place at the wrong time and that's all I'm really going to get into now."
Harris said he has not been arrested.
"I just want to apologize to this great program, to my coaches," he said.
Micah Kia replaced Harris with the first team Tuesday.
"So I'm just going to continue on and come back from my suspension and help this team succeed because I know this team needs me and I just feel sorry for letting my team down but most of all letting my coaches down because they had a lot of faith in me," Harris said. "I've been starting for the past two years and it's just hard to see someone in my spot."
Not much else to add to that. I imagine he and his team-mates got a clear message that CRN is not going to make any exceptions no matter how badly he needs a player for a particular game. If this was some other program, Harris would either be running laps, or sit out for a quarter before returning to the team.
Moving on to the good stuff, Kevin Prince is continuing to look solid during practice. Here he was talking to Ralph following second day of practice:
Also, looking good per CRN above, was Nick Crissman. Per CRN Crissman is off to a great start this cam. Apparently he has been "feeling good" looking like a "new Nick Crissman." That is very encouraging news. I imagine Crissman has a long way to go in terms of reaching the level of comfort Prince has as a starter. However, after all the injury issues he has been through, if Crissman emerges as a good option at number 2 or number 3 QB in our depth chart, it will be a very positive development for the program.
Besides Crissman, Aaron Hester has been enjoying a pretty good start to his pre-season camp:
This week, he has shown the skills and just-try-to-beat-me attitude that coaches feel can make him an anchor in the secondary.
"I'm just focused on playing football, doing my assignment and playing within the scheme," said Hester, who was limited to two games in 2009. "I'm an aggressive person, so my aggressiveness is going to come out sooner or later.
"I know what I got. I know I'm a big-time player. So if I be myself everything will fall into place."
Neuheisel said, "As long as Aaron stays disciplined, taking the right angles instead of always trying to get an interception, he is going to be a very, very good player."
Hopefully, Aaron is going to pay close attention to his coaches. Always love aggressive athletes, however, the aggression needs to be channeled through team-work, solid fundamentals and most importantly discipline. Otherwise, we are going to get burned just like we did during the five game losing streak this past season.
Lastly, Anthony Jefferson has been sitting out practices because he hasn't been certified through "NCAA clearing house." This is the same issue that kept Brian Price out from practices when he started UCLA. Ultimately the paper works were resolved and he made it into the program. I imagine Jefferson will get in eventually. In any event, he is probably headed towards a redshirt season. It should work out all right.
Practice starts around 3 pm PST today. As always if you are out there would love to see pictures and hear about your thoughts on what you are seeing out there at Spaulding Field.
GO BRUINS,
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I agree with your new take on the DL
get the best combination of guys out there. Chandler is quick for a DT and big for a DE, so he presents a different challenge for opponents depending on where he lines up. If CRN thinks we have more depth at the DT position to step up than we have at DE, then it may make sense to move Chandler.
On the OL – looking at the depth chart numbers above, Baca and Harris have more starts than the rest of the OL squad combined (though I think this is a typo – Micah Kia has had a fair amount of starting experience not listed, I think – but they nonetheless represent a large amount of our experience). Obviously it sounds like Harris will be back after the opener, but it still means one less game for the OL to become a battle-tested unit before conference season starts. I’m definitely no expert on the OL, but can someone tell me whether we have any cause for optimism with this unit? Are we expecting to be better just through having some older, bigger guys than we started last year? The idea of Sean Sheller being responsible for protecting Prince’s blind side for any significant time is … concerning… to me, so Baca better step it up.
The OL
Again, Harris is going to miss one game Harris is going to miss one game that will have no bearing on the conference race. He is going to be practicing and working with the other guys on depth chart. His replacement is Kia, who has been in the program for a while. Kia and Sheller had few starts two years go.
Sure they are question marks for now but there is no reason to feel “up” or “down” without having info. on how they have been performing at Spaulding. No one is saying OL is in fantastic shape. Its work in progress but in much better situation depth wise than it was three years ago (look up old depth charts) when we were just looking for bodies to protect a 3rd string QB and one legged RB.
People should be reading up on where the fooball program was three years ago before freaking out like a LA Times reporter or a message board poster.
alright on the right...
Kia is a solid veteran (15 career starts according to the official site). When Harris returns, RT will be a relative embarrassment of riches with two guys in the depth chart with significant starting experience. On the other side, according to the official site Sean Sheller has no starting experience on the OL.
Indubitably we have more depth than three years ago. When trying to gauge whether we will be making progress from last season to this, it may be easier to think about how our OL shapes up compared with last year. Our OL was bad last year; and the basic personnel information we have includes losing XSF and Hasiak, regaining Kia from injury, and a bunch of guys getting a year older and bigger. Harris missing a game is relatively inconsequential (we have depth in his position and it is just one game); Baca being out for any significant time would be a blow. Definitely not intending to concern-troll here – and obviously it is hard to assess anything until we see the guys on the field – but if the OL doesn’t improve from last year that will be a limiting factor in our progress. Hopefully the improved depth alone should help keep us fresher for longer and allow us to punish opposing DLs as the game wears on.
by britishbruin on Aug 11, 2010 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Sounds like you were not watching closely last year
Our OL wasn’t "bad." In fact as we have shown through last year and off-season, the OL showed tangible signs of progress. It gelled under Palcic and if not for unfortunate injuries to Prince and ATV’s dropped pick-6 against Oregon State, it would have looked even better.
Hasiak wasn’t a factor all last year. By some accounts it was unclear whether he would even be a part of the team. Thankfully the coaches have been working with him and he is redshirting this season and focusing on academics. XSF’s mission wasn’t a total shock.
As mentioned above, it is about finding 8 guys who can play in Palcic’s rotation. Right now the situation while not favorable is not the disaster it has been. Plus we still need to find out how they are performing out in Spaulding. So it’s a little ridiculous to sound the alarm bells after 48 hrs of practice.
Whether you are intending or not your post does comes across as uninformed concern trolling (or someone who just started following the team "closely)").
"bad" and "tangible signs of progress" are not incompatible descriptors
Our OL failed to consistently open holes for our RBs and failed to consistently protect our QB, which are among the things one would hope to see from a good offensive line. There was improvement from previous seasons, but this was progress from god-awful three years ago (as you note), to a still below average OL performance on the categories above. Part of this is not on the OL – teams could stack the box to prevent the run because we were not producing sufficient threat in the passing game to keep opposing defenses honest – so perhaps our OL will be able to control the line of scrimmage a bit better this year just based on a slightly more balanced attack. (the revolver may also help with this)
Losing XSF wasn’t a shock, but it weakens this year’s unit at a crucial position (and hopefully strengthens the unit in future years when he returns from his mission older, bigger and stronger). Hopefully the improvement of other players more than offsets this; and hopefully we don’t lose anyone for significant time for any issue. I think we are just coming at this from different perspectives – a couple of players look like they might miss time, and I worry the OL is where we can least afford to lose players; but you see the same guys go down and see it with reference to how we can deal with this much better now than we would have been able to in years gone by – and emphasize how this shows the progress CRN is making in building a program after CTS left the OL cupboard bare. Your view is more mature and less reactionary than mine (and, it should go without saying, better informed).
by britishbruin on Aug 11, 2010 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Sheller and Micah Kia
I’m excited to see these guys get some reps against KSU.
I talked to Sheller about a year ago and I was very impressed with him as a person. As far as on the field goes, he said he was close to getting back to 100%. I’m very hopeful for this kid.
As for Micah Kia, will he be a Michael Fey or a Ryan Hollins? I think that is the question. He has the size and athleticism, but does he have the mental ferocity? If Kai Maiava’s attitude gets in his blood, our opponents better watch out.
by bornagainbruin on Aug 12, 2010 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Harris
Refreshing to see someone actually apologize instead of blaming everything on some made-up medical excuse.
Looks Like Anthony Barr is going to play a lot
Seems like he gets a mention by someone in every interview.
Chandler at DE
N, I agree with your initial reaction to Chandler staying at DT and moving up either Holmes or Stokes as the starter. I think Chandler’s quickness would be much more disruptive up the middle. Plus our depth at DT is already thin. I haven’t heard anything about the progression of Holmes or Stokes, but it would make sense to give them a shot.
by Kerckhoff405 on Aug 11, 2010 8:54 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
What's up with Thigpen?
I read over on Jon Gold’s blog something about the coaches trying Damien Thigpen at corner but still giving him reps with the offense. I know his size is best suited for CB but CB is one of our deepest positions (for now). I would think that with his speed and explosive play-making abilities, he should be worked into slot/scat-back positions on offense rather than 5th or lower on the depth-chart behind Abbott and Viney and never seeing the field. What do you guys think?
Bruins are forever but Trojans are good only once.
I have been wondering about him
I wonder if they ever try him for punt or kick off returns? He is fast, so could he fit in there?
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
He returned 4 kicks
for an average of about 18 yards last year, so it’s not like he can’t fit in a a return specialist (a la Matt Slater) and at least give us a big play threat.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
Ah right
I had forgotten he did any of that last year. I’d like to see more if the coaches see fit! :)
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
I think
the physical nature and athleticism of Presley and Barr at the F-back is what’s giving the coaches the inclination to move him around. F-Back will need to block as well as create mismatches and isolate defenders in open space. It would be hard to do that (block) at 175lbs (or whatever he weighs now).
Bruins are forever but Trojans are good only once.
Anthony Jefferson sitting...
I thought we computerized everything, so we wouldn’t have these issues again? It’s disappointing that it appears we have not resolved the problems. Does anyone have further details on what the issue is?
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